Taz bobbed her head in rhythm with the music, starting to sing, and the tension from last night was gone. It felt right again with the three of us.

It didn’t last. Once we parked at the school, the tension rose, along with the windows. I felt it on my shoulders as we got out, silent once again.

Taz climbed out of the truck. I slid out behind Cross, and we saw them right away.

Taz was already around the back when she realized I hadn’t followed her.

“Bren?” She followed our gazes and asked, “Something happen I should know about?”

Alex Ryerson and ten of his group were heading our way. The girls who’d been standing with them fell back.

I rounded the back of Cross’ truck as Alex stopped about ten yards away. We moved to stand in front of Taz.

“Guys?” she asked again, so quietly.

I reached behind me and gestured for her to move away.

She didn’t.

Alex and his guys moved closer.

“What’s going on, Bren?” Taz asked under her breath.

“Get Jordan and Zellman.” I thought about it and added, “And Race Ryerson.”

She started off, but turned back. “The new guy?”

“Just do it.” I flicked my hand a little harder.

With a soft huff, she moved to the side and around us, keeping a good distance from Alex’s crew as they spread out in a line in front of us, forming half a circle. It was only Cross and me. His truck was behind us, blocking any escape route. Eleven to two was steep odds, even for us. We were going to get real bloody real quick.

“What do you want, Alex?” Cross asked, his hands half in his pockets and half out.

“I got a good earful last night from my cousin,” Alex said. He turned to me. “It was my second offense against you. Now, I’m not saying I don’t want war. We outnumber your crew, but having said that, I was at fault. You guys were doing what you have to for a crew member. I get that. So…” He tipped his head. “I’m apologizing, Bren.”

My insides clenched into a giant fist. What was this? I’d expected a fight.

“You apologized yesterday morning, then did the same thing twelve hours later. I’m thinking your apology is bullshit.”

His eyes grew wary. “Okay. That’s fair.” He raised his chin. “What do you want instead? What can I do to show you I mean it?”

“What are you asking?”

“What do you want?”

I cocked my head to the side. “Are you messing with us?”

He lifted a shoulder, his hands tucked back into his pockets. “I’m assuming Jax didn’t press charges. All those repairs are on her. That’s gotta be expensive.” He stopped, like he was mulling over his words. “I can pay for it,” he offered.

His dad would pay for it. Not him.

If he’d offered last night, I would’ve taken him up on it. But not now.

“That ship’s sailed, buddy. My brother’s covering all the repairs.” I narrowed my eyes and waited. That bombshell should hit him hard. It would hit anyone hard.

My relationship with Channing was what it was, but I hadn’t exaggerated his standing in town.

At my words, Alex’s cocky attitude vanished. His eyes widened, and he snapped to attention.

“Oh.” He moved back a step.

Yeah.

Two of Alex’s crew stepped up next to him. He leaned over, listening to what they said.

Jordan and Zellman broke through the crowd that had formed to watch. They stayed back on the sidewalk at a safe distance. Jordan kept skirting from Alex to Cross and me, but he kept quiet.

Before the crowd closed back up, I saw Race standing outside the school door. He was watching, waiting to see what would happen. There was no uncertainty in his posture. His head was high. His eyes were calm. He was ready—for what I didn’t know. Alex’s words came back to me. “I got an earful from my cousin last night.”

What had Race said?

“Okay.”

The two crew stepped away from Alex. He scanned the rest of mine with an intense look. “We’ll go to your brother today. We’ll request a meeting with him.” He gestured to me. “You still can decide what I can do to make it up to you.”

“I’m already repaying your debt to my brother,” I told him. “It’s a family thing. Trust me. He won’t let you take my place.”

“Still.” His Adam’s apple bobbed. “I’ll go to him separately, and if you’re repaying my debt already, then I really owe you.”

I shared a look with Jordan. He’d deemed himself our leader. He could act like one now. But as if he’d read my mind, he shook his head as if to say “No, you got this.”

I sighed. “I don’t know, Alex. There’s nothing I want from you.”

His top lip curled into a slight smile. “Okay, but if there is, let me know. I’ll hold up my end.”

I stepped toward him, moving out ahead of my crew. Right now, I was the leader. “There will be retaliation if you don’t.”

“I know.” His eyes held mine. He didn’t waver or look away.

I moved back again. We’d see. “Fine.” I didn’t have a lot of faith in Alex, but you just never knew with him.

A full smile broke out. “Are we friends again, Bren?”

“Don’t push it.” I didn’t hold back a small grin, letting him see it.

He nodded, giving a wave to the rest of the guys. “Jordan. Cross. Zellman.”

“Alex.” Jordan stepped toward me as word spread the fight everyone expected wasn’t going to happen.

The crowd started to disperse. People began heading in.

Not us.

Jordan, Zellman, and Cross waited until enough people had moved away that we had privacy.

“What just happened?” Jordan asked.

“Ryerson took ownership,” Cross said. “He came to offer his debt to Bren.”

“For real?”

Cross nodded, his arm coming to rest around my shoulders. He patted the top of my arm. “She made him bend down and sniff his own shit. Almost literally. He’s going to face Channing.”

Jordan burst out laughing. “That’s awesome. Shit. He’s going to face Channing? He thinks we’re scary; he’ll have to strap on a diaper when he goes to that meeting.” Jordan looked to me. “Alex will chicken out. I guarantee he’ll push that meeting off as long as he can.”

“You think he won’t go?” I asked.

“He has to now. If he doesn’t, he’s a coward. No crew is a coward. That’s one decree we all agree on, but I bet you he’ll wait as long as possible.” He shook his head, whistling. “We’ll see what happens.”

The second bell was about to ring, and the parking lot showed it. The only people still outside were Alex’s crew, who were on their way in, our crew, and—I looked over again—Race. He lingered by the door, but when our eyes met, he nodded and headed inside too.

I’d taken two steps inside when a teacher said, “Bren Monroe, go to the office for skipping yesterday.”

I stopped and let out a full-blown groan.

One day. I couldn’t last one full day without getting in trouble. I swear.

“Bren Monroe is in my office.”

Nikki Bagirianni, the school counselor, spoke more to herself than me as she looked up at Principal Neeon holding my arm. She put down the phone she’d just picked up at her secretary’s desk, her office door open behind her.

“She skipped the second half of classes yesterday.” Principal Neeon let go of my arm.

Why he had to hold it, I didn’t know, but I shot him a look like he’d hurt me. I even rubbed where he’d held me.

“I told you I was sick yesterday.”

Neeon leaned forward, his arms crossed over his chest. “Then have your brother send a note next time.” He nodded to the counselor. “She’s all yours for now.”

For now. Meaning there was more to come.

Exciting.

Ms. Bagirianni —or Nikki as she usually had people call her—was known as The Badger by most of us. We were crew. If we didn’t find ourselves in the counselor’s office or Neeon’s office, we were doing something wrong.

“Right.” She straightened her silk shirt and smoothed her hands over her hair. It was up in a bun, and her motion pulled out some of the strands. She smiled at me, patting those loose strands back into place. “Yes. Bren Monroe. It’s Tuesday. That seems right to me. The new year has officially begun.”

Her hair still stuck out.

She nodded toward the open door behind her. “My office?”

Like I had a say in the matter.