‹ Prequel: Calm Before the Storm
You're Kind of Gangster
Shailene
I go through my emails on the drive to school Monday, not paying attention to Matt and Jo chattering loudly in the front seats of the car. When I get down towards the older ones, I see one from three days ago on Friday from Mrs. Brown, the time stamp right before the incident with Ean. Tutoring is no longer required to take place in the media center which spikes my nerves when I realize Wednesday is only two days away once again. “Earth to Lene,” I look up when I hear my name. “You okay?” Jo asks, turning in her seat to face me. I sigh. She takes my phone from my hand and reads over the email aloud to Matt.
He glances back at me from the rear view mirror. “I want to be there on Wednesday.” I look at him as he focuses back on the road. A black eye from the fight on Friday still darkens his left eye, as well as a cut across his eyebrow and a dark bruise from the first hit on his jaw. “It wasn’t a question, Lene, I’m coming. If you think I’m going to let you be alone with him then you’re crazy.”
“What, did you think I was going to bring him to my house? I’m not stupid, Matt, I would make him meet me somewhere public.”
“I still don’t like this.”
“Neither do I, Matt, but this is unfortunately what I signed up for. So now I’m stuck with it and I need to get through this like a big girl, okay?” He looks back at me again and nods.
“If he does anything, he’s dead.”
-
Sorry we can’t come to get you
Hey, I have to go we’re getting ready to go out for the game.
I read over Jo’s texts as I sit on one of the benches outside the main entrance of the emptying school. Matt told me right before the first bell rang this morning that he couldn't take me home because of a game. I groan and try to call Sam for the third time, but he still doesn't answer.
I slouch back against the bench, the front of the school now completely quiet. “Hey! Are you deaf?” I look up and see a smirking Ean walking out of the school towards me. He hovers a foot away, his thumbs casually hooked around the belt loops of his jeans. I glance up at his face and see similar damage to what he did to Matt. A black eye, busted lip that has at least five stitches in it, and fading bruising around the bridge of his nose and under his other eye.
I stutter and he smirks again, but then something changes in his eyes, and it’s wiped off his face. It’s replaced with a grimace. I look at him cautiously for a minute before I realize he’s trying to smile.
“Uh, so, Shailene, you need a ride?”
I glance around timidly, then go through what he said, "I told you not to call me that."
His smile falters for a second before it's back in full force, a little more convincing than before. "You didn't answer my question."
I sigh and push a hand through my hair, I look down at my phone again and nod, "Yeah, I could use a ride."
He actually smiles this time, "Great. Follow me." I get up slowly, scanning the parking lot for a car that I think would match his personality. I put my backpack on my shoulders and follow him. We get to the back of the parking lot and stop in front of a blacked out mustang. He grins proudly at his car. "You can put your bag in here," he says, popping the trunk and flinging his bag in there. I slide into the passenger seat after, and he climbs in on his side. "Ready?" he asks, turning to me as he starts the car.
I take a deep breath, clicking on my seatbelt and nodding.
-
As Ean pulls up to a red light, he turns to me, "You, know, I was thinking..." I face him. "I could.. I could use the tutoring."
"What?" I ask, laughing, actually finding this situation hilarious. "You're asking for me to tutor you?"
He steps on the gas as the light changes, "My, uh, my parents are getting on me about my grades." I try to imagine this situation- something like his parents cornering him about his grades during dinner, and smile again. There's a lull as I try to think it through.
"Fine, I'll do it," I finally say against my better judgement. Maybe he's actually trying.
-
"Thanks for the ride," I mumble as I walk around the back of his car to the trunk where my bag is. He gets out too and stops me from opening the trunk.
"Why didn't defend your brother yesterday?" he asks quietly.
I shake my head and attempt to pry his hand from on top of the trunk door, but he's too strong for me to even make him budge. I sigh, knowing he won't let me go until I give him a decent answer.
"Because I'm not sure how to justify whatever he did."
He glances back at me from the rear view mirror. “I want to be there on Wednesday.” I look at him as he focuses back on the road. A black eye from the fight on Friday still darkens his left eye, as well as a cut across his eyebrow and a dark bruise from the first hit on his jaw. “It wasn’t a question, Lene, I’m coming. If you think I’m going to let you be alone with him then you’re crazy.”
“What, did you think I was going to bring him to my house? I’m not stupid, Matt, I would make him meet me somewhere public.”
“I still don’t like this.”
“Neither do I, Matt, but this is unfortunately what I signed up for. So now I’m stuck with it and I need to get through this like a big girl, okay?” He looks back at me again and nods.
“If he does anything, he’s dead.”
-
Sorry we can’t come to get you
Hey, I have to go we’re getting ready to go out for the game.
I read over Jo’s texts as I sit on one of the benches outside the main entrance of the emptying school. Matt told me right before the first bell rang this morning that he couldn't take me home because of a game. I groan and try to call Sam for the third time, but he still doesn't answer.
I slouch back against the bench, the front of the school now completely quiet. “Hey! Are you deaf?” I look up and see a smirking Ean walking out of the school towards me. He hovers a foot away, his thumbs casually hooked around the belt loops of his jeans. I glance up at his face and see similar damage to what he did to Matt. A black eye, busted lip that has at least five stitches in it, and fading bruising around the bridge of his nose and under his other eye.
I stutter and he smirks again, but then something changes in his eyes, and it’s wiped off his face. It’s replaced with a grimace. I look at him cautiously for a minute before I realize he’s trying to smile.
“Uh, so, Shailene, you need a ride?”
I glance around timidly, then go through what he said, "I told you not to call me that."
His smile falters for a second before it's back in full force, a little more convincing than before. "You didn't answer my question."
I sigh and push a hand through my hair, I look down at my phone again and nod, "Yeah, I could use a ride."
He actually smiles this time, "Great. Follow me." I get up slowly, scanning the parking lot for a car that I think would match his personality. I put my backpack on my shoulders and follow him. We get to the back of the parking lot and stop in front of a blacked out mustang. He grins proudly at his car. "You can put your bag in here," he says, popping the trunk and flinging his bag in there. I slide into the passenger seat after, and he climbs in on his side. "Ready?" he asks, turning to me as he starts the car.
I take a deep breath, clicking on my seatbelt and nodding.
-
As Ean pulls up to a red light, he turns to me, "You, know, I was thinking..." I face him. "I could.. I could use the tutoring."
"What?" I ask, laughing, actually finding this situation hilarious. "You're asking for me to tutor you?"
He steps on the gas as the light changes, "My, uh, my parents are getting on me about my grades." I try to imagine this situation- something like his parents cornering him about his grades during dinner, and smile again. There's a lull as I try to think it through.
"Fine, I'll do it," I finally say against my better judgement. Maybe he's actually trying.
-
"Thanks for the ride," I mumble as I walk around the back of his car to the trunk where my bag is. He gets out too and stops me from opening the trunk.
"Why didn't defend your brother yesterday?" he asks quietly.
I shake my head and attempt to pry his hand from on top of the trunk door, but he's too strong for me to even make him budge. I sigh, knowing he won't let me go until I give him a decent answer.
"Because I'm not sure how to justify whatever he did."