The Anklebiters
You've Got More Nerve than You've Got Tact
By the time of next week, all the seats were filled at Jack’s table in the cafeteria. Some people were even struggling to stand next to the table to laugh and talk with them. Hayley stared at the desired seats as her and Tay walked to their own, her mind boggling with reasons as to why those goons were so popular all of a sudden.
It has something to do with Alex on the football team now, she reasoned in her head as she watched a couple of girls giggle around him. But why now? What made them suddenly ask the new kid to join the football team? What were they planning?
“Hayles,” Tay called as they approached the table, “you’re staring.”
Hayley shook her head while they took their seats next to their friends. “Sorry, just … day dreaming, I guess.”
“You seem to be doing that a lot lately,” Jenna mused, taking a bite out of her own apple, for once. “You’ve been day dreaming all the time.” Hayley rolled her eyes at her friend’s assumptions. “Day dreaming into the nighhhhht,” the green-haired girl said in a sing-song voice.
“I’m alright,” Hayley clarified, blinking her eyes at her friends. “And for the record, you should become a singer when you’re older.”
Taylor nodded with a smile before putting her hand on Hayley’s shoulder. “All in due time,” the leader beamed warmly. “By the way, have you talked to Alex more lately?”
Hayley shrugged with a sigh, taking a bite of her Mac N’ Cheese. “Not really,” she muttered. “All I know is what he told me last week: everything started happening once he got on the football team.”
“I’m getting ready to crack some skulls if we don’t find out what’s happening soon,” Jenna growled.
From the corner of her eye, Hayley spied Ash and Abi sprinting towards them, slamming their trays down instantly when they got to the table. “Guys!” Ash exclaimed. “Abi found out why Jack and his friends have become so popular!”
All heads snapped in the small brown-haired girl’s direction. Taylor’s teeth clenched as her hand started to grip her plastic fork tightly. “Give us all the details, Abi.”
“Okay, okay,” the small girl stood from her seat, looking down at all the other intimidating girls’ faces. “So you know how suddenly everyone’s wanted to sit with Jack lately? It all started when Alex joined the―”
“Yeah, yeah. We know that already, little one.” Jenna cut in.
Tay nodded. “Just tell us―”
“Jack has started his group again!” Abi finally exclaimed, causing all the girls to freeze. “Since Alex became friends with them and joined the football team, their popularity increased. Jack realized this was the best time to start his group again, and he did.”
Taylor’s teeth gritted, and Hayley put a hand on her shoulder as she muttered, “B―But … that’s not possible.”
“I’m afraid so.” Abi bit her lip. “They call themselves, ‘The Hustlers.’”
“You have got to be kidding me.” Jenna breathed out, starting to crack her knuckles.
Tay frowned. “I’m sure Jack didn’t purposely do this against us―”
“He’s done this before, Tay, and it’s always been to crush the Anklebiters so he and his buddies can rule the school.” Hayley explained, and then looked to their leader. “Um―Taylor, are you … okay?”
Taylor’s face flushed red, and if this were a cartoon, Hayley knew steam would be blowing out of her ears right this second. All the girls looked down, seeing her crushing the tiny plastic fork in her hand and finally throwing the bent utensil on her tray in fury. She finally stood from her seat, growling under her breath, “I’m going to rip his head off.”
“You don’t want to do that,” Hayley muttered, keeping her hand on her leader’s shoulder and standing up next to her.
“And why is that?” Taylor’s head swung in her direction, her tone making Hayley flinch.
“I’ll …” Hayley sighed as she looked in the direction of Jack’s table. “I’ll talk to Alex next period in chemistry.”
Tay shook her head, “Hayles―”
The orange-haired girl ignored her, looking back to face Taylor. “I’ll talk with him. I promise.”
Notes
Okay, NOW the story is really going to heat up! It was just a matter of time!
And thank you to all the new subscribers<3 Can't believe we're at 19 already! :D
Subscribe/ comment/ rate :)
Rock on \m/
Haha, wait a minute, hold up. HOLD UP.
I started reading this story, thinking it was your other story I have yet to read with multiple installments... and then I just got to this last update, realizing I confused the stories the whole time AND THIS WAS NEVER FINISHED. UGH.
OMG. This story though...
This story is seriously amazing. Very John Tucker Must Die, but different. I've seen people take that plot and incorporate it with an ATL story before, but this story is definitely different with it; not as much of a direct influence, but kind of a similar thing going on, and able to stand alone on its own and be great. I'm really bummed that this was never continued; you're a really talented writer and I'm itching to know how this would have ended now. Especially considering I was thrown for a loop since I mixed it up with the other story, ugh! SO FRUSTRATING.
I hope maybe you still get on here, or get notifications, or are just able to see this comment... I see another person commented around a month ago, so you definitely still have readers!
That being said, I know that life can be hell with hecticness and just reality and so... that seemed to be catching up with you in your last author's note. I hope everything is okay with you. Even if this story isn't ever continued, I hope at the very least, you're still writing on your own time... you definitely have a knack for it.
And as Taylex_Jarkarth said... this story made me feel weird things as well. Maybe butterflies? Hayley's emotions definitely transpired through me as a reader; whatever she was feeling, I was feeling. You conveyed her as a very relatable character, and I commend you for that. I'm just bummed that things had to go down the way they did. :/ I'm just wondering how you planned to end it all, now. lol. I have faith that Alex still loves her, and if he knew the full truth (and Hayley plucks up the courage to tell him how she truly feels and how it changed for her), there may be chance for reconciliation. But idk. What she did was pretty big, so it's hard to tell and you honestly can't blame him for being angry. But I'm an optimist, lol.
How did I confuse the multiple installment stories. Ugh. I guess I would've had to reach the end of what you had eventually. XD But it just frustrates me that there isn't more to read!
But anyway, you are seriously an amazing writer, and I just wanted to let you know that. This story had me in with just the first chapter. Even though it's been a minute, I have faith that you could come back to it; I've seen other authors do so before. :) I will be here to read and leave feedback if you do, for sure.
7/2/17