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Pierson dodged the fists going right for him, swiftly moving out of the way and then swinging a powerful punch at his opponent. He had to be a hated guy from the way countless people went after him.

He happily took them on. I even saw a slight smile forming on his lips when he saw the amount of people he was up against, not the least bit worried. I'd be panicking if I was him, looking for a way to run to the exit.

Doug, on the other hand, wasn't as lucky when it came to fighting skills. He didn't move as gracefully. If anything, he clumsily struggled with the guy who had put him in a chokehold. I reached my hand into my purse and retrieved one of the many things I'd put in there for safety reasons.

Who would've known it would have purpose for tonight?

Drawing out the bedazzled peppers spray, I popped the top off and directed the front of it toward Doug's attacker and pressed it hard. Dark, orange-ish mist shot out, hitting the guy holding Doug in the face and inside of his mouth.

Thankfully, Doug had closed his eyes and pushed his hand over his face before I'd started pepper spraying his attacker. A pungent, harsh scent littered the air around it as the guy tumbled backwards, holding his face and crying out in pain.

Beth went to Doug side, holding his shoulders. "Are you okay?"

He nodded, wiping the backs of his hands on his jeans. "Yeah, I'll live." He croaked, holding his neck. He faced me. "Thanks, Silvia."

I shrugged. "No problem."

"What the hell was that?" Xander squirmed in his seat. "Where did you get that?"

Oh, this old thing? It was my last gift from my brother.

Even though it was true, that wasn't what I said out loud. Searching my bag, I pulled out a matching pepper spray and a pocket knife. Handing two of the pepper sprays to Xander and Beth, keeping the pocket knife for myself. I left one of the last safety tools I had inside my purse.

It was my last resort and I didn't want to bring that out casually for everyone to see. Xander would be staring at me even more if I did.

"I lived in a tough part of Portland, Maine. I took the city busses at night. It's pretty normal to have this stuff there." I wasn't completely lying; my neighborhood wasn't the nicest. The honest truth was that Lenard had given these things to me for the dangers in my own home and not what was on the outside of it.

"Stay behind me," I instructed. "Don't use the whole thing. And make sure you point in the right direction and not to yourself." I pointed at the guy I had pepper sprayed who was still on the floor, moaning in pain. "Or you'll end up like him."

Xander was shocked after he saw me flip the pocket knife out. Light caught the tip of the long blade as I waved it from side to side. I rolled my eyes at his expressions and turned to roaring chaos around us. I had better things to do than comfort scared Xander.

"Do you even know how to use that," Xander gulped, gazing down at the pocket knife, "thing?"

I've used it in past. I'm sure I'll be fine, I thought. I was glad I'd recently cleaned it off.

"I hope so. I've never used it," I lied. The weight of the world was dropped on my shoulders as I switched the knife from hand to hand, keeping it low so people didn't see it right away.

I didn't want to use it, but it was a primal part of me that had been awaken at the sight of this fight. It was an animalistic, hidden section of my mind that told me that I'd do anything to get out of here. I'd breathe a lot easier if I could just get outside and away from this madness.

Doug created his own weapon, like many of the others from Boulder Valley High had, getting a bottle, holding it by the neck, and slamming it to a table corner. At least ten other students had this identical glass weapon in their hands, jabbing it into the air. I counted.

We moved as one. I led them forward, keeping my guard up as we skirted around fights, erupting at every corner. A boy wearing a Boulder Valley sweater came running right at us, holding a piece of wood over his head. Sticking my leg out, I rambled a kick right into his stomach. The plank of wood fell to the floor, along with his body as he held on to his stomach, groaning in pain.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you to never hit a lady? Ugh, men!" Beth yelled, holding up my pepper spray to the guy's face.

Where the hell did that come from? I pushed her hand away, stopping her. "Whoa, rule number one. Don't hurt someone when they are already down. That's pretty messed up. He's done for. Let's go." I straightening my ruffled shirt and smoothing out the wrinkles. Stepping over him, I switch the pocket knife into my left hand.

It wasn't until we were closer to the front of the Smell that I saw the amount of guys Pierson had floored down. He wasn't even out of breath or tired from the looks of it. That same dazzling smile was playing on his lips, taunting his opponents even more.

"C'mon," he teased. "Your mum was more fun than this last night. You're making this way too easy for me."

God, he was so damn cocky about it. Dancing circles around this guy like he was the predator and this wheezing guy was the pray. He was no match for the built, ungodly tall being that was Pierson Redmond.

"Go on. Hit me. Try." He egged him on.

I'd taken note of his thick Irish accent that rang loud in his voice. I had forgotten that Beth told me about his Irish roots and that he had moved here from Sligo back when they were freshmen. Because of his ill grandfather, his mom had up and left their home in Ireland to take care of her father in Winchester Hills.

His bruised and battered opponent lamely went for another swing at him, but missed him completely, catching air. Winding back, Pierson jabbed him under his chin. When the body collapsed with the other fallen bodies, Pierson wiped the crimson blood off his knuckles. I knew none of it was his blood.

"Your mum even lasted longer than you." He smirked down at the guy he'd beaten without breaking a sweat. "You should get some pointers from her on how to get me out of breath." He winked.

Was he serious? Or was he only joking around like I thought he was? Xander had said something about a rumor that he only ever messed with older women and that no one had seen him hold down a girlfriend since he got here from Ireland.

From the corner of my eye, I saw someone was coming right for me with a bottle in their hand, swinging it like a madman. A figure bounced in front of me, stopping them with a quick push against the chest.

The person who had saved me turned around, revealing that it was Hunter. Fear screamed behind his stormy gray eyes. "You need to get the hell out of here, Silvia." He spotted Xander and Beth next to me. "Take your friends with you. Just get out of h-"

His last words were interrupted by a barstool hitting him from the back. A much shorter Boulder Valley guy had done the job of knocking the breath right out of Hunter. Doug inched toward the culprit, but the noise of loud sirens ringing in the dead of night stopped all of us in our tracks. The entire place went into hysteria, racing for the exit.

"Get him to the back exit," Pierson told us, remaining calm and composed at a time of madness. Doug and Xander dragged Hunter's body out back, just as they were told. Pierson guarded the back of them, making sure no one did a sneak attack. No one did. Everyone was too worried in leaving the Smell without getting caught by the cops.

Half of the Crescent High students split into the six cars out back. Each of the cars driven by one of guys Pierson had brought along with him. The last car in the back was the one Pierson got into and started up. He told Doug and Xander to throw Hunter in there. Once Hunter was in, Pierson slid to the passenger seat and Doug moved into the driver's seat. We all pilled in and drove off. Not too far away from the Smell, Pierson asked Doug to pull over on the side of the rode.

I didn't know what was going on. Hunter gave a look to Pierson. Pierson strolled to the trunk and returned with two ice packs, wrapped in white hand towels. He tossed one to Doug and slinked into the back of the car, next to me.

"You came a little too prepared to start a fight." I mutter.

"I was hoping to knock some more teeth. I'd detail my disappointment moreWe got into his car and left the scene long before the cops had stopped at the front of the club.

...

"He's bleeding so much. He needs a doctor." Beth said from the seats, using the jacket she took off to wrap around Hunters wound. Xander, Doug, and Beth all sat in the back with Hunter lying awkwardly over two people. He groaned and moaned, not moving or speaking coherently. "Go to the nearest hospital."

"We can't go to a doctor." Pierson said out loud. "If we do, we'll have to get his parents involved. No one needs to know we were here tonight. It's the last thing I need in my life right now."

"Then why'd you come here in the first place?" Doug asked what we all wanted to.

There was a long stretch of uncomfortable silence. He allowed the question to hang in the air, leaving us waiting to hear his answer.

"That doesn't matter." Pierson gripped the steering wheel of his car harder. "Don't worry. I know a guy we can go to."

"He needs a real doctor," Beth pressed on.

"He is a real doctor." Pierson confirmed. "He's a good doctor at that; I go to him myself. I'll even pay for it. You guys don't need to shouting about it anymore. It'll be handled."

The argument ended sooner than I thought it would be. Beth didn't give much of a fight after that statement. Time was ticking and Hunter's life was slipping right through our fingers with each passing seconds. No one went as far as argue against Pierson after that point. They didn't care what was right. They cared about what Pierson thought was right.

I cleared my throat. I was either going to do the stupidest thing ever or the bravest. Possibly both.

"How do you know if that's best for him or not?" I questioned.

His brow furrowed, glancing at me twice. "Look lady... whoever the heck you are...I'm doing exactly what Hunter would want if he was conscious to speak. He knows I can't take him to a hospital."

I said something inaudibly under my breath. He was the one driving the damn car. What could I do? But the more important question was, his did Person have access to a real doctor at this time of night? It wasn't like he could just drive into any doctor's house at ten at night or anything.

...

At around one in the morning, three hours since we pulled into this unmarked building, I'd gotten news of Hunter's state. He was doing fine and was in stable condition. No of us wanted to go home yet so we piled back into the car to the nearby diner that was still open at this time of night.

Laughter and joy didn't fill the car as we took the short drive to the diner. We remained silent and kept our thoughts to our self. There was an unacknowledged tension building between all of us and it was eating my insides alive, setting my skin on fire.

Doug said he didn't want to eat so he stayed in the car. Beth and Xander took a different table than ours, saying they needed to be alone. I knew it was because being this close to Pierson probably freaked her out and she wasn't in the mood or mind set to have Pierson speak to her.

Great, I grumbled to myself after ordering my meal. Just leave me with the killing machine. That's not weird or awkward at all, guys.

____

Check out my new book: Picasso's Promise. 6 chapters are up at the moment.

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___

Song: Magnets by Disclosure featuring Lorde

Lyrics:

❝Pretty girls don't know the things that I know.

Walk my way, I'll share the things that she won't.

...

I love this secret language that we're speaking.❞

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