David loved his gang.
If his messy hookup with Hilary had taught him anything, it was that he was lucky to have so many people around him that he trusted. There definitely weren’t any Loners asking him to murder someone. They were his family, and he was proud. It was time to celebrate them.
David walked down to the lounge where people had gathered for breakfast and a morning screening of a National Geographic video on Will’s flat screen. He passed Gonzalo and the twins sitting on the stairs, eating a black bean breakfast. The twins were mashing their beans into a paste and spreading it onto crackers they pulled from their pockets.
He noticed that the crackers had green fur on them. Gonzalo groaned.
“Damn! How long have those been in your pockets?” Gonzalo said.
“A while,” the girl said.
“They went bad,” Gonzalo said. “Don’t eat that shit.”
“If they was black, they gone bad,” the boy said.
“If it’s black, send it back. If it’s got fuzz, eat it just becuz,” the girl said, then giggled. The boy guffawed through a mouth of beans and crackers and mold.
“Will y’all get the hell outta here?” Gonzalo growled. “You’re ruining my breakfast.”
The twins laughed at Gonzalo even harder this time, then picked up their breakfast and headed upstairs, arm in arm.
David smiled. He liked the twins. They were dirty, rank, and weird as hell, but they stuck together. Half of David’s gang was weird. There was Drew; he would take off running at the drop of a hat, and people would have to chase him down to bring him back. There was Sal, who’d eat anything on a dare.
David had seen him eat belts, drywall, feathers, and one of Ritchie’s scabs. And of course, there was Vincent; he was a compulsive liar. It was harmless stuff, but fun to listen to. He claimed he’d knocked out a cow with one punch. Evidently, his father was the personal drug dealer to the vice president of the United States. And once he’d been run over by a tank.
The Loners were about as far you could get from David’s old football friends, but he wouldn’t have it any other way.
David moved to the center of the crowded landing and put his arms up, “Hey, everybody! Can I get your ears for a minute?” All the chattering went quiet. Someone clicked off the TV just as a grizzly bear snagged a jumping salmon.
“Everybody here has worked really hard to turn the Loners into respectable presence in this school. We’ve made a name for ourselves. We fight like a team, and because of that nobody’s hungry… well, you might be hungry, but nobody’s starving.”
They all laughed eagerly.
“We’ve got a safe place to sleep at night. We can defend ourselves. And every single one of you is going to graduate, because every single one of you is committed to the gang.
You’ve changed my life, and I want to say thank you. We’re going to have to hustle a little harder at the next drop to make up for the expense, but I struck a deal with the Geeks this morning, and… you’re all going to the Geek show tomorrow night.”
Ecstatic cheers cut David off. He raised his hands to try to quiet everyone down.
“And… I’m waiting to hear back from the Nerds on their phone supply, but we should be able to strike a deal this after-noon. There probably won’t be enough for everybody right away, but we’ll get there, okay?”
More shouts of approval.
“So, here’s the only bummer. Tomorrow night, we’re going to have to do shifts for the Geek show. Just like on market days, one group is going to have to stay behind to guard the Stairs, but then we’ll rotate through the night, so everybody gets an equal-”
“Everybody but you, right?” Will said.
David stopped. Will walked up from the first floor. He leaned against the banister and ran his hand through his frizzed-dry hair. Lucy was behind him on the stairs, hesitating for some reason. Her hair was as rumpled as Will’s. What were they just doing together? He felt a stab of jealousy.
“Where’ve you been?” David asked Will.
“Don’t act like you didn’t hear the question. Tell the truth.
Everybody has to work a shift but you, right? Isn’t that the way it goes for King David? We all hustle while you get to take everything-”
“Will, stop,” Lucy said.
“You know what?” David said to Will. “I don’t care where you’ve been. Maybe it’s best if you just go back there.” Will turned away from David and addressed the gang.
“Don’t believe a thing this guy says. His whole ‘I put you first’ act, it’s fake. He acts like he only thinks about you, but I know from personal experience that when everything goes to shit and you need him, he won’t be there.” David couldn’t believe his ears. Where did he get the nerve?
“Screw you, man. You lived off me this whole time! I do everything for you!” David said.
Will stormed up to David.
“Oh, really? Where were you when Mom died?!” Will said.
Will’s face was nearly purple, and it was strained. He might seize. David didn’t care.
“She died on me too!” David said. “What, you’re the only one who gets to hide in your room and cry like a little baby? You’re an idiot. I had a life that had nothing to do with you, and you know what? I liked it.”
Will applauded sarcastically.
“Thank you! Thank you for showing everyone what you’re really like.”
David stomped toward Will. He was going to break his nose.
But Ritchie got to him first, standing on his toes to get in Will’s face.
“What are you talking about, huh? David busts his ass for this gang!”
“Get out of my face, Ritchie. I’m talking to my brother,” Will said.
“No, you’re talking to our leader, and none of us want to hear any of it, you little punk.”
“Who you calling little, midget? Get out of my way.” Will pushed past Ritchie, but Ritchie shoved him after he passed.
Will spun around, furious. He shoved Ritchie back. Ritchie lost his footing at the edge of the landing and toppled down the stairs. People rushed to the edge. A girl screamed. David
pushed his way through the crowd and grasped Will by the shirt.
David cocked back his fist.
“No!” Lucy yelled. “Please stop!”
Both brothers turned to see Lucy watching them. Her eyes were wide and pleading. David let go of Will. Everyone was watching them.
David scowled at Will. “You’re not going to the Geek show, and you’re on guard duty for a week.”
“How about a month?”
“Done,” David said, and turned to the other Loners. “Fights within this gang won’t be tolerated. You heard it right now.
Punishment is guard duty for a month. We’ve got nothing if we’re not together.”
David walked away from Will.