Page 9 of Return To You

I sigh. Her face is full of make-up—too fucking much for a sixteen-year-old if you ask me—her dark blonde hair is straight down her back, her fucking crop top and shorts barely covering her.

She's like a fucking Piper clone, and it doesn't matter how much I or my bandmates try and explain that Piper’s just using her, she doesn't believe us.

The bitch has wanted me for years, before she even came to Kings Prep, and as soon as my little sister started school with us, the bitch latched onto her just to get to me, and now my sister's head is full of crap about my girl, a person she used to love.

I'm not blind. I know that with her status as cheer captain, Gina's managed to attract a few students to add to my girl's misery in school. That's why she doesn't get a cent from me when she wants to go out.

Pure disgust and viciousness etch her features, and I shake my head at her and snap, "Get that look off your face right now, or you can kiss cheer camp goodbye. Nick’s already said he can't afford all the payments, and like fuck will I use my hard-earned money if you're being a bitch."

Her face reddens as I move past her toward the front door.

Ignoring my threats, not giving a shit that I mean every word, believing I'd give in when I won't, she follows me, her feet stomping on the hollow flooring.

"Noah, you seriously did not get a tattoo, a permanent fucking thing, on your skin for her!" Gina shouts, and I snort as I grab my phone and keys.

"I got it last year, Gina, so keep up, will yah?" I look her way and smirk. “I also have her name on my ring finger, not that she knows."

Her face turns purple, and I grin as the door opens, and her dad, Nick, walks in.

He looks around the bottle-riddled mess Mom left, and shakes his head with a sigh. He doesn't live here, refusing to, and Gina refuses to stay at his one-bedroom apartment, frightened to miss out with Piper.

I don't think it'll be long before he says fuck it and leaves Mom. Nick only stayed with Mom because she got pregnant with Gina—on purpose, I might add.

Shaking his head, he looks my way and states, "Noah, the limo's outside," before a grin overtakes his face, his caramel eyes lighting up. "Well, don't you scrub up nice when you're not wearing holey jeans and black t-shirts."

I chuckle. "I also wear a uniform, Dad."

He grins wider, and I shake my head. Even though he and Mom haven't married, and he'll most likely leave her soon, he's the only dad I've ever known, so he deserves the title, and if myband makes it big, I will be buying him the biggest fucking house he’s ever seen.

"Hang on, you hired a limo, seriously, I thought you were just playing tonight, that whole show in the school hall was a joke," Gina snaps, ruining the moment.

Nick sighs, knowing she'll pitch a fit when she realizeshehired the limo, and snaps back, "Gina, not now."

She screeches but I ignore her and go to Nick, patting him on the back.

"Thank you," I rasp, and he smiles, handing me the small box I asked him to pick up for me. "Anytime, son." I smile, and he gives me a pointed brow, reminding me, "Don't forget to ask her dad, yeah?"

I grin and nod, then walk out the door just as Gina rages, "The spoiled bitch is going to ruin him, Daddy; he even got her name tattooed on him. It's fucking wrong!"

I grit my teeth, hoping I don't go off on my sister, and walk over to the limo. The chauffeur gives me a nod, and I take a deep breath before climbing in, refusing the urge to have a smoke, knowing Rose will kill me.

I never thought I'd go to prom unless it was to play, but for Rose, I'd do anything, and I know this is something she wanted, especially because Piper and her fucking clique won't be there.

I'd burn the world for Rose if she asked me to, so this is nothing.

It takes over half an hour to get to her gated community, the large houses rising up from over the hill. I ignore them all, my eyes zoning in on the last one.

It's not as big as the others, despite Rafael Lopez being a fucking millionaire.

When I started working part-time at the garage where Alejandro worked before he was deployed, he mentioned once that their mother didn't want her kids to be born with silverspoons in their mouths. She wasn't, and she wanted her kids to respect life. Well, their father stuck to his wife's last wishes, though, in my eyes, Rose has gotten the short straw.

He refused to even pay for a dress for her tonight, so my girl used her waitressing tips to rent one.

I offered to pay so she could keep it and have something to remember tonight; my part-time job and band gigs have given me enough money to saveandto spoil her a little, but she refused.

My girl is stubborn, that's for sure.

The limo pulls up outside her front door, and I take a deep breath before climbing out. I notice her father at the top of the steps in a three-piece suit.

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