Accidental Mobster by M. M. Cox

anything else. Biology homework comes in a distant second. I notice the exultant look on Tony’s face, and I momentarily have second thoughts. Portia frowns at me. “You’re not going to see Tommy, are you?”
    â€œI’ve got to. I need to know what he wants.”
    â€œYou can’t go by yourself,” she states, although she doesn’t volunteer to go with me.
    â€œMaybe I’ll make Vince come. He owes me for helping him kick Tommy’s butt.” I try to smile as I say this, but the fact is that Vince is the only person I can take who already knows about my past and can help me out if the situation calls for it.
    â€œSo, you’re worried about something that Tommy knows about you,” Tony states, not too nicely. “What are you hiding from us?”
    Evie’s eyes grow wide with interest as Portia turns to glare at Tony. Tony shrugs. “Well, if he doesn’t have a dirty past, then he wouldn’t have anything to be worried about, would he?”
    Tony’s smug tone irritates me. “Well, Tony. I’m sure you’re quite perfect. If only we could all be so squeaky clean,” I say sarcastically, furiously slamming my locker. I then turn my back on them and stride down the hall, half hoping Portia will chase me down. She doesn’t.
    As I walk away, I attempt to let go of my rage so that I can talk to Tommy with a level head. In the mood I’m in right now, I feel like beating the crap out of that bully. I need to find Vince and ask whether he will go with me to meet Tommy and company. I find Vince sitting alone on a bench outside the school and am somewhat surprised that he is not socializing with anyone else, although less surprised to find him munching on a Snickers.
    Vince rolls his eyes when he sees me. “Well, it’s about freakin’ time! Now, we’ve just got to go surgically remove Julia from her bratty clones.”
    I can’t help but laugh, but then I quickly tell Vince I need his help to confront Tommy. Vince seems flattered by the invitation. “Of course, let’s go beat the snot out of that little snot.”
    â€œWhat about Julia?” I ask.
    â€œShe has more rides home than she could use in a school year. She can take care of herself—or she can wait,” Vince replies, obviously concerned very little with any inconvenience his sister may be forced to experience by his sudden disappearance. We make our way to the gym, which is actually crowded with girls at cheerleading tryouts. I see Tommy and his two friends standing in the corner, ogling the girls in their tight athletic clothing. I’m glad that Tommy has not added anyone else to his entourage, because it means that Vince and I are only outnumbered three to two. Unfortunately, that could be just enough to tip the scales in Tommy’s favor if the meeting ends in a fight. Tommy jerks his thumb toward the doors at the side of the gym, and Vince and I shuffle past the crowd of girls to follow them outside. Before opening the doors to walk out, I turn to Vince. “Back me up, man. No matter what happens, don’t run out on me.”
    Vince seems genuinely offended. “Hey, I’m here now, right? I kinda think I know how this meeting might go, and I’m ready for a fight if you are.”
    â€œLet’s just see what they want first,” I reply, pushing open the heavy metal door. In the bright August sun, Tommy and his buddies face us, as if ready to pounce. Maybe a rematch is all Tommy wants. Better yet, maybe he doesn’t have any information about me after all. Vince and I walk within a few yards of Tommy and wait for someone from the other side to make the first move.
    But Tommy doesn’t rush me like he did at the car lot. Instead, his mouth curves into a sneer, a look that makes me more uneasy than if Tommy ran up to me and threw a punch.
    â€œWhat do you want, Tommy?” I finally ask, deciding that the