Changes || [Johnny Lawrence]

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Daniel made sure that his bike was properly tied up with the chain before he twisted the lock on it. He adjusted his bag on his shoulder and lifted the glasses he had on that helped to hide his black eye before he began walking to the entrance of the school when he saw... Rosana with the boy that had beaten him up last night and with the other four who were with him.

And she was laughing with them while sitting on his bike.

His eyes widened when he saw her lips move (she was talking!) and then she playfully punched the one with very bright blonde hair.

What the hell was happening?

He was confused as fuck. His sister is socializing and he would have been glad about that if it wasn't with them of all people.

Something inside of him shifted when he saw how comfortable and at ease she was with them. When did that happen? And why would his sister, who always stood by him and followed him, be interacting —on her own— with assholes like them? Rosana might not be squeamish about fighting, but she never condoned violence or fighting and yet she's associating with him.

If it wasn't for the fact that it looked like she was enjoying herself, which was rare, he would have thought that they were forcing her to stay there. Well, that was what he was hoping for but he knew that even though Rosana was quiet and antisocial with others, it didn't mean that she was timid or easy to intimidate. She sure as hell never did anything she didn't want to do.

He clenched his fists when he saw the boy who had beaten him up smile at his sister and Rosana looked up at him with a kind of smile he had never seen her wear before.

His protective side roared inside of him like it never did before and turned away from them and walked into the school with purpose. He was going to make sure those assholes stay away from his sister.

***

All-day Daniel was avoiding her and she knew that it was either because he saw her with the boys this morning or because she always had one or two or all of the boys with her in every class and at lunch.

They could be so annoying. They didn't allow her to carry her bag and when she told Tommy that she could carry her own bag when they had their first period together, his only reply was, "Johnny made it clear that you shouldn't carry your bag."

This had made her angry. Irrationally angry that was. She was relieved that she didn't have to bear the pain of having the bag press on her bruises but on the other hand, she felt incompetent and weak and she hated that.

Rosana stormed up to Johnny who stood by his locker with the rest of the boys; Tommy trailing behind her with her bag.

"What the hell, Jay? I can carry my own bag."

"Oooh, Firebird alert!" Dutch sung with a wide grin that made Rosana throw a glare at him before she looked back at Johnny.

Johnny was taken aback by her anger. Girls, he shook his head. They were so confusing.

Johnny poked her shoulder softly and watched her grit her teeth as she hissed in pain, "Really?" He raised a brow at that.

"I'm not weak, Johnny."

Johnny looked into her light grey eyes and saw anger with a hint of hurt. She thought he saw her as weak when he just wanted to take care of her. But, then he felt pride bloom in his chest, enveloping him with warmth.

He should have thought better than trying to coddle her. There was a reason why the boys had begun to call her Firebird.

"Tommy," he signaled for him to give Rosana's bag to him.