Page 24 of Reaper's Claim

“Fine.” She looked back at me with a bored expression. “I need you to not tell Dad about it.”

“I won’t have to, the words kind of tell him for me.”

“Just don’t drive it then.”

“Why? Why should I protect Noel? He is a piece of trash, and a punching from Dad wouldn’t be a bad thing.”

“Dad has enough stress on his plate; do you really want him chasing Noel down? You know he has a temper.” Kim got up from the couch, crossing her arms and looking like her normal pissy self. “Come on Abby, think of him for once and not yourself.”

I scoffed, shaking my head and leaving the room before I decided to do something I would regret.

***

I listened to music and tried my very best to work my stress out in the gym when Kim showed her ugly head.

“Dinner is ready. Dad’s waiting,” she yelled over the music and then slammed the door.

I didn’t feel like eating. I felt like doing another hour or so on the treadmill, running my anger off. But Kim’s snippy way of saying ‘Dad’s waiting’ meant he was expecting me to make an appearance.

I didn’t feel like speaking to a single person, and I really didn’t feel like sitting at the table watching bikers scarf down their weight in meat. I wasn’t dressed for it either, in my sports crop top and shorts.

By the time I dragged my butt down to the dining room, everyone was already eating and laughing. I snuck into the kitchen and dished out a plate of vegetables.

Just make an appearance and leave, and the less food I had on my plate, the sooner I could go.

I had noticed a full table when I ducked into the kitchen but only as I reentered the dining room did I realize that it was the boys from the Western Charter that occupied some of the spaces.

My dad was at the head of the table, and Kade was on his left-hand side. He was still here.

“Oi, Abby, pass the sauce, would ya?” Gitz asked, and I automatically reached for it off the bench and leaned across the table, handing it to him. “Why you still standing? Come on, have a seat.” He gestured to the seat next to him, and I walked around the table, taking the offer.

Kade had thrown me. Once I got in my seat next to Gitz and Bleach, I snapped out of it.

“Abby, where you been, sweetheart? I haven’t seen you since I got back.” Dad struck up a conversation with me.

“Just … um … in the gym.” I stabbed a piece of carrot.

“I think we can see that, Abby.” Gitz winked at me, causing a sly smile to cross my lips.

“How was school?” Dad asked, seeming not ready to let go of having a conversation with me.

Kim had been talking to Trigger at the end of the table, but when she heard Dad ask that question, her head snapped in my direction.

“Fine.” I shrugged my shoulders, “How was your ride?”

Normally Dad would just flash me a smile, nod his head, and say the ride was good but this time, this time he looked at me with a “not buying it” face.

“Really? Because your principal called.” Dad put down his fork, and when the man stops eating, you know shit is going to get real. So it made sense that the whole table chose this moment to go silent.

“Principal Frigg just likes talking to you.” I brushed it off, but I knew there was a point to this rounded conversation.

“Abby, you can either tell me what happened, or I can ask your sister.”

“Ask Kim then.” I ate a mouthful of veggies and just like that, I passed the buck over to her. She wanted me to lie, well, she could lie for me.

“What’s the issue, Daddy?” Kim batted her eyelids and took a sip of her drink. “If this is about Abby being unsociable, I’m sorry, but what do you expect?”

God, the quicker I got these veggies in, the better.