her left shakes her head. “Nu-uh. They said I’d getting twenty.”
The other girl shrugs. “Fifty.”
“Fifty?” Gum-smacker turns to the girl and shoves her shoulder. “Fuck you! You didn’t tell me! I’m only getting ten!”
“What makes you so special?” The twenty thousand girl snarls at me. Gum-smacker suddenly remembers what she came here to do, and reaches for my hair.
“Ugh, let’s just get it over with. I’ve been waiting forever to punch her stupid face in.”
I hold my arms up and curl into a ball. If I don’t fight back, maybe they won’t expel me. If I don’t fight back, there’s still a chance for Alisa, and Dad. But it’s going to hurt. I watch as Gum-smacker raises her hand to slap me, her nails long and sharp and painted red, like claws.
Oh yeah. It’s going to hurt.
“What’s going on here?”
I’d recognize that authoritative voice anywhere. Taj is striding towards us, anger furrowing his brows. The girls scatter instantly. He darts off after them, then sighs and gives up the chase, walking towards me instead.
“Nothing happened,” I say quickly.
“It looked like they were about to fight you,” Taj says. Now that he’s close, I can see every muscle under his plaid shirt.
“It was nothing. Really. They were just…just asking me answers to some homework questions! That’s all.”
Taj narrows his gold-streaked eyes. I hadn’t noticed before, but his eyes are turned up at the corners, giving him a cat-like look. His lips are broad, and his nose proud. Unlike swarthy Shadus, his skin is pale, with a slight sheen of outdoorsy tan. He could pass for any good-looking American guy.
“Alright,” he says finally. “But if it happens again –”
“It won’t. I tend to actively avoid people who I know want to punch my teeth in.”
Taj chuckles, but he keeps staring at me.
“Something on my face?” I ask.
“I apologize.” His eyes flicker away. “I know in human culture it’s rude to stare. I’m just…curious.”
“About what? Please don’t say my bra size.”
He chuckles. “No. I know human boys do that, but in Gutter culture it’s severely frowned upon to question after a female’s personal details. Unless they are your mate.”
Mate. They use words like that, instead of girlfriend? I feel myself flush but shake out of it.
“Then what are you curious about?”
“Shadus. Why would he –” Taj shakes his curly-haired head. “It just doesn’t make sense. Shadus is closed off, completely self-contained. He’s been that way since we landed years ago. He barely speaks to any Gutter outside of his father. And even then, that’s only rarely. He has no friends. Gutters try to be his friends because he is Executioner sotho and will one day wield great power, but he drives them all away for that exact reason. He trusts no one. But somehow, he’s seen fit to tell you very private things.”
“He thinks no one will believe me, if that helps,” I say. “He says a teenager has no credibility.”
“That’s true. Still. It’s odd. I’ve never seen him speak or interact with a Gutter the way he does with you.”
The EVE organ gives a little jump under my ribs, but I still it with even breaths. Taj smiles. It’s a sincere smile – nothing like Raine’s affably contrived ones or Shadus’ bitter smirks.
“You’re a very interesting human, Victoria Hale. I hope to see you again.”
“I hope I don’t. See you again. Because that’d mean I’m probably in trouble.”
He chuckles. “Regardless, take care of yourself. The waters of Gutter politics are treacherous. Some may use your connection with Shadus for themselves.”
“Like you?” I say. Gold eyes gleam.
“So you aren’t stupid.”
“No. And neither are you.”
There’s an unspoken agreement that we’ve hit an impasse with each other, and he nods, walking away.
***
Ms. Gianca’s script is large and neat on the whiteboard.
“The Gutters’ native language is
The other girl shrugs. “Fifty.”
“Fifty?” Gum-smacker turns to the girl and shoves her shoulder. “Fuck you! You didn’t tell me! I’m only getting ten!”
“What makes you so special?” The twenty thousand girl snarls at me. Gum-smacker suddenly remembers what she came here to do, and reaches for my hair.
“Ugh, let’s just get it over with. I’ve been waiting forever to punch her stupid face in.”
I hold my arms up and curl into a ball. If I don’t fight back, maybe they won’t expel me. If I don’t fight back, there’s still a chance for Alisa, and Dad. But it’s going to hurt. I watch as Gum-smacker raises her hand to slap me, her nails long and sharp and painted red, like claws.
Oh yeah. It’s going to hurt.
“What’s going on here?”
I’d recognize that authoritative voice anywhere. Taj is striding towards us, anger furrowing his brows. The girls scatter instantly. He darts off after them, then sighs and gives up the chase, walking towards me instead.
“Nothing happened,” I say quickly.
“It looked like they were about to fight you,” Taj says. Now that he’s close, I can see every muscle under his plaid shirt.
“It was nothing. Really. They were just…just asking me answers to some homework questions! That’s all.”
Taj narrows his gold-streaked eyes. I hadn’t noticed before, but his eyes are turned up at the corners, giving him a cat-like look. His lips are broad, and his nose proud. Unlike swarthy Shadus, his skin is pale, with a slight sheen of outdoorsy tan. He could pass for any good-looking American guy.
“Alright,” he says finally. “But if it happens again –”
“It won’t. I tend to actively avoid people who I know want to punch my teeth in.”
Taj chuckles, but he keeps staring at me.
“Something on my face?” I ask.
“I apologize.” His eyes flicker away. “I know in human culture it’s rude to stare. I’m just…curious.”
“About what? Please don’t say my bra size.”
He chuckles. “No. I know human boys do that, but in Gutter culture it’s severely frowned upon to question after a female’s personal details. Unless they are your mate.”
Mate. They use words like that, instead of girlfriend? I feel myself flush but shake out of it.
“Then what are you curious about?”
“Shadus. Why would he –” Taj shakes his curly-haired head. “It just doesn’t make sense. Shadus is closed off, completely self-contained. He’s been that way since we landed years ago. He barely speaks to any Gutter outside of his father. And even then, that’s only rarely. He has no friends. Gutters try to be his friends because he is Executioner sotho and will one day wield great power, but he drives them all away for that exact reason. He trusts no one. But somehow, he’s seen fit to tell you very private things.”
“He thinks no one will believe me, if that helps,” I say. “He says a teenager has no credibility.”
“That’s true. Still. It’s odd. I’ve never seen him speak or interact with a Gutter the way he does with you.”
The EVE organ gives a little jump under my ribs, but I still it with even breaths. Taj smiles. It’s a sincere smile – nothing like Raine’s affably contrived ones or Shadus’ bitter smirks.
“You’re a very interesting human, Victoria Hale. I hope to see you again.”
“I hope I don’t. See you again. Because that’d mean I’m probably in trouble.”
He chuckles. “Regardless, take care of yourself. The waters of Gutter politics are treacherous. Some may use your connection with Shadus for themselves.”
“Like you?” I say. Gold eyes gleam.
“So you aren’t stupid.”
“No. And neither are you.”
There’s an unspoken agreement that we’ve hit an impasse with each other, and he nods, walking away.
***
Ms. Gianca’s script is large and neat on the whiteboard.
“The Gutters’ native language is
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