Chapter 26 : Brawl

The rebuilding of the welcome center was progressing rapidly, which was a good thing for Constance. Even if they were good with Joyce, they couldn't stay forever with them, and she didn't want Jane to be too used to living with them, it would be harder for her to leave after. And plus, she even found a work, so she was able to pay more things for Jane. Things would be better now.


The two sisters arrived at school before separating to join their friends. Constance arrived at her locker where Robin was.


- "Yo, nice shoes," smiled Robin.


- "I know, Jonathan bought them for me!" explained proudly Constance. "What about you? A new necklace?"


- "Oh yeah, you noticed!"


- "Of course, you wear it proudly, and you're right, it's a beautiful necklace."


- "Thank you."


Robin felt her cheeks blushing so she looked away like if it could hide it. Since they went together to do their Christmas shopping, Robin didn't stop to think about Constance and what could happen between them if she was brave enough to invite her for a date.


- "You will go back in your welcome center?"


- "Um, yeah, for now, but I hope I'll find a place just for Jane and me," answered Constance.


- "Why not staying with the Byers? They seem to like both of you," stated Robin.


- "Yeah, I prefer living by my own, with no debts to anyone."


- "They don't seem to be the kind to ask for something in return."


- "You can never be sure of that."


- "You're rude."


- "Yeah, I'm asshole."


Robin chuckled.


- "Not as much as him."


Constance frowned before turning. Billy just arrived in the hall, followed by his lapdogs pushing everyone to intimidate them.


- "What a bunch of assholes," mumbled Robin.


- "I'm sorry, did you say something?" asked calmly Billy with a sharp tone.


- "Why don't you find someone your own size!? Like a lizard or a fucking fly!?" provoked Constance.


Billy didn't need more to see red. He grabbed Constance's jacket and brutally blocked her against the lockers, his face at a few centimeters of hers. But this time, he didn't let her have the advantage. He wrapped his fingers around her neck and sank his nails in her skin, strangling the girl. Constance tried to hit his face and to scratch him, but what she saw in his eyes didn't reassure her. It was a stern look, with nothing else, just hate; he looked like a psychopath.


Robin decided to intervene, there was no reason for her to let Constance alone in this situation. She took a metal bin and hit Billy's head, dazing the man who dropped Constance. The hall full of teen became a boxing ring including Billy, Constance, Robin, Jonathan, Steve, Nancy, and more.


The headmaster needed four security guards to stop them and bring them in his office. Only Billy, Constance, Jonathan, and Robin were going to have a punishment. For now, they were waiting for a parent or a tutor to come. Once Neil, Joyce, Maria (Robin's mother), and Rachel (Constance's tutor) there, the headmaster could explain them the situation.


- "Your children had been involved in a fight which happened this morning in the halls."


- "Jonathan! You fought!?" asked Joyce with a surprised tone.


- "This asshole-"


- "Language!"


- "...Billy was going to punch Constance!"


- "Billy, is it true!?" intervened Neil with a sharp tone.


- "She provoked me!"


- "Oh yeah, because you were so friendly when you talked to Robin that I thought you were going to punch her!" replied Constance.


- "You punch girls now!? This is how you treat women, you little fag!?"


- "You never had a problem with that," answered Billy.


And with this sentence, Constance understood who the real problem was. Billy was an asshole because his own father was an asshole; he was like hers, blaming his own children for his mistakes and failures, and punching them like if it could solve his problems. He was apparently violent with his entire family, including her little sister's best friend. The headmaster gave an entire day of detention to each one before letting them go.


- "We'll talk about this at home," threatened Neil between his teeth while everyone was standing.


- "Oh yeah!? And what are you gonna do to him!?" asked sharply Constance. "Punch him 'til blood!? Throwing him in the stairs!? Through a window!? Against the walls!? You burn your cigarettes on him for fun!? Kick his belly to remind him how shitty he is for you!?"


Constance looked down at his jeans before looking up at him.


- "No, of course not, you use your belt, like a whip to train a dog, that's it!? He is not like you want so you make him pay!? Your first marriage was a failure, you punched so many times your ex-wife that she preferred running away, abandoning her own child. I'm sure he wonders every day why he is stuck with the wrong parent!"


Neil rushed to Constance and blocked her against the wall. He didn't have time to do more; Joyce pushed him and placed herself between the man and the young girl while two security guards were dragging him out of the office. They isolated Neil while everyone was leaving the office. Constance joined her sister who was waiting with Max.


- "Are you ok?" asked Jane.


- "Yeah, just a little quarrel," answered the blonde teen.


- "You fight a lot lately, be careful, I don't want you to be hurt."


- "I know, I'm sorry."


- "They're gonna be awful," stated Max, looking at Neil and Billy.


- "I'm sorry, that's not what I wanted..."


- "It's not your fault, they're always like that."


- "MAXINE!" yelled Neil.


- "I have to go."


- "Why? He didn't call you!" frowned Jane.


- "He just did, you didn't hear him?"


- "He called a Maxine, your name is Max, right?"


- "Jane, Max is short for Maxine, like Mike is short for Michael and Will for William," explained the redhead.


- "DON'T STAY WITH THOSE BITCHES!"


- "I'm sorry, I really have to go, bye."


Max waved to Jane before running to her stepfather and stepbrother.


- "You knew there was short versions of names!?" asked Jane.


- "Yeah, I mean, Jane is short for Janemia."


- "What!?"


- "And Constance for Constancellope."


- "WHAT!?"


- "I'm kidding."


- "You're stupid, (gently hits her belly) I believed you!"


- "I know," smiled Constance.


Joyce quickly walked to the two girls with an angry expression.


- "You, we'll have a conversation when we're home, is it clear!?"


- "Um, yeah, ok," frowned Constance.


- "Good, let's go now!"


Joyce went away followed by Jonathan and Constance, who pouted to each other, and Jane. Will was waiting for them near the car, not knowing the situation. Joyce asked Constance to sit on the passenger seat, letting Jonathan, Jane, and Will behind them. The first half of the ride was quiet with tension in the air.


- "Why did you have to provoke him?" asked sharply Joyce.


- "He was going to assault Robin!" answered Constance.


- "No, I'm not talking about Billy!"


- "I just told him the truth!"


- "You knew how he was going to react!"


- "No, I didn't! But what about you!? None of you seemed surprised by his reaction!"


- "..."


- "Yeah, that's what I thought! All of you, and certainly more, know how he is, you all noticed the bruises on Billy or Max, but none of you decided to intervene to help them!"


- "We can do anything!"


- "So what!? When Billy is in jail and Max a complete depressive junkie, it'll be too late! They certainly won't even survive this! When Billy leave, it's going to be Max, Neil's new target, but nobody seems to care! My father was violent with me, everybody noticed but nobody tried something to help us!"


- "The policeman did," told Jane.


- "Yeah, because you told him!"


- "Maybe she could tell one."


- "She won't."


- "Why not?"


- "Because if she tells the police about him, and if they find nothing, imagine how it could become for her after!"


- "Worse..."


- "Exactly!"


- "I can talk with the chief, it's an old friend of mine," told Joyce.


- "About time!"


- "Constance, she is trying to help!" got irritated Jane.


- "Whatever."


Constance crossed her arms and looked outside, not wanting to continue the conversation. She was so mad; everybody knew about this asshole, but no one thought it would be good to stop him! It was because of people like them that people like her died.

Comment