Vengeful King

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Sam

Another new school. God, how I hated it. Dad had a new job as principal here. Sinners High was smaller than my last school, which made it all the harder to go unnoticed. It was never fun being the new kid at a school, but when your dad was the principal, it was even worse. I felt the stares on me as I walked to the lockers. The kids here were different from my old school. For one thing, they didn't wear uniforms. And they seemed terribly vulgar. Dad told me that the KINGS ran the school here. He wanted to change that. Not that I cared what he did with the so-called rulers of this school, but unfortunately, it put me right in the middle of what’s going to happen here. My dad was the enemy of the KINGS and I his daughter. I didn't have to be a prophet to see beforehand how this would turn out for me. When I almost reached the lockers, someone blocked my path. I’d had my eyes on the ground. Now I slowly looked up and found myself facing three girls. The girl in front of me seemed to be the leader, as the other two stood slightly back. All three dressed like sluts, but the leader the most. Her skirt was so short that I wondered how she ever sat down without flashing everyone her underwear. Her short top showed off her toned belly and cut so low that her breasts – which could in no way be real – almost fell out.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" she asked, her voice full of derision. "Did you borrow that outfit from your grandmother?"

Of course she would tease me about my clothes. But that was okay. I was glad I didn't appear as slutty as her and her minions. I wore a long, loose-fitting lilac skirt and my favorite white blouse with soft pink and lilac flowers. The skirt and blouse matched so beautifully, as if they were a set. In my old school, the school uniform had ensured that no one could be teased for what they wore.

"Yes," I replied to the blonde in front of me. "My grandmother had good taste."

I knew it was better to nip a confrontation in the bud, so I just gave in, taking the wind out of her sails.

"If that's all..." I said, taking a step to the side. "I need to put my stuff in my locker."

I tried to walk past the girls, but the blonde grabbed me by the arm and held me back. Her grip was firm, and her long acrylic nails pressed painfully into my flesh.

"Not so fast, Cinderella," she said, glaring at me with vicious eyes. "I'm not done with you yet."

"Let her go, Kelly," a voice sounded behind me.

Kelly looked over my shoulder and for a moment panic flashed in her eyes. She let go of me and gave my rescuer behind me a saccharin smile.

"We were just saying hi to the new girl, Abby."

"Didn't look like a friendly greeting to me," my rescuer, Abby, replied. "You leave her alone. Are we clear?"

"Of course," Kelly assured, smiling. The smile didn't reach her eyes. But Abby seemed to be above Kelly and her friends in the school hierarchy. The three girls turned and hurried away.

I turned around. The girl who’d come to my rescue gave me a warm smile. She wasn’t much taller than me, but slim, while I carried around a few too many pounds. She was beautiful in a natural way. Not like Kelly and her friends. Abby wore just the hint of makeup, and she wore a knee-length skirt and a long-sleeved T-shirt. I liked her right away.

"Hi, I'm Abby," she greeted.

"Hi. I'm... I'm Samantha, but my friends call me Sam."

"Don't worry about Kelly and her entourage. They won't bother you anymore. My boyfriend and his boys rule the school here. If I tell those bitches to leave you alone, they will. Nobody wants to mess with the KINGS, believe me."

"Oh... thanks," I replied. Abby was involved with the KINGS. There went my hope of having found a friend in her. Dad would never allow me to hang out with her if she hung out with those wild boys. "I... I have to put my stuff in my locker or I'll be late for class."

"What's your locker number?"

"817."

"Oh, that's almost next to mine. Mine’s 814," Abby replied. "Come on, we can go together. What lesson you got now?"

"Biology."

"I'll show you where the bio lab is. But we should hurry. Trust me, you don't want to be late for Mister Anstorm's class. The guy is a drill sergeant."

"Okay, thanks," I muttered, following Abby to the lockers.

Somehow I got through my first day. Apart from Abby, no one treated me friendly, but I hadn't endured any more teasing either. However, I stood out in this school, and not in a good way. I’d noticed how people talked and laughed behind my back. They thought I was a freak because I dressed differently. Abby may have saved me from being openly bullied, but it was clear I wasn't going to make any friends here. At lunch, I sat alone at a table in the corner. Abby sat at a table in the middle with the KINGS. The boys were actually treated like f*****g royalty at this school. They didn't even put their trays away themselves. And Abby had laughed with them and snuggled and made out with her boyfriend. In public. She might’ve acted nicely toward me, but she and I had nothing in common. It would’ve been too nice if I found a friend here.

I left the school through the back exit, because Dad and I lived in the little house at the end of the school grounds. A sharp wind blew dark clouds across the sky. I circled the west wing of the school building when I heard strange sounds. Grunting and groaning. Muffled sounds I couldn't place. And then a voice.

"I think he's had enough, Nate."

Nate. The leader of the KINGS. My heart beat anxiously and my stomach knotted. I peeked around the corner. The KINGS were close to me and Nate stood over a guy lying on the ground. He looked like someone put him through the grinder. I stifled a scream with my hand. I had just witnessed a fight. No, not a fight, because it didn't look like Nate had taken any punches. He’d been beating up the other boy. What for?

"One last time, Skinner," Nate said threateningly, leaning down to the boy lying on the ground. "If I catch you dealing drugs in my school again, you'll be six feet under. Got it?"

The boy on the ground muttered something unintelligible.

"What was that? I didn't quite catch that, Skinner. Speak up!"

"Yessss," Skinner croaked.

"Good, we're the only ones at this school who deal stuff, remember that. Deal at your own school."

Oh my god! This was getting worse. The Kings were dealing drugs at the school, and they had beaten up this Skinner guy for getting into their business. Damn. I needed to tell Dad about this. I was about to run off when Nate looked up and our eyes met. Oh no. My heart stopped for a moment in fear. With a yelp, I turned away and ran.

Nate

Disgusted, I looked down at the piece of s**t who tried to peddle his stuff at our school. Not only was this our territory. No, he dealt in hard drugs like H, crack, and coke. We only dealt hash and a few party pills. I didn't want the hard stuff at my school.

"One last time, Skinner," I said threateningly, leaning down to Skinner. "If I catch you dealing drugs in my school again, you'll be six feet under. Got it?"

Skinner muttered something.

"What was that? I didn't quite catch that, Skinner. Speak up!"

"Yessss," he croaked.

"Good, we're the only ones at this school who deal stuff, remember that. Deal at your own school."

I hoped the son of a b***h got the message loud and clear and would also spread the word to his buddies that our school was off limits to them. I straightened up and my eyes fell on a girl lurking behind the corner of the building. Our eyes met. It was the new girl. The new principal’s daughter. f**k. Her eyes widened in horror and her mouth hung open. Before I could say or do anything, she turned away with a yelp and ran.

"f**k!" growled Kent. "Who was that?"

"Wilson's daughter," I replied.

"Oh, f**k," Ian cursed. "I'm sure she'll run straight to Daddy to rat on us."

"You want me to take care of her?" offered Gregory. "I'll make sure she doesn't make a peep."

Gregory's eyes lit up with a sadistic glint. He came from a Russian crime family. If I sent him after the little girl, she'd probably end up in an unmarked grave in the woods somewhere. I shook my head.

"No, let her. I'll handle this."

I leaned down again to Skinner, who by now struggled to sit up and wiped the blood from his nose.

"You keep your f*****g mouth shut about what happened here," I warned. "Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Good, then f**k off!"

He scrambled to his feet and staggered away. I turned to the boys. Their faces were grim. That the girl had witnessed us beating up a guy was bad enough, but she could have overheard us talking about drugs. That was not good.

"There's five of us. She’s just one. It's our word against hers. Daddy will believe his little princess, but even he can't do s**t about us without evidence," I said.

The boys nodded.

"Okay, then let's get the f**k outta here."

Sam

I ran back into the school building and straight into Daddy's office. My heart raced. For one thing, because of what I’d seen. I feared what the KINGS would do to me. And because I wasn't used to running. Yes, I wasn’t the athletic type. I preferred to lie on the couch and read a good book. Of course, my laziness showed in my figure. I was shorter than Abby at five foot six, but while she was slim, I was a little more rounded. Okay, a lot more rounded. Dieting and exercising wouldn't change that either. I’d long since given up on starving myself or working out. Paul, my boyfriend, liked me the way I was. Because of the damn move, there were now over four hundred miles between us. Paul had promised that we would stay together, anyway. After graduating from high school, we could go to college together. We hadn't decided which college we would apply to yet. The move had been pretty unforeseen. Dad told me only two weeks prior to the fact. I decided to call Paul tonight. After all, I’d gone through today, I could use a little cheering up.

I didn't bother knocking on Dad's office door. He would be alone in his office at this hour. I was sure the secretary already went home, as were most of the students. Except for those who had detention. Daddy looked up from his laptop, concern showing on his features. It had to be obvious that something happened. My face was red from the exertion and my hair sticky with sweat.

"Babygirl, what's wrong? Come in. Sit down, I'll get you a glass of water."

He jumped up from his seat and hurried to the sink in the corner to fill a glass of water. I dropped into one of the chairs in front of his desk and tried to collect myself. Daddy came to me with the water and I gratefully accepted the glass. After I emptied it in one gulp, Daddy sat back down in his chair.

"Well, what made you so upset? Did the kids molest you? Did someone lay a hand on you?"

I knew that was always Dad's first concern. That someone might touch his little girl. He didn't seem to understand that I wasn't the kind of girl who attracted attention from boys. I was too fat, too plain, and my clothes really weren't sexy. I shook my head, and Dad breathed a sigh of relief.

"Okay, then what is it?"

"The KINGS," I replied, still a little breathless.

"What about the KINGS?" asked Daddy, leaning forward toward me with interest.

"They beat up a boy behind the west wing. A... guy named Skinner. He's not from Sinners High. He tried to deal drugs here, and the KINGS beat him up for it. I overheard Nate say to the guy that the school is their territory and that THEY sell the drugs around here."

Dad jumped out of his chair, ready to storm out of the office.

"Where are you going, Daddy?" I asked.

"To see if I can still catch the bastards. Catch them in the act."

"They must have run off. Nate spotted me. They'll know I ran right here."

Dad stopped and looked at me with concern.

"They saw you?"

I nodded.

"Damn!" He ran a hand through his hair. "All the more reason I need to get them. But first, I'm taking you home. I don't want you running into them before I talk to them. I'll make it clear to them what will happen if they so much as touch a hair on your head."