Toni Travis stood out the front of her new high school. She had only moved into the small town a week ago with her parents. The school being public had no choice but to take Toni. She watched the guys and girls walk passed her, some gave her a second glance whispering to each other.
Toni has an attitude problem, at least that was what her previous school put on her record. The school before that mention unresolved issues that reflect her stunted personality and failure to relate to her fellow students. It was all shit to Toni, just another new town, new school, but it won’t change the reception she will get.
Students will take one look at her appearance, dressed shabby, street clothes consisting of brown t’shirt, ripped jeans and a brown faded leather jacket. Her hair dyed jet black, style messy like it had been hacked short and never brushed. Because of this appearance she was assured that no one would want to take an interest in her which was how she liked it. What she was sure about, someone was bound to test her attitude, as well as take advantage of being the new kid, therefore susceptible to being picked on. It was only going to be a matter of time.
***
The morning went smoothly, her first class of the day pretty much guaranteeing anonymity from students.
Teacher walks in “Alright class quieten down, now we have a new student here with us today Toni Travis. Toni why don’t you tell us where you are from, likes and dislikes. Stand up please”
Toni ignored him at first, she lifted her eyes to him and looked around almost eyeballing each student. She got to her feet and sniffed
“yeh like he said, my parents travel lots, so come from nowhere in particular, likes.... nothing.... dislikes.... everything”
Toni sits down and drops her head doodling in her book
The teacher nods “ok... well thanks Toni... that’s very enlightening.”
Students giggled, one student who was sitting next to Toni especially. Toni leaned over towards the girl and just held her glare. “What’s so funny” she snarled
The girl stopped giggling and looked away.
Toni learnt a long time ago the quickest way to avoid confrontation was to be the one trying to incite it. This usually meant just staring someone down. Although she had attitude, she was not afraid to use it. She had if necessary given out beatings and also received her share as well.
Students by lunch time were talking about the new girl and the attitude she was giving off. Soon enough Toni knew someone would challenge her on that, thus giving her a reputation status.
At lunch Toni sat alone at a big table eating her meal. She looked around at students murmuring; she eyed off a group of girls staring and narrowed her eyes. They quickly turned around, but continued to whisper amongst themselves.
Toni’s eyes roamed again until they met with another set, a girl sitting with two boys. She was petite from a quick glance and looked like a girl with attitude. Part of her face obscured due to the fact she was wearing her hood up. Then the two boys turned around and returned the stare. Toni knew this was it, with no doubt in her mind she would be meeting them before the end of the school day. The boys turned back to the girl and dropped their heads as if listening.
Toni took a breath and stood up. “Best get this over with” she murmured to herself.
She walked past the group and out of the lunch room. She walked slowly down the corridor with students moving in and out of rooms. Toni was quickly grabbed from behind and dragged into an empty classroom. She was thrown against the wall, hand over her mouth. The two boys had paid her a visit, but the girl was not with them.
“Well well, we have ourselves a new girl” says the blonde kid
“Think your tough wearing street gear huh, lookin’ all messed up” the red haired kid flicked Toni in the head.
Toni remained calmed happy to take their crap.
“So what shit have you got on ya, mobile phone, money.” The blonde went to touch her
Toni struggled hard requiring both guys to restrain her “uhhhh a fighter....” the blonde pulls a knife on her and points it at her
“I’ll cut you up bitch” he trailed the knife down her shirt “or maybe I might just play”
Toni snarled, grabbed his hand with the blade and drove the knife straight into his thigh. Toni elbows the red head kid in the face breaking his nose, blood pouring down his face. Toni’s hand covers the blonde kid’s mouth to stop him crying out. He was trying to remove the deeply wedged knife, blood pouring through his pants. She now forces him to the wall
“No one touches me..... then no one gets hurt. You touch me.....” Toni hand grips the blonde kids wound, squeezing out more blood and inflicting more pain. “I will hurt you.”
The red head was about to pounce when Toni snarled “You move a muscle, I will take his knife and cut your fucking throat.”
He believed the threat and stopped.
The blonde kid tears flowing, his cries muffled. Toni still had her hand on his wound. She pushed back and he fell to the floor.
“ahhh fuck fuck fuck” he stammer grabbing at his knife.
Toni left the classroom and looked at the near vacant corridor. She looked down at her hand that was covered with blood. She headed back into the lunchroom and looked around. Sitting in the same spot was the girl who obviously sent her thugs to do the welcoming.
Toni casually walked up, the girl unaware of her. Toni put her bloody hand down in front of the girl, leaning on her magazine. Toni leans in closer and hisses in the girl’s ear.
“Don’t send others to do what you are afraid to do, that’s just makes you gutless and pathetic. Their blood is on your hands.”
The lunchroom had hushed watching the outcome of the quiet confrontation. The girl looked up at Toni not offering anything. Her eyes cold, she displayed no emotion or even acknowledging Toni had spoken. Toni removed her hand and walked away.
The girl scoffed at her comment then looked down at her magazine. The shape of a handprint in blood stained her magazine. She lifts her eyes again, this time fire raged in them and she got up on her table and ran across to the next one, and the next.
Toni was almost out the door when someone jumped on her back bringing her down. Toni tried to get up but was rolled over and punched twice in the face. Toni was about to retaliate when the girl was dragged kicking and screaming off Toni.
The lunchroom had come alive, jeering from the other students with commotion of the fight
Toni got up and was about to go after her when she was also physically restrained. Both were dragged by security to the principal’s office.
Both girls sat outside the principal’s office, opposite each other. They each had a security member not far to prevent any further confrontations
Toni moved her jaw around, it ached from the punches. She also touched her lip, after tasting the blood.
The girl smirked at her “more where that’s coming from”
“Is that’s the best you can do barbie doll” retorted Toni
“Ohh I can do fuck more than that, they just held me back” nods to the security
“Really, hey thanks guys for protecting me from evil barbie over there.” Toni laughs hard “oooohh evil barbie... I’m so scared” she throws her hands up in sarcasm.
The girl flew out her seat towards Toni only to be caught in flight. Toni didn’t flinch, remained calmed, seated and just smiled. The principal came in the middle of the commotion and ordered them both in to his office.
Both slouched down in front of the principal’s desk.
The principal huffed “it’s only the first day and I get you two idiots fighting.”
Both shrugged
“Lauren I don’t understand why you bother coming back to school.” He huffed “you hardly attend classes, you didn’t even pass last year... so why bother.”
Lauren arms firmly cross “well you have to provide me with an education, it’s the law. You can’t discriminate because”
“Oh shut up” barked the principal at Lauren. “As for you Toni, I was hoping we would get off on the right foot unlike your last school.”
Toni offered no references to her previous actions. “Your parents assured me that you would make more of an effort.”
“My parents shouldn’t make promises I can’t keep.”
“Do I need to get them down here to go over things we discussed last weekend?”
Toni shook her head
“I didn’t think so. You only have one more strike Toni.... then you know what comes next.”
Lauren looked over at Toni trying to get some read on her
“alright so what started it” he asked
Lauren said nothing, in fact looked away in defiance
“Toni..... I want to know what caused it.”
“Ok”
Lauren glared at her, although they had had an altercation, it was an unwritten rule, a code not to dob in the other.
“She made a pass at me, and I knocked her back... she was offended and jumped me.”
Lauren screamed at Toni “you fucking liar, I never did anything like that.”
“You jumped at me from the table”
“yeh, but it had nothing to do with hitting on you, shit head.”
The principal banged the table “quiet... enough” he took a breath trying to clam himself. “Regardless..... you both have an hour’s detention after school “anymore trouble and I will throw both of you out permanently.”
They left the office and wandered out into the corridor
“See you in detention Lauren” spoke Toni sweetly
“I don’t attend classes, and I don’t do detentions wanker”
“whatever” walks away from Lauren
“Next time we meet, it’s going to hurt” threatens Lauren
Toni faces Lauren “You have caused enough pain to your underlings today, let’s just keep out of each others way.”
They left in opposite directions
---
4.00pm Toni was sitting in a vacant classroom all by herself. It seems even the teacher didn’t bother to turn up supervise detention. She looked out the class window, the rain was pelting down. Her eyes focused on someone standing outside the window looking at her.
Toni got up and headed to the window. The girl she had a confrontation with earlier was standing in the rain, her hood up. Lauren was looking at her and of insolence held up her middle finger.
Toni grinned and opened the window
Lauren laughs at her “you’re a fucking wanker Toni..... nobody goes to detention....”
“I like detention.... it gives me extra time away from my anal retentive parents....”
“really.... my heart bleeds.”
Lauren’s clothes were soaked and Toni found it amusing
“You know Lauren, I might be a fucking wanker...... but I’m happy to be a dry fucking wanker.... than a wet idiot.... like you”
Lauren growled “it’s not over..... you and me will meet again. Watch your back”
Toni eyes narrowed at the threat “oh.... so this means you are going to take another gutless and pathetic approach to me again.”
Lauren ran off
---
If was after 5pm Toni was on her way home. The rain had stopped but it was still cold. She put her collar up on her old leather jacket and walked home. Her head phones on and head down as she trudged the 45 minute walk.
A loud, black sedan sped past her before braking suddenly. The car’s tyres spun on the wet road, then reversed. Toni finally took notice but it was too late and the car screeched to a halt in front of her.
Toni’s instinct was to run as she noticed heads in the car. The guy in the passenger seat got out and within a step grabbed her by the jacket and slammed her to car the hard. The guy seemed older than school age, stank of alcohol and extremely angry. He grabbed Toni’s face hard, then punches her in the stomach. She tried to double over but he held her up
“You little fucking bitch..... nobody messes with my girl.”
Toni anxious at the situation looks over to see the two boys she had an altercation with early. The blonde kid, pants stained with blood, the red head swollen eye.
The guy punches her across the face, sending Toni across the bonnet and onto the ground. “and you want to mess about with my boys, that’s going to cause you pain as well.”
Toni is dragged up and sees who is in the driver’s seat, it was Lauren. She sat there smiling and waved to her.
The guy pulls Toni around and takes a gun from his jeans and points it at her face. Toni in a daze just stares at it.
Lauren jumps from the car “Ritchie.... no.... c’mon that’s enough”
“Piss off..... I told you I’d take care of this little bitch.”
“yeh but you didn’t say anything about bringing a gun.” Lauren shocked at the loss of control by Ritchie
“Yeh Ritchie, you’re only suppose to scare her” spoke the red
“Well plans have changed” Ritchie sneers at Toni “someone needs to teach you a lesson permanently”
Lauren grabbed Ritchie “no.... Ritchie not like this”
Toni calmed her breathing and touched the gun
Ritchie hit her with it “don’t touch my piece”
Toni sucked the blood from her split lip “I was only trying to relocate the weapon to my heart... that’s all.”
“What... afraid mess up your ugly face.”
Toni still calm and serious “no.... I would prefer the heart because I know it would be a clean kill. It would be quick.... and you can be ... gone... that’s all.”
“huh” Ritchie looked at Toni, then at the other guys in disbelief
“I’m saying.... I’m ready.... Ritchie.....” Toni puts hands in her pockets and leans her chest against the gun
“You want me to kill you.” Sprays Ritchie
“Well it’s what you’ve come to do...... yes. Only my parents would miss me..... but then again” she shrugs as if it didn’t matter
No one moved, Toni eyed each one.
“Ritchie” spoke Toni calmly
“Ritchie, don’t do it” spoke Lauren
“You're bluffing” sneers Ritchie
Toni sat on the bonnet “am I, well there is only one way to find out......”
Ritchie cocked his pistol
“Ritchie noooo” yelled Lauren
“Will you shut up Lauren.” Growled Toni “fuck sake Ritchie.... tic toc.... “
Ritchie wasn’t sure he wanted to do it now, so he pulled back his gun. Toni grabs it with him, and squeezes the trigger.
Lauren screamed as the gun went off. Ritchie had quickly pulled it away from Toni, the bullet hitting the ground.
“You fucking, stupid, crazy bitch” spat Ritchie
Toni still sitting on the bonnet not surprised, devoid of any emotion towards what happen
“You could have shot yourself.” Ritchie gasped
“well yeh, that was the point.” Scoffs Toni
“You are one fucked up bitch” spat the red head
“Ritchie let’s just go” Lauren tried to drag Ritchie
“You are fucking crazy....” he laughs. He now eyes her over, impressed by her composure... her coolness. “Lauren tells me you been in trouble at school before”
Toni looks at Lauren “yeh....amongst other things”
Ritchie looks at Toni’s hands seeing her dirty nails, scars from burns on her hands. “Do you know how to boost cars?”
“Why? you lost your keys” Toni replied
“I have this business.... and need someone to do the job since I seem to be surrounded by idiots.” Looking at the two boys “so can you boost cars?”
“yep”
“Been caught”
“Few times, but I leant from my mistakes”
“How”
“Ritchie, forget her” whines Lauren
“Will you shut up bitch, this is business” spat Richie
“I learnt that when I steal a car, to make sure there is petrol in the tank.”
“Well you wanna earn some cash, meet me tonight and I’ll see if you got what it takes. You up for it?”
“Sure” Toni climbs down “so is that it”
“For now”
“Ritchie... she sticks me in the leg with a knife and you give her a job” whines the blonde
“Josh.... “ growled Ritchie
Toni smirked “Well you did pull the knife on me Josh” said Toni softly “and technically you were the one that stuck it in your leg”
“You forced it there” Josh yelled
Ritchie laughed “you stabbed yourself, with your own knife... “
“She helped” he whines, knowing it sounded lame
“let’s go” ordered Ritchie “see you tonight Toni, don’t be late.”
Toni sees Lauren about to walk away “hey Lauren”
Lauren looked back. Toni punched her, knocking her to the ground. Lauren put a hand to her lip looking at the blood. She jumped up, Ritchie got involved again.
“What is your fucking problem?” he spits at Toni
Toni points at Lauren “She knows.... it’s for the cheap shot she took at me during lunch. That only leaves one more”
Lauren went for Toni, but Ritchie grabbed “whoooa baby girl.... if that’s so then you deserved it. Pay backs a bitch”
Lauren sneered, about to say something when Ritchie orders
“Get in the car.” Ritchie turned attention back to Toni “As for you, don’t be doing that again. I don’t like my girlfriend in bruises, unless I’ve put them there myself.”
---
Under a street light Ritchie looks at his watch reading 10.20pm.
“Here she comes” said Josh
Toni strides over standing in front of Ritchie
“yer late” growled Ritchie
“uh huh... sorry”
They all get into the black sedan. Toni in back with Josh and the red head.
“So you got a name” Toni spoke to the red head
“yeh.... and it’s none of your business”
“fuck sake Seth.....” spat Ritchie... “this isn’t the secret service you tosser”
The car pulls up in a street, Toni and Seth get out. Ritchie nods over to a car other side of the road.
“Your fucking kidding, I’m not doing that” whines Seth looking at the car parked outside police station.
Ritchie looks at Toni “well”
Toni looks around then casually walks off, Seth follows but Toni stops him.
“You look suspicious, because you’re acting suspicious. I’ll do this alone and pick you up around the corner, now just keep walking.”
“You don’t tell me what to do” he spat
Toni leans into him and growls “If you don’t want to get arrested shit head, start walking now”
Seth looked at the black sedan as it moved away slowly. He followed it on foot. Toni walked slowly towards the car, she reached into her jacket pocket and pulls out her knife flicking it open. Her breathing quickens, her air was visible from the coldness. She walked up to the driver’s side, her eyes searched the door of the police station.
She felt the car and it was cold, so the driver didn’t seem to be coming back any time soon. She put the knife into the lock took a breath and punched it, followed by a quick twist, the driver’s locked popped open. Toni’s eyes still looking about while she opened the door slightly, allowing herself to sit in. She pulled the door close, then puts her knife under the steering wheel column and jimmied open the cover. Someone walked out of the police station towards the car. She swallowed nervously until the person walked by.
She ripped the cover off the steering column, pulled out her small torch and looked at the wires. She striped two sets and twisted them together. She jammed her knife into the ignition and twisted it. The car stalled on first go.
“fuck” she spat. She twisted the knife again and gave the car more accelerator. It came alive; Toni puts the car into 1st gear and drove off at sensible pace not wanting to draw attention. She rounded the corner seeing Seth waiting.
He waved to her. Toni drove passed a little then stopped. He ran to the car and as he went to open Toni drove off a little further. He started to get vocal so Toni let him in finally.
“You’re a cunt Toni” Seth growled
“I’ve been called worse Seth”
---
Toni waits outside an old storage warehouse as the door to large garage opened. Toni reversed the car in until it was parked next to Lauren’s black sedan.
Josh still limping pulled the door to the garage close, the lights came on.
“Took you long enough” laughs Ritchie
Toni gets out and shrugs
Seth went around the push Toni hard “you fucking cunt, making me run after the car. You could have got us busted.”
Toni laughs “Hey if you got caught, was because you were acting guilty dickhead”
Seth went to push but Ritchie grabbed him and threw him to the car “Get get a grip and get a sense of humour Seth”
They all walked up stairs through a door leading into Ritchie’s, messy, dirty apartment. The rooms contain boxes of stolen goods, TVs, DVD players, video consoles, bikes. The whole apartment was tiny, consisting of only TV room, kitchen, shower/toilet and one bedroom. Windows were blacken so no one on the street could see in.
Ritchie grabbed beers from his fridge and went to hand one to Toni “hang on, how old are you.... can’t serve alcohol of underage.” He grins
Toni laughs “18” and takes her beer
They sit down and drink. Lauren didn’t say much, she was not keen on Toni joining their little gang
“So tell us about you” Ritchie spoke
Toni played with her beer “parents moved to this town, I came too”
Seth grabbed the water bong from behind the couch and pulls out some hash. He lit up, sucking in all he could. They passed it around a few times. The mood had relaxed, all laughing except Lauren.
Ritchie’s hand was all over Lauren’s body, and down her shirt holding her breast “still waiting Toni. You ain’t getting another puff” holding back the hash
Toni rolled her eyes “fine.... I got kicked out of my school... so I’m here.”
Lauren scoffed “You don’t leave towns just cos you got booted from school. What did you do? hit a teacher.”
Toni looked at her. “I stole his car, drove it into the school building up to his room and parked it for him.”
Josh and Seth laughing “what... you what, through the building”
“yep... I was having a bad day.”
Ritchie still held the stuff back from her “Lauren tells me you have one more strike.... what’s with that.”
Toni looked at Lauren surprised she took any notice “It means if I fuck up one more time, I go to juvenile detention for the last 2 years of my probation”
Josh eyes widen “jail.... shit what did you do?”
Toni held her smirk but then laughed “I ran the teacher down in his car while I was parking it outside his classroom” she rolled over laughing “broke his leg, hip. I also hurt some other students during my PMT moment”
Ritchie gave her the bong “wow... but you’re 18 now , it’s no longer juvenile detention, it’s the real thing.”
Toni laughed “I know..... isn’t that hilarious” she cracked up again
All the boys laughed. Lauren got up “yeh hilarious.... “ walks off to the bathroom
Toni leans forward to whisper and all the boys did as well “I don’t think she likes me” points to Lauren
Throughout the night and early morning Toni found out that Ritchie was 25 and had already been to prison for receiving stolen goods, stealing and selling stolen cars. He had been out 6 months. Lauren was 17 and has been with Ritchie for 4 months. Seth and Josh were 17, and did whatever Ritchie and Lauren told them to do.
Ritchie grabs more beers, Lauren returned and sat in his lap.
“So what’s with the fucking death wish” asked Lauren
“We all have to die sometime..... I don’t plan to be around forever.”
“Sounds like someone’s not getting enough love from their mummy and daddy” she laughs
Toni lowers her tone, stares at her “what would you know”
She scoffs “As if you would try to kill yourself, huh.... I mean how do you plan to do it? You’re just bullshitting, give us a break”
Toni looked at each one “well I don’t plan on being here next year. What I can’t decide is whether to use my father’s pistol to blow my brains out while sitting in his beautiful leather chair, or use my mum’s sleeping pills and gas myself in her car.”
Seth eyes widen “You hate your parents that much”
“I hate everything” she looks at Seth
Ritchie laughed and Lauren scoffed “yeh right”
Ritchie stood up “right, out you lot.... you bitch, in my bed now”
Lauren got up “if you say so Ritchie” and walks off happily