Hell to the No

Painted Warriors

"Last summer, silly." Maizy chuckles and looks over at Bennen.

"You gonna be a worthy warrior?"

"But of course," Sage says with a grin, holding out his hand. She looks down at it with a raised brow, arms not moving from where they're crossed over her chest. With a gust of air to blow her bangs out of her face, she finally takes it and shakes it firmly. Sage beams, and I look up at Roman.

"I said I'd be someone else's warrior, anyway," Ben mutters at Maizy with a grin before waving to us all and wandering off. Sage and Maizy fall into conversation.

"What're they talking about?" I ask Roman, and he looks down at me.

"I told you the girls get in on the matches, too. They take on contenders as "warriors" of their cause, and they become that guy's pillar. Kind of like personal support system. We use war paint and everything, the pillars get to make their warriors pretty," he adds with a chuckle. I look around the gazebo at all the kids, varying slightly in age, and I wonder who Roman has lined up to be his pillar.

"That's pretty fun," I say with a smirk, putting my hands on my hips. Roman nods with a grin.

"Roman!" a voice calls behind us, and I turn to look as Roman freezes in place. A girl our age bounds up to us, touching Roman's arm as she slides to stand in front of him. "It's so good to see you! This last school year has been way too long," she says, absently tossing dark maroon hair out of her lightly freckled face. I raise my brow silently when her hand stays on his arm.

Woah. Jealousy? Me? Not fucking cool.

Roman nods at her, murmuring a greeting of his own.

"So, you want to be my warrior this year? We make a pretty good team."

"I had someone else in mind for this year, Gen, but thanks." Her flirtatious look is replaced by confusion after a brief flash of shock glints across her features. Roman's smoky gaze travels to me as she tilts her head at him, exposing her neck and hitting his arm.

"Oh, come on, Rome," she croons.

"This is Allie, by the way," he brushes her pleading to the side, and I stand up straight as her dark, dyed hair flicks around with her head. Her eyes scan me briefly before a beaming smile lights up her face.

"Oh hey there, I'm Genevieve," she says, turning all the way around to twiddle a wave at me. I nod with a lazy smile, giving her a relaxed salute. "Another cousin?" she asks.

"Summer project partner, actually," I say with a shrug. She looks at Roman, who doesn't look away from me.

"Oh, are you staying with him?" I nod.

"Unfortunately. Pain in my ass, he's been, I'm gonna go insane before the summer's out." A wide smirk breaks out over Roman's face as he brushes past Gen to stand toe-to-toe with me. I cross my arms and smirk right back up at him as his shoulders broaden when he rests his hands on his hips.

"And who asked you to come, smart ass?" he growls.

"You did, sunshine." Gen scoffs. My heart flutters when Roman's eyes travel downward to my lips, and I pick up on the slightest look of admiration.

"You're so rude to each other," Gen giggles, smacking Roman on the arm again. "She's a lady, you jerk!" she jokes, and Roman's eye twitches slightly. His arm plops over my shoulder as he turns to Gen and leans lazily against me.

"Oh, we're just messing with each other," he says, bending his elbow to put me in a gentle headlock. I give him a good elbow to the solar plexus, and he wheezes away from me.