“How about a month?”
“Done,” David said, and turned to the other Loners. “Fights within this gang won’t be tolerated. You heard it right now.
Punishment is guard duty for a month. We’ve got nothing if we’re not together.”
David walked away from Will.
25
“Sorry, guys, you’re gonna have to check your weapons.”
Ritchie, who had a nasty new gash scabbing up across his forehead, sneered at the Geek like he was crazy.
“It’s okay,” David said to Ritchie and the mob of Loners behind him. One by one, the gang piled their weapons high on the table in front of the well-guarded box office, and each Loner received a claim ticket in return. By the end of five minutes, the counter was overloaded with blades, spears, chains, pipes, slingshots, and wire knuckles. What the Geeks didn’t know was that hidden somewhere on each Loner were at least two shivs.
Someone was going to kill David tonight at the Geek show.
That was the rumor. According to the Skaters, Bobby was losing his cool after being publicly embarrassed by Sam. He may have been scared of Sam when he was in the market, but when Bobby got back to Freak territory, David bet he was more scared of what his own gang might do to him. Bobby had to show the school that they should fear Jackal. Offing David would definitely get the message across.
The PA system squawked to life, and a booming voice addressed the school.
“Geek show! Geek show! You don’t want to miss this one.
Get your butt to the auditorium before we run out of tickets.” David had made a promise to his gang, and he wasn’t going to back down now.
The Loners proceeded into the auditorium, and David scanned the light rigging for any ominous figures. Colored lights and flashing strobes made it impossible to tell for sure.
He’d heard of Freak kids trying to perfect bow and arrows.
He didn’t want to find out those rumors were true tonight.
David let his eyes wander over the spectacle before him.
It was nothing like the dismal gray that lurked outside the doors behind him. The air smelled fresh somehow. The Geeks had frosted the tips of their hair with acrylic paint from the art studios. He saw turquoise, magenta, and tangerine, rare colors for McKinley. He had forgotten how big the auditorium really was. It’d been built to house the entirety of the student body and the faculty for school events for decades to come. A red-curtained proscenium stage, bathed in golden light, took up the entire far wall. Between the stage and where David stood were fifty rows of raked seating. Interspersed along both walls were small, makeshift tents. In front of each tent was a Geek barking the surprises and entertainment that waited within.
It was a carnival, and to David’s disbelief, it looked like kids had not only checked their weapons at the door, but also their affiliation. He’d never seen anything like it, probably because he’d never had the opportunity to go to a Geek show before.
It put him on edge. Everyone mixed freely with each other.
An assassination seemed more feasible than he’d imagined before. He noticed Varsity members and Pretty Ones scattered through the room. A Freak gave him a hateful look. All through the crowd David saw potential threats, enemies pretending to be amused by the extravaganza.
“Stay close,” David said to Ritchie, who signaled to the rest of the Loners.
David heard a high-pitched scream and feet rushing toward him. He pivoted his body and dug in, ready for anything. Anything except a hug. It was Zachary. He wore a blazing orange Marie Antoinette wig, tall as a top hat and full of decorative curls.
“Well, look how far he’s come!”
Ritchie grabbed Zachary’s shirt and swung him off David.
“Hey, hands off!”
A throng of Geeks broke out of the crowd, and they promptly surrounded the Loners. David put his hands up to calm the situation.
“Whoa, whoa, all a mistake! Let’s be cool,” David said.
Ritchie held out his hands. They were covered in a glitter that shimmered with every flash of the lights. Zachary righted himself with a sneer and straightened his black shirt, which was covered in the same stuff, a powder of crushed glass bonded to the fabric with a weak glue. Sparkles sprinkled onto the floor all around him.
“What is this crap?” Ritchie said.
“Fashion, moron. And that before is called a hug. You cave-men don’t get out much, do you?”
“We’re a little rusty,” David said. “But if I recall correctly, partying is like riding a bike, isn’t it?” Zachary smiled and waved for his Geeks to relax. He winked one eye and wagged his finger at David.
“If you didn’t spend like a drunk stepmom, I’d throw you right out of here, Davey-pie,” he said, and then waved his hand around at the tents. “So here’s the deal. The main show and sideshows are free, but games and goodies cost tickets. We’ve got a couple lovely girls over there who will gladly relieve you of whatever you’d like to trade for a roll of tickets.” Zachary clapped his hands, and one of the Geeks tossed a large roll of tickets to David.
“Here’s a few on the house.”
“Hey, you shouldn’t have,” David said dryly, passing them back to Ritchie.
“I know. I really shouldn’t have, but hey, we’re going to rob you blind tonight anyway. Have fuuuuun, Loners!” With a twirl and a sweep of his hands, Zachary led his crew on to the next gang of customers. David smiled. Even with a death threat looming over his head, it was hard not to find Zachary’s mood infectious. Since forming the Loners, David had paid close attention to the leaders who had gained the true respect of his gang. Zachary was one of them, and he admired his style.
David turned to his gang mates. Eighty of them had come, and twelve had stayed behind at the Stairs. All of them were salivating over a different Geek show attraction. They were dying to cut loose.
“Okay,” David said. “I need five volunteers for a security team, and we’ll rotate it. That’s it. Everybody else, go hang out. Somebody better have some fun, or this going to be one pricey downer.”
Five people stepped forward to stick with David, and the rest scattered like mice let out of a cage. A band playing on a tiny homemade stage kicked into a song. A small crowd gathered around. The band used traditional instruments together with handmade ones. Tubas and violins harmonized with desktop wood blocks and nails being scraped down chalkboards. There
was a stand-up bass made out of stripped electrical wires and a desk drawer. The clash of sounds made a harmonious racket.
Lucy was dancing by herself right up front. There were a hundred different things you could do at the Geek show, but all David wanted to do was watch Lucy dance. “You should dance with her,” Ritchie said. “Before I do.”
“You’re not dancing with her.”
“I am if you keep hesitating. Seriously,” Ritchie said, moving his head in unison with Lucy’s butt, “I want that thing to live on my face.”
David laughed. He felt like a goon, standing with five other goons, ogling her.
“I’ll be right back.”
“Yeah.” Ritchie nodded slowly.
“And look at something else, will ya?”
“Just trying to keep you safe, Dave.”
David navigated past dancing kids. He felt acutely aware of how hard he was trying to act casual. He sidled up to Lucy and stared at the band, as if that was the real reason he was there.
He bopped his head. He tried to shuffle his feet to the beat, but he felt like an idiot. He wasn’t a dancer. He glanced over at her as she rotated her hips.
“Have you ever been to a Geek show?” David projected loudly.
The band stopped playing, and the second half of his question echoed out over the lull. They put down their instruments and took a break.
“Hmm?” Lucy said.
“I said, have you—”
“Yes.”
“Oh.”