Paxon

Monday, July 22nd, 12:32am.

"Rumor has it you're one of the last people who saw Derrick before he disappeared; hell of a coincidence isn't it?" Noah drawls as he walks up to us.

"What do you mean?" I manage to say carefully as I step back and shut my door.

Noah pulls up short, his hands jamming into his pockets as he narrows his eyes at me. After a moment of staring, his face breaks into a smile and he shakes his head.

"You playing stupid is one hell of a change, valedictorian," he teases and I resist the urge to rise to the bait.

Danica has since sunk down into her seat, her head turned away and I can understand why. She's drunk and under-aged of course so I can't rely on her to help me in case Noah decides to snitch to the police about her drinking.

"If you're smart you'd leave it be," I warn him in a low voice.

He grins at this and whistles mockingly, "Wow, look at you standing up for yourself, that's a bit of a threat to throw out right now though, don't you think?"

"It's not a threat, it's a suggestion," I say calmly. "You don't want to get into this."

"So how'd you do it? You stab him? Shoot him? I feel like you're the choking type, Paxon, especially after what he did to your girlfriend-?"

I'm across the pavement and my fists are grabbing him by the shirt before I can stop myself. His amber eyes are wide and his teeth are white, too white and too perfect. I want to knock them down his throat. I want him to choke on his own blood.

I want to watch him die.

"Paxon."

I can see the blood pumping in a vein in Noah's neck as his stinking breath puffs in my face.

"Pax."

Noah puts a hand around my wrist like he's thinking he can pry me off of him.

He's going to be surprised when he finds out he can't.

I know he's at my mercy, I have at least a foot of height on him and at least thirty pounds of muscle. He knows it too, because he doesn't try to struggle.

"Paxon."

I finally hear Danica's voice behind me and I turn my head just enough that I can see her from the corner of my eye. She looks small in the dress she's clothed in, as it's short and rumpled and overall looks uncomfortable as she stands awkwardly beside the truck.

"Hey, Danica," Noah says from behind me and I tighten my grip ever so slightly as a warning.

"Get back in the truck, Danica."

She doesn't move.

"Dani, I'm fine," I promise her as I loosen my grip and at last, let go.

She relaxes as I do this, her eyes flitting from mine to past me at Noah.

"Hi, Noah," she mutters.

"So the dynamic duo, the brains," Noah emphasizes. "Of course you two were probably the ones who did it."

"Did what?" I bark as I turn on him and he smiles dumbly at me.

"Everyone knows it by now, Derrick is dead, he wouldn't go missing this long without turning up somewhere. So where's the body?"

"You sound eager, but let me ask you this, are you only wanting to know so you can get into Mila's pants again without risking him beating the shit out of you?"

I know I've struck a nerve because his jaw clenches, but I can't help myself.

"Everyone in our class knew you regretted breaking up with Mila, so if anyone should look guilty, it's you," I continue, his eyes murderous as I take a daring half-step toward him.

"All Mila did was bitch about how you dumped her, how she wanted you back, but then she got with Derrick and everyone knows she sure as hell wasn't after him for just his looks once she started carrying those designer bags that Derrick bought her," I snap.

I block his punch before he can land it, my hand coming up to wrap over his fist. I squeeze his fisted hand as there's a pop and he yelps in surprise as he tries to twist out of my grasp.

"Paxon!"

I ignore Danica as I jerk Noah to the side, his face colliding with the bed of the pickup truck as he collapses to the ground. Blood is spurting from his nose as he clutches it and stares up at me.

"If you know what's good for you, you'll stay down," I suggest.

I turn and gently push Danica back toward the truck, her face pale and her eyes wide as she staggers.

"Get in the truck," I repeat to her.

She blinks, at last coming back to the present as she hobbles over and climbs in through the drivers side. Her hands shake as she buckles herself in and I try my best to ignore her fear as I turn the key, the truck rumbling as I put it in drive.

I don't look back once.