The Locker Wars

William was on his way to Math class when Jason Siska’s little brother approached him.

“William, look, man, I was wondering,” Adam started, waving his arms in front of William’s face. William was taller than him, because Adam hadn’t gone through his growth spurt yet.

William stopped. “Hurry it up, Siska, I gotta get to class,” he grumbled.

“I could skip,” Adam suggested. “We could both skip. I kind of wanted to talk to you.”

“Skip? Losers skip,” William glared. “On the second day too. Who are you learning from, Siska? Like I said, make it quick, I am not being late to class today.”

Adam paused. “I... I want to join the war.”

“Again?” William questioned with a tired sigh. “We all have to think it over. And you know how Adele Bradlee is like; wants everything her way. And since we’re already five in the group—”

“Adele told me that it was all right with her,” Adam hurried on. Now that William Beckett said that skipping class wasn’t cool, it wasn’t cool. “She said that I could join. Said there was no problem with it.”

“Really?” William cocked an eyebrow. “Well, I guess we’re going to have to have a meeting. I don’t know, since your brother’s in it...”

The bell rang, so Adam didn’t know if his chances were good or bad.

“Shit, I’m late to class,” William groaned, shooting a death glare at Adam. “Thanks.” He jogged off to his class, leaving Adam panicking in the middle of the hallway.

William slipped into his math class two minutes late, only earning a small look from the teacher. He sat in the desk next to Jason, opening his textbook to the right page. He immediately started on the problems.

“I don’t get this,” Jason sighed.

“Yeah, well I don’t get why your brother wants to join our crew,” William hissed back.

“Adam? God, what a wannabe.” Jason scoffed, and the teacher shushed them. Jason shook his head and turned back to William, who was already done the first five or six problems. “Dude! Slow down! I can only take so many numbers in a day, and you’re just pushing it.”

“I need to keep my average up.”

“Come on! You know Adele’s not going to beat you again. Besides, tell me about my brother,” Jason laughed, scribbling in the margin of his paper.

“Well, he said he wants to join,” William shrugged. “Said Adele Bradlee was fine with it too. You know, I think something’s up. I think she’s up to something.

“And we’re not?” Jason raised an eyebrow. “Sounds like something Adam would do. I’ll talk to him, maybe later. But I don’t know, are you sure he said Adele was okay with it?”

“I don’t think he’d lie to me,” William growled, moving his pencil across the page as if he couldn’t do the problems fast enough. “Plus, it’s your brother. I guess he looks up to you and all.”

“Yeah,” Jason nodded, and leaned back in his chair.

“Shit,” William cursed when his pencil broke. “This shit is stressing me out.”

“You’re almost done all the problems!” Jason noted, wide-eyed. “And you’re stressed out?! I’m stressed with my mom; she wants me to get at least a 60 in math!”

“Fuck, it’s just,” William groaned. “This is stupid—”

“Who’s cursing at the back? Is it you, Mr. Beckett?” the teacher asked, and William rolled his eyes. “I’ll give you a warning, but please get back to your work.”

William rolled his eyes, but kept to his paper for the rest of the class. What was suddenly so important about this year’s war that Adam wanted to join, and Adele was bending the rules? Well, William had rules of his own. He’d show her.

* * *

“Adele, what are you up to?” Riley asked her friend as they both skipped down the halls on the way to English class.

“Nothing,” Adele sang, and then giggled. They both turned into English class, seeing William and Mike sitting at the back of the class. Adele chose a seat at the front.

“Hello! Why are you sitting at the front? Nobody sits at the front unless they’re assigned,” Riley hissed. Adele only shrugged with wide, innocent eyes.

“I need good marks! What if I can’t see?”

“You’re too... obsessed. Stop being a nerd so that we can sit at least in the middle of the room,” Riley grunted, pulling her friend out of the chair. They both settled on seats right in front of Mike and William.

William poked Adele’s back. “You’re trying to hear our plans, aren’t you?”

“No, because I don’t need to,” Adele snapped, turning around. “I am totally on to your special rules, Beckett.”

Riley nudged her.

“But... haha, what the heck,” Adele laughed, stealing a ‘sorry’ look to her friend. “Besides, whatever you have planned, I have something better.”

“No you don’t,” William pointed out with a grin on his face. “Please. Your plans always backfire, I know.”

“They don’t, they just—why am I telling you this? The point is, you’re going down, Beckett,” Adele glared at him. She folded her arms, hoping that it made her seem threatening.

William laughed. “I’d like to see that instead of your stupid sissy threats.”