Page 71 of Greased

Swinging an arm around my shoulder, Nicky turns to a frowning Pike. “Not for long, Pikey boy. Scarlett is mine even if it's just for English.” His voice is triumphant as he walks us both out of the room. I turn back and give an apologetic look to Pike who just smiles and shrugs his shoulders.

“Morning, baby girl,” Nicky whispers in my ear, sending shivers down my spine as he kisses the top of my head.

I slam my elbow into his stomach but grown as pain shoots up my arm, “Fuck you, you over overgrown oaf. Is your stomach plated with fucking iron or something?” I growl, clutching my elbow in my hand.

Nicky chuckles lifting his shirt up, exposing his chiselled mid section. He lifts an eyebrow at me as I hear a wolf whistle from one of the groups of girls in the hallway. His eyes don't stray from mine as he looks at me. That shit-eating grin firmly on his face. I slap the exposed skin with my uninjured hand. He grunts, dropping his shirt as I take a step away from him. Before I can get any further, one of his hands snakes around my stomach and he spins me so I’m facing him. Cradling my face in his hands, he closes the distance between us.

“I hope he treated you right last night. Not like that bullshit with my brother. You don’t deserve that kind of treatment, Scar. I don’t know if he was dropped on his head or what as a child but I won’t stand by him and his bullshit. Don’t think for a second any of us do.”

Nicky's expression is completely serious as he reprimands the actions of his brother. I hate that Dawson seems to be involved in every conversation I have with them lately.

“Fuck him,” I say with resolve.

Nicky’s lip quirks, “Fuck him.”

“He doesn’t get to treat me like shit just because he is running scared. This is my life. I was built for this.”

Nicky’s features give away everything he feels.

Pride. Admiration. Lust. I also note a hint of fear.

I don't understand fully why that is but I don’t bother trying to decipher it.

Nicky nods, “Come on, we don’t want to make you late again for class.”

I chuckle, rolling my eyes.

It's not until lunch that I finally catch up with Rhodes. Slamming my hand on his shoulder, he jumps as he turns around, his eyes wide as he stares up at me.

“Scarlett,” he chokes as he places his burger down on his tray.

“Baby brother,” I smile at him but it's all malice. I feed every pissed off emotion since he spewed his bullshit to me last night into my glare.

Rhodes sighs knowing he's already lost the battle. He nods at the seat next to him. I don’t take a seat nor do I let my eyes move from him.

“I don’t give a flying fuck who you are to me, Rhodes. If you spew any of that bullshit to me that you did last night, I won’t beso forgiving. You have no right. If you can’t stand by my side through my choices than you don’t deserve to be there at all”

Rhodes at least has the decency to look sheepish, “I’m sorry, Scar. It just infuriates me. They fucking hurt you. You didn’t see the way they’ve acted these past few months. I can’t just stand by and let them hurt you. You are my sister. A sister that I have missed with every faucet of my being. I can’t let anything hurt you again. I don’t know if I could survive it another time.”

I war with myself as the fight completely drains out of me as I see the broken expression on Rhodes’ face. I sigh as I take a seat next to him.

“Rhodes…” I trail off as I take in his haunted expression.

“I can’t lose you again. I can’t. If pissing you off is the only way that I can protect you, then so be it. No one fucking deserves you. Not them. No one will ever be good enough.”

I sniffle as his words crack through my heart. I engulf my brother in a hug. “You make it hard to stay mad at you.”

He chuckles as he wraps his arms around my middle, “That’s always been the way with us.” I lean back, letting my arms drop as I look at him. He smiles as memories of the past drift back in.

“You would get so mad your face would turn beet red. I’d cower because you were fierce, even back then. But then you would come back to me, snide at me for whatever bullshit I pulled but you always gave me this look,” he smiles as he looks at me, “Just like the one you are giving me now.”

We laugh together. It doesn’t stop the stab of pain that goes through me. Even though I love listening to these memories from mypast, I have to admit that it hurts. It hurts to not have a memory of someone that was such a critical part of my childhood.

Once our laughter settles in our chests, I look at Rhodes, “Please trust that I have this aspect of my life under control. If I need someone to kick some guy’s ass, you will be the first person I call.”

Rhodes laughs, “Something tells me that the thing you would be calling me for would be a clean up crew.”

Sonny insists on walking me to Music. He hits me with those puppy dog eyes of his and it's all over for me. The smirk he gives me as I relent tells me everything I need to know. He knows that that look is a weakness of mine.

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