Search

If you encounter any pop-ups or anything annoying that affects your reading experience,

Report & Feedback

If you encounter any pop-ups or anything annoying that affects your reading experience,

Chapter no 11

Taming 7 (Boys of Tommen, 5)

Okay, so maybe I jumped the gun a little when I predicted this would be mine and Shannonโ€™s best year to date. Or heck, maybe I jinxed it. Either way, sitting across the lunch table from my sobbing best friend was not how I anticipated spending our first day back at Tommen.

Weโ€™d been back at school less than half a day and, already, one of our lunch-table associates had fallen prey to Mr. Twomeyโ€™s dreaded suspension wrath.

Not only had Joey Lynch been suspended for pummeling Ronan McGarry, but Tadhg Lynch had taken a rap on the knuckles for his role in the altercation, too.

Apparently, Ronan was suicidal enough to call Aoife Molloy a slut to the face of a hothead like Joey Lynch. Likeย come on. What the hell did he think would happen when he called the newly appointed mother of a manโ€™s child that kind of name?

Apparently, Mr. Twomey gave him aย two-weekย suspension. I mean, two weeks was unheard of at Tommen. The worst I could remember since my being here was one-week tops. The beating Ronan took was a severe one, though.

To top off all the Lynch-sibling drama, Ronan had drippled blood all over my new school shoes, Katie had been sent home with period pains, and then Lizzie and Feely, of all people, had the weirdest argument at the beginning of break, which had resulted in Lizzie storming off.

Clearly Hugh was more in the loop than I was regarding what had gone down between our friends because heโ€™d gone after Lizzie and had somehow managed to persuade her to return.

She was back at the lunch table, sitting next to my brother in the chair Katie had vacated, and hadnโ€™t spoken a single word to anyone.

I wondered if Lizzie and Patrickโ€™s argument had anything to do with what Hugh said about getting Patrick to talk to Liz. Either way, all three of them were in a heated staredown across from me.

Meanwhile, Shannon was so distraught over her brothersโ€™ suspension โ€“ plural โ€“ that Johnny had spent the last ten minutes whispering words of what I assumed were comfort in her ear, in between peppering kisses to her face.

When he tucked her hair behind her ear to kiss her temple and then trailed his thumb over the little dimple in her chin before pressing a kiss to the tip of her nose, I audibly crooned. โ€œAww!โ€

I loved temple kisses. Forehead kisses, too. And nuzzling noses were the cream of the crop. Those intimate forms of affection were my favorite, and my bestie received an abundance of both on the daily from herย lover.

โ€œItโ€™ll be grand, chickie,โ€ I tried to appease when I saw a tear trickle down her cheek. โ€œHey, donโ€™t cry.โ€ Reaching across the table, I snatched her hand up in mine, feeling a huge swell of sympathy for my timid friend. โ€œMr. Twomey did Joey a favor if you think about it.โ€ Joey clearly didnโ€™t want to be at school to begin with. His girlfriend was still in the hospital, having just given birth to their son. โ€œAt least now he gets to spend some quality time with Aoife and baby AJ.โ€

โ€œExactly,โ€ Johnny agreed, giving me a grateful look. โ€œYou know his mind wasnโ€™t here anyway. Heโ€™ll have a couple of weeks off to spend with his family and then heโ€™ll be back.โ€

โ€œCap, you might want to tell your old man to keep an eye on Twomey.โ€ Arriving back to the table with a large wicker basket in hand, Gerard walked straight over to where I was sitting and dropped the basket down on the table in front of me. โ€œI just saw your mam leaving the office with the Lynch brothers,โ€ he said, flipping the lid of the basket open. โ€œAnd let me tell you, that cranky old bastard watched her ass the entire time.โ€

โ€œOooh โ€ฆ muffins!โ€ I rubbed my hands together with glee when my eyes landed on the fantastic array of baked goodies, courtesy of Gibsonโ€™s Bakery. โ€œGimme, gimme.โ€

โ€œMammy Kโ€™s here?โ€ Robbie Mac piped up from further up the table. โ€œWas she wearing the white pants suit? Oh fuck, Gibs, tell me she was wearing the white pants suit.โ€

โ€œThe one that shows her thong print?โ€ Pierce asked, reaching over the table to swipe a muffin out of the basket.

โ€œThatโ€™s the one,โ€ Robbie confirmed with a groan. โ€œJesus, that woman is immortal. Doesnโ€™t look a day over thirty-five.โ€

โ€œYouโ€™ll be wearing the imprint of my foot up your hole if you talk about my ma like that,โ€ Johnny warned, bristling. โ€œPack it in.โ€

โ€œHey, donโ€™t look at me,โ€ Gerard huffed. โ€œI wasnโ€™t looking.โ€

โ€œBullshit,โ€ one of the team fake-coughed, causing everyone else at the table to erupt in laughter.

โ€œBleeding perverts, the lot of ye.โ€

โ€œBoys are dogs,โ€ I groaned, momentarily standing for Gerard to sit down, and then unceremoniously sinking back down on his lap.

โ€œItโ€™s true,โ€ Gerard agreed, reaching into his pocket to retrieve a set of car keys. โ€œAnd before you even start on the lecture train, just stop,โ€ he added, tossing the keys at Johnny before reaching around me and grabbing a muffin. โ€œIโ€™m an emotional eater.โ€

โ€œOh no, no, no, no,โ€ Hugh said with a humorless laugh, as he pointed a finger at me. โ€œThereโ€™s a spare seat at the table now that Lynchyโ€™s gone. No need to sit on anyoneโ€™s lap, baby sister.โ€

โ€œIโ€™m not sitting on anyoneโ€™s lap,โ€ I countered with a grin. โ€œIโ€™m sitting on Gerardโ€™s lap.โ€

โ€œThatโ€™s me, by the way,โ€ Gerard taunted, snaking an arm around my waist, while he waved his free hand around over his head. โ€œHi.โ€

โ€œOoh, ooh, please let me have a bite,โ€ I begged, catching ahold of his wrist when he raised the most beautiful-looking double chocolate chip muffin towards his mouth.

โ€œNuh-uh, bite with your mouth, babe, not with your hands,โ€ he teased, snatching the muffin back when I tried to swipe it. โ€œOpen wide.โ€

โ€œClaire.โ€ Lizzie broke her silence with a hiss. โ€œDonโ€™t let himย feedย you.โ€

โ€œToo โ€ฆ ate โ€ฆ โ€ I mumbled between bites. โ€œ โ€ฆ orry โ€ฆ ugh โ€ฆ โ€

โ€œGibs!โ€ Hugh joined in on the judgement. โ€œStop feeding my sister!โ€

โ€œWhat?โ€ Gerard replied, holding his hand to catch the crumbs that didnโ€™t make my mouth, while he fed me another bite of his muffin. โ€œShe wants it.โ€

โ€œOh, leave it alone,โ€ Feely laughed. โ€œWhat harm are they causing to anyone?โ€

โ€œPa, heย justย put his fingers in her mouth.โ€

โ€œNo, he didnโ€™t. He put a piece of muffin in her mouth,โ€ he replied calmly. โ€œYouโ€™re overreacting.โ€

โ€œI bet thatโ€™s not all he puts in your sisterโ€™s mouth, Hughie,โ€ Danny called out, causing most of the team to laugh and snicker around us.

โ€œA lot youโ€™d know about putting anything in girlsโ€™ mouths,โ€ Lizzie was quick to defend me. โ€œGet back in your box, asshole.โ€

โ€œDoesnโ€™t look like she has a gag reflex,โ€ Pierce added, goading the boys. โ€œLucky bastard.โ€

โ€œHey! Asshole!โ€ Gerard deadpanned, turning his attention to his teammates. โ€œDonโ€™t even go there.โ€

โ€œHey, Baby Biggs,โ€ another one goaded, โ€œwant to come sit on my lap and Iโ€™ll feed you something a lot more satisfying.โ€

โ€œCock-tease.โ€

โ€œYouโ€™re a dead man, Callaghan!โ€ Hugh snarled, shoving his chair in his rush to get out of it to defend my honor.

The move was a sweet one but unnecessary because Gerard had beaten him to it.

โ€œThe fuck did you say about my girl?โ€ He was on his feet and lunging across the lunch table before I had a chance to register that I was no longer sitting on his lap, but on the seat he had vacated. โ€œIf you ever speak about her like that again, Iโ€™ll rip your fucking guts out your asshole and smear them all over your face!โ€

In this moment, Gerard reminded me a lot of one of those dormant volcanos people travel to see because they look so beautiful and assume theyโ€™re harmless but raise the temperature of their core and said volcano became truly lethal.

All it took was one sexual innuendo at my expense to flip the trip-switch inside of his brain, causing him to erupt on his teammates in the middle of the lunch hall at Tommen.

โ€œI was only messing,โ€ Danny wheezed, clearly struggling to breathe with the hand clamped around his throat that was cutting off his airways.

โ€œFollow me, Shan,โ€ Johnny commanded, shoving out of his chair. โ€œCome on, baby. Quickly.โ€ Tucking his girlfriend under his arm, Johnny led her out of the lunch hall, and harmโ€™s way.

โ€œWhoa, Gerard,โ€ I yelped, making a beeline for the boy who had not only dragged his teammate onto the lunch table, but was straddling his chest, while his fists swung into said teammateโ€™s face with a flourish.

โ€œGibs, donโ€™t,โ€ Pierce commanded, trying to pull him off Danny, only to be rewarded with a headbutt to the face. โ€œJesus Christ, Gibs.โ€ Wiping the blood trickling from his nose with his sleeve, Pierce shoved Gerard hard from behind, causing him to lose his balance and stumble. โ€œYou broke my fucking nose!โ€

โ€œHeyโ€”โ€ Hugh barked, diving over the table and head-first into the fray, while Lizzie remained motionless in her seat. โ€œKeep your hands off my friend, asshole.โ€

โ€œHe broke my goddamn nose, Hugh!โ€

โ€œPity he didnโ€™t break your neck while he was at it!โ€

โ€œWhatโ€™s your problem, Biggs?โ€

โ€œYouโ€™re my problem, Oโ€™Neill!โ€

โ€œWhy me? Gibs is the one always stirring the shit pot!โ€

โ€œYeah, well, heโ€™s family!โ€

โ€œFucking do something, lads!โ€ Robbie shouted, catching ahold of Gerard from behind when he lunged for Pierce. That was a bad move that ended with all five boys crashing over chairs before landing on the floor.

Seeing his best friends outnumbered three to two, Patrick Feely rewrapped his sandwich in tinfoil before rising to his feet. โ€œFuck my life,โ€ he muttered before joining the rumble on the floor. โ€œSomeoneย find Johnny.โ€

Several other members of the rugby team joined in then, and I wasnโ€™t sure if any of them were truly trying to break up the fight. It sure looked like they were all enjoying beating seven kinds of shit out of each other. Fists were flying and blood was pumping, and they all seemed toย loveย it.

Mr. Twomey and several other teachers arrived on the scene, but they were no match for twenty-plus brick-shithouse-built, testosterone-fueled teenage boys.

Too sensible to jump into the action, but too pumped to do nothing, I discreetly stamped on Robbie Macโ€™s hand when he rolled close to where I was standing.ย Ha.ย Served him right for calling me a cock-tease.

โ€œThatโ€™s enough,โ€ Mr. Twomey was roaring, as he managed to separate two players on the team from the year below me. โ€œIโ€™m warning the lot of you!โ€

The older boys didnโ€™t bat an eyelid.

Instead, they continued their hunt for bloodlust, by beating and pummeling each other viciously.

โ€œI said thatโ€™s enough,โ€ Mr. Twomey bellowed. โ€œYou have five seconds to pack it in, or Iโ€™m calling the Gards and telling them to take every last one of you to the barracks!โ€

โ€œHey!โ€ Johnny roared, stalking back into the lunch hall minus Shannon. โ€œHe said thatโ€™s enough,โ€ he snarled in a voice that was truly terrifying. โ€œPack it in!โ€

Marching right into the throes of the pile-up, I watched as Johnny reached into the biggest of the pile-ups and dragged a deranged-looking Gerard out from the bottom.

โ€œPack it the fuck in,โ€ Johnny commanded, keeping one arm wrapped around Gerardโ€™s waist.

โ€œHe started it!โ€

โ€œBack the fuck up, Danny,โ€ Johnny warned, pointing a finger at the boy who was still trying to goad Gerard into fighting. โ€œWe both know whatโ€™ll happen if I let him go.โ€

Whoa.

Seriously, Iโ€™d never heard him sound so furious.

โ€œSit your holes down,โ€ he warned, using his free hand to shove Danny away from Gerard. โ€œNow!โ€

His tone was so full of authority in this moment that I found myself dropping into my chair for fear of getting in trouble.

Thankfully, I wasnโ€™t the only one to feel the pressure of the alphaโ€™s siren.

One by one, his pack untangled themselves and returned to the infamous rugby table, looking bruised, bloody, and a lot worse for wear.

โ€œIs this what I came back to Tommen for?โ€ he demanded, still keeping a firm hold on his beta. โ€œA bunch of jumped-up little pricks fighting with each other?โ€

โ€œNo, Cap.โ€

โ€œSorry, Johnny, lad.โ€

โ€œYou should be sorry,โ€ Johnny sneered, tone laced with disgust, as he eyed his teammates with disdain. โ€œBleeding disgraces, the lot of ye.โ€

โ€œThat asshole started it,โ€ Danny snapped, pointing a finger at Gerard, who had thankfully managed to calm himself down. Being around Johnny had that effect on him. โ€œWe were having the craic and he flipped the fuck out.โ€

โ€œYou know what you did,โ€ Gerard shot back, shoulders bristling with tension. โ€œYou know what you said about her.โ€

โ€œIt was banter, Gibs.โ€

โ€œWell, your banter isย shit, Danny.โ€

โ€œJesus Christ, I was trying to rise Biggs. Sheโ€™s his sister.โ€

โ€œYeah, well, a little word of warning, you fuck with her, you fuck with meโ€”โ€

โ€œListen, I donโ€™t give a shite who started it. Iโ€™m finishing it,โ€ Johnny barked, tone leaving no room for argument. โ€œWhatever happened, forget it. Itโ€™s done with. Itโ€™s over. It endsย now. Does anyone have an issue with that? Anyone still feeling the need to throw down? Because Iโ€™ll go outside right now with any bleeding bollox on my team that has an issue to clear up.โ€

โ€œNo, Cap.โ€

โ€œNo,โ€ Johnny replied coolly. โ€œDidnโ€™t think so.โ€

โ€œIโ€™ll take it from here, Johnny,โ€ Mr. Twomey interrupted.

I watched as Johnnyโ€™s jaw ticked, but he didnโ€™t react negatively to his dismissal. Instead, he offered our principal a clipped nod before rounding the table to return to his throne.

Taking Gerard with him, Johnny pushed him into Shannonโ€™s usual chair and sank down beside him, keeping his arm resting on his friendโ€™s shoulders the entire time.

โ€œNow, I want every member of the rugby team involved in this altercation to remain seated,โ€ Mr. Twomey instructed, phone in hand. โ€œEveryone else can return to your classrooms. Now.โ€

You'll Also Like