“What were you talking about?” Anthony asked.
Raising a brow at his question, she looked at Daisy. “Dicks. We were talking about them. Do you have anything to add about them?”
“Tabs?” Daisy asked.
“What? I’m keeping it real.”
“We weren’t talking about actual … penises.”
Tabitha smiled at her friend, who looked a nice darker shade of pink. So cute.
“Please tell me why we’re talking about a penis,” Miles said, walking over.
“Ugh, I don’t need to hear about your penis.”
“Likewise, I never want to hear about your vagina. Nasty.”
They all burst out laughing.
“Tabby,” Simon said.
The laughter died as she turned toward Simon.
“Can we talk?” he asked.
“You can talk anywhere. You don’t need my sister’s permission, unless of course she has you by the balls?” Miles held his hand out as if he was holding a pair of balls.
“This conversation has gone far enough. I’m over it.” She climbed off the swing. “You want to talk?”
Simon nodded and they walked toward the edge of the gate, not stepping outside.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Yeah, you?”
“I’m not fine.”
She looked at him, waiting.
He glanced past her shoulder, looking everywhere but at her.
“You’ve got to be kidding me. You want me to start this conversation?”
“I don’t know where to begin, babe,” he said.
“First, don’t call me babe. Second, you tell me what it is you want to say. I’ve got nothing to say to you.”
“I was an asshole. I don’t—I was angry and I took it out on you. I shouldn’t have. This whole thing with Lexie, and then to see Luke and the way he watched you.”
“I don’t care about the way he watches me, Simon. I don’t see it. The only person I ever see is you, but don’t ever, and I mean this, don’t ever for a second try to put this blame on me. I didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I know that. I’m an asshole and I hate myself.”
“Good,” she said with a smile. “The roses yesterday were a nice touch.”
“You liked them?” he asked.
“Yeah, I loved them.”
“Good. I didn’t mean to fuck this up.”
“Don’t ever do it again.”
“I won’t.”
She stepped into his arms. “I mean it. Next time, I’ll cut your dick off and you haven’t had a chance to use it.”
“I won’t fuck up again. I love you.”
She kissed him, smiling.
“Enough of that,” Tiny said. “Get in the fucking car.”
She turned to see the rest of her friends were already getting in the car. “It looks like the school is ready.”
“Simon, you’re with Lash,” Tiny said.
“Why can’t I drive in your car?”
Tiny didn’t answer.
“I wouldn’t push my luck with my dad if I was you.” She patted his chest. “It looks like he’s pissed.”
She climbed into the back of her dad’s car. Miles was in the front. Her mom was clearly taking her little brother to school.
“Are we about to have the serious talk?” Miles asked.
“I don’t have the head for you taking the piss, Miles. I suggest you reel that shit in.”
“Consider it done.”
“Good.” Tiny drove slowly.
She stared out of the window.
“I get why you did what you did, sweetheart, but from now on, don’t get caught.”
She turned to look at her dad. “You do realize in an off-the-cuff way, you’ve given me permission to beat the shit out of people?”
“I’ve given you permission to stand up for yourself. If that is what you need to do, I’m going to stand by you.”
“Cool,” she said.
“Make sure you don’t get caught and they can’t prove it’s you.”
“You were a badass when you were prez, weren’t you?”
Tiny sighed. “I did my job well, but the one thing I will always tell you is you’ve got to know when to take a step back or a step down. I don’t have any regrets about Lash taking over. I know he didn’t want it, but he has proven to be one hell of a president. One I’m more than proud to serve under. You guys should be as well.”
“Aren’t you pissed that you don’t get a chance at being president?” Tabitha asked, leaning forward, pulling on Miles’s hair.
“Ouch, stop it.”
“Come on, doesn’t it bother you?”
“No, it doesn’t.”
“Why not?”
“I’m a hothead. I’ve got no place being at the top. We all know that and besides, it means I can keep on being a hothead with no repercussions.” Miles swatted at her hands. “I don’t care if you’re a girl.”
She giggled. Teasing her twin brother was fun.
Sitting back, they arrived at school. She glanced out and saw people had stopped to watch. It was a rare occurrence for their parents to arrive at school. She found the Dogs standing near the edge of the parking lot, their leather jackets a neon sign.
She climbed out of the car and any teasing was long gone.
Joining up with their buddies, including Blaise, Constance, Damien, and John, who had all been suspended along with them, they headed into school.
Now, normal kids may be slightly embarrassed to have their parents escort them into school to deal with the principal. Their parents, the leather cuts, the scars, all of them looking fierce as fuck, Tabitha was proud. Holding her head high, they entered the school and walked down to the main reception.
First were Constance, Blaise, John, Damien, and their parents. They were the civilians. Taking one of the now-vacant seats next to Simon, they were all silent as they waited.
“Fuck me,” Lash said, the first to speak up. “Damn, could you imagine me and you here?” He nudged Nash’s shoulder.
“Hell, no.” Nash whistled. “We would’ve burned this place down to the ground.”
Tabitha smiled. Lash and Nash were brothers. Their parents had been killed, which put them in Tiny’s care.
“I don’t even want to imagine you boys here.” Tiny shook his head. “I’ve already got a son here.”
“Don’t worry, pop, I’m keeping the family name alive.” Miles spread his arms wide as if he was talking with real passion.
She tapped her foot on the floor, waiting.
Their friends came out looking bored while their parents were pale.
The principal had done a number on them. Clearly stating what would happen if they continued to hang out with this unsavory crowd.
Tucking her hair behind her ear, she got to her feet as the principal cleared his throat. It was their turn. The seats were available for the parents. She stood behind her father’s chair.
“I hope you all understand and appreciate this school from this day forward,” the principal said. “I will not have fights or bullying.”
“Hold the fuck up. We don’t bully.”