Realistic or Modern DotC High

[McMajestic]

After Korren headed off, Sage went into the guest bedroom and changed into some nicer clothes, knowing Kilo was in the bathroom but not really caring. They all practically changed in front of each other so it wasn't a huge deal, although he did wait for Kilo to get out of the bathroom before heading in to quickly brush his teeth and gel his hair into its usual fohawk style. Once he was done in there he headed into the kitchen, looking over the leftovers for a moment before making a plate up for Mrs. Cutler. She always worked so hard and Sage only wished he could help her out more. She was his second mother practically, and he always treated her as best he could. He even went as far to be polite and not smoke around her, though he was sure she knew about his antics.


He tried his best to clean up the kitchen, knowing she'd come home exhausted, and listened as Patch, Kilo, and Winsley all left out the door. For a moment he didn't think anything of it. He could drive Korren in his car to school. It would be fine. He quickly scrawled out a note to her before placing it on the plate and putting the plate in the fridge. Here you go Momma Cutler, eat and get some rest. Love, Sage. Always love. He loved Mrs. Cutler. She was a great mom and she got shit done.


"Alright, come on Korren, let's go." Without thinking much of it, Sage slung his backpack over his shoulder and grabbed the keys to his car, walking out onto the porch and pressing the button on the knob that would unlock it. The click didn't happen. The searing pain in his arm came back, and his smile faded as he looked out and only saw Kilo's and Winsley's cars. Sage bit his lip to hold back the obvious pain that came with losing perhaps the only thing in his life that hadn't given out on him. His car. He took such good care of that goddamn car and it blew up in flames. His shoulders slumped a little and he took a shaky breath as he pocketed his keys, unable to part with them. How pathetic. He was so attached to care he could feel tears in his eyes from losing it, but he swallowed them back for now and walked over to Kilo's car, trying to hold on to what little dignity he had left as he threw his backpack in the trunk and squished himself into the backseat, silent now that he remembered. @FlameintheRoses

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren sat on the couch until Sage was done in the kitchen, following after him, though it was painful to see him with his keys. Since she knew he loved his car, she bit her lip with a sorrowful expression, but still followed. She followed him out, noticing his sudden change in mood. The light that was once in her eyes faded. She wished that none of what happened that night had come to be, but alas it did. Instead of saying anything, she followed him to Kilo's car, scooting in to the backseat next to him. They started the car, heading off out of the neighborhood. 


Korren turned to Sage, seeing that he was rather down in the dumps over this, but she understood. It was his prize car after all, and she could tell he kept it in top shape for good reason. She wanted to be able to do something about it. Maybe he could borrow her car for a while? Even if it probably wouldn't be the same, it was the best she could do. She didn't drive much anyway, so it wouldn't have bothered her. 


She placed her hand on his arm, moving down until her hand held on to his, intertwining fingers. There was music playing at a medium level, though there was silence among the group.


They arrived shortly at Korren's house. Once it was put in park, Korren unhooked her hand from Sage's and climbed out, rushing inside. There was a burnt patch in the grass where Sage's car was suppose to be. The car wasn't in sight anymore, and was probably towed away. There was another car in the drive way that wasn't there last night: her parent's car. They were most likely asleep at this hour, though she didn't want to face them any time soon. She carefully put in the code, opening the door with ease. Once she was inside, she sneaked up to her room and pulled out shoes from her closet, white converse, and grabbed her laptop along with its charger and her phone charger. Each step down the stairs were careful and calculated, making sure not to creak, even if each step happened to echo quietly on her way down. On her way out she put her laptop and such in her backpack, pulled the door shut, put on her shoes, and carried the bag in her arms over to the car. Once she was inside, she set the bag down at her feet, letting out a breath from it being so heavy. As she climbed into the car, Kilo started it back up and drove away from the house. He knew that Sage was not okay with not having his car, but if he lingered any longer he would fall deeper into himself. None of them wanted Sage to feel unhappy, especially over his car. They needed to do something about it, since there always was a price to pay for crossing Bucky.


Korren looked through her back pack, picking out the homework to do it in the short time she had before they reached the school. Although as soon as she pulled them out, she noticed that everything had been done for her. Slowly she put it all away, keeping them neatly placed as they were before in the charred backpack. She looked over at Sage with a questioning look in her eye, as if to ask who did her work. "Did you..?" There was no need to continue the question, since her expression spoke for her.


@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

As Korren moved to hold his hand he took it, squeezing gently. He hated Bucky so much for ruining his car. He'd taken Rose to so many appointments in that car. He'd had his first kiss in that car, he'd had his first accident in that car. So many things had happened in it and so many memories were sewn into the seats, tucked away under them, hidden in the console and the glove box. He'd have to tell his parents. Maybe the insurance money would pay for some chemo. Sage let out a heavy breath as they pulled into Korren's driveway, looking at the black chars that were a telltale sign of last night. Where was his car now? Had it already been demolished? Was it in a junkyard somewhere? Were people stealing CD's that survived the explosion out of it? Taking wheels and bolts away? It hurt to think about. As Korren left him he watched, counting the seconds that went by after she was gone. "You guys always this quiet in the morning or did a cat get your tongue?" he finally asked, trying to spur some conversation. He knew it was pathetic to be so upset over a car so he was trying to hide it better than he had at first.


As Korren got back in the car, Sage wrapped his arm around her shoulders, watching as she rummaged through her back and smiling softly at her question. "Well I couldn't let my girl stress, could I?" he asked, kissing her cheek and closing his eyes as he leaned his temple against hers. So he lost the car, but at least he had Korren. She was in tact and she was safe. He had saved her from Bucky and he'd trade his car a thousand times over for her, wouldn't he? Of course he would. That car may have been worth some money, but Korren was priceless. He wouldn't give her up for anything. @FlameintheRoses

 

[FlameintheRoses]

"Thank you for that." Korren smiled softly back, leaning against him the rest of the car ride. The rest were still quiet, mainly because Patch had a headache. The lot of them weren't morning people, so they all generally had a mood to them in such an early morning. Winsley kept switching the stations, though ended up sticking on the rock station. It wasn't long before they pulled into the school parking lot. It would be a couple minutes before school truly started, so they were on time. Most of them got out right then, but Korren stuck in a little longer, leaning against Sage. She didn't want to go just yet, since she probably would only see him in the hallways, if at all in the hallways, before disappearing into her classes. It would truly be a long day, since Bucky would be there. People would probably treat her like garbage again, and her "friends" would drop her, she knew this well. This was just how popular cliques functioned. If you did anything to King Bitchy you would pay for it in full. The sting of pain she remembered from being slapped and yanked around came back to the front of her mind. She closed her eyes and leaned against Sage as much as she could, taking a deep breath. Even if the gang promised to protect her, they all couldn't possibly protect her from everyone. In this school she would be figuratively flogged and embarrassed, she knew this well. She took his hand again, holding on for as long as she could. No words could come out, but the moment of silent interaction was nice. "I'm going to be a target today." Korren spoke quietly, phased by this thought. It was the truth and she had to let him know this. She wasn't sure if she could handle the thought that she would be heavily bullied, but she wanted to be strong. Teachers wouldn't help her so she wouldn't be able to seek refuge with him, since they had no power over whatever chaos that Bucky caused. The only person she wanted to avoid contact with was Bucky, since compared with her peers and him she could handle heavy harassment and bullying from people who were so easily tricked by the manipulator himself.


@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Sage took a deep breath as Korren said it so bluntly. They all knew it, of course, but he hadn't expected her to come right out and say it. "Yeah, you will be." He looked down at her, resting his hand under her chin and tilting her head up so she could look him in the eye. "But two years from now high school won't matter. You'll be Harvard girl, yeah?" He looked down at the pin on his jacket and took it off, pinning it back on her shirt. "You need this today. You feel that weight? That's me, okay? Protecting you. I don't care what they call you, what they say or what they do, because none of it matters. Bucky may think he rules the world but he only rules the high school- and that's only because we let him. Don't listen to them, Korren. Let it all roll off your back. Nothing looks dumber than an insult that doesn't work. If you get upset then they win, Harvard. Don't let those bastards win." He pulled her in for a kiss, wanting to give her all his love and strength so she would have it to last through the day. After a few moments he pulled away and got out of the car, waiting on her so they could walk in together, so he could protect her. Already, he was getting sideways glances, but he didn't care. Yeah, he had busted Bucky's face, and he was pretty damn proud of it too, no matter what rumors were going to spread.


Winnie was always late. She just could not, for the life of her, ever arrive on time- let alone early. And so her first day of a new school was no different. She dragged herself out of bed after her alarm went off for the seventh time, and rushed through a shower, throwing on a purple crop top that fell off her shoulder and revealed her bellybutton piercing. She also grabbed a pair of black shorts, pulling them on quickly and then her vans. She just barely ran a brush through her hair before rushing down the steps. Her adopted father, Dalton Clifton, sat at the kitchen table, casually sipping on coffee as he skimmed the newspaper. "You're running late," he said bluntly. "I'm always running late!" Winnie said, running over to the king holder and grabbing the keys from her car. She opened the fridge, reaching for a quick snack to eat on the way and found a lunchbox sitting in the fridge, packed and ready to go, with a sticky note on it. Winnie's lunch. Go get'em Kiddo. Winnie glanced over at Dalton, who never showed affection for the kids he was forced to take care of, and smiled gently, before grabbing the lunchbox and sprinting out the door.


When she got to school she was fifteen minutes late and moving down the halls like an absolute idiot, trying to find her first period. They were mostly empty though, so she didn't have to worry too much. As she made it to the top of the stairs for the second floor, though, she tripped, falling to the ground. The contents in her backpack which she had forgot to close up, spilled out, and she yelped as her knees hit the ground hard. "Fuck," she mumbled, scrambling to get all her stuff in her backpack. "Let me help," a voice said, and she glanced up to see a tall guy wearing sunglasses and a snapback bend down to help her. "Th... thanks," Winnie stuttered, and the guy flashed a smile that made her heart throb. At least the boys in California were hot.


"I'm Bucky Cypress. You?" he asked, handing her two notebooks and a binder. "Winnie Calloway," she mumbled, feeling a light blush creep across her cheeks as she took the things and stuffed them into her backpack. "Shouldn't you be in class?" she asked weakly. "I'm a senior. I have my first period off, what's your excuse?" he asked, his words an obvious joke. Winnie laughed weakly. "I'm always late." Bucky stood, and helped Winnie to her feet, moving behind her to zip her backpack up for her now that everything was back where it belonged. "Always? That's impressive. He smiled again, gingerly taking the schedule out of her hands. "Ah, first period is AP art. You're a junior though, right? Even more impressive. here, follow me. The three hundred halls are another flight up." Bucky began to lead Winnie through the halls, grinning to himself. Fresh meat. Wonderful. She was the perfect little thing to get his mind off Korren. "Thanks for helping me out," Winnie said, easily keeping pace with him. "No problem, Winnie. I'm glad you ran into me instead of anyone else. There are some... crazy people at this school," he said, his voice lowering. "Oh really, like who?" Winnie asked, looking up at Bucky with big, dark eyes, curious to the new world around here. Bucky chuckled to himself. "Well, I'm glad you asked," @FlameintheRoses

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren looked up at him in the eye, listening to each word carefully. As he spoke she nodded her head slightly, though looked down when he pinned the Harvard pin back on to her shirt. She smiled up at him, listening intently before being brought into a kiss. All of the love in the world was put in to that single kiss, and she cherished it. It was when he pulled away that she almost went back in, though stopped herself entirely. They needed to get to class. She climbed out of the car with him, pulling her bag up on her back. The rest of the group had walked inside with their bags, heading to their classes. The only class that Winsley truly cared about was AP art, the only AP class she would ever take in her life. Admittedly it was a rather difficult class, but she held strong. She headed off in its direction, entering the class just before the tardy bell rang. Kilo took his sweet time in to his Government class, while Patch practically dragged her feet in to her math class, one she was practically flunking since she didn't ever do her work. Korren started walking to the building, heading in rather quickly to her AP Calculus class. When she was at the door, she smiled back at Sage and gave him a quick peck on the cheek before rushing into her class. Since she was close to being late she didn't bother going to her locker yet. When she walked into her class, people gave her strange looks. Nervously she smiled, though quickly took a seat and focused on the task at hand. As it started, people whispered about her and gave her funny looks. She merely kept her eyes on the board, her hand lingering around her button. During the class she unpinned it from her shirt and held it in her hand as she worked, a set focus in her eyes as usual, though it wavered occasionally. This would not be the worst of it today, and she knew this well.


Winsley took a seat at her desk, pulling out her sketch pad and beautifully crafted pencils. They were rather expensive, and were a Christmas present from last year. Easels were out in the class today, as well as paints and and directions on the white board. Without a moment to spare, Winsley got to work, blasting music in her ears as she worked. The teacher didn't mind her playing music, since she loved her works. Her style was intricate and unique, not some knock-off realism or Picasso copy. It looked sloppy when close up, but her mind was always set on the big picture. Standing a few feet away you would be able to see the image and the detail it portrayed.


Kilo sat down in Government, not necessarily paying attention to what was going on. They only ever did projects every now and then on common sense topics, so he didn't bother paying attention. All he could think of was going to work, knowing that he'd have to be cleaning cars out in the heat of California, underneath black top. Internally he groaned, but it was for the best. His job had a decent pay check, so it was over all worth it.


@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Sage was used to being a social pariah, so when he got into first period and the whispers went off, he didn't mind much. None of it mattered. He always listened to the advice he gave, and most of the time he applied it to himself. Though hearing one comment about how his sister would be better off in Hell than on earth with him made him grab for the Harvard pin, only to remember he'd given it back to Korren. He let out a deep breath, knowing today would be hell and it would only get worse from there. Maybe everything would have been easier if he had never tried to help Korren...


The day dragged on with disgusting words towards him and Korren alike. He'd punched at least three people by the end of the way, and had rushed to clean off Korren's locker before she could get to it. He didn't want her to see the things written about her. Things he wouldn't even say to a lady. Of course, his locker had all kinds of colorful phrasing on it as well, but he didn't work quite as fast. It all rolled off. None of it mattered. He just had to keep telling himself that and maybe, just maybe, he could make it through the day.


About five minutes before the final bell, Sage slipped out of class, claiming he had to use the bathroom, but anyone could see he had his backpack with him and knew he wasn't coming back. He walked over to Korren's last period, waiting outside, leaning against the wall casually. He wanted to make sure she had someone to walk outside with. he hadn't seen her much throughout the day and he wanted to see how she was holding out, wanted to make sure she was okay.


Winniw had gotten through the day- barely. Art had been fine. She had sat in the back working meticulously on the assignment, noticing a girl with green hair that seemed cool. Winnie was too shy to approach her though, and so she just stayed in her corner. As classes went by, she discovered she had third period with Bucky. It was a Video Game design class, and he had sat next to her and walked her through the process for the project they had started a couple days together. Winnie couldn't help but notice he seemed to be leaning close on purpose, and it made her cheeks heat up as he whispered directions in her ear and different commands. At lunch, she sat with him and his friends. They all seemed okay but she tended to stick close to Bucky since he was the only one she really knew.


At the end of the day though, she finally headed off to her car, about to get in when she heard his voice. 'Hey, Winnie, wanna stay and watch football practice? Maybe after we can get a shake or something," he offered. Winnie bit her lip, knowing she needed to get home. "I'm sorry, but I can't. My... uh, dad's really strict. But I'll definitely ask about maybe tomorrow?" she asked, and while Bucky obviously seemed disappointed, he nodded. "It's a date." He winked at her before heading back towards the school, and she smiled gently before getting into her car- which was a mess. A small shriek left her lips. Had Bucky seen this trash heap? She needed to get it cleaned pronto. Winnie rushed out of the parking lot, on her way to find the nearest car wash she could. @FlameintheRoses

 

[FlameintheRoses]

After her first class, everything got ten times worse. From being pushed around in the hallway, being called out for being a slut and shoved against lockers. Instead of fighting back she merely moved on in the day, ending it with a class presentation in her AP Literature class. Usually her presentations in that class were well spoken, with enthusiasm and good points. This time she was quieter, stuttered a lot and wasn't as enthusiastic. At the end of it she slunk back to her seat, knowing her grade would not be a perfect 100 like it usually was. Even if she put so much effort in to the presentation, she couldn't present it properly. Insults had not necessarily gotten to her, but being shoved around hurt. People showed disinterest in her presentation, and while the teacher wasn't looking they threw papers at her with fun words like slut, whore, and so on. By now the words were so ingrained in to her mind it was all she could think about. She tried her best to be strong for Sage's sake, but it was rather difficult. There was a tired look in her eye as the bell rang. As she was packing up to leave, one kid shoved her computer off the desk, making an excuse and pretending like it was an accident. She was being brought to the breaking point. All she needed right now was some sort of comfort, anything to take away the pain.


Korren was the last to exit the class room, passing the teacher with a tired smile. It was best for her to be last, that way she wouldn't be pushed around again. She was met by Sage, who stood outside of the classroom, waiting for her. Just by the thought that he came to escort her made her smile. Slowly she walked over, tired and aching from being pushed into lockers and shoved around. By now her pin was put back on her shirt, kept there as a shield. Underneath the short sleeves she could already feel bruises forming on her arm from being pushed more than once. She set her head down against his chest momentarily, defeated from the dreadful day. People snickered as they walked past, though stopped when in the view of Sage. No one wanted to be in a fight with him, especially since he beat Bucky "Hey," She said quietly, in almost a whisper.


Winsley, Patch, and Kilo met up at the car, waiting for the other two. Kilo needed to get to work, but also needed to drop everyone off at Winsley's, since she and Mrs. Cutler had a car to borrow, even if both cars would need to be taken good care of on the road. For Mrs. Cutler's car this meant no drag racing or smoking in her car, and let not a single dent or scratch get on it. Since Kilo didn't need a uniform for his job, he decided he would just go. He couldn't wait any longer. Winsley and Patch climbed in, and he instructed them to bring the car back for the other two and take them where they wanted, but they would have to bring his car back by 9pm. They nodded their heads, and he took off to his job. Once he arrived, he climbed out and the two girls zoomed off back to the school, parking in the parking lot and waiting for Korren and Sage. Meanwhile, they talked about their school days and hot boys that passed by with usual locker room chatter.


@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Sage wrapped his arms around Korren as she leaned against him, and kissed the top of her head. "I'm here, love. Just let me take all the bad stuff away," he whispered, carefully taking her backpack off her shoulders and slinging it over his own. He didn't want her carrying too much, as he could see some of the bruises. It pissed him off, and he made a note to himself to make a little announcement tomorrow over the intercom. Nobody was going to push Korren around. He smiled for her, knowing she'd need it, before an idea came to mind. Sage scooped Korren up in his arms, spinning her around playfully. "Princess Korren shall never touch the ground. Beautiful royalty like yourself should always be transported by sexy knights." He winked at her, hoping to cheer her up a bit as he carried her out of the school. They got looks, of course, but nobody would dare to say a word with Sage right there. They'd all heard about the kid who got his jaw broke today. Nobody told on him either, because they knew the consequences would be even worse for snitching. Sage spun around every now and then as he carried her out to the parking lot, hoping to insight some giggles from Korren. She certainly deserved a laugh. He tried to be careful though, not wanting to irritate any of her bruises.


Winnie pulled into a car wash about thirty minutes later. She hadn't meant to take so long but the new streets all looked the same to her and she had gotten confused and had to backtrack before she finally came across an old fashioned car wash. It was cute in a vintage way, and Winnie always appreciated vintage things, so she pulled in and parked, noticing she was the only customer as of current. Maybe Tuesdays weren't big car washing days. She imagined this place was packed on weekends though as she got out of her car, running her fingers through her hair to make sure it was still in place before looking around a bit nervously, shy to ask for someone to clean her car, especially after she looked inside and noticed all the trash in it. She was always so bad at keeping it clean. @FlameintheRoses

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren leaned against him further as he wrapped his arms around her, sighing. She didn't even fight it when he took her back pack, closing her eyes as she leaned. Shortly she was picked up and spun around, which made her open her eyes with a smile. It made her dizzy to be spun, causing her to wrap her arms around his neck to secure herself. She kept her eyes on him, giggling after he spoke. Every time he spun she giggled quietly, holding on to him tighter naturally. Her shoulder had hurt badly, but she didn't mind it as much since he was right here to help her through the pain. As they got out the door and in to the heat of the sun, she noticed Winsley and Patch in Kilo's car, talking with animated expressions on their face.  It seemed to be all fun and games until a cute boy walked by in the parking lot. Winsley clambered over Patch and pointed at him, wiggling her eye brows at Patch while talking. This was a clear sign that their conversations were rather inappropriate, though Korren wasn't sure if she wanted to hear what they were talking about. In the middle of their conversation though, Patch opened the side door while Winsley was distracted, her voice carrying though outside of the car, in ear shot of the two others. "...but hot damn that booty though. Just makes you wanna-" As soon as Winsley looked up, there the others were. She wasn't worried about Sage hearing her locker talk, but she wasn't sure if Korren would appreciate it. Instead of feeling awkward about it, she laughed to herself. "Hey guys, get in!" She leaned back in her seat, waving them in to the car. Since the school day was over, she wanted to at least roam around  and have fun with her friends before preparing a design for the gig she had in a day or so.


Kilo was wiping his hands with a dry cloth, walking out to see his first costumer and probably only customer of the day. He walked out with a white tank top and ripped up jeans, since uniform wasn't something needed in this job. She seemed nervous, or rather unsure what to do. Instead of letting this poor girl be confused, he walked up with a tender smile on his face, being kind to the customer. "Hello ma'am, needin' any assistance?" It was mandatory to ask this of course, so it came natural, but he said it quietly with a calmness to his voice. He was usually quiet spoken around strangers, though that didn't mean he was socially awkward or nervous. People were just people, and all they needed was to move on with their day, and as did he.


@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Sage rose an eyebrow at the girls as they swooned over some jock, shaking his head at them before setting Korren down so she could get into the car. He hopped in himself, setting their bags in the back. "So where to, Dumb and Dumber?" he asked, curling a strand of Winsley's hair around her his finger and tugging on it lightly before allowing it to fall back in place. Sage always found it comical how riled up she got when you messed with her hair. "Also, joints for the sexy boy in the back, please," he added, snapping his fingers once, more towards Patch since Winsley had to lay off until after Disney con. He wrapped his arm around Korren's shoulders, wondering what to do. He normally asked them about their day, but what would happen if someone accidentally asked Korren? He sighed, turning to her. "So, how are you holding up, Princess?" he asked her quietly, gently smoothing back her hair as he waited for an answer. He felt it was best he knew, so he could assess the situation and figure out where to go from there.


Winnie blinked as a boy about her age- maybe a little older- walked up to her. Damn these California boys, she thought, biting her lip as she looked him over. "Well um, I... I need my car cleaned," she said, her voice weak. Winnie had a problem with people, with talking to strangers. It had flowed naturally with Bucky because he was great at taking up most of the conversation, which allowed her to listen and jump in where she wanted to without pressure, but being forced to put coherent answers together or stand in awkward silence? Let alone to an authority figure since he was clearly the one with the job and she wasn't? It made her nervous. She shifted on her feet. "I'm sorry, it's really messy. I just- I don't know, I just throw stuff around and then I forget it's there and... well, I'm sorry you gotta clean my car but I need it to be clean," she rambled weakly, unsure of what else to say. She felt bad suddenly, knowing this poor guy would be stuck cleaning out week old wrappers and month old plastic bottles. Winnie stared at the ground, feeling like she was being scolded even though all the guy had done was ask a simple question. @FlameintheRoses

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Winsley rose a brow at Sage, starting to get annoyed when he tugged at her hair, yet she refrained herself. She smacked his hand when he stopped messing with her hair and stuck her tongue out at him. Patch sighed and handed back a joint to Sage before beginning to drive off, not really answering to Sage, since Winsley did it for her. "Goin' to get swimsuits for the beach. It's bloody hot." They were headed in the direction of Winsley's house, though when necessary they would stop off at any other house to get swim wear. During the drive, Winsley turned on the music and was bobbing her head to country music as a joke, though quickly changed it to punk rock. She talked with Patch about what to do at the beach, what they would do, what games they would play, and how many cute guys they would find. Eventually their conversation moved to counting numbers and stating the reason as to why they would get that many guys, no matter how obscene the reason was.


Korren smiled at him as he set her down and crawled in the car with Sage, leaning against him when he wrapped his arm around her. She turned her head towards him, looking him in the eye as he asked such a simple question. The answer she wanted to say was 'fine', but that would have been a complete lie. She shrugged her shoulders, unsure of how she truly was currently. "I'm powering through things." Her voice was quiet and solemn, not really excited or content with her answer. "I've turned in my work today, which was splendid." As she spoke, she leaned her head on his shoulder, relaxing against him as the car bumped on the road. "A lot of it was correct, I checked... thank you, Sage."


Kilo patiently waited for her words to stumble out, even though all she needed to say was a yes. He nodded his head with a smile, and started getting to work. "Don't worry 'bout it, ma'am." Slightly he chuckled, deciding to get started on his job then and there. He pulled out a trash bin and vacuuming machine, getting to work on the inside. Anything that was trash he threw away, though he left receipts and objects that were of importance in any way. It was not his job to mess with belongings, after all. While he worked, he decided to strike conversation with the seemingly newer customer. She wasn't someone he's seen before, which was odd. He was usually observant and recognized faces, though never names. "How long you live here so far?" It was a blunt question, but that's all he knew how to phrase it. Striking conversation with the customer always felt less awkward, though it was still unnatural to him personally.


@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Sage nodded once as she told him she was just powering through, and chuckled when she thanked him. "You checked?  What, you don't believe I can be smart like you?" he asked, poking her side playfully. He chuckled and shook his head. "Of course. I'll do anything to help your day go by just a little bit easier, Korren," he added, a bit more serious as he relaxed against her. The beach sounded fun- seeing Korren in a bikini sounded even more fun, and he smirked at the idea of it. "You like the beach, Harvard? Underwater kisses and all that other obnoxious couple shit?" he asked, his fingers tracing patterns into her arm as he thought of everything they could do together.  "We're a couple, aren't we?" he asked. He knew Winsley and Patch would hear the question, though he hoped they were smart enough not to make any jokes about it. Sage normally didn't care about labels but he did want to make sure they were on the same page in this. That this was a real.


Winnie felt embarrassment creep up on her as he began taking out trash from her car she didn't even remember, and squeaked a bit as she watched so much get thrown away. Her face turned bright red and she turned away, angry at herself suddenly for making this polite guy clean out her car. As he asked her how long she lived there, though, she found herself thinking. "About a week," Winnie answered. "My adoptive dad is a lawyer and has some really rich clients out here so he moved us- me and my brother- to good old Cali. My first day at the high school up the road was today. It was interesting. Got to learn about all the crazies around town," she said, obviously rambling, though it wasn't in that same anxious way as before. Now she was a bit more invested, a bit more comfortable. @FlameintheRoses

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren blushed, feeling bad that she said she checked. Awkwardly she tried to take it back, though was cut off when he poked her side. "I don't think that, I just-" She squeaked and her side jolted, and she smiled at him with blush consuming her cheeks. Korren relaxed as he did though, holding her genuine joy that spread from cheek to cheek. By the mention of the beach she pondered, though giggled by what he said. Then that single question popped up. Were they a couple? It took her a moment to think about. They must be, right? She loved him and didn't want to lose him, wanted to be by his side and talk with him. "I suppose we are." Her voice was calm as she smiled at him. The idea of it was good to her. It made her happy, to be with him and cherish the days with someone who cared for her. She leaned her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes while they rode to Winsley's house. When the car stopped, Winsley and Patch jumped out and ran in to her house, scurrying to get their bathing suits on. They wore black bikinis with two straps in the middle of the bra and on her hips of the bottom piece. Instead of putting clothes on over them, they simply would walk around in just their bikinis, although Patch did manage to bring out towels and sunscreen. Once back in the driver's seat, Winsley shouted out with glee. "Off to Korren's!" She started the car once she knew everyone was inside, zooming off down the road. Korren rushed in and out of her house, wearing a dark blue bikini underneath a black tank top and jean shorts. Even if they were going to the beach, she wanted to keep some decency around her newfound friends. Before they could leave, she dropped her bag off at her home, leaving it inside her room. The only thing she would need was her phone, though she hadn't really turned it on since she went to bed that night. Since it was completely shut off though, all sense of tracking or gps on the phone was turned off. She climbed back in to the car and sat next to Sage, ready to be off and have some fun. 


Kilo patiently listened as the girl spoke, working away at the inside of the car and cleaning it up. He took his job seriously, and wanted customers to be happy with his work. Towards the end of her talking though, he paused. She was going to his school, but mentioned crazies. This made him internally cringe, but he was curious as to what she meant. He finished up cleaning the inside of the car, turning around to face her when he was done. "Crazies? Who told you there were crazies?" 


Kilo's voice had a hint of concern in it. He only hoped that this girl hadn't been talking to the popular kids. They always tainted the newcomers and manipulated them to thinking they were good people. It made him sick how they danced around the truth and spewed bullshit every time they spoke. By now he was crossing his arms, looking down at the girl with a questioning arch to his brow. He was patient for her answer, seeing that he just met her and didn't want to scare her off completely. Now looking at her he noticed the looks of this girl. She was a pretty girl. It would be a true shame if the popular kids got to her.


@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Sage had gotten his swimsuit out of Winsley's house and hadn't bothered with a shirt, although he had grabbed his sunglasses for a bit of protection since he knew Patch was going for sunscreen. Sage glanced down at himself once as he started for the door. He was never self conscious since he worked out quite a bit and had more muscle than anything on his body, but suddenly he couldn't help but bite his lip. He didn't want Korren to think bad of him. What if she thought he was trying to show off like some douche? What if she didn't even like six packs? He quickly went back to his room, grabbing a tank and throwing it on before heading back to the car. He got in and after Korren had her swim suit they were off. He kept his arm around her for the drive, occasionally turning to kiss her cheek or whisper something in her ear about all the fun they were going to have at the beach. "Bet I could teach you how to surf like a real Cali girl," was one of his comments, before he nuzzled her neck with his nose, being careful since he knew there were bruises there. He was feeling a little bold though, and tried not to think to much as he began to place light kisses from her shoulder all the way to her jaw. Since they were in the back he didn't think much of Winsley or Patch noticing.


At Kilo's next question, Winnie felt like shrinking. She didn't like that concerned look in his eye, or the way he crossed his arms. He looked patient enough but it just scared her to know how interested he was in the answer. She bit her lip hard, staring at the ground. "I, well, um... I don't like spreading stuff so I don't really mention names," she mumbled weakly. It was true, after all. Winnie was not one to place names to issues. It just felt like gossip. "But um, I guess there's this one guy who beats the shit out of people for no reason and he- he was-" mentioning anything else about him seemed wrong, and so she shifted a bit on her feet. "And this girl who's like a pathological liar for attention," she added, her voice small. She felt guilty, for some reason, under Kilo's stare, but she wasn't sure why. She was clearly growing nervous the longer this situation went on and she started to feel lightheaded, her breathing becoming a bit deeper. Not here. Don't do this here. @FlameintheRoses

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren chuckled as he spoke, leaning against him as he whispered in her ear. "Maybe you can," She whispered back, though went quiet when he was so close to her neck. Her head had not turned, though she kept her eyes on him partially through peripheral vision. When he started trailing kisses up from her shoulder, she bit her lip. Her heart skipped a beat as she sat there. Partially she had stiffened up, though relaxed herself over time. She was completely putty at this point, giggling quietly while he kissed her neck. Still she bit her lip, not wanting to make any.. noise.. in the car, especially with the others right there. She sucked in a breath, closing her eyes all the while. The other two girls were jamming out to childhood bands, shouting the lyrics out to the world with the windows rolled down. 


Kilo kept his eyes on her, raising a brow when she avoided saying names. She was rather timid, but he was too focused on her words to stop himself from that same old focused look. The mention of a boy beating people up for no reason irked him. There was a feeling in his gut that told him she was talking about, and then she mentioned the girl. Who in the world was a pathological liar. "Listen, whoever told you that was spreading bullshit. I should know, Dawn High is filled with all kinds of bullshit." His voice was calm, yet he had a strong opinion on it. Instead of asking who told her this though, he laid off. She seemed rather nervous and he didn't want to be a jerk to her. There was a change in her breathing though, and his concern grew. "Are you okay, ma'am?" He didn't move from where he was standing, but was ready to help her if need be. It must have been the heat getting to her, since it was rather hot today. Only if she asked for help or collapsed would he help her, but if someone ever told him not to help them, he wouldn't. Even if Sage taught him to help girls when they needed help, sometimes this screwed him over. Girls were tricky beings, so he didn't bother trying to decode what they wanted. If they said one thing, he'd go by that, though it was funny when some girls complained about it. In the end he would simply tell them that they told him to do it. 


@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Sage smirked, knowing what he was doing to Korren, though he soon laid off, not wanting to turn their cute moment into something uncomfortable for Korren. He moved to rest his head on her shoulder, closing his eyes and relaxing. "You're perfection, Korren, from head to toe," he cooed, his voice quiet as he complimented her. He knew she had been knocked down quite a bit today and he wanted to do all he could to build her up. he knew a day at the beach would be just what she needed, but he had to get in as many compliments as he could too. He took her hand in his, bringing it to his lips and kissing her knuckles, smiling as he did. He sang softly to her, although Winsley's obnoxious music was hard to combat, so he made sure he was close to Korren so she could hear him.


Winnie blew out a heavy breath as he seemed to scold her, trying and failing to control her panic. She began to sway heavily, and while part of her knew he was asking another question, she didn't hear it. She didn't mean to say the wrong thing. Was this Sage? Was this a friend of Sage's? Did they know who she was talking about. "Bucky just said... I mean, I don't know I'm new but I thought..." her voice trailed off as her panic attack overwhelmed her. God, she was so stupid, opening her mouth, making this guy mad at her. She always screwed the simplest things up. Her breathing had gotten worse as she began to feel horrible for ever talking at all. She couldn't even get her car cleaned without causing a problem. Winnie finally collapsed, her vision blurring into darkness as she passed out. @FlameintheRoses

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren leaned her head against his when he laid off, finally relaxing, discarding the occasional bumpiness of the car. She smiled softly at his words, letting out a deep breath. Of course she didn't believe what he said was true, but it was still nice of him to think so highly of her. She leaned heavily against him, watching as he kissed her hand. In return she turned to him and kissed his cheek. He sang, and she listened. Soon the music was tuned out from up front, and she clung to each note he sang to her. His voice was peaceful and floated through her mind, sticking in her memory. As he sang, she hummed softly along with him. Although her voice was choppy and half-assed in a way, she still hummed. She wasn't really comfortable singing in front of people, and only sang in the shower or when she was truly alone. When she was alone she would sing her heart out, maybe even dance along to the beat. 


It wasn't long before they reached the beach, parking in a nearby parking garage which was surprisingly free on week days. Granted, it would be a ways away from the actual beach, but they all needed to stretch their legs anyway. Winsley shut off the car and went around to the trunk, pulling out a bag full of towels, sun screen, money, and at least two dozen joints packed by Patch. Patch followed her out of the car, picking out a joint. It was more of an adult beach, so kids usually didn't come to this side. Children congregated around the amusement park area, which was a couple miles off. Since smoking was allowed, Patch would use this to her advantage. Winsley on the other hand brought money to buy food and drinks for herself, and maybe even buy a beer. She had her fake ID on her, which was forged rather well, and she could definitely pass off as 21 at this point, no matter her stature. 


The two waited for Sage and Korren outside of the car, one holding the bag and the other taking a quick smoke. Groups of adults passed by, occasionally with college guys walking by. Each time a good looking one passed by, Winsley wolf whistled, winking at the poor guy as they passed by and blowing kisses, being overall playful.


Kilo watched as she swayed, speaking quietly and nervously in response. As soon as she began to collapse, he zoomed over by her side, grabbing her before she could hit the ground. He sighed, feeling horrible that this girl had fainted. Instead of continuing to work, he brought her inside of the shop and in to the back, where there was a small office. From there he set her down in an office chair, in front of a cheap fan in order to cool her off. He got some ice from a nearby knock-off freezer and put it in a zip-lock bag, proceeding to place it carefully on her forehead. The poor girl would probably need something to drink, and that's what he got her. The only thing they had was Gatorade, but it would do. He placed it on the desk in front of her, sighing. Perhaps he came off a little too strong towards this girl? He wasn't use to being delicate with people. A co-worker passed by him, looking at him with a questioning expression. "She fainted," Kilo mumbled, which caused the employee to shrug and move about his business. It was starting to get rather hot for him, probably because he was wearing a black muscle shirt. He may not have cared much for school, but he had common sense. He took off his shirt, wiping off any excess sweat with it, not even thinking about how she would feel about him having his shirt off. Usually he dealt with girls who would flirt as they passed by in their cars, but it didn't bother him. Other girls would stare momentarily if he didn't put a shirt on, though most of the time they would either look away before he could notice, or he just would not notice at all.


@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

As soon as Sage got out of the car, he lit his joint and took a long drag, looking out at the ocean in front of him. "Hey, Harvard, you want some ice cream or something? They got some stands set up," he offered, taking her hand in his to help her out of the car as he watched the waves roll in. It was definitely a pretty day for the beach. There weren't many clouds and the sun was only just starting to make it's way down, giving them plenty of hours for beach time fun. Surf boards were lined up to be bought or rented, and a lot of good spots were already overflowing with beach towels and umbrellas yet it wasn't as packed as usual. Sage started down for the water, pausing once as he looked it over. "Hey, Wifey, get me a couple beers," he said to Winsley before taking another hit. "I wanna get wasted." It was a phrase he said quite often, and he always meant it. The less Sage could remember, the better, although he never wanted to forget his time with Korren. "I say we play a game of chicken once we're settled. I bet Korren could knock either of you streetcorner girls down." He snickered, obviously challenging the two.


Winnie's eyes fluttered open not long after she was placed in the office, and for a moment she looked around in a panic, her breathing becoming messy all over again before she caught sight of Kilo. She was embarrassed. Completely and utterly embarrassed. Her entire face turned bright red and she stared at the ground. "I'm sorry, I'm really sorry, Sir, I'm sorry I - I didn't mean to! I... I'm prone to these.... these panic attacks. I haven't been living her long and I'm just really on edge- I'm sorry." She let her face fall in her hands, trying and failing to calm herself down before digging into her purse. "Here, I didn't mean to cause you any trouble I'm really sorry," she said once more, beginning to sound like a broken record as she pressed a hundred dollar bill in his hand and got to her feet. "I um... I have to go. Sorry... again," she mumbled, starting for the door. @FlameintheRoses

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren followed him out, holding his hand as he helped her out. Ice cream sounded appetizing, though she did want to go down to the beach first. "Maybe ice cream after some beach time." She smiled, following next to him as he started off. It made her chuckle at the mention of chicken, though slightly nervous. In a physical battle she was sure she wouldn't win. If it were a foot race, she would probably win against Winsley, though she was not physically fit in any way. 


"Oh yeah? You're on, Sleeze!" Winsley had soon run off with Patch to get some beers, running and pushing through a crowd of people to get to the nearest stand that sold beers. They laughed and pushed each other as they raced to the stand, out of breath as they needed to make their purchase. On the beach, the workers barely ever cared enough to ask for your license, as long as you bought enough alcohol or anything else that would pay them well. They purchased 5 beers, one for each of the girls and two or three for Sage, since he so deliberately wanted to be wasted. If either of them wanted to be wasted with him, they would buy more, but they didn't need to be wasted. They walked back with beers in hand to an empty spot on the beach. Immediately they set down the stuff, put on sunscreen, and jumped into the water, swimming around and splashing each other.


Korren went to their spot while holding Sage's hand, letting go to set out her towel. She sat down with her legs sprawled out in front of her, pulling out the sun screen. It was time to just be in her bathing suit, though she was a little scared to. There were small yet definite scars on her upper thighs, stomach, and wrists. By now they were healed completely over, though they looked like she had self harmed, even though she wasn't the one that caused the scars. For each time that there was a scar was when she went against what he wanted her to do, marking her as punishment and warning her of the little hospital trip they discussed. Each scar felt completely obvious, as if you could see them from miles away. A couple of scars on her lower thigh looked raw, yet were still healing over. These were from only a couple days ago, when she went against Bucky and told him they were breaking up. When she made possibly the worst mistake of her life, since she was heavily abused more than before that night. The cuts on her left lower thigh were deep and jagged. She took a breath, placing her hands over her thighs momentarily. Now Bucky was out of her life, and she needed to move on from him no matter how hard it would be. With that, Korren took a deep breath and removed her shirt and pants, revealing her dark blue bikini, as well as the rest of her cuts and bruises on her right arm. She looked down at the towel in front of her, tracing her fingers over the bumps on her wrists that were her scars. These would be on her body for the rest of her life, and she knew this well. "I didn't do these," She mumbled, keeping her tired eyes on the towel. All she waited for now was how Sage would react to seeing the horrific display of horizontal scarring.


Kilo looked over when he heard her voice, noticing that she was panicking. He would have said something, but she was rushing her words out. By the time she was starting to the door, he looked down at the dollar bill in his hand and put it down on the desk. It was an amazing tip, but he would focus on it later. "Hey, it's alright. Don't worry about it." His voice was calm, and he followed after, insisting to open the door for her. As he opened the door though, he couldn't help but feel bad for her. She only just moved here, and must have been confused and didn't know the in and outs of the area quite like he did. "Hey, wait," For a moment he paused, unsure of really what to say to this girl. "If you need help finding the way around, I'm here." Kilo was just being nice in general to this poor girl. Having a panic attack and being new to an area were things that would only set her up for disaster. "Pretty girls like you shouldn't be gettin' lost around here. It's dangerous." Again, he was just being nice and also speaking his mind, oblivious to how she would feel about it. What he said was true. There was no need for girls like her to get lost in the wrong side of town, especially where gangs hung out. He lent her a soft smile, being comforting to the newcomer.


@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Sage had just popped the top off a beer bottle and took his first sip when Korren started to undress. A thousand comments swarmed through his mind and he opened his mouth to say one when he saw the scars. No, not my babe. Is she...? He set the bottle down, looking in slight horror at the extensive amount of cuts. Sage had self-harmed before, in his worst moments, but he had never riddled his body like she had, and it worried him to a great degree until he heard those words. I didn't do these. An immediate rage coursed through him, and he added it to his mental list of reasons to kill Bucky, but he also knew getting angry about it now would not do any good, so he merely sat in front of Korren, and gingerly took her hand in his, bringing her wrist to his lips. He kissed every scar on one wrist and then moved on to the next. "My beautiful warrior," he whispered. He looked at the scars on her stomach and thighs, before looking back up at her. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable so he'd save the rest of the kisses for another time. "You are so amazing, Korren. And those scars don't mean anything, love. You look beautiful no matter what, and I mean that." He rested his forehead against hers, kissing her softly. He knew how insecure people could be about their scars. Rose had a few from surgery she'd do anything to cover up. "Every time I look at you the breath gets knocked out of me. You are so important to me and to this world, Korren. Don't ever forget that, okay?" he whispered, his hands resting on her cheeks. He just wanted to take care of her, to make her see what he saw so she could love herself, something he had a feeling wasn't currently going on.


Winnie paused when she was asked to wait, and looked back at Kilo. She listened to his words, looking up at him with those deep blue eyes that edged on purple. She shook weakly, the aftereffects of her panic attack always leaving her drained. She nodded once at his words and then turned to leave so he couldn't see her blushing from being called 'pretty', pulling out her keys. Her fingers shook so violently she dropped them, and she squeezed her eyes shut, wishing she could calm down. Once upon a time her brother used to calm her down, used to give her her pills when she needed them, used to hold her when she cried, but now he was mentally gone- disappeared into strip clubs and drinks. She didn't have him anymore, so she had no one. Maybe that was dramatic, maybe she needed to get out of her own head, but she just couldn't. "I can't drive like this," she whispered, her voice almost inaudible as she looked down at her keys as if they were some foreign object. "I wanna go home." It was childish thought spoken in child's voice. She hadn't meant to sound so whiny and obnoxious, but she liked the comfort of her own blankets and pillows when she was suffering from the aftermath. @FlameintheRoses

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren looked up as he kissed her wrists, looking slowly up at him as he spoke. Their foreheads pressed together, and they shared a kiss. She looked back down at her scars when he pulled away to speak, examining them in close detail. They did mean something. They were a constant reminder that she was labelled as Bucky's slut, but they didn't have to be. She looked back up into his eyes with a softened smile, pressing her forehead against his, staying like this for a few minutes. It's hard to rearrange your way of thinking, but she needed to do it. "Okay," She spoke quietly, reaching her arms around him for a quick hug. You are so important to me and to this world, Korren. The thought repeated in her mind, making sure that she would never forget this fact. Although her own world had thrown her into being around horrible people, there was a good outcome from it all. She smiled, deciding to talk about something else rather than stick to the subject. Korren needed to put on some sun screen, since she burned rather easily. The sun beat down on her skin, and would do so until it rolled behind the ocean waters. She reached for the bottle, holding it in her hand as she pushed herself barely away from him, just enough to apply the sun screen. As she applied it to her legs and arms, she looked up to Sage with a smile. "Can you help me real quick?" She was talking about her back, since she couldn't necessarily reach there. Once they were done with that they could jump in the water.


Kilo watched her as she left, seeing how shaky she was. It was rather sad. When she walked out, what she said was heart breaking. He followed her out, waiting a beat before picking up her keys from the ground gingerly, though didn't quite hand them to her just yet. It was obvious by what she said that she was not fit to drive. "Tell you what," He spoke calmly, bending down slightly so he could be eye to eye with her. "I'll take you home and inform you of what to avoid 'round here. Is that alright, ma'am?" If there was one thing he learned for sure, it was to confirm with girls what you were doing before you did it. Nothing was more terrifying to them than not knowing where they were being taken or what was happening with a boy present. Just to be sure that she wouldn't think bad of him, he held out her keys to her, just so if she wanted to take them she could. She looked like she was extremely upset and could cry any moment, and he didn't want to see her cry. He wanted to naturally hold her, to comfort her like he would with any other friend, yet he knew he couldn't do that. She was a stranger and just had a panic attack, so it probably wouldn't have been very wise of him to do so.


@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Sage smirked as she asked for her hope and slid behind her. "Anything for my queen," he purred, his lips close to her ear. He couldn't help himself as he trailed kisses down her neck to her shoulder, lingering there for a moment before rubbing the sunscreen onto her back before moving up to rub her shoulders, taking his own sweet time with his own sort of massage, wanting to help get some of the stress out. He thought about saying something, but the silence was nice, comfortable, even, so he let it trail on for a bit before getting to his feet and grabbing for the hem of his shirt. He looked over to Korren and winked at her before pulling it off dramatically slow and tossing it at her. "I take tips in the form of cash and kisses, see you down at the waves." He chuckled and strutted off, sliding back into overconfidence with ease and just hoping Korren liked the show.


He headed out to the water, walking about knee deep in before diving forward, wanting to get the rush of the cold salt water over with so he could get used to it, unfortunately Sage had made one major miscalculation- his arm. He had forgotten all about the injury, and the gauze wrapped around it did little to defend against the salt. He jumped out of the water so suddenly he startled quite a few people in the area. "JESUS FUCK!" he cried out, rushing to get out of the ocean, but only causing the splash of the salt to continue to stampede against his arm. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck..."  he yelled, over and over again, getting some nasty looks as he rushed back out of the ocean.


Winnie looked between Kilo and her keys, biting her lip at the offer. He seemed like a nice boy, and so she didn't want to discredit him solely based off how harsh he had seemed when denouncing everything she said. She let out a heavy breath, afraid to walk forward, afraid to move at all, thinking her legs would give up and she'd collapse. "That'd be great," she said quietly, finally looking into those icy blue eyes she had been avoiding. They weren't quite as intimidating anymore, when his calm and sweet voice shielded it all. "I'm really sorry, though, this must completely ruin your schedule, having to deal with me. I'm pathetic, I know." She gulped, her eyes averted back to the ground as she turned to walk to her car. One step in, though, and she stumbled. Winnie rested her hand against the wall to steady herself, trying to regain her composure though she knew it'd be naive to think she could do it quickly, and the more she wanted to calm down the harder it would be to do so. @FlameintheRoses

 

[FlameintheRoses]

A shiver was sent down her spine as his voice vibrated next to her ear. "Thank yo-oo.." Her voice was cut off with interest to what he was doing. Quickly she bit her lip, not wanting to seem too into it. It was different when Sage did it compared to Bucky. While one was aggressive and relentless, the other was more loving and teasing. Admittedly, it was kind of hot- actually, it was really hot. She chuckled at herself, relaxing a little more when he massaged her shoulders, closing her eyes. It was when he stopped that she opened her eyes again, watching as he stood up. Her eyes were glued on him, blushing with a dark shade of red on her cheeks as he removed his shirt. She caught his shirt, putting it down on the towel as she chuckled.


Momentarily she sat there and watched him as he dove in, sighing to herself. Winsley and Patch were splashing the water, while Sage dove in to the water. She would have come in to the water after him, that is if he wasn't yelling out in pain. "Oh my god." How could they forget his injury? It was a simple mistake, but still cost a lot of needless pain. Korren quickly got up and walked swiftly over to him, meeting halfway by the water. She grabbed hold of his good arm, walking by his side back to the towels. "Let's just sit for now, okay?" From there she led him back to their little spot on the beach, letting go and moving ahead to pull out a towel for him. She bent down and pulled a towel out from the beach bag, placing it over the sand for him to lay on next to her. Korren then took a seat on her towel, patting the one next to her with a smile.


Kilo nodded, though his smile slowly faded as this girl barraged herself with negativity. It was hard to see her struggle so much, and inside he felt a strong need to help her, maybe even befriend her? He moved over to her side as she stumbled, watching with great concern. It was clear she couldn't walk on her own, so he decided he would help her out. Before he did anything, he spoke out loud. "I'm picking you up, ma'am. Please don't be alarmed." He was more informative than anything, and waited a few seconds before scooping her up off the ground. It wasn't hard for him to do, and she didn't really weight much compared to what he could truly lift overall. Carefully he carried her over to the car, hitting the button to unlock it before opening the passenger door and carefully placing her inside. Meanwhile, he spoke the whole way up until he set her down. "I don't think of you as pathetic. We all face challenges in life. Besides, you haven't ruined anything. In fact, I feel you've relieved me of standing around wasting precious time." Once she was settled down, he smiled at her and shut the door, moving over to the drivers seat and opening the door. Just before he climbed in, he glanced over his shoulder and called out to his fellow employee. "Hold up the shack while I'm gone, gotta take her home." Without looking back, he climbed in and shut the door, adjusting the seat and mirrors. Unlike his friends, he wasn't as reckless as people deemed street rats to be. He was raised by his mother, so he followed every rule she set out for him, which included driving safely. He inserted the key and turned on the engine, which didn't start with the usual loud start up that he was use to from his own car. "Alright, where to, miss?"


@McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Sage glanced up just in time to see Korren rushing over to him, and while normally this wouldn't have had any major effect on him- she was only in a bikini. This stirred up some heat though he wasn't proud of it, and at least Korren was too busy leading him back to their little spot to notice the way he had labored his breathing so that he could hopefully calm down. The water didn't seem to bad anymore. Although, thankfully, this time it wasn't so bad, so he managed to calm himself down quickly before sitting down on the towel Korren had laid out for him. "Thanks, love." He slowly laid down, pulling Korren down against him and trying to ignore the stinging in his arm. "Can we just lay here all day and get tan together?" he asked, turning to kiss her quickly, his nose rubbing against hers as he grinned. The pain was beginning to fade and he had Korren there with him to help him ignore it completely which made it better. He kept his good arm around her, holding her against him where they laid though making it easy enough for her to get free if she so wished. He pulled her a bit closer, moving her almost on top of him. "There, just like this." He leaned up and kissed her again, forgetting about his pain entirely.


As he carried her, Winnie wrapped her arms around his neck to balance herself, before resting her head on his chest, almost instinctively, and relaxing in his arms. "Thank you," she whispered, feeling exhausted and relieved all at once as he carried her. When they got in her car, Winnie gave him an address to a middle class neighborhood. Of course, Dalton could have easily bought a mansion in the richest part of the city, but the space was too big, while a three bedroom house was just too small. Winnie needed space. Her claustrophobia tended to eat at her in small houses, and yet she felt isolated in ones that were too big, and so an average four bedroom, three bath house it was did it for her. Dalton had allowed her to pick it out, so long as he agreed with her on it he bought it- and he did. She smiled gently as the memory. Dalton only showed his affection in small ways, and that was one of them.  "Oh and please, call me Winnie. I'm too young to be a "ma'am" silly boy," she said, her voice hinting at a playful tone before she got quiet very fast and mumbled out an apology. She rested her hands in her lap, watching them shake, though not as bad as before, and weakly reached for her volume knob to turn up the CD she had in of some indie rapper. After listening to it for a moment, she bit her lip. "Is this okay with you?" she asked. "I can change it, I really don't mind. Anything's good with me!" she added quickly, feeling a bit eager to please this guy who she was practically forcing to drive her home. @FlameintheRoses