“Keep it quiet,” I warn the other students who have begun to whisper. “Your test better be done by the time that bell rings.”
Karen winks at me, proud of my no-nonsense, take charge authority. The woman is a hardass herself, so she can appreciate a strict teacher.
Liv and Heidi both start the waterworks as the officers cuff them. They’re eighteen now and the shit they’ve been pulling won’t go without consequence. Liv sobs, shooting me her saddest stare, but I’m immune.
They deserve this.
Penny and Cal are little detectives. After what Penny did to Eli, she made it her mission to continue to take down everyone connected with her humiliation and sexual assault. Cal, a vigilante for justice himself because of what happened with Charlotte, was all too happy to help. Unbeknownst to me, while Penny and I were broken up, my best friend was helping Penny gather her evidence.
Though it was described as a sex crime ring, what those kids were doing was less sophisticated. Brutal and fucked up, but certainly not organized. The law sees it as black and white, though. Penny wasn’t the first girl to get caught up in their shit and certainly wasn’t their last. Grayson, Eli, Aaron, Paxton, Heidi, and Liv will all be arrested today. Between testimonies from other students, video evidence, and texts stealthily gathered by Penny and Cal, the police were given more proof than they could deny. The girls got sick satisfaction in helping the boys by drugging other girls they didn’t like. Grayson and Eli were the main orchestrators, their crimes dating back to the days when they were friends with Ryan and he’d do the same to Charlotte, but Paxton quickly became one of the ring leaders.
Hopefully, these kids will have to answer for their crimes. Only time will tell. It sure sets an example for the other students.
You fuck with the Hoodlums and the Hoodlums fuck you back.
Knowing Cal wants to run this school as principal one day and Penny wants to arrest every-fucking-body, I know my ass will sleep easier knowing the shitheads in Hood River will think twice before they commit crimes.
Karen and the policemen leave quietly, two horrible bitches in tow. The bell rings shortly after and everyone rushes to turn in their papers, already gossiping about what happened. I collect the tests and shove them into my laptop bag to grade later.
I’m tidying up my desk when three familiar faces enter the classroom. Cal has his arm slung over Charlotte’s shoulders, a smug grin on his face. He and Penny high-five before she rushes over to me. I pull her into my arms, boldly kissing her pretty lips.
“School project, huh?” I tease, nipping at her bottom lip.
“I aced it,” she brags.
Cal chuckles. “Those assholes deserve what they have coming to them.”
“I did get satisfaction when someone texted me a picture of Heidi in cuffs,” Charlotte admits. “She was such a bitch to me.”
“What’s everyone’s plans?” Cal asks. “I’m hungry.”
“I gotta run Zella over to Grandma’s so we can pick up the swing set.”
“We can go with you and take my truck,” Cal offers. “Rhetta misses me.”
“The only person my grandma misses is Zella. I swear she forgot we all exist,” I grumble as I pull my bag over my shoulder and take Penny’s hand. “But, yeah, let’s go get Zella from your mom.”
Luckily, for the rest of this school year, Kate offered to watch Zella between noon when she gets out of pre-K and the end of my school day since they live so close. She dotes on Zella like she does Cal. It’s cute as hell. Next year, Zella will be going to full day kindergarten. I know they’ll both miss that time together.
Cal and Charlotte leave the classroom, but I tug Penny to me before she can walk out the door.
“You okay, baby?” I ask, dropping a kiss to her lips.
“Better than okay. I’m happy they’re finally getting justice.”
“I love you, especially when you’re terrorizing the world in the name of good,” I tease. “I think I’ll have to reward you tonight for your service. With my tongue.”
“Stop talking, Smash, or I’ll demand that reward now.”
Our lips meet for a hot kiss that ends all too quickly. As much as I want to ravish my woman in my classroom like something filthy from a porno, I have a little girl’s birthday party to plan.
“You want to put it there?” Jordy asks, gesturing to our old bonfire spot.
“Do you plan on entertaining delinquents ever again? Campfire Chaos is now Barbeques with Daddy Hutton,” I remind him, smacking his arm. “Stop complaining and help me move this shit.”
“I’m not complaining,” Jordy grunts. “Just saying it’s weird.”
I shrug. “Gotta make room for the new Hoodlums. These kids will be a lot better behaved, though, because instead of getting blowjobs from Hoodlum groupies, they’ll swing and shit.”
“Emilia is never allowed to go to a party. Ever.” Jordy grimaces. “I will follow that girl to school and back if I have to.”
Cal laughs from nearby. “Does Little Hoodlum know you’re a psycho stalker?”
“Does Charlotte know you’re a dumbass?” Jordy throws back.
“Charlotte knows all about my thumb in her ass,” Cal replies.
Jordy shoots me a horrified look.
“He’s kidding,” I mutter, though I know he’s not. I was his roommate for a while. I know exactly what kind of shit he and Charlotte get up to. Poor Jordy looks like his brain can’t compute such a thing. He probably worships Roux and handles her like glass.
I’m glad my girl is made of fire and ice.
Hot and cold.
Strong and unbreakable.
“It’d be easier if Roan and Hollis would show up,” Cal complains. “I swear they get out of all the hard shit.” He tries to mimic Hollis, flailing his hands in the air and softening his voice. “Oh, sorry guys, but we have a baby now. She keeps us busy.”
Jordy shakes his head, laughing. “You’re a dick, Cal.”
“A dick who has to do the heavy lifting because Roan and the rat are avoiding us,” he grumbles.
“Roux already said they’re on their way,” Jordy reminds him. “Your stupid as fuck self doesn’t know this yet, but it does take a minute to gather shit for your baby.”
Cal sulks after that. I know he wants to knock Charlotte up, but she’s an English. Like Hollis and Penny, she has goals. Nothing will stop her until she achieves them. Char wants to be a doctor. As much as Cal would love to have a kid right now, too, I know he’d much rather make his girl happy and let her follow her dreams.
“I’m sure Roan and Hollis will let you babysit the kids one day,” I taunt. “So they can dick each other down and try to make more babies.”
Jordy laughs. “Who’s gonna tell them it’s a physical impossibility?”
“Not me,” Cal utters. “Last time I gave them shit about it, Roan rubbed Hollis’s dick right in front of me and said I had to cut my shit or he’d make me watch.”
We all groan because no one wants to see Hollis and Roan swordfighting. I’m all about loving who you want, but I prefer seeing my girl’s pussy and don’t have any desire to see what it is they get to in the bedroom.