Connected (slow updates!)

Chapter 8

Ivys POV

It was finally nearing the end of the day and if I was being honest I was glad. Students chatted loudly throughout the hallway as they gathered there belongings and waited for the dismissal bell. I grabbed all of my homework as well as Aspens and stored it away in my backpack before throwing it over my shoulder. I flinched as the piercing sound of the bell echoed off the linoleum and into my ears. Students rushed the metal doors of the school, anxious to get out as fast as possible.

Happily I trotted down the concrete steps of the school, making my way along the sidewalk to get to the parking lot. "Hey thing one, where's you're clone?" I heard a voice say from behind me. Whipping around I came face to face with a group of teen boys wearing varsity jackets. I pulled at my bag bringing it closer to my body nervously as I stared at them. "Home. Sick." I replied with a shrug as the boys all chuckled to each other. The one in front looked me up and down, a smirk spreading across his smug face.

"You know, I still can't decide which one of you is the hot one" he snickered as his friends nodded in agreement. I scrunched my face in annoyance and disgust, not like I haven't heard that one before. "I gotta go" I huffed, rolling my eyes at there childish behavior. "Aww don't be like that baby, I was just playing around with you" the boy said, his hand grabbing a hold of my forearm before I got the chance to get away. He yanked me back towards the group before I snatched my arm out of his grasp. I sneered at him, tired of boys that have no respect for anyone but them self's.

"Pig" I barked, glaring. A look of shock came over the boys face before he let out yet another laugh. "Oh shit, look at that. Your a little fire cracker aren't you" he said, licking his bottom lip before he pulled it between his teeth. His hand came down onto my side and he rubbed the pad of his thumb against my hip bone. At this point I didn't know what to do. Aspen always says if anyones ever mean to me to make a scene. I did that, and it got me no where.
"Stop touching me" I demanded, shoving at the boys arm.

Suddenly the jocks scattered as someone shoved there way through the group, knocking a couple of the boys down. Reggie appeared, an angry look plastered across his once sweet face. He grabbed the boy in front of me by the shoulders and lifted him so that they were face to face. "She said stop" he growled. 3 other boys quickly joined Reggie. The blonde with the mullet pulled out a pocket knife and flipped it open. The sun reflected off the polished blade and a sadistic smile took over the boys face. "Better run fast" he snickered.

Varsity jacket and his friends had now retreated back towards the school a bit, clearly unnerved. "That fucking slut isn't worth my time" was the last comment before the boys headed off in the other direction. At this point I was shaking so hard that my teeth almost chattered. I held my breath to keep the tears that were welling in my eyes from falling. This is why I didn't wanna come alone, something bad always happens when Aspens not around. I almost screamed when I felt someone rest there hand on my back, but as I turned I saw Reggie. "Did they hurt you? I swear to god I'll fucking kill those assholes" he said, obviously fuming.

I stared at him a bit confused. Why did he care if they hurt me, he didn't even know me. "I'm fine" I replied with a nod as I looked up at him. I felt a couple of tears stream down my face despite my great effort to conceal them. The anger on Reggies face quickly melted away. No longer able to stay calm I burst into tears, silent sobs made it hard to breath but I remained quiet.

"I'm sorry, just Aspen wasn't here and I didn't know what to do and he wouldn't leave me alone." words rushed from my mouth as I hiccuped through my sentence. He just kept shaking his head, a sympathetic look on his face as he waiting for me to compose myself. I could just imagine how pathetic I must have seemed, crying over not having my sister with me at all times like a child. "It's ok, I'm not gonna let anyone fuck with you" he kept reassuring me.

I looked behind him and noticed his friends had chased down a few of the boys from the group. The taller boy with the dark hair had his combat boot firmly against the face of one of the boys who was laying on the ground. The blonde with the mullet had another backed against an oak tree with his knife. The one Aspen had been looking for yesterday, Victor, was violently kicking the ribs of the boy who had grabbed me, laughing as the other boy groaned in pain. The sound of his boot meeting the other boys skin made me cringe and look away.

"I can give you a ride home if you'd like" Reggie said, nodding his head towards a car that was parked across the road from where we stood. "I have a car actually, well technically it's Aspens and mine." I explained nodding towards the schools parking lot. "I'll walk you?" He said, more as a question then as a statement. I smiled sheepishly and nodded, wiping the tears from my face. I started towards where I had parked, the boy following closely behind me, his frame towering over me. Once I made it to the car I stopped and pulled off my backpack to dig for the keys.

When I looked back up I noticed a look of awe on Reggies face. "This....is your car?" He questioned, his tone making it sound as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. I glanced back and forth between him and the car before nodding. "Holy shit" he laughed walking around the car, examining it. "My dad got it for our 16th birthday. I think he wanted it for himself more then us but we get the most use out of it" I shrugged.

Cars where never really something I had a huge interest in. The only reason I knew anything about the car was cause dad had gone on and on about it for days after our birthday. "You've got to bring this beauty by my garage one day, I'd love to get a look under the hood." He said squatting down in front of the bumper, his eyebrows knit together as he took in ever detail. "Sure" I replied with a nod.

The boy stood and made his way over to where I stood next to the drivers side door. "I'm having a party Saturday, it'd probably be less shitty if you and your sister where there." He said leaning his palm against the car next to my hip. I blushed and looked at my feet, nodding again as I nervously tucked some hair behind my ear. "We'll be there" I smiled, my cheeks ached from how hard I had to try to contain my expressions. The boy smirked and leaned a bit closer, the proximity between us closing in. I heard the clicking sound of the car door opening and he stepped back, holding it open for me to climb in. "Thanks" I giggled shyly, I'm sure my face was bright red by now.

He leaned down so I could see his face from where I sat in the drivers seat of the car. "See you then" he said, his voice making my heart flutter. I nodded as I stared up at him. He winked before closing my car door. I watched carefully as he made his way back to the school yard where his friends where. He stood next to Victor and stared down at the body of the boy he had been assaulting. Disgust and anger washed over his face once again. I quickly looked away and started the car. I had no interest in sticking around to see what was about to happen to the boy on the ground. I exited the parking lot, heart still beating a million miles per minute. I drove fast to get home, excited to tell Aspen about my day. She was never going to believe me.