-Oliver-

I had to walk to school the next day since Mrs. Bundt was the only adult present in the house. I tried to leave early enough so I wouldn't be late for school, but Gecko had decided it wasn't fun that I left for the day, and had clung himself onto my sleeve. He started crying loudly whenever I tried to loosen his grip, so eventually Mrs. Bundt had to bribe him off me with a candy bar. I used the two seconds while he was distracted to pry his tiny fingers off my sleeve and ran before he realized what we had done.

I felt bad for him, and hearing him cry after me was even worse, but I had to go to school. He would soon be old enough to understand that.

I was grateful that the school was so close, and it took me only fifteen minutes to make my way through the small center of the town. I wasn't even late yet when I arrived at the gates. I continued pushing my way through the snow.

Once I was inside, I stopped to take off my gloves and loosen up my big scarf. As soon as I was done, I tried to take a step deeper into the building, and for some reason, it turned out to be a huge mistake.

"Out of my way!"

I got scared by the loud voice, and tumbled forward, my heart racing in my chest. I couldn't stand loud noises. I nearly lost my balance, but as soon as I managed to get it back, someone shoved me hard on my shoulder, sending me almost flying to the wall. I hit my forehead, but thankfully I still had my beanie on, so it gave me a little protection.

I held onto the wall, trying to stay up on my feet, when I peered over my shoulder to see what was going on. I froze in fear, when one of the seniors, Jack, glared at me angrily. He wasn't alone in the hallway. He always had a big group of friends tailing him, and now they all were giving me nasty looks.

"Someone should teach you some respect, maggot!" Jack growled at me. I was shivering so hard my knees gave up, and I fell on the ground. "Oh, it's the rat! Call the pest control before I rip it apart myself!"

He took a threatening step towards me and I almost cried from fear. This guy had hated me from day one, and I couldn't understand why. I had done nothing to anger him, not on purpose, but apparently even my existence was enough to make him mad.

I tried to back away, when Jack grinned evilly, stepping even closer to me. Then, the door opened, and three students hurried in, stepping right between me and Jack. The door almost hit Jack in the face, and he had to step back.

"We made it!" shouted one of the three students, a tall girl who was flexing her arms like she had just finished a big race.

"It's so freaking cold!" another one of the three, a guy with a mohawk, breathed out and shook himself like a dog.

"I told you," the last one of them spoke slowly with an angry voice, "I didn't want to come here!"

"Well, boohoo. Your dad forced us to drag your ass here after the stunt we pulled last night," the girl spoke. I was pretty sure her name was Tilly.

"Well, well, well," Jack spoke with an amused voice, and all three of them turned to look at him. "Isn't it the prince of mutts and his little jesters? It's a rare sight to see you at school. Maybe now you'll learn to read!"

His friends started laughing, but everyone else hurried away from the two groups. I tried to inch away from them, but my back hit the wall too soon.

"If you want to insult someone, use only one and make sure it's good," Tilly spoke with a harsh voice, crossing arms over her chest. "That was just pathetic."

Silence fell on the corridor. I had never wished so hard that an adult would show up and break them apart. But I knew they wouldn't come. No one ever did when these two groups collided.

"Mind you own goddamn business, bitch!" Jack hissed at her, stepping closer.

"Oh. He called me a bitch. My feelings are hurt," Tilly spoke, and now her voice was bored. "How can I find the will to live anymore?"

Her friends – the two boys – chuckled lightly, and the one with the mohawk turned his back on them all. "Give it a rest, Jacky-boy. She's just not interested in you."

"The hell did you call me?!" Jack yelled, taking two angry steps towards the mohawk guy – Arch? – but then something happened really, really fast. I had no idea what! First, Jack was going after the mohawk guy, and next, he was on his knees, holding his nose with two hands.

"Didn't he just tell you to give it a rest?" Tilly asked, standing right in front of him, her arms still crossed over her chest. She was lowering her right leg back on the ground. Did she just kick him in the face?

The rest of Jack's friends were really unhappy, but none of them even moved. They were all guys! There were six of them, and they all hesitated to step against a girl.

"You made me bleed!" Jack spoke with a muffled voice. "This could mean war!"

Suddenly, someone started laughing loudly, and I turned to look at the guy with red hair and a bandana. For some reason, Jack's words seemed hilarious to him.

"Oh Goddess! I can't! I can't! That was too funny! This could mean war...! I can't breathe...!"

Tilly sighed. "Look at what you've done..." she spat at Jack, grabbed her friend's hand and started dragging him away from the door. He was still laughing, holding onto the girl. The mohawk guy looked down at Jack with an amused smirk, but then he spotted me.

He squinted his eyes, and his amusement vanished. I shivered under his gaze, knowing I was in trouble now. His eyes were drilling holes in me. I should not have been there. I should've run when the three of them stepped in.

"You didn't see or hear anything, right?" he suddenly asked with a smile – it wasn't a friendly one.

I started shaking my head. I shook it so hard it started to hurt.

"Good," the guy spoke softly. "What a smart little mouse. Don't you go and disappoint me now. You wouldn't want that, right?"

I shook my head again.

"Good," he said, and followed his friends without giving me a second look.

He didn't need to worry about me. Of course he didn't. No one was mad enough to do anything against their wish. The Blue Moons. The stronger one of the two gangs that called this town their home.

I turned to peer at Jack, who was being dragged out of the school by his friends. The Black Thorns.

No one knew exactly who they were, where they came from, or what they wanted. There were only a couple of rumors about them, but even if someone had heard something about the two gangs, they kept their mouths shut. All I had ever really heard was the names of the two gangs, and that Tilly, Arch and the third guy belonged in Blue Moon, and Jack and some of his friends were Black Thorns, but that was about it.

And now I had been caught up in the middle of their dispute.

I really should've stayed home like Gecko had wanted. I knew I was in trouble now. I just knew it.