Repricussions

The Monday after Spring Break is always hard: noone wants to get up early after a week of sleeping in; sunburns scream from under the sheerest cloth; hangovers are still pounding and everyone is still trying to piece together what happened after the passed out. It's almost as if everyone needs a week to sleep off the one that they just had.
Kent and I are sitting at the smoker's table outside the Rec Center. He should be working on his Business Management project, and I should be working on my last speech, but we're both blowing them off to hang out and rehast our adventures- mine with Jess and Maggie, and his with his family at a reunion in Georgia.
"And Aunt Carrie made this horrible apple-and-peach dumpling pie thing." he shudders. "It was terrible. Then, right in the middle, after she'd had a few drinks, my cousin Jessica gets up and announces that she's gay. That 'bout killed my Aunt Clarrise, but we'd all known it for awhile so it was just kinda like 'ok? and?'" he shrugs.
Val runs up, looking frightened, and pulls up a chair close by me. "Did you mess with Grant's truck? And his room?" her voice is frantic and her eyes are shifting wildly.
I put on an innocent face, "What are you talking about, Val? Where's Grant? Or Maria?"
She motions nervously over her shoulder, "They were just leaving the dorms. I came ahead 'cause he was waiting for her." her voice drops, "He's seriously ticked, Cecillia, and he's sure that it was you. He keeps saying that he's gonna get the truth outta you and then go to the cops." Uh-oh. I don't like the sound of that.
Kents gets up, "I'm gonna go get Chris. And Mose. Maybe Jeremy if he's here yet. If that jerk's gonna threaten you, at least there will be witnesses. Maybe this will be a deterrant." I shoot him a greatful look: despite all of my bravado, both Grant and the prospect of a confrontation with him scare me to death.
"Val," I say calmly, tuning around to face her again. "I want you to listen to me, ok? I didn't do anything. I. Didn't. Do. Anything." I know that, deep down, she knows the truth, but's I'm not about to make it easy for him. She nods. "Ok. Good. Now, go inside. You don't need to be out here-or anywhere around me when this goes down. And," I add, almost as an afterthought, "you need to stay away from him for a couple of days after this, ok? Lock your door, make excuses, do whatever it takes. Just trust me." she nods again and heads off.
Chris, Mose, Jeremy, and Kent amble out, pulling chairs out and sitting on the low stone wall behind the table, smoking. Silently, I thank Kent again: these are the biggest guys that we know and them just being here makes me feel better. I smoke in silence for a few more minutes, my fingers shaking, betraying my otherwise cool exterior, until I spot Grant, storming up the hill that seperates the Rec Center from the main road leading to the dorms. I stab out my cig and try to make myself stop feeling nauseous, to little effect.
"You little bitch." Grant yells as he gets closer to the table. "You absolute little bitch!"
"Well, hello to you, too, Grant. Is there any specific reason for this verbal smack-down or are you just on your period? Want some Midol?"
"You know exactly why I'm doing this you little whore!" the veins in his jaw are working, his arm muscles flexing dangerously.
"If you want to hit me, Grant, go ahead. Wouldn't be the first time, would it?" I challange. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Mose, the closest one to me, tense, half-rising. "Don't worry, Mose." I say, half-turning. "I got it."
Grant's eyes flash, "I'm talking about my car? My door? That ringing any bells for you?" his voice is shaking, he's so angry. I fight to stay cool.
I will not let him frighten me. I won't.
"I have no idead what you're talking about Grant. Care to elaborate?"
"On Saturday night, you came and wrote all over my door and wrapped my car in duct tape."
"Oh! I did?" I feign surprise. "Well, seeing as how I spent Saturday night watching DVDs with my friend Maggie and my boyfriend, it must have been my evil twin." The guys laugh behind me, enjoying the game.
"You lying little bitch!" he roars, raising his hand again. I close my eyes, praying that he stops quickly, that it doesn't hurt. After a few seconds, my eyes pop open. Maria has grabbed his hand and all four guys are on their feet behind him.
"That would not be a smart move, bro." Mose rumbles, running his hand over his hair.
"Don't worry, Grant." Maria hisses, shooting me an Evil Look, "We'll get her."
"You just wait." Grant spits, "I'll catch you when you least expect it."
I raise an eyebrow, "Good line, Grant. Did you pick it up from 'The Sopranos'?" he sneers at me and walks away.