Karma Bites by Nyrae Dawn Read Free Book Online

too. Silently, I hope my voice is steady. “What do you want?” I stop, leaving space between us.
    Stacy huffs. “As if you have to ask? You see, I’m not trash like you, but girls like us, we’d never stoop to your level. Hence the whole woods thing. No one can see it here.” She pops her gum. “I’m done playing nice.”
    “Playing nice?” I blurt. I would hate to see her mean side.
    “Yeah.” Stacy moves in toward me and her clones follow. My feet practically lift from the ground to run, but I fight it. If I run today, I’ll have to keep running. Maybe I’ll have to keep running away, but not today. I’m pretty sure getting your butt kicked is some kind of teenage rite of passage anyway. Maybe if they see I’m done running from them, they’ll find some other misfit to torture.
    Not likely, but still.
    I stamp down the fear surging inside me at high tide.
    “Aw, isn’t it cute? She’s got her fists balled up and she’s not running.” Stacy laughs and Heather joins in.
    “I bet she thinks she’s a vampire too. Are you going to use your super strength on us?”
    My anger multiplies like a disease. The vampire thing is getting old. “Screw you. You’re even sadder than I am. Do you sit and play dead when Stacy commands, too?”
    If it’s possible for a person to actually combust, I’m sure Heather would right now. Her face is bright red like the blueberry girl from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
    “You’re such a bitch!” Heather comes at me first, Stacy hanging behind, not even willing to get her hands dirty. Tiffany is right behind Heather.
    My heart slam-dances. I’m pretty sure it might explode along with Heather’s head. I try not to, but flinch when Heather’s fist flies at me. Oh, God. I ’ m about to get beat up for the first time. But I dodge it. Some hidden strength that has lain dormant inside me for most of my life surges forward. I swing at her, but then Tiffany is grabbing my arms.
    In case you didn’t know, three on one sucks. Tiffany holds me while the other two come at me looking like really bad cartoon characters. Then, I’m flinching. Not from a punch, but from a piercing, nails on chalkboard sound.
    The LP turn and I look forward.
    Caleb!
    He holds a key against Stacy’s Mercedes, a long scratch now marring the side. “It’s pretty impossible to tell you how good that felt.” He’s in all black: pants, hoodie, hair. Everything but his smooth skin and green eyes. Caleb leans against the car, casual as can be. “Don’t think I won’t do it again.”
    “You jerk . I’ll turn you in!”
    Caleb shrugs. “And?”
    He’s been in trouble before. I remember hearing about it and everyone in town knows about his dad. He’s been behind bars a couple times, mostly for drinking and driving.
    “Want another scratch to match this one?” He smirks. It’s not the same as his broken smile, but I find myself returning it anyway.
    Stacy frantically scrambles for her phone. “I’m calling the cops.”
    “Go for it.” Caleb pushes off the car and crosses his arms. “There’s one thing you should know, though. My dad is a real paranoid-kind-of-guy. He’s always scared someone might try and sneak up on us out here. He even installed cameras. I’m sure I have a few nice shots of you guys trying to kick Abby’s ass. I’m pretty sure I’m out of the camera angle though.”
    Tiffany’s arms magically drop away from me. Stacy and Tiffany both step away like they’re allergic to me.
    “You said we wouldn’t get caught!” Tiffany cries.
    Stacy looks pale, but still trying to act tough. “He’s lying.”
    “Fuck you, Cavanaugh. I don’t give a shit if you believe me or not. Might be more fun if you don’t. Actually, it would be. I’d love to see you doing community service.”
    Hate pulses off Stacy in waves. “Save your little vamp freak friend. See if I care.”
    Caleb walks toward us. I’m still wondering the hell just happened. I go from my rite of passage