RYOT GRL

Chapter 9

All I hear is silence as everyone stares at me, gobsmacked. It’s like no one knows what to do. I’m frozen in place looking between the crowd and Castle’s busted window. It’s only when I see Castle coming for me that I manage back to my senses and I make a run for it, because I don’t want to find out what happens when he catches. I hear him screaming my name and it only causes me to run faster, adrenaline bursting through my veins. I run out of the school car park, only to stop when I see he’s stopped but it’s still boring holes into the back of my head. “You’ll pay for this Dodo Lucas”, he yells, which sends a shiver down my spine.

I kept running until I reached my front door afraid, he’d pick me up on the street if he found me, holding my chest and breathing heavily as I make it into my doorway. “Dodo. Is that you?”, my mum appears in front of me with a worried expression on her face. “Dodo why are you out of breath?”, she furrows her brows as I struggle to get my words out. “What are you doing home?”, I say finally when I can. I look down at her attire to see she’s dressed in her best blouse, and denim jeans. “I’m guessing we have guests”, I mutter, knowing she only wears blouses when someone comes over, and judging by the low cut of her top it’s a male. “He’s in the front room. Go introduce yourself”, she hisses, and I saw my shoulders. I don’t know why she always insists I meet her boyfriends since she never sticks around long enough for me to call them Dad. Like I ever would. I step into the front room.

It’s her usual type, well dressed, smart, clean shaven, strikingly handsome man. “Dodo”, he exclaims holding his hand for me which I take reluctantly. “Your mothers told me so much about you”. “I’m sure she has”, I mutter less than enthusiastically, and I feel her prod at my back with her fingernail. “Well, it was lovely to meet you”, I give my best fake smile and scamper off to my room. Opening my bag and taking out the pile of books minus my pride and prejudice novel. I wonder if I could ask Castle for it back since I don’t particularly want to have to pay to replace something I’m never going to use in the first place. I open the book and try to make out the words. I notice patterns, seeing the same sort of scribble in a few words. I can make out some letters like m or e, but I can never make out the full word. Frustrated, I stuff the books back in my bag; grateful my mums found another unfortunate man to fall in love with. Because if we stay here any longer, I am going to die by the hands of Castle Maddox. I find myself for the first time thinking about checking up on Georgina and Stella since I bolted before I could see them drive off safely. I don’t have their numbers so I can’t call them. I just hope they were able to get away when I did since I created the perfect diversion. I hear my mum laughing from downstairs and I put my headphones in at full blast, stroking Ruben who’s lying on my bed, his eyes half closed. He’s tired which means at some miracle my mum took him for a walk today. I don’t need to listen to my mum’s shameless flirting there is a reason they fall so hard; her boyfriend’s usually propose within a few weeks. Then again, I don’t know what it is to flirt with anyone. I’ve never had a boyfriend, never even had someone interested in being anything more than a friend, until Castle Maddox kissed me unexpectantly and I feel like I know nothing about dating. I can’t do a relationship. Not if I want to protect my secret.

I go to the bathroom and cough at the strong smell of bleach that hits my nostrils. My mum usually cleans to the max when someone comes over, when in reality she is so messy I am surprised, she can even find anything to wear in the bin bag of clothes she calls a wardrobe. All the clothes I dumped by the side of the wash basket have disappeared and so is all my facial products that usually litters the sink. It’s only when I turn off my light to sleep do I realise what I’ve done. Busted the window of the most feared person in the school, Castle Maddox, ruthless and unforgiving. Yet devilishly handsome and a good kisser, not that I have anyone to compare him with. I get out my notebook and draw him. The look in his eye after I threw a book in his window and smashed it into pieces. The blazing anger and how his pupils dilated; how he came running towards me and the last thing I saw was his boring eyes before I turned and ran for it. I finish sketching his face, angular and pointed. He’s pictures perfect, too bad his personality is a nightmare and he doesn’t know how to treat anyone but himself with respect.

When I wake up the next morning my sketchbook is on top of my face and Ruben lying with his head on my chest. I look at my watch to see it’s 8:50, only ten minutes until I’m late. My morning consists of me running around, wearing whatever I find. Most of my clothes are in the wash, so I pull on over a hoodie with nothing by my sports b*a underneath and my black ripped jeans and combat boots. I grab a banana, shouting my goodbyes to Ruben, before charging down the road. I would have taken the day off, but I don’t want Castle to think I’m scared of him and will cower at home just so I can avoid him. My first period is art and I keep running, with my banana in my hand hurtling towards the art room door, causing it to bang against the wall. Everyone’s eyes are on me as I traipse in. My face completely red, I didn’t even have time to put make up on.

“You’re late Dodo”, Miss Briggs comments and I wave her off, taking my seat because I’m in desperate need to sit down before I pass out. “Today class we’re doing partner work. Get into pairs”. I watch how Lillian looks at Castle, but he makes a beeline for me. “Have you all got partners?”, Miss Briggs asks, and I raise my hand. “I don’t”. But sooner than I do, my hand is pulled down by Castle. “I’m her partner”, and his tone is menacing enough so she doesn’t question. He leads me to the back of the classroom where she can’t see us. “You’re going to pay for what you did to my car”, he hisses. “Can I have my book back I need it for English?”, I say, batting my eyes and he grows pressing his body to mine; sending tingles to go through me. I can’t find the words to tell him to get off me. Every inch of his body is pressed against mine and I would lying if I didn’t say it was making my heartbeat faster than it has before. “You really wanted to get my attention”, he mutters, his breath fanning over my cheeks. “I don’t need anything from you”, I say breathlessly. “Hmm”, he smirks and lets his hand trail over my cheek. “Get off me or I’ll scream”. “That can be arranged”, he whispers in my ear and I shut my mouth quickly. My whole body pulsing. “You’re attracted to me”, he murmurs and try to shift my body away from his. “I am not. The only thing I want from you is a restraining order”, I seethe as his eyes intensely gaze into mine. They’re hooded and unblinking as he stares me down. “I couldn’t tell for sure when I cornered you in the classroom but now, I know”, he pushes off me and it takes everything in my power not to sink to the floor, my legs feeling completely like jelly. For the rest of the lesson, he’s quiet, keeping his distance and I’m surprised at how naturally my body responds to his touch. I notice him whisper something to Hames and Jordan and all three smirks at me causing me to flip the bird and carry on finishing my work. I look at Georgina and Stella whose eyes are both filled with worry. I understand why, they’ve never gone against their bullies before. But it doesn’t mean they can’t try and stand up to them once in a while. When the class finishes, the 3 boys leave without a word, and I watch castle retreating figure embarrassed when he turns around and catches me staring at him. “Stay away from castle”, the bitchy tone comes from Lillian and she’s got her arms folded with Hope by her side, staring me down. “I’m not interested”, I say, and she laughs haughtily, looking at her other cronies to join in until they're all fake hysterically laughing. “Of course, you are. But he’s never going to go for someone like you”.

“Someone like me”, I press, and her eyes wonder over my outfit. “Someone that dresses like they belong in a horror movie”, she hisses. I take a step to her, and Georgina and Stella pull me back. “It’s not worth it”, Stella hisses and Lillian laughs and with one last glare walks off. “What is her problem?”, I spit. “It’s castle. She can see that he likes you”. “Likes me?”, I splutter, and Stella eyes widen in amusement. “He didn’t do anything to you for busting his car window”, Georgian mutters and I must agree. But it only puts me on edge, a guy like him only wins through power and intimidation. Which means anyone like me who opposes that is a threat to him. I don’t doubt that he’ll make me pay for what I did.

Mum wasn’t home when I got in, so I decided it was time to confront her about the job. I took Ruben on a walk along the boardwalk again. It’s been days since I saw her, and she hasn’t told me yet, which is putting me on edge. What reason would she have for not telling me? I tie Ruben up on a lamppost, patting his head before going into the ice cream parlour. Looking around there’s a couple in front of me, who are taking their sweet time trying to order. My mum isn’t in the front so I can only guess she’s on break or she was somewhere else today. That’s when my eyes latch on to the table at the back. Jordan and Hames are sitting on the table, with two other girls. From here I can see hands are everywhere and it’s shameless in public. Not like I think they care. The door of the disabled toilet opens and out walks Castle arms around a girl flashing a knowing look to his friends. I glare at his back, he’s got no shame, could he not have waited until he got home or somewhere less public? I bite back the jealousy I feel, telling myself he’s not worth it. I leave the ice cream parlour, seeing my mum isn’t here and going back for Ruben, when I see his leash is broken and he’s gone. I look around in a frenzy, but I can’t spot his distinguishable grey body and sad eyes anywhere.