Page 4 of Rush

It was years of attempting to prove that she could play ball, or she could fish, or she could run as fast as they could. Then, one day, she realized she had nothing to prove. She was amazing in her own right, and the boys her age at school were definitely seeing it.

As a freshman in high school, she went to the same school with the very boys that once didn’t want anything to do with her. Now, they were treating her differently, looking at her differently. All but one. The only one she was interested in.

“Hey, Caroline, why don’t you stay after school tomorrow and watch baseball practice. I’m one of the best on the team,” said Carter Hebert.

“No, thanks. I have things to do at home,” she said politely.

“Well, maybe we should do some things together,” he grinned, rubbing her arm. She jerked away from his touch, glaring at him.

“I said, no thank you, Carter. I have to help my parents with some things.”

“Such a good girl,” he mocked. “Are you always a good girl, Caroline? Or is there a bad girl in there waiting to get out?” She hated him. He was two years older than her and thought he should be able to get any girl he wanted. Caroline wanted nothing to do with him.

“Leave me alone, Carter.”

“You’re all the same. All of you who live behind those gates. Rich, stuck-up snobs. You think you can be a cock-tease and not have something happen to you sooner or later?”

“I’ve done nothing! I told you to leave me alone, and I mean it!” Carter started to reach for her again and felt the vice-like grip of a hand on his arm.

“Do not touch her,” said Rush. “If you ever so much as speak to her again, I will rip your arm from your body.” Caroline just watched Rush, not saying anything. She wanted to cry with joy that he’d stepped forward to protect her.

“Fine. Fine, but just stay out of my way, tease,” he sneered.

“Thank you, Rush,” she said, stepping closer to him.

Rush stared down at the tiny girl. She was tiny to him, and once upon a time, she’d been a little girl. Except she wasn’t a little girl any longer. She was in high school and had filled out, nearly to a woman. He hadn’t realized how very pretty she’d become.

“You’re welcome. I’d stay clear of him for a while. He’s going to be angry,” he said.

“I wasn’t anywhere near him,” she said defensively. “I was just waiting for the bus like everyone else. He came toward me. I tried to back up and get away.”

“I saw,” he said, nodding at her. “Just be careful.” He turned and boarded the bus as the others boarded behind him. Caroline was the last to board, and the only seat left was next to Rush.

“Can I sit with you?” she asked nervously.

“Of course,” he frowned. “You don’t have to ask me that, Caroline.”

“I feel like I do. I feel like you’re mad at me for some reason, and I don’t know why,” she said, looking up at him. He might be a high-school boy, but he was already six-feet-five and more than two hundred pounds. To Caroline, he was a full-grown man. She knew that he would leave just like all the others and head to basic or boot camp.

“I’m not mad, Caroline. I promise.”

He gave her a friendly smile, and they rode on in silence, stopping when someone needed to get off. As they drove the final leg down River Road, someone sped out of their driveway, cutting off the school bus. The driver swerved, and the kids screamed, tumbling out of their seats to the hard floor.

Rush grabbed Caroline, holding her protectively in his arms as he hit the floor with her on top of him. Her head was tucked into his shoulder, the mass of wavy hair all over his face and neck.

“Is everyone alright?” yelled the driver. The kids gave a thumbs-up, staring at the man as they rose.

“You guys okay?” asked Tobias, staring down at Caroline and Rush.

“Y-yes,” said Caroline, standing. “Sorry, Rush.”

“It’s fine. Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked again.

She nodded, but when he took the seat in front of her, she wanted to cry. They exited the bus a few moments later, and Rush strode toward his house, the others walking behind him.

“Sometimes, he can be a real jerk,” said Caroline.

“He doesn’t mean to be,” said Tobias. “He likes you, Caroline. But you’re a lot younger than us.”

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