023

Abbie stood over the two of us, towering even with her slight stature and lack of footwear. She seemed a giant. Implacable. I knew, both intellectually and in my very soul, that there was nothing I could do to stop her. I tried to command myself to stand up. Just get up, take the canister, spray her back. I almost laughed. And while you're at it, scale Everest, then flap your arms and fly your way back home. My arms and legs couldn't be bothered to move, couldn't be convinced they were in danger.

Beside me, Taylor shook her head at my plight. "Nice going, Mr. Canon. Way to flex on her."

"You know, Taylor? Just... shut up. For once in your miserable life, shut the ever-loving fuck all the way up." That felt good to say. Man, I disliked that girl.

"Both of you shut up," Abbie snapped. "God, if we were half this annoying, you should have slapped us right in our fucking mouths, Mr. C."

I chose to ignore the threat. Well, not choose so much as couldn't oppose, and not ignore so much as