Page 7 of Unexpected Prejudice

“Is that so…” Shay-Lee, who quickly got the whole room’s attention, stepped closer. He gave us a once-over, tilted his head and rubbed the back of his neck. “You’re in the wrong place,” he said, the double meaning of his words as clear as a whistle.

“The table was free,” Jessie answered. “And there’s enough space for everyone.”

Shay-Lee’s eyes widened as his lips curved into a crooked smile, and he let out a snort that caused a ripple of laughter from the rest of his gang. By now, we were surrounded by an entire group of jerks. Judging by their build, I assumed they were a part of an athletic team.

“I see.” His eyes traveled to the table and landed on Jessie’s tray. Without hesitation, he stepped closer, grabbed the tray, and tossed it into the nearby trash can.

“Hey! That’s my food!” Jessie’s whine was high, and he tried to move toward the trash can, but I grabbed his arm before he could.

“He threw away my food, Levi. Why? Why did you throw my food away?” His confused words were lost over the laughter of our audience, and I wanted to take him away from their line of fire. I just didn’t know how.

“The fuck you think you’re doing?”

Saved by the bell, or should I say, by Diesel, who found the perfect time to return from his smoking break.

“There’s another one?” Shay-Lee smirked at his friends while he checked out Diesel the same way he did with us only moments ago, only his expression wasn’t as smug. Diesel was just as big as them, maybe taller, with eyes that spoke of promised pain to anyone stupid enough to try and mess with him.

“I’d shut my mouth if I were you,” Diesel warned through gritted teeth.

“Or what?”

Apparently, that guy wasn’t as smart as I’d thought he was.

“Or I’ll shut it for you,” Diesel offered with a smile that matched Shay-Lee’s.

Shay-Lee’s brows knitted as he stepped closer to Diesel. “The fuck did you just say?”

“You heard me.” Diesel smirked with taut arms folded against his chest. But don’t let his smile fool you. It was full of danger. “So back the fuck off before I make you, Perra.”

“Take your shit and fuck off,” Shay-Lee growled.

“I don’t take orders from whiny little bitches like you.” Diesel spat on the floor, almost hitting Shay-Lee’s expensive shoes. Looking up from the floor with a horrid expression, Shay-Lee clenched his jaw.

“For the last time, I’m telling you to take your shit and fuck off,” he barked, his hands fisted closed and his body leaning toward Diesel with nothing but dangerous intentions.

“And I repeat. I don’t take orders from little bitches.”

Curious, hungry eyes circled us as I looked around, trapping our little group of three inside a zoo of unfamiliar faces until I heard another voice I knew.

“Whoa, whoa. What’s going on here?” Andrei came running, stepping between Diesel and Shay-Lee.

I felt more at ease with Andrei around. He always knew how to handle any situation. More so, how to handle Diesel. But when the atmosphere between Diesel and Shay-Lee intensified, I knew this was a lost cause. I grabbed Jessie’s arm to prevent him from stepping in, but in the end, it was futile. As much as he hated violence, when it came to standing up for one of us or helping in a fight, Jessie would jump in without asking why.

“Those idiots sat at our table and refused to get up. Even after I asked nicely,” Shay-Lee answered the tall, pretty-looking guy with raven hair and a snobbish face, who just joined the tight circle, asking what was going on.

“Nicely?” Jessie protested. “You threw my food away! He threw my food away, Andrei! Into the fucking trash can!” Jessie continued and earned a sneer from that prick Shay-Lee and his sidekicks.

“Not like you haven’t eaten from them before.”

Oh no, he didn’t.

I wished so much that I was strong enough to fight back against someone like Shay-Lee. All I wanted was to erase that hateful smirk. Thankfully, however, I didn’t have to.

Diesel punched him full in the face.

Jordan

The first day of my senior year had been a blast.