He wasn’t just the top of the chain within his group of friends. He was literally the top over everyone. That time we went for food and got it free? That wasn’t the only time. That’d been the first of many times.
I was starting to understand why.
Cora nudged me again, nodding below us on the bleachers. “Stephanie Witts is planning on making a pass at Ryan tonight. Just warning you.”
That was the girl I’d had the confrontation with yesterday, and she was sitting with a bunch of her friends. Erin and Peach were at the end, but whispering on their own. Tom was in the row behind Peach, along with a few other guys I didn’t recognize.
“Where are the other guys?”
As if hearing my question, Kirk and Nick showed up, walking in from the hallway. Two other guys were with them, but I only recognized Pete.
“That’s Nick’s cousin, right?” I asked Cora. “And why isn’t Nick playing?”
“He got in trouble. I don’t know why he’s not on the bench with them. And yeah, that’s his cousin.”
She stood, waving with a smile stretching over her face. “Hey! Pete! Up here.”
He looked around and saw us.
Kirk and the other two lingered behind, talking to Stephanie and her friends, while Pete came toward us. There was an opening by Peach, so he started his climb there, ruffling her hair in greeting and pausing to knock fists with Tom before coming the rest of the way.
“Hey, Cora.” He grabbed her in a big hug before smiling politely at me. “Mackenzie, right?”
I nodded. “Peepee, right?”
He barked out a laugh. “Man. That’s right.” He sat right behind us, his knees behind Cora, and she leaned back, draping her arms over his legs. He was a human backrest. He jiggled her a bit. “Not that I’m not excited to see you, but please, please let me flirt with you. Kirk’s already warned me off. I could die happy if I could shake him up a bit tonight.”
Cora stilled at his words, watching me.
Pete just laughed again, moving his knees to jostle her. “Hmm? Cora?”
She was watching me.
I just shrugged. “I’m fine.”
She nodded, only needing that before turning and punching Pete in the leg.
“Ow! What was that for?”
He was clueless. “You’re an idiot sometimes,” she told him.
“An idiot like my cousin and your new beau?” He tapped her shoulder, pointing to where we’d just been watching.
Kirk was watching us, a keen look on his face. He narrowed his eyes, focusing on Cora before turning to respond to something Stephanie said. She leaned forward, her hand touching his arm, before falling back as if she’d made a joke. Her friends began laughing. Nick swept an easy grin over Kirk’s face before sensing his focus on us. He looked up then too, his eyes narrowing at Pete.
I glanced over, seeing that Pete had leaned forward to drape one of his arms around Cora’s shoulders. He was wiggling his eyebrows in suggestion.
Cora shook her head. “You’re going to get beat up.” But she wasn’t moving away from the touch either.
Kirk lifted a finger and waved it side to side.
His message was clear, but Pete only laughed harder. “The fucker can sweat a little.” He pretended to rub his cheek next to Cora’s.
She shrieked, pushing him away, and sat forward.
I looked down, noticing that almost their entire section was watching the display. Stephanie’s eyes locked with mine and darkened with anger. Her friends whispered to each other, looking from her to me.
“Whoa,” Pete said. “What’s going on? I’m totally egging Kirk on, and no one’s caring . . . except him.” He laughed to himself.
Cora rested an elbow on his knee again. “Stephanie Witts and Mackenzie got into it yesterday.”
“Got into it?” Nick asked as some people left behind us. He and Kirk had decided to join us, and Nick sat behind me, adding, “More like Mackenzie decided to get in some practice of her own, with Stephanie’s head as the ball.” He nudged my shoulder with his fist. “Hmm? Hmm? Am I right?”
“Yeah?” Pete grinned. “I remember hearing you wiped the floor with an ex of Ryan’s too.” He tipped his chin to me. “You the next badass of Portside High?”
I laughed at that. “Badass?”
“She holds her own,” Kirk said as he dropped down beside Cora. He nodded to me before turning and shoving Pete off his seat. “Touch what’s mine again, and we’ll have real words.”
“Oh yeah?” Pete was unfazed, scrambling back and pushing his face close to Kirk’s. “So Cora’s yours now? You claiming her?” It was small, but I caught the smallest wink in Cora’s direction.
I studied my friend, and I didn’t miss the small smile on her face or the way her head suddenly ducked down. I was starting to wonder if this hadn’t been set up by Cora herself. Maybe Pete was doing a little friendly favor for one or both of them.
“I . . .” Kirk was unsure, glancing to Cora. “Well?” He frowned, softening his tone. “Do you—do you want to go out sometime?”
Her head popped up. “Sometime?”
“Tonight.”
Nick made a noise.
Kirk corrected, “Tomorrow night?” He winced. “There’s a party tonight I already said I’d go to.”
Her face was almost bright red. “Oh! Um. Y-yes. Yes.”
She beamed, and Kirk nodded. “Cool.”
The two continued to stare at each other, having a small moment before Nick punched his cousin in the shoulder.
“Ow!” Pete clamped a hand over his arm and glared. “Honestly. What is up with the physical violence?”
“From what I remember, you hit him the first time I met you.” I pointed at Pete and then Nick.
Both cousins froze and then Nick cracked up. “Ha! She got you there.” But he swung back and tried to punch his cousin again, only Pete was ready this time. He leaned back, and Nick’s arm went in front of his chest, and he grabbed it. Nick retaliated, and the two started brawling right there in the stands.
Kirk grabbed Cora and me, pulling us down a seat, but most of the others around them scrambled out of the way. A few little kids started crying.
“Ah! Stop it!” A middle-aged lady took her purse and began batting at Nick and Pete’s backs. “You two. Stop it at once.”
It worked, and it didn’t.
They stopped wrestling and returned to their seats, but they started shoving instead.
“You guys.” Tom had run up the side of the bleachers, using the actual stairs, and he paused at the end of our row. “Kirk.” He gestured to the court where some of the basketball players had stopped to watch the scuffle. “They’re going to call security.”
Kirk groaned, but he started to wade in between the cousins. “I can’t take these two anywhere, I swear.”
The purse lady gave up and passed her weapon to her husband, who was the only one who didn’t seem perturbed by Pete and Nick. He remained almost in the middle of it, sitting calmly and watching the court. I followed his eyes and found his attention fixed on where the cheerleaders were stretching. One had her back to the bleachers, bent over so she could still talk to her friend. Her ass was right there. I didn’t think she cared.