Chapter 2

My demand was rude, obviously.

It stirred up the passengers around us.

And after a flash of fury crossed the man's eyes, he smiled again.

"I'm sorry, it's my fault. The baby's just so little, you know how it is with infants, always fussing and crying. There's really nothing I can do. My apologies, truly."

His apology looked sincere enough.

But it only hardened what I already believed. I said, coldly,

"Like I said, you kneel down and kowtow. That's the only thing that'll do."

This time the man really lost his temper.

"What is wrong with you, kid? How can you act like this?"

I sat back down, crossed my legs, and said,

"This is how I act. So what?"

The man said, indignant,

"Babies cry, it's just their nature. You didn't cry when you were little? You never threw a fit?"

"Heh." I gave a cold laugh, my eyes fixed on him, something vicious flickering through them.

"When I cried as a kid, my mom knew right away how to settle me down. When I threw a fit, my dad had a way to handle me on the spot. And you?"

"Your kid cries, and you've got nothing. No idea what to do."

"You call yourself a fit parent?"

That put a flicker of guilt in his eyes.

He paused, then said,

"This isn't my first kid, but, well, I don't have much experience."

"Heh." I laughed coldly again.

"Everybody's got a first kid at some point. Everybody's had a first time at something."

"But I've never seen a parent like you, kid crying, and completely clueless about what to do."

The man frowned and barked at me, out of patience,

"You're just making trouble for the sake of it!"

The woman beside him quickly grabbed his arm.

"Let it go, let it go."

"Let it go?" I stood up. "You people kept me from sleeping, and you want to let it go? Well, I'm not letting it go!"

"What do you want!"

The man shot to his feet.

He couldn't hold it in any longer.

But that was exactly what I wanted, for him to blow up.

I stood up too, all street-thug swagger, and taunted,

"Oh? Want to fight? Come on then, it's been a while since I've thrown a punch!"

"You—!"

The man was about to lose it, but his woman grabbed him again.

"Leave it. Even if you get chewed out, it's nothing."

The woman pulled at the man while apologizing to me.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. We didn't mean to disturb you, really, we're so sorry."

"Another apology?" I sneered. "What good is an apology? Better to give me something real. If your man won't kneel and kowtow, then you can do it instead."

The woman glared at me with hatred.

The man looked ready to breathe fire.

The passengers around us couldn't stand it anymore.

"What's the deal with this kid? How can he have no manners at all?"

"Right? Nice-looking guy, and you'd never guess how low-class he is."

"Somebody raised him wrong!"

"If my kid acted like that, I'd slap him dead!"

Everyone started laying into me.

They'd all taken the side of that young couple.

But I pressed on anyway, looking at these people scolding me, jabbing a finger arrogantly at each of them.

"What? You don't like it? Anyone want to take me on, step right up!"

More looks of disgust and contempt turned on me.

In that moment I could feel it, to every one of them I was hopeless trash, the kind that dirtied your hand if you so much as touched it.

But I still didn't back down. I said, cocky,

"What? All of you big talkers, and none of you dare do anything?"

"If you don't dare, then shut it!"

Then I stopped bothering with the rest of them and took two steps straight up to the man, squaring up to fight, and taunted,

"You little punk, weren't you the one who wanted to throw down?"

"Come on, let's go, I'll beat you into the ground!"