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Chapter 2
The next day started off as any regular boring day, until the end of second period when I was walking to my locker alone. "Rosalyn." A tall light-brown haired boy with bright blue eyes called out from down the hall.
Not this again, please.
"What do you want Jason?" I mumbled softly as I turned to face the six-foot monster looming over me. He shot me a look I wouldn't have called a smirk necessarily, and closed his eyes in exasperation. Like he was dealing with a small child instead of me.
"What I always want Rosalyn. Just go out with me." This time he did smirk, a full blow, nasty smirk, and that dark glint I was familiar with flashed across his face. The same glint that warned me to stay away from him to begin with. I shook my head and took a step back. I was all too eager to get away from him and this deserted hallway.
"That's not what you want."
His smirk only grew as I took another step away from him, though he didn't let me get very far. I jumped as his arm snatched up and his hand gripped tightly onto my bicep. I tried not to let my cringe show as he held me in place, like he knew how badly I wanted to run away from him and he was prepared.
"Awe gee Rosie, you know me so well." He cooed and dragged me closer as I struggled against his hold.
"Let me go." I tried to make my voice firm, but there was no mistaking the waver of sheer fear and panic that rang through it. Jason was not a nice person, and he was nowhere near a good guy. Ever since he saw Tate and Luce drag me out to the public pool last year in a bikini, he wouldn't leave me alone.
"No. I don't think I will." He chuckled as his other arm reached out enough to effectively cage me against the lockers. My eyes widened in near terror as he invaded all the personal space I had.
"Let me go Jason, we're going to be late to class." I tried to reason with him, tried to get him to listen, but he just shrugged and gripped my arms tighter until it began to hurt. I wouldn't say this a routine for us, but he's cornered me before. Although he was never this- handsy.
"Eh, it's just one period. I can afford to skip one period. It's all I really need." His voice dropped, and I didn't bother hiding my cringe this time as his eyes rolled over my struggling body.
I gulped.
"Let me go, or I swear I'll start screaming."
His chest rumbled in warning and his icy blue eyes snapped down to mine. Where was Tate when I needed him, or even better where's Jax? "Go ahead and try. I'll break you before you get the chance-"
"Princess, there you are! I was looking all over for you!"
I don't think hearing Trey Maguire's voice had ever made me happier in my entire life. An arm the size of a thick tree trunk shot out of nowhere and wrapped around my shoulders before ripping me from a dumbfounded Jason. I gasped as it squished me against a mountain-like chest and pressed my face firmly into its stone surface.
Well this wasn't expected.
"You know her?" There was no mistaking the confusion in Jason's voice, or the slight fear, but my face was pushed too far into Trey's chest to look at his expression.
"Of course man! This is my girl! We go way back, don't we Princess?" His arm squeezed tighter around my shoulders in reassurance and warning.
All I could do was nod.
"Tut, tut, Buttercup. What have we told you about running off?" Denton's teasing chuckle came from my right, but Trey's arm wouldn't let me move my head enough to look at him.
"Sorry..." I mumbled against the mountain's shirt. Denton only laughed some more. I could see Brett out of the corner of my left eye, and he was the only one out of the three that didn't seem happy at all. As a matter of fact, he was glaring at Jason like he was a gross piece of gum stuck to the bottom of his shoe.
"Oh, so you'll fuck three delinquents, but not me?" Jason's voice was a harsh sneer, and I found myself flinching further into Trey's embrace as it scratched at my ears.
Those words sounded so- filthy.
Before I knew what was happening I was being shoved behind Trey's giant back as he and Denton latched onto Brett's arms, dragging him away from a broken-nosed Jason. "What the fuck!" His beyond angry voice shouted at the three members of the Big Four as he pinched the bridge of his nose and tipped his head back.
"You better watch your fucking mouth." The older Dimajio by a few minutes spat at the bleeding jock. I stared in wide-eyed shock as Denton dragged his brother away from Jason, and Trey turned back to him with a sneaky, slightly angry, smile breaching his lips.
"You should probably go to the nurse. Brett's punches can cause some serious damage."
"He has some serious fucking brain damage." Jason spat as blood rushed down his nose and chin in a disgusting waterfall. If that alone wasn't enough to make me cringe, then an angry Trey grabbing a surprised Jason by the front of his shirt and slamming him against the wall definitely did.
Wow- These boys were violent.
"Look here you prick, the only reason I'm not pounding your fucking face in is because Princess over there is watching, but don't think for a fucking second that I won't change my mind if you don't shut your damn mouth."
Trey's voice was a vicious, dangerous, snarl, and he waited until Jason's face began to turn green in fear before he let him go. He dropped to the floor in a miserable, bloody, gaping mess. I gulped and took a step back as Trey let out a few heavy, calming, breaths and ran his fingers through his hair.
Oh my god.
That did not just happen.
That couldn't have.
I just witnessed my first real fight ever, if that's what you could call it, and I feel like I was going to vomit from the nerves all rushing to my stomach. That did not just happen. This isn't happening-
"You okay kid?" A heavy hand clamped onto my shoulder and gently spun me around so I was staring into the bright blue eyes of Brett Dimajio.
"I-I'm fine." I stuttered out as the heavy weight of his hand eased my shaking body. Brett's hard eyes softened until he was smiling at me with that calm, chill, look he usually wore. At least he wasn't ready to beat anyone up anymore.
"You should be more careful." Trey's voice suddenly appeared in my ear and he chuckled as I gave a little jump. I ignored Brett's knuckles that were covered in blood as he gave my shoulder another squeeze before letting go. "You shouldn't be walking around alone with pricks like that after you." Trey swung his gigantic arm across my shoulders once again and pulled me tight into his side.
"Thank you." I blurted out before my body completely shut down from shock and embarrassment.
"Don't thank us." Trey laughed and squeezed my shoulder rather affectionately, as he held me pinned to his side.
"We never would have noticed what was going on if Rex didn't tell us." Brett grumbled as he fell into step next to us, the front right thigh of his jeans now covered in the blood he had wiped off his knuckles. I had to force my eyes away from the dark stain.
"Rex?" My ears instantly perked up at the mention of his name, and I couldn't stop myself from lifting my head to look down the hall for any sign of him- but there was none. A frown pulled at my lips when there wasn't even a flicker of the chestnut eyed boy anywhere.
"Yup." Denton laughed light-heartedly as he walked on the other side of Trey. Despite what just happened, the young football star looked like he just stepped out of a photo-shoot for smile of the year. "He was all like, and I quote, 'That Princess of yours is getting jumped,' then walked off."
Trey squeezed me tighter to his side at the weight of Denton's words, reassuring me gently as my body stiffened. I had almost been- Oh God. He was right of course, but the reality of what would have happened if they didn't intervene settled on my shoulders like a boulder.
"Don't worry Princess." He gave me a soft smile as he continued to drag me further down the hall. "If he bothers you again come get us alright?" The arm that was around my shoulders reached up so his hand could gently angle my head towards his. Those bright green eyes I heard girls all over the school whispering about, were staring down at me with a type of solid reassurance I desperately needed. I nodded as he finally pulled me to a stop at the end of the hallway, and thumped my chin.
"But, since we saved that pretty little head of yours' and all, I think we deserve to know your name." He winked, and that small smile of his turned into a smirk. I blushed as my gaze dropped to my shoes. It was no wonder the girls at this school adored him and the others. They were walking personifications of the ideal male. Or something like that.
"Rosalyn, but everyone calls me Rose." Well, everyone that actually talks to me at least. My eyes scrunched together in confusion as the corner of Trey's lips pulled into an amused smiled, and Denton started laughing. Even Brett looked slightly surprised. Was my name really that funny?
"Your name is Rose? That's freaking perfect. Princess Rose." Trey's small smile turned into a full one as he started to chuckle, nowhere near as loud as Denton though. Despite the musical ring to it, the younger Dimajio's laugh was actually make me want to crawl under a rock and hide.
I still didn't get what was so funny, and as the three boys around me were smiling like they just ate a giant cookie, embarrassment caused heat to crawl into my cheeks. "You're too fucking adorable kid." Brett shook his head with a chuckle. My frown only grew. I just told them my name? How does that make me adorable? They were so confusing.
"Well I gotta go Princess, you made me late enough already." Trey's voice was teasing, and he shot me another wink before walking casually down the opposite hallway, like this was just a regular old day for him. I tried to ignore the frown that wanted to pull at my lips.
"I gotta go to, but I'll catch you later Buttercup." Denton shot me a wide smile, his laughter finally dying down before he scurried off in the opposite direction. I turned to Brett, expecting him to leave also, but he gave me a small smile and nodded his head down the hall.
"I'll walk you to your class if you like."
"Oh, uh... Y-you don't have to do that." He chuckled and shook his head before lightly tapping my elbow and nodding down the hall.
"I don't mind. I have a free period anyways." He gave me a warm smile, but I couldn't bring myself to smile back. So I just nodded and quietly walked next to him down the hall.
A few seconds passed in silence before I asked the question that had been idling on the outskirts of my mind. "Why did... why did you get so angry at him? At Jason?"
Brett shot me a side glance before his dark blue eyes flickered back to the hall in front of us. I watched from the corner of my eyes as he ran his fingers through his dark hair. "Honestly, I just don't like the guy. I know what he's like, and I know what he's done to girls. You're too tiny to take care of yourself, and I didn't want that jackass hurting you. Nobody deserves that." He mumbled the last part softly, like he didn't really care if I heard it or not, and kept his eyes glued straight ahead.
"I'm not too tiny." I defended weakly, but he just scoffed and rolled his blue eyes as I stopped us in front of my third period class.
"Whatever you say kid. I'll see you around." And just like that, he winked like Trey and quickly walked back down the hall.
They were all so weird.
I kinda liked it.
"You're late Ms. Summers." The grumpy old women who called herself a teacher announced to the entire class without bothering to look up from the papers scattered around her desk.
"I know and I'm sorry Ms. Ann, but I-"
"I don't want to hear any excuses Rose. Take your seat. I'll let your tardiness slip this once, but I won't tolerate it again."
"Yes ma'am." I mumbled quickly and hurried to the back of the class. I was more than happy that everyone was too focused on their assignment to notice the embarrassing scene. Besides a few eyes flickering in my direction I didn't have anyone's attention.
My steps faltered as my eyes caught onto the beautiful boy who had been the one solid thing stuck in my thoughts for the past two days. Rex was sitting in his desk with a blank expression on his unreadable face. Those gorgeous chestnut eyes stared out of the window in the perfect form of laziness personified.
I stopped walking completely as my gaze latched onto the sight of his sharp, chiseled to perfection, jaw. I wouldn't be surprised if someone told me people would kill to have his bone structure. Everything about him was perfect. His dark brown hair put my stomach in knots and his dark chestnut colored eyes made me stutter every time I thought of them.
He was perfection incarnate.
And completely out of my league.
I didn't know what to do. Trey's words kept replaying over and over in my head. Thank Rex- but was I brave enough to talk to him? Probably not, but between yesterday and today, my courage seems to be slowly leaking in.
I took a deep breath, gathered up my almost-nonexistence bravery, and marched right over to the empty desk that was always empty next to him. I sat down with a quiet huff and dropped my bag on the floor between us.
My body tensed as soon as my butt rested on the cold plastic chair, and I braced myself for Rex to turn around and yell at me to move, like he did to anyone else who sits anywhere close to him. But he didn't even acknowledge I was there. The only way I knew he knew I had sat down was by the way he uncomfortably shifted in his seat.
I slowly set my binder down and grabbed the handout from yesterday, my eyes watching Rex's reaction the whole time. When I grabbed my pencil and he still hadn't yelled at me, I let myself start to relax.
Half an hour quickly passed, and I spent each minute of it trying to talk myself into talking to him. I failed every time. When there was finally only twenty minutes left before the bell rang I let out a small sigh and gathered up enough courage to glance over at him. Rex was tapping his pencil almost anxiously against his blank handout as he stared aimlessly out the classroom's only window. His jaw clenched tightly shut.
I gripped my pencil tighter.
"Hi..." The word left my lips softly, but loud enough for him to hear. He didn't do anything though, he didn't even acknowledge I had talked.
Maybe he just didn't hear me.
"I-I just wanted to thank you-" When he scoffed, and snapped his hard chestnut eyes in my direction I nearly cowered in my seat.
"Thank me? Why the hell are you thanking me?"
I nearly died from cardiac arrest as his voice hit my ears. That was the first time he had ever spoken directly to me, and I wanted to faint. The deep, haunting, sound of his voice made my toes curl and caused my stomach to flip uneasily. Although I wasn't exactly sure it was a bad kind-of uneasy.
"For, uh, telling Trey and the others to help me-"
"I never told them to help you." His voice was hard, dark even, and it cut through my resolve like a knife. His lips curled into a small snarl and his eyes were icy as he went back to staring out the window.
But that didn't stop me. With a sudden burst of something inside me I turned to face him. "But you did tell him what was happening and he, Brett, and Denton saved me. So, thank you."
His jaw clenched shut, and his hands curled into tight fists before those dark eyes darted away from the window to stare at the front of the class. "I never would have told them if I knew it would award me with this conversation." The hard, gruff, sneer in his voice shattered the part of my resolve that clung to his every word.
I dropped my head and tried to hide the stinging that suddenly pounded in my eyes. I wasn't necessarily strong boned, and no matter how hard I tried to hide it, words hurt. They hurt me more than I would have liked to admit.
"I'm sorry." I mumbled softly and dropped my full attention back on the assignment waiting patiently on my desk. Out of the corner of my eye I saw him turn his head to look at me, his mouth opening like he was fixing to say something before snapping it closed again. He turned back to look out the window without a second glance.
When the bell finally rang, he was up and out of the class like someone had lit a fire in his seat. Which was strange. Rex always took his sweet time in getting his bag and sauntering out of class. Did he really hate me that much?
I sighed sadly and gathered my binder before heading towards fourth period. I don't understand why he would hate me though. I haven't done anything to him, that I knew of. History passed in a depressed blur. With what happened with Jason this morning, and then Rex saying he regretted telling Trey, I was exhausted and ready to go home and curl up in bed. By the time lunch came around, I couldn't have been happier.
"Princess!"
I flinched as Trey's overly enthusiastic voice shouted at me from across the cafeteria. When I glanced up from the stranger's back in front of me I saw him waving his big hand in my direction, a giant smile plastered on his handsome face. "Is Trey Maguire waving at us?" I want to curl up and die at the soft voice whispering behind me.
"I think so. He's smiling over here." Another one giggled. It made me want to groan and hide. I hated when someone else wanted attention, but it was focused on me. It always made me feel so uncomfortable. They probably deserved it more than me anyways.
When he saw me looking over at him, his smile only grew and he gestured his hand over to the table he was sitting at. Their table. I'll admit, I almost did go, even if it would hurt those girl's feelings. But then I saw Rex sitting there with a scowl on his face, his hard eyes glued to his supposed best friend. The message was clear, he did not want me over there.
"Oi! Princess! I know you heard me! Get your cute little ass over here!" I cringed again as the students in front of me began turning to see who he was yelling at.
"Who is he calling Princess? It's not us is it?"
I could only flinch as those girls started whispering again. "Just be quiet Trey." I hissed under my breath as everyone started to glance back at him. I wasn't going to sit with them when Rex didn't want me to. They were his friends after all. If he didn't want me there, then I wouldn't be.
"Rose!" Trey shouted as his mountain like figure started stomping towards me.
Perfect.
"Rose? Who's Rose?"
Double perfect.
"I know you heard me." He scolded as he came to stop directly next to me, a scowl tracing his rather full lips. The girls behind me finally stopped whispering, and I didn't doubt why.
"Sorry." I mumbled softly, but kept my eyes glued to my shoes. I was too embarrassed by all the raised eyebrows and stares surrounding us to look up at him. I heard a heavy sigh before the boulder that was his arm slumped against my shoulders for the third time that day and dragged me out of line.
"W-Wait! I need to get my lunch-" I stammered nervously as the hole in the line where I just was instantly filled. He just chuckled and nodded towards Denton who stood out of his seat and sauntered his way towards us.
"Denton will get it for you."
"B-But-"
"But what?" He raised an eyebrow at my stuttering, but didn't stop pulling me towards his table, towards Rex's table.
"Um, Rex doesn't really like me. I don't think he'll want me there-"
"Nonsense!" He announced so loudly the tables surrounding us turned to stare. That didn't stop him though as he continued nudging me towards the table.
I finally just kept my mouth shut and let him drag me across the cafeteria, ignoring the shocked stares of the passing students. The Big Four didn't really associate much with the rest of the school, but it wasn't because they were outcasts. They just preferred it that way. So, seeing one of them dragging a girl no one really knew existed across a packed cafeteria was a new thing.
Brett and Denton were on almost all the athletic teams, and although I heard they were excellent team players, they never hung out with any of their team mates. The twins only ever hung around Trey and Rex. And although Trey was the top crush for more than half of the student body, he alienated himself from everyone except the other three. He was never rude or mean to anyone else, he just didn't bother wasting his time with others.
Rex was just... Rex. No one really knew what went on in his head, and no one ever tried to figure it out. Most of the students avoided him like the plague, even though he was the most beautiful boy to ever walk the face of the Earth. No one really knew how they all became friends, but they were all inseparable, and impenetrable.
You didn't have a chance of making it into the Big Four, or of getting remotely close to being their friend. Trey and Denton might be kind to you, but that was it. That was as far as anyone has ever gotten. Except me, and I had no idea why Trey was trying to include me into their little lunch group.
There was nothing special about me, especially compared to the other kids who tried to be there friends.
He sat me down in the seat next to his, and didn't waste time in plopping down beside me. I kept my eyes focused on the circular table, very aware of a pair of chestnut orbs glaring at me from the other side.
"What is she doing here, Trey?"
I flinched at his question and tried to force the lump in my throat down at the disgust that filled his voice. I knew he didn't like me, but that tone was just so hateful. It made me feel like I had wronged him somehow in the worst way possible.
"Rose is here because I want her to be, Denton wants her to be, and Brett wants her to be. Right Brett?" Trey tilted his head at the older twin who shot me a small smile.
"Yeah, kid. I want you here."
"I'm not a kid." I mumbled to the table, but he just chuckled.
"Rose? Your name's Rose?" I forced my eyes off the table to glance at a kinda-shocked looking Rex. He was staring at me with two perfect dark eyebrows raised in surprise, and his usually hard eyes seemed kind of... soft.
"Y-yeah..." I mumbled like an idiot and dropped my gaze once again.
"Like the flower?" His beautifully dark voice was piqued with curiosity, and I fidgeted my fingers in my lap nervously. Today was the first time he has ever spoken to me in my entire life, and he was hateful to begin with, but now he's curious about my name?
"Yeah!" Trey piped in, his bright eyes lighting up at the realization. "You're a little flower, Princess."
"Actually, my name's Rosalyn-"
"Don't call her that."
My head snapped up at his words, the sheer anger behind them surprised me. What was his problem? First, he basically saved me this morning, then he's all hateful in class, and now he keeps asking about my name but gets angry when Trey gives me another nickname.
"What? Princess?" Trey raised his eyebrow, and I watched nervously as Rex narrowed his eyes.
"Don't call her anything. She has a fucking name, use it." Rex's voice was a dark snap as it lashed at his best friend before he slammed his seat back and stalked out of the cafeteria.
The table was silent as we watched him leave, my eyes following his hasty retreat. He really didn't like me. I knew they were his friends, and I knew I shouldn't have let them act like they were mine. "What crawled up his ass and died?" Denton's confused voice asked as he placed my food in front of me and sat down on my other side.
"I-" I gulped and took a deep breath before picking up my binder and standing, ignoring the confused looks the boys shot me. "I have to go." I stammered and hurried from the cafeteria without a backwards glance, the tears I'd been holding in since the whole Jason incident finally fell from my eyes in hot waterfalls.
I never was good with stress.
I wiped at my cheeks repeatedly as I hurried down the abandoned halls until I reached my locker. I didn't want to stay in school any longer, not with the red that would stain my eyes all day. I'll just grab my phone and call Tate. Luce is in classes all day, but I know he should be free. I'll just ask him to come pick me up and take me home-
"Rose."
I stiffened as the hollow husk of his voice floated over to me. I clutched my binder to my chest and wiped at my cheeks one more time before slowly turning around. "Why are you crying?" He cocked his gorgeous head to the side and stared at me with something strange flashing in those dark eyes.
"I-I'm not." I sniffled and wiped at a stray tear that escaped down my cheek.
For the first time in my life, I saw a hint of a small smile reach those gorgeous lips of his, but then it was gone before I could look harder. "You're a terrible liar."
"I know." I surprised myself by laughing and shaking my head. "I-I've just had a stressful day." I shrugged and looked away, trying to ready myself for more hateful words. He didn't say anything for a few silent moments, so I took that as the end to the conversation and turned around to my lockers. This whole awkward situation has only made my idea to call Tate sound better and better.
"I'm sorry."
I froze.
Did... Did he just apologize?
Rex Turner does not apologize. He doesn't even apologize to his friends, or at least that's what everyone says. He's harsh, cold, and bad. He doesn't apologize, he doesn't feel guilty, and he doesn't care about people's emotions.
"W-what?" I turned slowly to stare at him with wide, bewildered, eyes.
He let out a long, irritated sigh, before closing his eyes and rubbing his hand through his hair. "Don't make me say it again." He grumbled, and I instantly shook my head.
"I-I won't! I just didn't know if I was hearing things or something..." I nearly fainted when a deep chuckle left his chest, a chuckle that stirred something deep in my stomach.
"Why are you apologizing?" I asked curiously. Besides a few hateful words, he hasn't done anything to make me think he would need to be sorry over.
"For what I said during class and how I acted at lunch. But don't expect me to say it won't happen again because I can almost guarantee you that it will..." His voice trailed off like he wanted to say something else but thought better of it.
"It's okay Rex."
His head snapped up and his dark chestnut eyes locked with mine at my words. I blushed like a tomato and dropped my eyes to my shoes. I never expected him to apologize in the first place. I would never expect him to say he won't be rude again.
"You don't seem... afraid of me." His voice was soft as I felt his eyes gaze over at me. Like he was looking for something that wasn't there.
"I'm not."
It was true, I wasn't. Everyone was afraid of him because of his record and other reasons, everyone except me. I didn't really know why. I only knew that I sensed no danger when I looked at him or when I thought about him. I mean, I was afraid that he would yell at me or throw hateful words my way, but physically? No, I wasn't afraid of him.
"You should be." I could tell by the way he was looking at me that he wanted me to stare up at him in shock, to gasp and back away like the frightened little girl I really am, but I didn't. The bell rang to signal the end of lunch and effectively cut off my next words. I watched as students filed into the hallway until I finally decided to look at Rex again, but he had already left.
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