Chapter 47
Nash
The cafeteria was busy today. The buzz of constant activity was like a swarm of bees. People came and went throughout the day, but right now every table was occupied.
It didn’t help that the temperature had dropped to arctic levels with howling winds that literally took your breath away. Snow tornados whipped around the school, a warning for all those who dared venture outside.
I spotted Camden walking in with a group of freshmen, and stood up to meet him in the middle of the room where everyone could see. His friends shrank away except for one, who stood tall at his side. Good, he needed a number two.
“You sure you want to do this?”
“Haven’t chickened out if that’s what you mean,” Camden said, and I could sense the chip on his shoulder in his words. That was also good news. It meant he was a fighter and motivated to prove everyone wrong.
“Who’s your friend?”
“This is Troy.”
The eyes and ears of Wayward were on us, so it was time to introduce the new social hierarchy.
“Alright then, just go with it,” I said, smirking and putting my arm around his shoulders.
“Do you have to touch me?” He mumbled under his breath.
“Do you want to sell this or not? If so, then shut up and do what I tell you.”
He rolled his eyes. “Whatevs.”
I walked him back to my table, where Liam and Myles waited. Ren was in the library with Ivy, Chantry, and Theo. Blake had a meeting with Dean Henry.
Camden and Troy sat down, their eyes darting around like they were seeing the cafeteria and the other students for the first time.
“You feel that,” I asked. “Everyone is watching, wondering, already speculating. There is a power shift just by sitting with us.” He nodded.
“The school is like an ocean. You have everything from little clown fish all the way up to the largest predators. If you portray yourself as a shark and not prey, then those around you will instantly start to respect it.”
“I prefer the killer whale,” he said.
“Whatever. The point I’m making is, don’t forget that there is a balance. You need to stay at the top of the food chain. Right now, associating with us and establishing a visual of power in everyone’s mind helps you maintain that position.”
“This feels…I don’t know…like an act. Fake, you know?”
“Part of it is an act. You’ll constantly face other predators who want to cut you down. Keep them in their place by any means necessary. Make them think you will kill them if they cross you. You don’t always have to mean it, as long as they believe it.”
Camden snorted like I was being ridiculous.
“Are you telling me that you’ve killed people to keep control?”
I didn’t say anything and just stared at him. Myles and Liam shared the same grave expression.
“You’re kidding, right?”
I still didn’t respond.
“What the fuck? How the hell do you get away with that?”
“That’s a lesson for much later, and hopefully one you’ll never learn,” I said, and then gestured to Liam and Myles. “You’ll also need allies. Keep friends close who are more like family. Do you understand?”
“I think so,” he said.
“Speaking of people to keep an eye on. What has Trent been up to since our little conversation?”
He shrugged. “Don’t know. He’s been avoiding me ever since, but he hasn’t tried to sell anything to anyone I know either.”
I nodded. “Check in on it. Don’t just assume one conversation has solved the issue. Make sure Trent remembers that there are consequences for his actions.”
“You want me to go knock on his door?”
“I don’t care where you talk to him. Just make sure he knows that you remember. The conversation should feel…threatening but subtle. You don’t need to overdo it.”
“O…kay,” he said, like he wasn’t too sure how to pull off threatening without beating him up. It was a skill that he would eventually learn. We all did.
“You’ll also have to be very clear on your lines.
We had ours for all different reasons, and with each king, it changes slightly.
Example. We didn’t allow anyone to sell drugs on campus.
That made Dean Henry happy, which allowed us extra freedoms. A win for the school is a win for us.
But we didn’t care where someone got their stash if they were off property because it wasn’t about controlling the populace.
It is the environment inside the school you want dominion over.
Figure out what is most important to you and why, then start enforcing it. ”
“So, is this it? You just sit here and talk to me, and somehow the power to rule over the school miraculously transfers and makes me king.”
Where the fuck did he get that from what I’d said?
“Does it look like I have a magic wand? No, of course not, there is no spell I can cast. This is just step one. Be seen with the other…killer whales as a friend. It establishes that you have power. That is something they want, but they are also terrified to try and take.”
“Alright, so what do I do next?”
“Liam, tell him what should he do next?”
Liam looked up and locked eyes with Camden. The poor kid shifted under the death stare.
“Pick a number two. One who will always have your back, take a bullet for you, and be your right hand. If you need someone killed and the body gone. They have you. Research on an enemy. They can do it. They become the shadow behind the throne and know your every move before you make it. They are also your voice of reason when the waters get muddy.”
Camden swallowed, but Troy leaned forward, placing his arms on the table.
“I could do it. You know me, man, I don’t care if I die.”
“Troy, for fucksake, you need to stop saying that shit,” Camden growled.
“Why? I’m not gonna off myself, but I’ve watched people die. My family is dead. I know that my time is coming, and if I go protecting you, then so be it.”
Camden shook his head, but Troy nudged his shoulder.
“Dude…you’re my family. Family, blood or not, protects family. I got you.” Troy glanced at Camden. “He’s my brother.”
Camden hit his arm.
“Are you crazy? You can’t die or kill someone for me.”
“Why not? I’m choosing this. Choice is tough to come by in this life, so let me do this. I want to be your number two,” Troy said.
“If you’re already worrying about a hypothetical death, then you’re not cut out to be king,” I said, hitting him with a hard glare.
“Being in control doesn’t mean that it will be sunshine and rainbows.
I don’t hand you the keys, and everyone lines up to your demands like good little students.
And it’s not like the movies where all you need to do is party and look hot…
I mean, that helps.” The guys smirked. “But you still need to make it useful. Find out who your rivals are at other schools, who could become a problem, etc., and you need to have the balls to back it up.”
I waved a finger at the crowd, laughing, talking, and eating.
“The people in this school will depend on you to keep order. You give them someone they can come to when they are in trouble and earn their respect either by helping them or by force. The difficulty is knowing when and how much to use. That goes for inside the walls of the school and when you branch outside of here. That means tough decisions are made all the time, and sometimes people’s lives are at risk.
Yours, Troy’s, and whoever becomes your inner circle. ”
“Who the hell am I kidding? I’m not cut out for this. I don’t know the first thing about ruling,” Camden said.
He started to stand, but Troy grabbed his arm and forced him to stay.
“Yeah, you do. You’re always looking out for everyone. Me, Sawyer, even Angel and Bonnie. We all owe you for something. We already follow you, even if you think it’s just friends being friends. You’re more than that to us. We know you have our backs, and in turn, we will do anything for you.”
I could see the scepticism bouncing around inside Camden’s head like an out-of-control ping pong ball. But this couldn’t be forced onto him. He had to want this.
“Okay, look…even if I have the ability, I don’t have the money.
I’m not like you guys. I’m not here because my father gave me a platinum card and the backing of powerful crime families.
My father is a politician, sure, but he wants nothing to do with me.
He had me kidnapped in the middle of the night and left here like trash. ”
“Not every king that walked through these doors came from a home that supported them or gave them resources to lead. The key is learning how to leverage what you have. Grow something for yourself that is all your own, and you’ll naturally earn respect.”
“Do ya got anyone willin’ to get their hands dirty? Like pull off shady shit or knock heads around. That kind of stuff,” Myles asked and then took a bite of his pizza.
Troy and Camden looked at one another.
“Angel,” they said at the same time and smirked.
Myles snickered. “Gotta love a good oxymoron.”
“Next time we meet up, bring him along,” I said, ignoring Myles.
He was way too fucking happy today. I knew it had to do with Ren and the fact that I had been called to Volatile last night.
The bastard swooped in and snatched up my night with her like a fucking thief.
It was really pissing me off. I needed to find an annoying job for him to do or something as payback.
“Alright, I still don’t know what I’m supposed to be doing, but—”
Camden stopped talking and stared at a group of sophomore jocks who were very obviously lowkey bullying a freshman. The guy looked petrified as they surrounded him.
“I’ll be back,” Camden said and walked away from the table with Troy right behind him.
Crossing my arms, I leaned back to watch.
“We gonna help him,” Myles asked.
I shook my head. “Only if he needs it.”
Camden put himself right in the middle of the group, protecting the guy who looked like he wanted to be invisible. I couldn’t hear what was said over the other noise, but it was obvious the older jocks were not about to backdown.
“Are ya sure? He’s kinda outnumbered,” Myles said.
“In a few months, he won’t have us around at all. If this is one of his lines, then he needs to make it clear that it’s not acceptable, not us.” Liam said, reading my mind.
The five guys surrounded him and Troy, but Camden didn’t cower and got right into the ringleader’s face. I knew the argument was going to turn physical before it happened. The air became charged, and those closest to the small group stopped talking and stared with anticipation.
Sure enough, the jock I didn’t know struck first, but Camden went full feral.
Myles stood, his hand balling into a fist, but I let the fight play out.
Both Camden and Troy were holding their own despite their number disadvantage.
Suddenly, another guy came running in from the side and jumped in to help.
He fought hard and dirty, and I wondered if this was Angel.
Camden had the ringleader down on the ground, fists flying, until Dean Henry blew a whistle and broke the boys up. The dean ordered everyone involved into his office, but then glanced over at me. As the two groups left, Dean Henry approached our table.
“Mr. Collier, did you have something to do with the fight,” Dean Henry asked.
“No, of course not, Dean Henry. But you should know that the older kids were picking on him.”
I pointed to the boy still frozen and wide-eyed, holding his backpack to his chest.
“Camden and his friends only jumped in to stop the bullying.” I shrugged. “I know you appreciate the facts. You should have them all before you deliver your verdict.”
With a smile, I picked up my coffee and took a sip.
Dean Henry looked like his blood pressure was through the roof.
“You’re grooming him, aren’t you?”
I shrugged again.
“Would it be so terrible?” I leaned my arms on the table. “You have to admit that we have managed to help keep order since we arrived.”
“Yeah, and you’ve also been a walking ulcer. If I find out you’re encouraging Camden to fight…”
I held up my hands.
“I didn’t, I swear. That was all him, but it was for a good cause. I thought you didn’t tolerate bullying?”
“You know, Nash, one of these days…” Dean Henry muttered, but the rest was lost to the noise of the room as he turned and stalked away.
“Think he’ll punish the kid,” Liam asked.
I shook my head. “Slap on the wrist at most. Maybe a day in detention. He won’t admit it, but he likes Camden. I can see it in his eyes. Come on, lunch is almost over, and I want to get to class early.”
Myles stopped chewing and stared at me.
“Are ya feelin’ alright?”
“Shut up.”
Liam laughed as we stood and walked out of the cafeteria. King transference was officially underway. And I had to admit, finally removing the crown and letting it be someone else’s problem was sounding more and more appealing.