Surprises left and right today, even after class, when I realize Rude's waiting not far from school, resting comfortably on top of a couple crutches. Lyle's first impulse is to hide behind me and coerce me into make a detour. But I don't think Rude's in any shape to fight, as itchy as he probably is to bash my head in.

"You can keep walking if you want," I tell Lyle, and his face contorts in disgust. "I'll just make sure we're done beating each other up."

"You are nuts, man."

"It will be quick, I hope."

I walk across the street, headed straight to Rude, who hops on his right foot to face me.

"Foster."

"Sup, Rude," I say, lifting my unharmed hand for a fist-bump. Rude watches my hand like he wants to chew on it, and finally lifts his own giving me a soft bump. "Hope you're doing all right."

"Cut the dung, already," he says, now ready to try and chew on me. "You think we're magically friends now because we had a fight?"

"No, but it wouldn't hurt to try, you know?"

"Yeah, right," he says, munching every word. "As you can see, I'm too battered now to kick the dung out of your skull. But you're fooling yourself if you think this is over."

"Then I'll be fooling myself."

"I'll be away for a while, as you sure know," he says. "But don't you dare think I'll be gone forever."

"Yeah, man, about that..." I say, taking a step backward, just out of reach. "I wasn't really planning anything. All I wanted was for you to stop this crap."

"I ain't stopping dung. So better get ready for the day I'm back."

"Come on, dude. Let it go, already," I plead, even though I know it won't work. "I don't want to fight you again."

"Sure, sure. As if I'm going to let you go while you're ahead, right? That would be bliss for a little dung like you."

"CAN YOU STOP, ALREADY?!" This doesn't come from me, it comes from Amanda, who's now behind me. "THAT GOES FOR THE TWO OF YOU!"

"John isn't doing anything wrong, though," Lyle tries, but all three of use give him the look, so he cowers into a smidge of himself and keeps his mouth shut.

"What are you even doing here, Rude? You're supposed to be in bed."

"Don't go bossing me around, Amanda. You're not my mother."

"Shut the fuck up!" she cries, kicking Rude's leg cast, making him wince. "Let's go home before I mangle your other leg, you moron!" To my dismay, Rude actually complies without saying anything else. Amanda looks me over her shoulder. "I'm sorry about this, John."

Lyle and I watch them go down the road, and we can hear Amanda trying to hush her voice as she further scolds her brother.

"Well, that was something else," Lyle chides, amused.

"Girls hold mysterious powers, cousin."

"Cousin?"

"Sorry. It was a reflex."

"Hmmm..." Lyle looks at me in confusion, but doesn't say a word.

"Do you know anything about Scarborough?"

"Speaking of mysterious girls? I have no clue. That day you fought Rude was the last time she attended school. Why?"

"She's most likely mad at me."

"Good riddance, John," Lyle says, patting my shoulder. "Let's go home."

But I don't move. "You just don't get it, do you?"

Lyle turns back to me. "What is there to get, John?"

"Why do you hate Scar so much?"

"Look, I get it," he says, giving me an eye-roll. "The girl is cute, all right. And you got the hots for her. And she kind of got into a fine mess by doing what she did to Amanda. It's the whole 'lady in distress' cliché, and I absolutely understand that you want to be the knight in shiny armor."

"That is not what this is about."

"Isn't it, though?"

"It is not. Scar isn't any 'lady in distress' cliché," I say, crossing my arms to my chest, not sure what to do about the cast in my hand that doesn't quite fit. "She's a person who went through hell, had her mother killed, and was shunned by everyone else while Rude and his cronies did to her the same shit they did to Newt."

"That's very much a lady in distress to me."

"So you're basically saying she doesn't deserve to have a life of her own, just like Newt."

"I'm saying the circumstances are not quite the same, and you're siding with a dangerous person that isn't only a threat for you, but to everyone around you."

"Abigail is not a psychopath."

"Isn't she?" He challenges.

"No, she's not," I reply, unflinching. Lyle examines me for a second, and then a slight chuckle escapes his lips. Then he turns on his heels, headed home.

"Don't say you weren't warned, buddy."