Page 37 of Greased

“She would really love that, Mrs Crux.”

“Please Dacre, it's Bonnie,” Mum says as the smile returns to herface.

Dacre then turns to me. His face completely lights up as he takes in my uniform. He doesn’t hesitate from closing the distance between us and pulling me into his arms. My arms hang beside me for a moment. I can feel Dacre deflate in disappointment. I don’t push him away though and I don’t really know why. I know I probably should but I can’t. Just not yet. Maybe in a moment.

“Morning Star,” he whispers in my ear. A chill runs over my body.Yeah, fucking fuck.This is going to be so much harder than I thought.

“Morning,” I reply, unable to use my normal nickname for him. I notice again the new nickname he has for me. That same shiver that went through my body also replicates in his. He lets a breath go, like he has been holding it all night. Knowing that I affect him just as much as he does me, sends a strange ping straight to my heart.

He eventually pulls away from me but doesn’t step back too far.

“Are you ready for your first day?” Dacre asks. I give him a small, sharp nod in reply. I attempt to put on a confident front when in reality, as the morning has gotten on, I’ve become increasingly nervous. These people all know the old me, yet I don’t. The old me would already know who to stay away from, who is an ally and who is the enemy. The new me has no fucking idea and just has to trust in everyone else around me.

“Come on then, let’s go.”

I quickly say goodbye to both Mum and my father. Mum gives me wishes of good luck with the latter giving me a proud look and whispering, “Give them hell baby girl.”

I turn to Rhodes who gives me a quick hug.

“I’ll meet you there, Scar.” He turns and steps right into Dacre’s face. My brother’s features turn cold and the threat of ‘fuck aroundand find out’ radiates from him, mirroring our dad’s look from before. He shoves his finger into Dacre’s chest. I go to step forward but Dacre puts up a hand stopping me. “If my sister gets hurt while in your care, I will fucking gut you,” Rhodes snarls in his face.

“I’ll let you.”

“That goes for those other little fuckwits too.”

“I’ll make sure they are aware.” That same respectful demeanour from earlier when faced with Dad is back and firmly in place. When Rhodes said he would be an overprotective brother, he really wasn’t kidding. Not that I’m complaining one bit. I may be tolerating Dacre right now but that sure as shit doesn’t mean that he is even close to being forgiven.

Dacre and I head out the side door and, instead of a car, I see the same green Kawasaki that I saw in the group yesterday.

“Holy fuck Dacre! Is she yours?” I ask rushing over to the bike and begin looking it over. My hand trails over the seat of the bike, rubbing it like it's a precious gem.

“Yeah it is. I was going to bring my car but I remembered how much fun we had riding those bikes on the beach and thought you’d prefer to take the bike instead.”

“You would be right. God, I’m obsessed,” I replied with hearts in my eyes. Seeing this bike up close is even better than I originally expected.

During my thorough examination of the bike, I swear I hear Dacre mumble under his breath.

“I’m obsessed with you.”

“Huh?” I ask. There is a slight blush to his cheeks as he combs his fingers through his hair.

He clears his throat quickly. “Ahh. Nothing. We should get going. We don’t want to be late and I’m not too keen on seeing what your Dad and brother would do if you are.”

I laugh, “You are probably right.”

Dacre eyes me for a moment longer but quickly shakes himself out of it and jumps on the back of the bike, handing me the second helmet.

I swing my leg over the back of the bike, excitement filling me even if I’m just on the back as a passenger. I slide my hands around Dacre’s waist. I don’t fail to miss the little shiver he gives as I tighten my grip.

The rumble of the bike starting gives me an all too familiar giddy feeling. I didn’t get to enjoy my hasty getaway from Pinks’ yesterday, too caught up in my thoughts.

But as the bike launches down the driveway, I allow myself to soak up the freedom that comes with being on the back of a bike.

The drive to Rydell Prep is less than five minutes. It helps that Rydell itself is pretty small considering it's an outer suburb of Los Angeles. I’ve been told a decent amount about the history of Rydell and the Thunderbirds during the last few weeks.

Apparently, the prep school was originally built back in the early 1900s and has been passed down through the Crux family. When Great Grandpa Crux handed it down to Grandpa Crux, The Thunderbirds had already established the building as their headquarters. Once my father became president and completely transformed the Birds, he turned the former headquarters into a school for the children of the Thunderbirds and the outer community.

As we head into the school car park, Dacre pulls up beside a couple of familiar men also getting off their bikes. I cock my head as I try to place them.

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