Filed to story: Brace Face Betty Drama Story
“He arrested him?”
“Detained,” Darhower repeats. “Now. Since no weapon was found on Moretti and it’s just his and your word against Kacey and Zen’s, I’m afraid measures must be taken if all of you are to remain at Ravenshire. You and Kacey used to be thick as thieves, Betty. Obviously, something happened to cause a rift between the two of you. You’re both going to have to attend joint counseling sessions with Ms. Landry, twice a week to iron out your differences. No, don’t even bother, Betty. This is non-negotiable.”
“And the deadbeat on the motorcycle?” Mr. Weaving demands. “You have to suspend him, preferably for the rest of the semester. He has to learn a lesson, Jim! His type needs a firm hand to rein them in and show them who’s boss.”
“No way! That’s weeks’ worth of work. If you do that, there’s no way he’ll be able to catch up. He’ll have to re-sit the entire year!”
Darhower slams his open palm down on his desk. The loud burst of sound nearly makes me jump out of my skin. “Marcusandro Moretti is not being suspended. His attendance has been good, and his grades, despite the motorcycle, have been exemplary. Jesus, why the hell is everyone so bent out of shape about the kid’s goddamn mode of transportation.”
“He cannot be allowed to play on the team,” Mr. Weaving says, voice rising with his anger. “That, I simply will not allow. Jake’s worked too hard and too long to have his dreams of playing for state crushed because of some orphaned, violent thug with an ax to grind. Do not test me on this, Jim. Believe me, I will make things very difficult-“
“When don’t you make things difficult,” Darhower mutters under his breath.
“Excuse me?”
“I said fine, Caleb. Have it your way. Marcus is banned from playing on the team for the rest of the year until graduation. He can play basketball or something else instead for all I damn well care. Now that’s an end to it. Betty, back to class. Caleb, honestly, it’s been a pleasure as always.”
* * *
Marcus’s fumes like a smoking volcano as he burns across the lot, threatening to blow any second. Two identical red rings cuff his wrists, the skin broken and stained with dried blood. I have to jog to keep up with him, dodging around all of the other students pouring out of the building, heading toward their cars.
“He told me to ‘
take the rest of the day off,'” he growls, fishing in his pockets for his keys. “Like I’d earned myself a little break or something. I swear, I want to fucking murder Jake Weaving right now,
Argento. Him and his arrogant son of a bitch father.”
“Marcus. Marcus, it’s okay. You’re not gonna lose the credit. It’s still early enough to get you on another team, okay? Darhower said so himself. Hey. Hey, look at me.” I have to step up onto the low brick wall next to the bike so I’m the same height as him; taking his face in my hands, I hold him in place until he has no choice but to stop prowling up and down like a lion with a sore head and has to stand still.
“I warned you hanging out with me would have consequences,” I say softly. “You can take this all back, y’know. Me and you. If they fuck with you again and do something to ruin your chances of getting custody of Ben, I’ll never forgive myself.”
He meets my gaze with a fierce, unrelenting fire in his eyes. “You think I’ll give you up because some dumb assholes wanna make life hard for us? No fucking way, Betty.”
Guilt nips at me, biting at my conscience. “I’m sorry you had to deal with that. Fuck, I’m sorry you had to deal with any of that. Hainsworth definitely shouldn’t have thrown you in cuffs over some stupid high school argument.”
“He could have done worse,” Marcus says, tensing as he looks over my shoulder at something behind me. From the way his eyes are flashing, I’m willing to put money on it being Jake and Kasey burning out of the lot in her matte black G-Wagon. “Hainsworth’s patience with me is generally stretched pretty thin,” he says. “He could have thrown my ass in a cell, no questions asked. I’m sure Jake knew that. Things could have been much, much worse.”
“My parents think I have cheerleading practice. You wanna go somewhere for a couple of hours? Cool down?”
The creases on Marcus’s forehead remain, but the agitation in his eyes dims a little. “Did you have somewhere specific in mind?”
“Yes, actually. I’ve seen where you live, Marcus, but I still haven’t seen where you work. I want you to take me to the Rock.”
“Uhh…I don’t know,
Argento. The Rock isn’t exactly an ideal spot for date night. It’s… There’s…” He’s grasping at words, clearly trying to find a way to explain that his workplace is a den of iniquity worthy of biblical renown.
“I’ve lived here my whole life, Marcus. I hear plenty of things. I know what the Rock is. I’ve always been curious about what goes on behind those heavy wooden doors, and now I have a handsome boyfriend who works there to sneak me in unnoticed. Come on, don’t you think it’ll be fun?”
Marcus considers. He stares off into the dark forest that borders the Ravenshire High parking lot.
He doesn’t think it’s a good idea. He’s going to say no.
He’s-
“All right. But just because it’s the middle of the afternoon, doesn’t mean anything at the Rock. It’s a shit fight no matter what time of day it is. If you’re ready for some incredibly loud music and lots of drunk people, and you’re okay with the fact that you’re gonna come face to face with a fuck load of strippers…then sure. I’ll take you.”
* * *