saved by the bell
𐬿 𐮚 ミ☆★彡 𐮚 𐬿
TODAY WASN'T A DAY for bullshit. The redhead arose from her slumber in the most miserable state she's ever been in, cramps making themselves known in her stomach as a headache pierced her head. Scarlett winced in pain, grabbing ahold of her head before sliding from the comfort of her bed, needing to use the toilet. A loud groan found it's way rumbling from her throat, noticing that the bathroom door was closed, meaning that it was currently occupied.
"Can you hurry the hell up in there?! It shouldn't take a century long! Please, I'm gonna piss myself," She whined, pounding her fist onto the bathroom door.
"Gimme a minute!" David's voice came from the other side of the door.
Scarlett rolled her eyes and leaned against the bathroom door muttering, "Wait another minute, my ass."
She could hear the sink turn on and off before the door creaked open, Scarlett let out a yelp when she fell back into her stepfather's chest. She scoffed and shrugged him off, "Get off me, pig face." The girl shoved David out of the bathroom and closed the door roughly behind him.
"Jeez, someone's in a mood," David muttered before walking downstairs for breakfast.
Scarlett pulled down her pants and took a seat on the toilet. When she glanced down at her underwear, she groaned loudly seeing blood staining the fabric, "You've got to be kidding me!"
After the girl took a well needed bath and got changed, she headed downstairs to fetch some breakfast.
"Thanks, mom." Scarlett said when Helen placed a plate of food in her awaiting hands, giving her a tight smile. The Porter women weren't on speaking terms since the night the boys had their little slumber party, the girl still hurt by the woman's words and she wasn't going to forgive her so easily, no, her mother had to work for it.
Helen smiled with genuine, the corners of her eyes creasing as she did so,"You're welcome," A huff passing through her lips when her daughter stride past her without another word, Helen knew that what she said affected the girl and she hated herself for causing more chaos in Scarlett's already twisted life.
The Porter girl took her seat at the dining table, her stepfather already sat at said table, a long newspaper in hand with his nose stuffed into the paper and covering the view of his face. Scarlett leaned back comfortably on the leather chair, beginning to divulge in the food prepared for her.
Breakfast was silently peaceful for Scarlett which she was more than grateful for since the last couple of days were filled with the exact opposite. She sighed in delight at the quietness, though it had to be ruined by the sound of David's lips loudly smacking and her lightly freckled face scrunched in disgust. The man payed no attention as he ate his breakfast, his eyes gliding over the daily morning newspaper.
Scarlett took in a deep breath, feeling the irritation clawing at her, begging for her to release it out into the world, but the words from the woman who now sat next to her husband repeating themselves to her, 'You can't take your anger out on your stepfather anymore.'
So, the girl thought of the most polite way she could come adress the man without over stepping her own boundaries, "David?" Said man hummed, a curious glint glistening in his brown eyes when he gazed up at her, away from the words displayed in front of him, "Would you consider chewing with your mouth closed? You sound like a starved cow and that's not very gentlemen like of you," David could hint at the sarcasm in her voice as she rolled her green eyes at the man.
The Brasstin man couldn't help feeling amused by the girls words, he was impressed that she had many insults for the man, a new one each time too. He couldn't be mad at her creativity, who was he to tell her that she shouldn't express herself? The lip smacking paused and Scarlett was relieved, not really knowing why it irritated her so much in the first place. The girl guessed it was because her boarding school drilled it into her head that it wasn't proper to chew with your mouth open, it was mannerless, something a lot of people disapproved of when you're a woman in the 1960's.
" 'A starved cow'? First it was 'pig face', what's next on the farm? A sheep?" He playfully questioned, clearly not taking the verbal abuse to heart.
Scarlett smirked, David and Helen seeing the gears grinding in her head as she leered at him, "You know what they say about a little lamb wandering too far away from it's flock, it gives the wolves an opportunity for a meal."
He scoffed, taking slight uneasiness at her words, "And what? You're the wolf?"
"No I would prefer a lioness, taking fierce pride in her stance and shamelessly protecting her loved ones. In a fight between a sheep, a wolf, and a lioness, I'd say la potente leonessa out weighs her chances of winning the fight between life or death." She smirked lowly to herself, knowing she got the man in front of her to ponder about her carefully chosen words.
Clearly David didn't recognize the light jab but her mother seemed to connect the dots, a sour look crossing her face as she gripped on the utensils in her hands, "If I'm the oh so helpless lamb, then who's the big bad wolf?" He asked curiously.
Scarlett's gazed peeled from the man sat in front of her and towards the woman who stayed in silence, her head tilted down to her lap as her red hair blocked her face from their view. David had a expression of realization come across his face, displeased how his wife was being thrown under the bus.
He sighed, "Scarlett, she's your mother-"
"Oh, she is right? How come that doesn't stop her from saying bruising words to me, her own daughter?" She sneered, her mother pulling her gaze from her lap and towards the girl.
The woman wore a discouraging glower, "I'm sorry Scarlett, is that what you want from me?" Helen's nails dug into the skin of her palm, David placing a comforting hand on her thigh.
The girl tilted her head to the side, "I don't remember ever saying that I wanted a apology from you. It was expected."
"I'm your mother-"
"Why does that even matter if you want nothing to do with me?!" Scarlett cried, a wave of emotions thrashing inside her body, forcing itself to spill over, she couldn't hold them back anymore at this moment, "You send me away and I never hear from you until you have to come pick me up for break. I've never gotten a single call, or even a stupid fucking letter asking how I was doing. Did you ever stop to think how it would affect me? I needed you and you were never there!"
The words just said by her only daughter stung her heart, she couldn't help but think how much Scarlett's was hurting for her to fall apart within the span of a few minutes. Helen's eyes softened, her release loosening around the metal laid in her hands, "I'm sorr-"
"Sorry doesn't cut it anymore, mom!" She wailed, her appetite long gone as her head hung down and tears spilled from her eyes.
There was a moment of silence, David being the first to break it, "Scarlett, we're always here for you."
She scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest, "Oh really? Now you are? You're unbelievable."
"I've always been a supporter for you, even if you don't want to see that. I see you as one of my own daughters and I love you, Scarlett. I'll always love you and be there for you..." The man paused, "But it's hard to when you're cold towards me, to both of us, most of the time. It hurts us, and I'm sorry for not noticing it was hurting you too. You've been through too much already." He chocked back on the swelling in his throat, quickly clearing his throat before turning to the love of his life, seeing her admiring him.
It was Helen's turn to speak, but she didn't turn to look at Scarlett, her gaze on David as if he was her anchor holding her in place, "David's right Scarlett," Her green eyes finally leaving the man beside her and towards the girl who crumbled in her seat, "We're always here for you, like I said to you before, you need to let us help you."
Helen sucked in a quick breath, "I'm deeply sorry for not doing more. I promise that I'll try and become a better mother for you. I've never intended for you to feel like I dont want you as my daughter because that's not true. You'll always be my little girl no matter what, I will always love you." Their matching green eyes pierced into one another, the woman's held softness and acceptance but her daughters were the opposite, hard and defiant.
"Are you?"
"W-What?"
"Are you really going to try for me?"
"Yes, I give you my word, Ladybug." The girls heart clenched at the all so familiar nickname, both her biological father and mother always called her that ever since the day she was born.
There was another moment of silence, Scarlett Rae absorbing every word that was just passed around, hoping that this will help her turn over a new leaf. She didn't want to feel so alone anymore, it was turning her spiteful and this wasn't who she truly was as a person. She was willing to put in the work but she needed her momma, all babies in the world needed their mother.
The teary eyed redhead kept her orbs towards her shaking hands, her fingers picking at the dirt under her dark red polished nails. She wasn't ready to immediately bare her soul with her mother and stepfather, it would take baby steps and precaution. They could never know about her past relationships and flings, they would probably think differently of her and she didn't want them too, she ironically felt like the black sheep in the family.
"Bug?" Helen didn't mean for her voice to crack, but it was something she couldn't control.
"Hm?" Scarlett hummed back, not wavering her downwards gaze.
"Anything you want to talk to us about?"
The girl shook her head, feeling her guard being put up again, she didn't want them to know how she felt and what she'd done right under their noses.
"Are you sure?" David questioned, his comforting hand still in his wife lap as she fiddled with it in her smaller fingers.
"I'm just not ready to open up yet, it'll take time and patience," Her mother and stepfather nodded understandingly, "May I be excused?" She asked politely.
Helen smiled, brightening at her courteousness, "Yes, you are excused."
Scarlett gathered her plate and used utensils, scraping the leftover food into the bin before pacing it into the sink. She huffed, making her way out of the house and towards the garage where her bike stood untouched. She roughly tugged it before swinging a leg over, taking her seat and rode it out of the driveway.
When she reached the end of the paved driveway, being positioned behind a perfectly pruned bush as she watched Benny conversing with the boy she recognized from The Sandlot the day before. The kid who completely embarrassed himself in front of a girl and a whole group of boys who were really good at baseball. The two were standing on the porch of the bright house that was next to hers.
She smiled when she saw that Benny had asked the boy to join him to play baseball with him and his friends, a big wide grin displayed over his baby face as the Rodriguez boy handed him an extra glove from his pocket. Scarlett kicked off the ground and peddled away from Benny and the boy, seeing as they were making their way towards her hiding spot.
The sun shined down upon Scarlett's red hair and tanned as she rode her light blue bike on the sidewalk. She waved to a familiar pair of elderly women who sat on their porch chatting and knitting, they kindly waved back at the young girl with delight. She smiled and hummed lightly to herself as she continued biking down the cracked concrete towards Jessica's house, hoping that her other friend was available knowing that Allison was out of town for a few days with her father.
Scarlett dropped her bike onto Jessica's trimmed emerald lawn before trudging up the porch stairs. She knocked lightly on the door, connecting her hands together behind her back as she waited patiently for someone to answer the door. She could hear little feet patter against the floorboards on the other side of the door until it opened, Jessica's little sister looking up at her with her big doe eyes.
"Hello!" The girl with curly pigtails welcomed.
Scarlett held herself from rolling her eyes at the small child, "Can you go get Jessica?" She asked with a tight smile.
The girl beamed widely before nodding excitedly, "Sure thing, miss!" The door was shut again and the padding of the girls bare feet faded as she went further into the house, Scarlett's fake smile immediately turned back into a frown.
The girl ran up the stairs and to her sister room, not bothering to knock, "Jessica, your friend is here!"
Jessica rolled off of her bed and quickly got changed. Shortly, the brunette ran downstairs and to the front door where Scarlett was waiting, leaning against the brick support beam of the porch, "Hey," She greeted as soon as she stepped foot outside the Lattson household.
Scarlett greeted back with a nod, "Do you wanna go shopping or something?" She couldn't help but feel the disconnect between them ever since their argument but she pushed it aside, not really wanting to hang out with anyone else.
"Sure. Are we borrowing or are we actually shopping? Which would surprise me because I know how much you love to steal," Jessica mused after a short shrug, the two girls walked down the concrete steps.
Scarlett shrugged, "I actually want to shop today, which is werid, but I guess the queen of stealing wants to take a break," She lied, she didn't want to steal anymore after the candy store and the disappointment from her mother but she wasn't going to let the brunette know the details.
Jessica skidded to a stop as she neared the family garage to get her own bike, seeing as Scarlett had brought hers, "I'm the queen of stealing, what are you even talking about?!"
Scarlett scoffed and rolled her eyes, heaving her bike from off of the ground before throwing her long leg over and taking her spot on the cushioned seat pad, "Whatever you say Jessica!"
Jessica pulled her purple bike out of the garage and the two friends strolled down the street, "But, it's true!"
𐬿 𐮚 ミ☆★彡 𐮚 𐬿
The two girls laughed with each other as they arrived at the mall, "Oh yeah, I remember that!" Scarlett giggled as Jessica told her about the time when Ally had gotten the end of her skirt stuck on a jagged fence and a couple of boys had to help her out.
"That was so funny! I remember that I almost pissed myself!" Jessica laughed, the girls pulled their bikes into the bike racks before locking them with their locks, "I also remember her face being so red from blushing!"
"Awe, that was priceless! Gotta love little Ally though," Scarlett sighed in delight, "You good to go in?" She asked, Jessica nodded before the two walked in together into the buzzing mall. Entering the towering building they were met with the aroma of delicious foods from the courtyard and scented perfumes that employees were giving out in samples.
Scarlett took in her favorite sight with satisfied sigh, her feet taking her to the nearest store to begin her regular splurge, Jessica mindlessly following behind her.
The girls had spent a few hours in the mall figuring they had nothing else to do for the day, but eventually Jessica suggested it was time to go and Scarlett agreed finding herself getting tired. Multiple bags slung from their arms as they made their way out of the closing building, they tried their best balancing their newly bought items off of the handlebars of their bikes.
"Hey, I'm gonna go to the candy store and get some more bubblegum since Ham's friends ate all of mine at home. Wanna tag along?" Scarlett suggested as she peddled on her bike next to the brunette.
Jessica shook her head, "Nah I'm good, I already spent enough money today. But I'll see you soon?"
"Yep." Scarlett piped shortly before turning down another road as Jessica continued the opposite way, heading to her home,"Bye Jessica!"
"Bye Scarlett!" Jessica yelled as they grew further apart.
When Scarlett made it to the candy shop, she parked her bike against the window so she could see if anyone would steal any of her things. The bell hanging above the door rang loudly when the girl stepped inside. She inspected the shelves, searching for her favorite type of bubble gum until the colorful wrappers caught her eyes. She struggled as she took two big handfuls of the candy, using her stomach and her hands as her own personal bag.
She sighed in relief when she made it to the counter and dumped all of the gum in front of an old man who stood behind the register, staring down at the girl with a sick grin, "Hello! How is your day going, pretty lady?" The man asked, licking his dry cracked lips.
Scarlett noticed his dark eyes ogling their way up and down her body making her cover her chest with her arms, her eyes glaring up at him, "Just peachy."
The man met her eye contact, his grin widening causing unpleasant chills down her spine, "That's good! Good." He paused before beginning his count on the almost forgotten bubblegum on the counter in front of him. Scarlett diverted her gaze away from the man, checking to see if her bicycle was still where she had it.
"Is that your bike out there?" The man questioned bringing her attention back onto him.
"Uh, yeah." Scarlett answered, shifting uncomfortably in her spot.
"That's a pretty bike you got there!" The man complimented, his eyes not leaving her making her heart began to race. She just wished that Jessica had come with her now.
The bell to the store echoed making Scarlett sigh in relief, glancing over to see a group of boys around her age, all wearing matching baseball uniforms that were obviously played in. She was just glad to not be completely alone with the creepy man. They scanned around the store before grabbing what they wanted, the man behind the register was still adding up her bubblegum so they took a spot behind Scarlett, waiting patiently.
She could hear some them whispering behind her, talking about how pretty looking she was, her heart began to race again as she wished that she could just disappear. Then she heard someone hiss at them to 'shut up' and they all obediently listened.
The man behind the register still had his gaze down at the girl, taking a glance at the group of boys standing around her before returning his stare on Scarlett.
"Could you hurry up and stop gawking at the poor girl as if she's naked? She's clearly uncomfortable," Scarlett heard one speak up from beside her, the boys around them snickered. She rubbernecked her head sharply, seeing a boy with dirty blonde hair standing next to her defensively, his brown eyes glaring at the older man.
The mans dark orbs turned into slits, "That'll be 2.75." He spat.
As Scarlett was about to place her money onto the counter, the baseball player stopped her by putting his own cash and change instead, "I'll pay for that."
Scarlett quickly grabbed the bag full of gum and quietly thanked the boy before rushing out the store. Scarlett took in a deep breath of air as she stepped outside, leaning against her parked bike as she tried to recollect what had just happened. She hated men that tried taking advantage of her, and she had every right to.
The girl put the thin plastic holding all of her bubblegum into different bag that hung off her bikes handles, lifting the kick stand back and pushed her bike away from the shop. As Scarlett was about to hop onto her bike, the group of boys came trampling out of the store. They passed by her before Scarlett caught their attention.
"Hey!" Scarlett called out to the boy, "Thank you."
The boy kept his hands in the pockets of his knickers, "Don't worry about it, it's no problem. That old creeps known for doing that to almost every girl in town."
Scarlett rolled her bike slowly towards him as the others walked ahead of the two, "Wow, I had no clue." She replied sarcastically, he smiled lightly at her. "I was relieved when you guys came through the door, I thought he'd try to do something if you guys hadn't."
"Well, I'm glad we got there just in time," The boy said as he walked on the other side of her bike, "Phillips, Jacob Phillips." He introduced himself, sticking his hand out for a handshake.
Scarlett gladly shook his hand, lightly grinning, "Scarlett Porter."
"What a pretty name for a pretty girl like you," Jacob flirted and the girl didn't stop herself from rolling her eyes. The boy did a double take of Scarlett, realizing that she had a familiar last name, "Wait, did you say your last names 'Porter'?"
Scarlett nodded, furrowing her eyebrows, "Something wrong with that?"
Jacob ignored the question and asked his own, "You're related to Hamilton Porter?"
"Yeah, he's my little brother unfortunately," She said with a dry laugh, "You know him?"
"Well, we don't exactly like each other much, our teams are practically mortal enemies," Jacob explained after an airy snicker, "But I gotta say, you're brothers pretty fucking annoying."
A humorous chuckle passed her red lips which Jacob was taken aback by because he just insulted her brother, "I have to agree with you on that one!" She let out a few more as the boy let out a couple of his own.
Jacob then raised an eyebrow, noticing that he's never seen her around the school that they all attend too, or even at her brothers baseball games, "How come I don't see you around school?"
"Oh, uh, I don't go to your school." Scarlett answered lowly.
"What school do you go to then?" Jacob asked, glancing at the teenagers in front of them who were horsing around with each other.
"Well... it's kinda hard to explain..." It wasn't that the girl was embarrassed by what school she went too it was the fact that anytime she mentioned what type of boarding school that she attended, people seemed to treat her differently after learning the information, like she was some sort of unhinged criminal.
Jacob looked over at her and laughed, lightly nudging her shoulder, "It can't be that bad, can it?"
Scarlett scoffed, "Fine, I'll tell you. I go to a boarding school for troubled young girls like myself, where you learn how to become a 'graceful woman'."
Jacob stared at her with surprise, "Well, holy shit! What'd you do to get put into that?!"
Scarlett shrugged, before replying honestly, "For being a bitch to my stepdad, my naughty behavior and staying out past curfew to hang out with boys." Jacob smirked, placing a dangerously low firm hand on her back. The girl wasn't really fazed by constantly being touched in a certain way from boys and men, sometimes it was okay and other times not so much. This one time she was going to let the dirty blonde slide, she thought he was pretty cute.
"Scarlett!" The two heard a shout from behind them. Scarlett, Jacob and his baseball team turned around to see Benny and the boys a block away from them.
Jacob shed his hand off of Scarlett's back, taking a step back away from the girl as Benny and Ham burned holes into his head, "Hello, fellas!" Jacob greeted with a sly smirk.
𐬿 𐮚 ミ★☆彡 𐮚 𐬿
Benny and the boys had officially began to like the new kid, Scotty Smalls. Even though he was really awkward, they all became good friends after a really good practice. As they walked out of a store, Kenny's eyes caught on a familiar group of teenagers a few buildings ahead of them.
"Hey Ham, isn't that your sister?" Kenny questioned as he pointed to the redhead, walking with her bike beside a boy in a familiar baseball uniform they all knew so well.
Ham scrunched his eyebrows together as he looked to where Kenny was pointing to, "Scarlett, who is she walking with?"
"It looks like Phillips!" Squints exclaimed after he rubbed his glasses against his shirt.
"Phillips?!" Benny outraged as his eyes turned into slits, staring at the couple as they walked side by side, conversing and laughing with each other.
Benny's hands turned into fists and his heart pounded against his chest until Bertram caught his attention, "Whoa Benny man, chill out!" All of the boys turned their gaze to their tall friend who was glaring at the couple.
Ham marched towards Scarlett and Phillips after he saw the boy place a dangerous hand right above her butt, "Scarlett!"
The two stopped their trot and turned around, Phillips's team following in pursuit. The dirty blonde detached himself from Scarlett, seeing that Benny and his gang looked outraged. Phillips slyly smirked, "Hello, fellas!"
The Sandlot boys all ignored his greeting, "Scarlett, what are you doing with him?!" Benny questioned angrily, his fists angrily shaking on either side of him.
"Noth-" She got shortly cut off by her little brother.
"You can't talk to Phillips! He's the enemy!" Ham yelled, his freckled face glowing red.
Scarlett squinted towards the two boys, not seeing why it was such a big deal, "Just because he's your 'enemy' doesn't mean he's mine!" She shouted back.
Ham growled, "Scarlett, you will come over here and we'll walk home and forget about this."
"No!" Scarlett yelled, Ham groaned knowing how stubborn she is.
Phillips stepped in front of her, slightly blocking Benny's view of her, "Dude, you can't just tell her what do-"
" 'You can't just tell her what to do'," Ham mocked in a high pitched , "The hell I can! She's my sister!" Scarlett didn't like that comment, anger boiled inside of her as the boys around her bickered back and forth.
"That doesn't mean shit, buddy!" Phillips yelled, becoming defensive.
Ham was going to say something sarcastic but was cut off by his seething sister, "Can you shut the hell up?! I can talk to whoever I want to. You're not dad nor are you the boss of me!" She roared, all of the boys silenced and glanced over to the fiery redhead.
Scarlett turned away from the boys, with her free hand she grabbed ahold of Jacob's, her other stayed on her bike. She tugged on him forward, "Come on Jacob, we can go hang out somewhere else."
Phillips threw a cunning smirk towards the fuming Benny and Ham before throwing an arm around the girls shoulders, "Gladly."
Scarlett, Jacob and his teammates walked away from the group of boys who were left standing staring after the two as they walked away, infuriated that their newfound friend had picked Jacob Phillips over them. She left all of the boys behind feeling betrayed, especially Benny Rodriguez who watched with a frown.
Ham sighed, patting his friend on the shoulder after seeing the longing look in his eyes, "Come on, man. I told you she's not good for you."
Benny sighed too, feeling slightly numb after witnessing his crush and his foe walk away together. He couldn't shake off the uneasiness weighing down on his chest, knowing the real side of Jacob Phillips.
✃------------------------------------------------
Translations:
"a potente leonessa" - "The mighty lioness"
a/n:
Sorry for not updating in awhile! But here's chapter five!
Word count: 4784
ILYSM🤍
revisited & edited: 3/23/23 & 1/01/2024