"I-I don't think you should let him in," Howie warned Tyra.
Kevin pounded on the glass with his big fist, so hard I gritted my teeth, waiting for the window to shatter.
"Hey guys!" he shouted. "Hey, guys-it's me!"
Tyra hesitated with her hand on the doorknob. "Why is he yelling like that?"
"I think he's drunk or something," Brian said, stepping up behind Tyra.
"Well, we have to let him in," Brandie chimed in. "He's staring right at us. He'll pound on the door all day. We can't just pretend he's invisible."
"Hey guys! Open up! Hey, you ugly creeps! Yo--it's me!" Kevin drove his shoulder into the door.
"Oh!" Howie uttered a startled cry.
"I have to let him in," Tyra groaned. "The big moron is going to break down the door."
Tyra turned the lock and pulled open the kitchen door. Kevin stumbled into the kitchen, eyes wild.
"Why didn't you open up?" He spoke slowly, his eyes rolling from one of us to the next.
"We didn't hear you," Tyra told him. Pretty lame.
"Huh?" Kevin rocked unsteadily, as if he was having trouble keeping his balance. He squinted at Tyra.
"He's totaled," I whispered to Howie. "He's really drunk."
"Drunk as a skunk," Howie whispered back.
Kevin pushed Tyra and lurched toward the refrigerator on rubbery legs.
"Got any in there?" He pulled open the door.
"Hey--no way," Tyra cried, moving quickly to stop Kevin.
Kevin spun around--and nearly fell over. "No beer? I saw a sissspack on the bottom shhhhelf."
"No, sorry," Tyra said tensely. She tried to push the refrigerator shut. But Kevin hung on to it. Tyra glanced nervously at Brian. Then she turned back to Kevin. She put a hand on Kevin's shoulder.
"Sit down, okay?" Kevin angrily swiped Tyra's hand away.
"Get off me man," he muttered, lowering his voice menacingly. He glared at Tyra with watery eyes.
"Get off me. Don't touch me."
"Take it easy Kev," I chimed in, rushing up beside Tyra.
"We heard about what happened at school. We feel bad for you. You got a bad deal."
I don't think Kevin heard a word I said. He stood in the square light from the open refrigerator, glaring angrily at Tyra. Despite the coolness of the day, his forehead dripped with sweat.
Brian and Brandie hung back, standing awkwardly in front of the kitchen table. Howie stood in the middle of the room, arms crossed over his chest, his face expressionless, eyes not blinking, locked on Kev.
Tyra tried again to tug Kev from the refrigerator. But Kevin ducked his big shoulder and bumped Tyra off.
"I don't like the way you're looking at me man," Kevin said angrily.
"Kev, please--" Tyra pleaded.
"Like you're better than me," Kevin muttered nastily.
Tyra took a step back. She was at least a foot shorter than Kevin, and not at all athletic.
"Like you're better than me," Kevin repeated. "Think you're better than me Tyra? Think you're some kind of cool dude or something?"
"Kev, please close the refrigerator and come sit down," Tyra insisted, motioning to the kitchen table.
"We didn't do anything to you," I chimed in, trying to distract him from Tyra. "We're your friends."
He kept his eyes focused on Tyra. "Think you're better than me? Think you're sssso hot because Brian pretends to like you?"
"Kev, shut up!" Brian cried shrilly from behind us.
"Yeah--shut up," Howie growled in a cold, tense voice.
"You're a fat little wimp," Kevin sneered at Tyra. Tyra's face reddened. I saw the veins throb at her neck.
Kevin giggled. I have no idea what struck him as funny.
"Fat little wimp," he repeated, whispering this time. Challenging Tyra. Daring her to do something.
"Hey Kev--haven't you been in enough fights for one day?" Brandie called out.
"Please close the refrigerator door," Tyra requested again, her jaw clenched, her face still red.
Kevin grinned at him, an ugly, unpleasant grin. "Make me."
"Tyra--no!" I cried. Too late.
Tyra reached for Kevin's arm. Grabbed him just above the wrist. Gave him a hard tug away from the refrigerator.
Kevin shouted a curse--and swung his other fist. Kevin stumbled, off-balance. But his fist made a sickening thock against the side of Tyra's face.
Tyra uttered a sharp cry. She stumbled back, and her hand shot up to her cheek.
Breathing hard, sweat pouring down his face, Kevin leaned heavily against the refrigerator door. Eyes wide, locked on Tyra. Watching to see if Tyra would hit him back.
Bright red blood trickled from Tyra's mouth, onto the tile floor. There was now a small cut on her cheek.
"My tooth..." Tyra spit out more blood. "You knocked out a tooth." Kevin rubbed the back of his fist, his eyes on Tyra. Tyra glared back at him, holding her cheek, blood pouring from her open mouth.
I heard an angry cry behind me. Spun around in time to see Howie dive at Kevin.
"No--don't! " I yelled. "Howie--don't!"
Howie slammed Kevin back hard against the refrigerator.
He grunted in suprise. Then a smile spread quickly over his sweaty face as he grabbed Howie's arms and pushed him back.
"Okay," he said, breathing hard. "Okay, no problem. I'll fight you too."
Chapter 6
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