Realistic or Modern DotC High

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren chuckled, crossing down the stairs with him and over to the couch. She sat down and grabbed the plate she was given. For a moment she looked down at the plate, viewing the contents. There was alfredo pasta with shrimp, with steam still floating off of the noodles. She twirled the food on her fork, piercing through a piece of shrimp before taking a small bite. It was delicious, and made her eyes slightly widen. Wordlessly she pointed her fork at the food, taking another bite and chewing at her own pace. Pasta like this deserved to be served every night, since she was sure she’d never get tired of it.


Kilo smiled at her, rolling his eyes to her tongue sticking out. At least though she followed what he asked her to do, and slowed down to a moderate pace. He looked up at the two in the love seat, noticing Sage’s look of concern. He waved his hand towards him, signalling not to worry, though it was hard for any of them not to worry about Rose.

“Bet they were makin’ out hard core,” Winsley joked in between chewing her food, winking at Sage. This made Korren go bright red, waving her hand nervously. It wasn’t meant to discount that she loved him or would kiss him with no problem, but discussing it was something hard to do. “Oh-no no, we were just talking,” Again with the awkward chuckling, her words flying out of her mouth as if her life depended on it. Winsley rose an eyebrow in unison with Patch, but shrugged it off, knowing if she pushed it any farther it would be too much. Quietly they both chuckled, to themselves before Winsley spoke again. “Don’t worry, girl. I’m kiddin’... maybe.” She winked, acting like her mischievous self again.

 

[McMajestic]

Sage took Kilo’s dismissal with a grain of salt, but decided to let it go for now. He’d make sure Rose was okay tomorrow. Maybe skip school and help her around. She always needed help- whether she would admit it or not. And he always did little things. Getting her medicine ready, moving the cereal off the top shelf. Things she knew he did but would never actually see him do. It just kept both their morales up. She got to feel independent and Sage didn’t have to worry about her misreading labels or toppling over. As Winsley spoke, Sage glanced towards Korren, snickering quietly at her reaction. “We made out too, but yeah we talked,” he joked, slurping up some more noodles before quickly kissing Korren’s cheek. Sage chewed and swallowed rather quickly, glancing at the screen but not caring too much about the movie. It was then he noticed the cards on the table, and glanced at Korren. “Are we playing? I don’t know if Korren would like it very much,” he muttered. “Have you ever played Cards Against Humanity?” he asked, turning towards Korren. He was sure the popular kids played it, though he was also near positive Bucky wasn’t stupid enough to force her to play a game- then again, that might have been just too much of a standard for Bucky.


Rose laughed quietly at Korren’s shy reaction. She had noticed Kilo’s little wave to Sage, telling him not to worry, and she knew that meant Sage would only worry anymore. She glanced over at her little brother as he snickered at his girlfriend’s embarrassment and probably only furthered it with his comment before bringing up the game. Rose looked down at it, thinking for a moment as she chewed on some of the noodles. “Korren doesn’t have to play if she doesn’t want to. She could just watch or… go into a safer room,” Rose suggested, only half joking about the latter.

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren looked over at Sage as he joked. Her face practically was a tomato at that point, filled to the brim with the red pigment. Of course they were all joking, so she wasn’t offended by any of it. It was just hard for her to join in on ‘high school talk’, which usually involved inappropriate banter. She picked her fork up and took another bite, chewing slowly as they discussed the game to play: Cards Against Humanity. Once at a party she had played it, but it was forced, and some of the sexual cards people would take to the next level and attempt to “act” them out. Everyone else would have a good time though most of them would be either drunk or high out the wazoo. “Yes, I have.” She nodded, admitting to playing such an offensive game. This surprised the girls and Kilo, sharing quick glances. Korren didn’t want to be a bad sport, or a downer in the slightest, so she shrugged her shoulders. Surely they wouldn’t play the game like she had experienced it being played, so what could go wrong, right? “I’ll play,” She spoke quietly, brushing hair away from her face.


The troublesome twins had already gotten on to starting the game, handing out cards to Kilo, Rose, Sage, and Korren. They both grabbed cards for themselves, ready to start the game. “Well, let’s start then!” Winsley exclaimed, picking out a black card from the box, reading out what it had said with a shameless smirk.

 

[McMajestic]

As the game went on, round after round, Sage found himself a bit shocked as he watched Korren get more and more black cards. Of course, he was quite good at the game and so was Winsley. They were all stacking, but Korren had at least double what they had by game’s end. Sage stared at her pile of black cards in shock for a moment, before looking up at Korren. “Damn Harvard, you’ve impressed me.” He chuckled as he counted up her cards for her. 34. They’d been playing for hours. It was getting late and Rose yawned from where she sat, leaning heavily against Patch now, her eyes closed as she drifted in and out of consciousness. Sage glanced around at everyone, before getting to his feet, walking over to his sister and picking her up gently. “Nooooo,” she whined, her fist weakly smacking against his chest. Sage rolled his eyes, shaking his head at her. “It’s bed time, Rose,” he said, carrying her towards the towards. “Sage Vixen I am your elder and you will put me down this instant!” She snapped, although her words were missing some bite. “You need to get your rest, Rose. A nap. Promise me a nap. Just a few hours,” he bargained, and Rose groaned but nodded. “Fine, but only a couple hours.” Sage nodded, taking her upstairs and setting her down back in her own bed. “Sage,” she whispered, and he blinked once, a bit taken aback by how weak her voice sounded now that no one was around. “I’m going to throw up.”


“Oh um... okay, come on,” he said, pulling her up to her feet and taking her to the bathroom as quick as he could. Rose stumbled a bit, before moving in front of the toilet, feeling a horrible gurgle in her stomach before she lost everything she’d eaten. Sage leaned against the counter, knowing she wouldn’t want him rubbing her back or trying to tell her it was going to be okay. When she was all finished they sat and stood in silence for a long moment as Rose caught her breath. “I don’t know if I’m ever going to get better,” she said, perhaps the most honest thing Sage had heard in a long time. “You have to. Patch loves you, Winsley loves you, Kilo loves you, I love you. You can’t give up on us, okay?”


“I’m trying,” Rose mumbled, pushing herself to her feet. Sage moved his arm around her waist, helping her to the sink so she could brush her teeth. Her hands shook slightly and Sage bit his lip, watching her until she was finished, making sure she could handle the movements. “You were lying to your doctors, weren’t you?” he asked. “I didn’t want to be there anymore.” Sage sighed, but nodded. “Take your nap, then, and if you’re still feeling like shit tomorrow, you’re going back.” He began to lead her back to her bed, trying not to say anything as she struggled to walk before finally sitting down at her bed. “Okay,” she said, though she didn’t sound like she was truly listening anymore. Sage sighed, waiting for her to lay down before pulling a blanket over her. “Good night, Rose,” he said. “Only for a couple hours.” But even as she said it, she was already drifting off.


Sage headed back downstairs, a look of complete and utter defeat on his face that he was struggling to mask. They all didn’t know how bad she really was. He did, and it killed him to know such a thing, but what could he do? Nothing. He looked over to Korren, trying to smile. At least he could help her- or at least, he hoped he could.


Winnie woke up to see darkness out her window. Stars glinted in the distance, and she yawned, watching them sparkle. She had school tomorrow, but she couldn’t go back to sleep, and so instead she sat up, meaning to take a shower, but as she moved she noticed something on her nightstand. Kilo’s number. A small smile rested on her face, and after a moment of thought she grabbed her phone, typing it in and trying to think of a message to send him. Was a thank you enough? Or maybe she needed to go bigger? Or smaller? Maybe something cute? Something funny? She began to grow nervous, unsure of what to do. What could she say that would be good enough? Winnie took a deep breath in order to keep herself calm, before hearing a door slam, and the muffled sound of the same fight that went on every time Bronze came home. I wish you were here to wake up to. She typed it out, thought about it for a moment, and then moved to delete it. Unfortunately for her, she was still only half awake, and while autocorrect fixed her words, it could not fix the accident of hitting the send button. Winnie screamed, a sound that pierced the air, sent the house into silence, and suddenly both Bronze and Dalton busted into her room. Bronze was holding a beer bottle like a sword and Dalton had his briefcase aimed at the ready. “WHO’S HURTING MY LITTLE GIRL?” he yelled, and Winnie jumped from the yelling. “I… I just sent a horrible text,” she whispered.


“Did you send a naked photo? Winnie, that’s stupid! I’m drunk all the time and even I know that!” Bronze yelled. “No, no… I just… I told a guy I wished he was here,” Winnie whispered, and Dalton and Bronze glanced at each other, silence for a moment, before bursting into laughter, letting their blunt objects fall to their sides. “I thought there was something actually wrong,” Bronze said, walking out of the room. “It’s creepy! He’ll block me!” Winnie cried out. Dalton sighed, shaking his head. “I promise you, Winnie, he’s gonna respond. Just take a breath, okay, kid? Every time you stop breathing, you pass out.” He walked over to Winnie, resting his hand on her shoulder. “Honey, if that boy doesn’t reply then he’s just missing out on the cutest little brat I had the pleasure to raise. Just don’t worry about it. Do your homework or something,” Dalton advised, ruffling up her hair before leaving her alone. Winnie nodded to herself once, deciding she would try to work on homework, although she prayed he’d respond quickly.

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Everyone was chuckling and fizzing out from all the laughter in between each round, occasionally including Korren. It was horrible to laugh, but some of these cards are funny in their own little innocent way. By the end of the game the others were surprised to see how far ahead Korren was from the others in terms of winning. Winsley was jealous and shocked all in one. Little miss shy and innocent beat the least innocent people imaginable in a game of cards. None of them expected it, but they didn’t care much either.

Korren shrugged once they were done with the game, blushing slightly. It was a wonder as to why she won, but she knew which cards triggered to be the most offensive, almost like a randomized pattern that was ingrained in her mind. Even if she didn’t know what the cards meant, she knew they caused reactions that would spur gaulking, light chuckles, or all out laughter. Some of them were funny, and some she couldn’t help but feel embarrassed for putting out.


Patch held her weight, patting Rose’s arm lightly as she was used almost as a cushion before Sage took her off to bed. “Goodnight, Rose!” The group spoke in a chorus. Even though they knew she’d be back in a few hours, that would still be a long time without her there. While the two were off in Rose’s room, the group was momentarily silent. The TV had been turned off by then, leaving it to be quiet. This, Winsley could not handle, so she decided to start up some conversation, something to get their minds off of how Rose was. She turned her attention to Korren, who was beginning to wind down. “Harvard,” Korren turned her attention to Winsley with a questioning arch in her brow. “What did you really talk about with him?” She placed her palms under her chin, curious to hear the answer.

“Well, uhm… well, we played twenty questions.” Korren shrugged, not really feeling like sharing exactly what they talked about. Sure, it was no mystery, but she didn’t want to bring up the name that cursed her. Winsley pouted at the answer, but before she could interrogate her Sage had come back, and she decided not to press further.

Korren looked up when Sage had come back down the stairs, automatically smiling at him, though there was a noticeable weariness and defeat to his expression. The group had chatted among themselves over the best cards in the game, though Kilo was quiet. He was studying Sage’s expression, noticing that things really were not okay right now. This put a damper in his mood, though he hid his sorrows under a stagnant smile.


There was a buzz in his phone, signalling that he had a message. No one really messaged or called him, so he figured it must have been important. He got up from the group and wandered to stand near the front door, taking some time alone to view the message. It was from a strange number with an area code completely different from the average Californian code. By the nature of the message though he could tell that it was most likely Winnie. He smiled at the message, looking at it for the longest time, reading over it again and again. The poor girl must have been lonely, though by now with her father back at the house she at least had some sturdy company. He started to type a message back to her, making sure to confirm that this really was her. Wish I could be there, friend got back from the hospital though. Did you rest easy, Winnie? Once he sent the message, he closed his eyes with a tired sigh.

Winsley looked over to Kilo, looking at him with a curious expression. People never contacted him unless it was for work, his mother, or one of the gang. “Who ya’ textin’, hmmm?” She leaned over on the ledge of the couch, genuinely wanting to know who it was.

 

[McMajestic]

Sage walked over to Korren, sitting next to her. He felt just as tired as Rose after finding out she wasn’t better, and if he was being honest with himself he needed comfort. He needed a hug, just a little while, but he couldn’t just ask for this. He slowly pulled Korren into his lap, wrapping his arms around her and resting his head on her shoulder, making it seem more like he was just hugging her because he wanted to rather than because he needed to. He closed his eyes, relaxing against Korren, hoping she wouldn’t mind as his fingers subtly tightened into her shirt, knotting it in his fists as he struggled to keep his composure knowing his sister was not getting better. That this trip out meant absolutely nothing because she wasn’t even supposed to come home in the first place. She had lied her way out of it, and she was weak and unable to handle the food their mom had made. “Korren, love, let’s go to bed soon, okay?” he said gently, whispering in her ear, a sadness to his tone he just couldn’t hide. He watched as Kilo got up, though he didn’t comment on it. He thought it was odd, but he had bigger issues than who was texting Kilo at this hour. “We don’t have to now, but just soon. I know you probably want to spend time with the girls after Rose wakes up. Hopefully I’ll be asleep by then,” he mumbled. He was only speaking to her, though maybe if anyone else was close enough they could hear the desperation in his voice. He just wanted to be next to Korren, to hold her, to fall asleep next to her because she could at least be saved from Bucky but Rose couldn’t be saved from cancer.


Winnie had been struggling to deal with a math problem when she got Kilo’s text back. She squealed from excitement, grabbing her phone and quickly unlocking it to read the message. She couldn’t help but smile wide at the mention of the first part, but a friend getting out of the hospital worried her slightly. She hoped his friend was okay. Yeah, I did. Thanks, again. I wouldn’t have ever been able to sleep without you. Is your friend okay? She sent, wanting to continue the conversation, wanting to find out about Kilo and his life even more. After the message sent she set her phone down, much of the pressure relieving itself from her shoulders. She liked this boy- she liked him a lot. It was during this thought she got another text.

Hey Winnie, it’s Bucky. I missed you at practice, hopefully we can do something tomorrow. Sweet dreams. She checked the time. It was close to midnight. She glanced down at her phone screen, this message making her smile too. G’night quarterback, see ya in VG Design. She sent the message to Bucky, laying back on her bed and frowning slightly. Hadn’t Kilo warned her to stay away from him? But she had already given Bucky her number during third period, and she did like him, and he didn’t seem mean. So what was the harm? Winnie had yet to find one.

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren crawled into his lap as she was pulled to him, wrapping her arms around his sides. It was comforting, though she had a feeling that it was much more than just an embrace. She felt his hand tighten to a fist with a part of her shirt, and had a feeling more than ever that he definitely wasn’t okay. Soon she listened to what he was saying, nodding her head slightly. She worried for his well being. “Okay,” She whispered back, waiting a beat before saying something else. “Whenever you’re ready.” Korren shifted in his lap, adjusting so that it was more comfortable for the both of them. The grip around his waist tightened slightly, holding on to him in his time of need. Try as they may, no one could pretend that everything was okay, when it truly wasn’t. She understood the hopelessness he was probably feeling at this point, and wanted to help him through the best she could. He had lost his car already, and could lose his own family member at any given moment. They all only hoped that it wasn’t any time soon.


Kilo waved Winsley off, too focused on Winnie at the moment to care for her snarky little comments about texting people. He watched the dots on his phone as she typed, anxious to contact her for some reason. Why was he so desperate now? Perhaps it was because of his worry for Rose, which was manifesting deeper inside of him.For now it stayed near the bottom of his jar of emotions, which would fill up over time if he didn’t vent. Venting though was something he felt no need to amount to, since it was just complaining about the past, something that was suppose to be let go. Finally there was a small buzz that wracked his phone, which brought his full attention. He smiled, though it faltered at the mention of “his friend”. How could he explain that Rose was a cancer patient that no one was sure would either win or lose the battle? There was a short pause before he began typing away, sending the product. No problem. Glad I was of service to you. She’s not well, just went to bed. Don’t know if she’s staying for long or going back for chemo or whatever shit they do. It was sad but true, and he immediately felt the need to reel back after dropping the cancer bomb on her. Don’t worry bout it, doll. She’s a fighter. That was better, ending on a positive note. This probably wasn’t something she wanted to hear, but it was the bitter truth. He looked back up at the living room. Winsley and Patch were cuddling as they usually would, while Korren and Sage were resting with each other. Kilo stayed in the doorway, knowing they wouldn’t mind his absence as much. After all, he could take care of himself.

 

[McMajestic]

Sage rested against Korren for the longest time, watching the television for a bit before moving to rest his forehead against hers. “Let’s go to bed, love. Rose will wake up in a few hours and that’s how long it takes me to get to sleep.” He tilted his head slightly to kiss her, before carefully getting to his feet, taking Korren’s hand in his. He wished he was still a little kid in that moment, because more than anything did he want to be carried and tucked in and kissed goodnight and told everything would be alright in the morning- but the reality was it wouldn’t be. He’d been fighting back tears for awhile now, but as he started up the stairs, finally out of sight of Winsley and Patch and Kilo, he felt them fall. Though he waited till they were upstairs to say anything. “She’s gonna die.” It was more like a sound than a sentence, but the sounds all worked together to make a noise that sounded like a sentence. “And I can’t do anything about it.” He stepped into his room, wanting to slam the door, to lock it, to be alone, but he knew he couldn’t close it- not with Korren with him. So he let go of her hand, pushing the door open and hesitating slightly before walking past it and collapsing on his bed, burying his face in his pillow. He couldn’t really breathe like this but Rose couldn’t really breathe most of the time so what was one minor inconvenience for him? Besides, the tears were falling faster now, and he didn’t want Korren to see them though he was sure she could hear them. “I’m sorry,” he said, his words muffled. “I’m sorry you have to see me like this.” Because in his mind, this sadness was much worse than his anger. This sadness led to horrible thoughts, but anger never went farther than stupid comments. He wished he could be angry instead, but he didn’t have the energy for it.


Winnie read over the text, gasping slightly at the mention of cancer. At this point her homework was completely forgotten and she laid back in her bed, only focused on texting Kilo. I’ll be sure to pray for your friend. Winnie sent the message, but then frowned slightly. It felt like an ending to a conversation, like something you said right before goodbye. She didn’t want it to be goodbye. She liked talking to Kilo, even if she couldn’t hear his voice at least she knew these were his words. Are you at her house now? She asked, wondering if this friend of his was maybe more. It was a selfish thought to have, knowing the girl had cancer, especially since Winnie had a small crush on Bucky. Who was she to be clingy to someone she didn’t really know? But then that was just part of who she was- clingy and jealous. If he couldn’t live with that then he certainly couldn’t be her friend. She bit her lip, wondering how he’d reply.

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren nodded and followed him up the stairs, walking in silence. Once they were at his door, his voice cracked apart. He was falling into pieces, and walking into his room to lay in bed. She followed, sitting by him on his bed, placing a hand on his back. Quietly and calmly she hushed him, running her hand back and forth over his back, attempting to sooth him. When she was completely sure of herself, she took a deep breath and walked over to the door, clicking it shut. She sat back down next to Sage, looking down at his broken form, laying there crying and in pain from horrible reality crashing down on top of him. “Hey,” Korren whispered, leaning down closer to him. “I’m here with you. You have the right to be sad. You can cry, let it out. It’s alright.” She kissed the top of his head, before moving to lay beside him. Meanwhile she faced him, curled up beside him with one hand running over his shoulder in a slow and kind motion.


Kilo sighed, moving over to lay down in the love seat, propping his feet up on the arms of the small couch since he didn’t completely fit. While he waited for her to respond, he added her as a contact. There was one buzz, and then another shortly after. He read them over and responded. Thanks. And yea, hangin with a few other friends since she’s sleepin. As he was texting, he didn’t notice Winsley sneaking over to him. After he hit send, she swiped the phone and ran into the kitchen, reading the latest message and not bothering to read through their conversation. All she noticed was the name, which was the girl from before. HEY BB, I’M SINGLE!!!! Sent. Kilo jogged in to the kitchen to see Winsley sending the text and almost entering in another one. He swiped his phone back and held it out of Winsley’s reach, which wasn’t that hard to do. Quickly he read through the goofy text and covered up for what his friend wrote. Partially he was blushing, but kept himself faced away from Winsley and Patch so they wouldn’t see his embarrassment. Sorry about that… that was one of my friends. Anyway, what are you doing up this late? It was a lame question and he knew that, but he wanted to know more of what she was doing, rather than talk about the miserable situation his friends were all in.

 

[McMajestic]

Sage felt Korren’s comforting touch and found himself crying harder, his hands clenching into fists as he time ticked by and much of his pent up agony from the night spilled out. When he was mostly done, and only a few tears were left, he turned to face Korren, resting his forehead against her shoulder and hugging her close. “She’s my big sister, you know? She takes care of me and… and I…” He sobbed, squeezing his eyes shut. “I can’t even go see her at the hospital because I’m so afraid of seeing her sick. But when she’s home she still looks sick and I just want her to be better,” he explained, his words falling short in some places, cracking in others. He didn’t want to speak and yet he did, all at once. He hugged Korren closer, needing her comfort so desperately. “I’ll let go if you need me to,” he said quietly, though he didn’t want to. He just wanted her to hug him back just as tight, he just wanted to feel her completely against him, to know she was there for him. Of course he knew his other friends were there for him too, but Winsley couldn’t stand sadness like this and Patch looked up to Rose so Sage when only bring her down. Kilo… Kilo, he had his own demons, but then again didn’t Korren? Why was Sage burdening her like this? Why was he pushes all his pain onto the table for her to take? It wasn’t for her to take. “Please, please forgive me. I don’t mean to break down in front of you. You shouldn’t have to deal with this,” he said quietly, loosening his grip, starting to pull away. Not because he wanted to, but because he felt like a burden to her.


Winnie watched as the first message came in, curious as to how to respond to keep the conversation going, but before she could even think of anything to type another message came through that made her chuckle. It obviously wasn’t Kilo, but it was a funny message to get all the same, and she found herself reading it over, hoping it was true, when the third message came in. Just a friend playing pranks. Of course. Winnie had known. She already knew Kilo well enough to know that. She tried to imagine what a day out with him would be like. It played out as a nice scene in her mind. When he asked her what she was doing up so late she found herself a bit stumped for an answer. What was she doing up? I had a nightmare. Can’t really remember of what but it woke me up. I gotta take a shower eventually. Too bad you’re not here to help with that too Winnie stared the message down, wondering if she should send it or not. If she did send it then she’d certainly being sending some type of signal but what would his response be? There went that panicky feeling all over again. Finally she just sent it, and then shoved her phone under her bed, but then the anticipation began to physically make it hard to breathe and she grabbed for her phone, wondering what type of auto correct excuse she could use for a winky face.

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren held on to him as he cried, letting it all out as she did before. She held on closer as he hugged tighter, keeping her in his arms. “I know, I’m sorry.” She whispered, holding him as he let the rest of it out. There was a long moment of silence. It was so hard for her not to start crying with him, though she had no reason to cry.

Once he spoke up, she was beginning to slightly panic. He was moving away, and she didn’t want that. He needed comfort and as did she. His apology she could not accept, since he had no reason to apologize. Just as he was pulling away, she pulled him back in and held on tight as if her life depended on it. “You don’t have to apologize for having emotions, Sage. Don’t you ever apologize for being a human being.” This was contradictory when it came to her, but he needed to hear it, even if she herself could not abide by it. She pressed herself against him, wanting him to know that she was right there with him. When she was fully against him, her grip loosened up though did not break from holding on to him.


Kilo went back to the loveseat, watching Patch and Winsley high five and interact with goofy grins on their faces. They were all worried about Rose and Sage, yet didn’t let that worry get the best of them. Silence was not allowed around Winsley, since she didn’t allow herself to smoke, not since the Disney convention was brought to attention. A buzz ran through Kilo’s phone, and he checked the messages What she wrote was cute, down until it got suggestive. He chuckled to himself, unsure how to respond, whether to flirt back or blow it off was beyond him. Perhaps though this meant that she wasn’t already dating someone, but he wouldn’t push it too far. After all they had just met that day. A nightmare? That’s not good. Well, you better go get your shower, silly one. Don’t let me stop ya. (; He sent it off, shrugging to himself. It wasn’t over the top in the slightest, since practically the only thing flirt was the emoticon. He wasn’t generally one to flirt, so when he did attempt to he had no idea what he was doing.

 

[McMajestic]

As Sage had been pulled back into Korren he pressed himself against her, struggling to keep himself in check. He wrapped his arms around her again, keeping her close as his eyes closed and quiet tears continued to roll down his cheeks until he finally drifted off, feeling safe in Korren’s arms.


Rose never actually woke up again that night. Exhausted from her sickness, she slept soundlessly in her own bed, but there was still plenty of room for Patch and Winsley to join her if they so wished when they got tired themselves.


Winnie, on the other hand, never actually went to sleep. She was too busy texting Kilo all throughout the night. Instead of going to bed like she truly should have, she ended up asking questions that would pry at his personality, and in turn she answered some as well. As time went on, however, she lost track of it. All the way up until her alarm clock rang and she was therefore forced to discover the reality of an all nighter. The sun was beginning to rise outside and she yawned, closing her eyes for a moment before opening them in order to answer Kilo once more, since she never got tired of it. And over time she had stopped panicking after every flirty text or goofy joke, because despite his blunt personality, he was not cruel, and he seemed to care if he was willing to stay up all night to talk to her. My alarm just went off. I have to start getting ready for school. Maybe I’ll see you there, though she sent, her final message of their all night long conversation since it was now shifting into a daytime one. Winnie got to her feet, and it was then the true exhaustion hit her. She groaned weakly, walking into the bathroom to start her shower water. This was going to be a long day.


Sage woke up the next morning at the same time his internal alarm always demanded, looking over at Korren with a soft smile on his face. He was glad to see her next to him still, even after his long, overemotional night. “Love,” he whispered, leaning forward and pressing his lips against hers gently. “We gotta get ready for school.” This was normal. School was normal. It helped deflect from last night’s outburst and it kept him sane over all. He didn’t like school. He didn’t want to go to school. But a little routine might be nice for a change, and the least he could do was escort his girlfriend to the place of her hell.

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren drifted off soon after he had, having dreams that she couldn’t quite remember, though they had to have been good. Patch and Winsley climbed up to Rose’s room, with Winsley claiming sleeping in the bed with Rose, while Patch pulled out some pillows and a blanket from a closet in the hallway, soon falling asleep next to or near their friend.

On the other hand, Kilo had pulled an all nighter, only moving to either grab a small snack, such as an apple, or grab a spare charger for his phone. Since everyone was asleep, he kept his voice quiet, only chuckling when he really couldn’t hold it in. He was sure they were friends now, since their conversations shared basic interests, personality traits, and overall ideals. It was interesting to him how goofy she was, and flirty for that matter. Soon enough he looked at the clock to see it was time to get ready for school.


Kilo walked to the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee, setting it up and looking through to read their conversations while he waited. A smile spread across his face, reading all the moments up to the present and to her last text, by which he answered back to. Alright, I’ll catch you later! Before he sent the text, he pondered whether or not he should just ask her out then and there. She was a beautiful, fun, and loving girl, so why not? He froze though, not wanting to seem so desperate. This was the first girl since his last break up that he truly clicked with, and yet something held him back. He had to have restraint. After all, she might have only wanted him to be a friend. Flirting after all was only just that, flirting. There were no next steps when it came to flirting, only reckless and fun banter. Even after all the thinking he had done though, he just couldn’t help himself. Maybe we can go for some pizza soon, if Dalton is okay with that, that is. (: Sent. What had he done? It probably sounded too forward, but he just wanted to talk with her in person, to see her face again. If they didn’t see each other during school, he at least wanted to share some quality time with her. Patch would probably question his morals, putting a girl above his friends at the moment. Right now was his time to try at loving someone again, though. There was nothing he had left to lose, and if she just wanted to be friends, they would just be friends.


In the morning Korren woke to Sage’s voice, feeling his lips being pressed against hers. She stirred, squeezing her eyes tight and followed it up with a soft groan. At the mention of school she sighed, fluttering her eyes open, closed, then open again. She was comfortable in his arms, not wanting to move or get up, and yet she had to. Today she had a club after school, and would have to go to school in order to be allowed to stay after, or else she would be kicked out of the club. She moved in to share a quick hug, which turned into just lying there against him.


After a few minutes she finally decided she would have to get up. She moved herself barely away from Sage, lying on her back as she stretched her arms above her head with a yawn. A few bones popped in her body, while her muscles relaxed. Now she was almost awake, but not quite. She swung her legs over the bed, taking her time to push herself up into a sitting position. Again, she needlessly groaned. “Alright, I’m up.” Of course, half way through her sentence she yawned, placing her hand to her mouth before standing up.

The scent of fresh coffee filled the house, giving it a true homey feeling to it.

 

[McMajestic]

Winnie walked over to her connecting bathroom, taking her phone with her and grabbing her bluetooth speaker off the dresser. She set it on the bathroom counter, connecting her phone to it so she could listen to music while she washed away all her problems. As music started to play, she smiled at the message Kilo sent her before setting her phone down and starting the wonder. It always took a couple minutes to warm up and so she used that time to sing along with the current song playing before it was interrupted by yet another beep. She grabbed her phone, checking the message from Kilo, a squeak falling out of her mouth from excitement. Sounds great! Dalton won't mind. He's all bark and no bite, I promise! She sent back. Just give me a time and a place and I'll clear my schedule. Not that she had much of one since she moved since she wasn't exactly sure of what clubs to join or what she even wanted to do. Maybe she could get some advice from Kilo. Her phone beeped again and she looked down at the message. Good morning, Beautiful. It was from Bucky, and while the message was cute, it made her nervous. She couldn't like two boys. It wasn't right. Kilo had been there for her but she had been drawn to Bucky from the start. Winnie groaned, before deciding she had to respond. Good morning, Hottie, she sent back, before setting her phone down and stripping her clothes off before getting into the shower. The hot water stabbing at her skin helped clear her head, and while she did have two boys on her mind, she tried to sing along with the music and forget about it for now. Who's to say the pizza date was even actually a date? It was only her mind that made it that way. And who's to say calling someone beautiful meant she had a chance with them? She sighed, singing quietly with the music, hoping she'd never have to make this decision- hoping someone would make it for her.

Sage chuckled as Korren struggled to wake up. He watched his love as she slowly but surely got herself into sitting position before crawling up behind her and sitting down so her back was against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her waist, nuzzling his nose against her neck. "We could just lay here forever if you wanted, but I think your parents and your grades would miss you," he said, pressing his lips against her neck and pressing gentle kisses up and down her skin, thinking it would help wake her up. "Do you wanna use the bathroom, first, love? All my sister's stuff is in there and you can use that. I'll get you some of her clothes too," he added, though he didn't stop the kisses just yet. He enjoyed being this close to her, being able to do cute things, so she could wake up to something good and so he could he. He imagined it being like this every night, asleep curled into each other, and then waking up every morning to one another. It seemed like a dream, like an amazing, impossible dream, and yet one night had already been a reality. He pressed one final kiss against her cheek before merely resting his chin on her shoulder, careful not to press too much weight on her. He remembered last night vividly, all his tears and pain. He hoped Korren wouldn't bring it up. He hoped she'd forget it ever happened, that he had been so weak in front of her. It was his job to protect her, but he couldn't if he was a hysterical mess.

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren glanced back at Sage with a tender smile, chuckling at what he said. She was more alert once he began kissing her neck, and was biting her lip. Her hands moved around to hold his while she leaned her head against his. Their temples lightly tapped before she settled, not wanting to get up again. She closed her eyes, listening to him talk and trying to focus on speaking. It took her a minute to process his words and attempt to say something. There was a hum to her voice as she pondered her words. "Hmmm... yeah, that sounds good. Thank you..." Her words trailed off into a giggle after sounding soft and almost whispered. The same old red pigment crept up on her without her realizing. She melted in his arms, only opening her eyes when one final kiss was planted on her cheek. It made her smile widen, spreading like butter from cheek to cheek. All the while her fingers held his hands, with her thumb running over the backs of his hands in a repetitive motion. She loved this boy, more than anyone in the past combined, including her parents. What she wanted to do was stay there and lay with him, allow the world to dissipate around them and not remember who they were. To allow time to slip by as they stayed by each other's side. Of course this couldn't last forever, though. She had work to do, a test to pass, and a club to go to. As much as she hated the thought of staying after, it was something she had to do. She placed a hand over his cheek, moving to plant a kiss on his cheek, then another, and a final peck on the lips. "Time to get ready. I have to stay after today." Korren brushed his hands away, turning around to give a final hug, before heading off to the bathroom.

Kilo took one last swig from his coffee, setting the mug into the sink. It was time to get ready, and he would need to borrow clothing from Sage today. For once he was actually determined to go to school, but not for the academics. His phone buzzed as he was climbing the stairs, with Winsley brushing past to get her morning coffee. He pulled it out and looked it over, smiling brightly. Haha, alright. How bout after school today, there's a pizza joint near the school. The pizza's addicting, trust me. My treat. Once it was sent, he climbed up the stairs and to Sage's door, lightly knocking on it three times. He would have to ask for clothes and also let him know that they probably wouldn't be going to the gym that day. It was a good thing for Kilo to have a change of scenery, since going to the gym was all he did other than hang out with friends and work. A smile was set on his face that was usually out of place in the mornings, considering that most of the group was grumpy in the mornings before and most likely after their morning coffee. Finally he would have a date with a nice and pretty girl, something he hasn't done in a while.

Winsley was too tired to look his way or make a comment, wandering into the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee. She almost reached for a joint, but remembered she didn't have any and wouldn't be smoking for the next month. This made her sigh, following with a groan and long swig of coffee. She'd have to get drunk soon if she wanted to keep this up, though she did need to go get supplies and start making costumes. It would be a stressful month, but everything would be worth it for a week at the convention.

McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Everyone went through their morning routine, although no one was eager to get to school. Sage and Korren were sure to continue to get backlash from the party and the rest of the crew was going to have to deal with it, something nobody wanted to do. Still though, Sage made breakfast for everyone and packed lunches too, deciding he might as well be productive this morning and try to forget about all the bad.

When they all got to school, Sage looked around. People were crowding in through the doors, honking in the parking lot, trying to get there on time. They all were a few minutes early so Sage wasn't worried about it. He opened his door, climbing out of Kilo's car and looking around. Today was going to be a long day. He was sure there was somebody else that would take over the spotlight of death Sage and Korren were currently in at some point, he just hoped it was sooner rather than later so that way everyone would stop glancing at him like he was a murderer. Bucky had got what was coming to him, and the whole school knew it, they just didn't want to admit it because God forbid somebody tell Bucky the truth. Sage rolled his eyes. "If somebody doesn't hold me back, I swear I'm going to blow this school up," he muttered, glaring at a couple of girls who glances at him and whispered. They noticed his expression and walked a bit faster. He snorted, shaking his head. He really wanted this murderer persona he had to go away. As much as he liked to pretend it didn't bother him, he hated those terrified looks he got. He wasn't some evil human being, he just didn't hold back when someone was being a bitch either.

Winnie checked her messages when she got out of the shower. After school, today? Sounds amazing. She sent her message before quickly rushing over to her closet to find something nice to wear. She needed to look hot for their date, and yet it was a pizza place so not fancy hot. She began looking through everything she had, trying on multiple different things before finally deciding on a black long-sleeved crop top and a dark red mini skirt. she added a silver studded belt and black heels, think she looked nice but she could still wear the outfit to school and get away it. Winnie grinned, as she checked herself out in her mirror before applying a bit more makeup than usual to define some of her features and make her eyes pop, and curled her hair. "Okay, okay, that looks fine," she muttered, before grabbing her backpack and rushing out of the house. She ended up making it to school with a couple minutes to spare and quickly got out of her car, walking towards the doors people were crowding through. She hoped nobody pushed her and messed up her hair.

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren climbed out of the car with her backpack flung over her shoulder. Her outfit consisted of black leggings and a medium sized red crochet turtle neck sweater. She was doing last minute studying, putting her notes away only when they climbed out of the car. The busy noise she was use to, but everyone else hated it. The girls had been practically dragging their feet since they hadn't had their morning smoke, while Kilo had been rather alert, yet at the same time distracted. As a protective thing, they kept themselves by Korren's side, with Kilo walking in front of them all to make sure people would have Kilo and Sage to deal with. Korren stuck next to Sage, refusing to make eye contact with anyone except for the gang of friends that surrounded her. It was sweet of them to protect her like this, and she felt safe with the group of outcasts and degenerates as odd as that sounded.
She took Sage's hand, squeezing it gently for comfort. Today was going to be a rather long day, especially since she was staying after school and probably heading home. She heard what he had said about blowing up the school, and slightly shook her head. As much as she hated many people here, people didn't deserve to be blown up no matter how terrible they were. She didn't say anything, and instead kept walking towards the door.

After Kilo had stopped the car, he looked at his phone and replied with a smile. I'll pick you up, alright? Might have to bring the crew back home, though. I'll protect you from their craziness. (; He was referring to his friends, as he mentioned who they were when they were talking that night. There was no need to describe them now, since he already took the time to give a basic synopsis of who they were and what role they played in the group, including Korren in the mix, who was the quiet and shy girl that he didn't know much about. Even if he barely knew the girl, Sage seemed to actually love this girl rather than want to get in her pants, so he would accept her as one of their own.
He stepped out of the car and grabbed his practically empty backpack, hauling it over his shoulder. For his outfit he put on casual blue jeans and white tank top from Sage's closet, since he had no time to go home and get dressed. In order to protect Korren, he stepped in the front, walking with his hands in his pocket. Partially he also did this to search for Winnie, looking through the sea of people that crowded the door to the building. He was searching for blue hair and a pretty face, and thought he saw her a few times, only to be disappointed by a different face. Just when he was about to give up, there she was walking towards the crowd. He turned back to the group, shrugging and starting to walk off. "I'll be back, I promise." Patch rose an eyebrow, now questioning his priorities. He had been asked to make sure Korren and Sage had some extra muscle, yet now he was walking off to talk to a girl he just met? Sure he had a horrible dating experience and needed to move on, but the sudden shift in his behavior made her on edge.

From there he turned back to look for her, loosing her just for a moment before finding her again, walking in her direction. A smile spread across his face, happy to see her again. He approached her from the side, deciding not to scare her by any means. Kilo called out, letting her know of his presence before he was next to her. "Hey, Winnie!" He joined in beside her, walking with his hands stuffed in his pockets as usual. His hair was disheveled and curly on certain strands, unkempt as if he didn't try, since he truly didn't try. He had gotten a shower, but this was how his hair dried every time, and he didn't care enough to fix it. "How are ya' holdin' up, doll?" Kilo sounded cheerful and genuinely happy to see her, since he had talked to her for hours and yet they had not talked much face to face.

McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Sage squeezed Korren's hand back, wanting to reassure her as best he could as they walked. Though soon he shifted so he could wrap his arm around her shoulders, keeping her close to him. "What's your little club meeting over?" he asked, curious to find out and see if maybe he could stay after too. "Cause maybe I could hang out and after we could go get some coffee, do some homework. You could teach me some french," he suggested casually, since after doing her homework he knew all her classes. Of course, his suggestion sounded casual enough, but there was definitely a double meaning to his words. Partly because he meant it and partly because keeping to his usual banter would give off the illusion of normalcy they so desperately needed to get through the day.

Sage glanced in confusion as Kilo started off, promising to be back soon. He turned to Patch, who seemed on edge by their friend leaving them, and turned back in his direction. He was walking up to a pretty girl with blue hair, greeting her with a smile. "He's just saying hi. He'd never turn his back on us for some dumb chick," Sage assured, not wanting Patch to worry too much. Although when he turned back to the couple he was unnerved to see Chloe walking up to Winnie, interrupting the conversation. Both girls laughed together, and Chloe tried to pull Winnie away, but the blue-haired girl simply waved her friend off. "Oh fuck now. She's one of those fucking slut bots," he hissed, in reference to Winnie as being part of the popular crowd. "Fuck, somebody go pull him away from her before she gives him an STD."

Winnie felt her phone buzz and pulled it out, checking the message and pausing for a moment. A smile crept across her face. She couldn't wait to be with him, to meet his friends. She hoped they'd like her. Just as she looked up, though, she saw Kilo and her smile widened. When he called her doll her heart melted. She loved the cute little pet name he called her, and it was even better to hear out loud. "I'm doing fine, Kilo, thanks. How are you?" she asked, not wanting their conversation to end at that. It was then, however, that Chloe walked up to Winnie, smiling at the girl. "Hey, Winnie, I'm throwing a party tomorrow, wanna come? Bucky's gonna be there," she added, nudging her and winking. Winnie laughed nervously at the obvious intent. "Oh, I don't know. I might have-"

"Oh come on, live a little. Besides, he told me he has a crush on you. You guys would be such a cute couple." It was then Chloe really noticed who Winnie was talking to, and she didn't like it one bit. "Oh come on, I need your advice on some swatches for my fashion design class." Chloe grabbed her hand, purposefully trying to pull her away from Kilo. Winnie took a step forward but paused. "Chlo, I promise I'll catch up in a minute. I just wanna talk to Kilo for a sec, alright?" she asked, and Chloe hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Alright, but hurry!" she said, before strutting off. Winnie nodded once, and turned back to Kilo with her innocent smile. "Sorry about that. Chloe has a project and since I'm in art she wants me to look at some stuff. Wanna walk me there while we talk?" she asked, not wanting to leave him just yet although she knew she had to go.

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren looked up at him with a smiled, pondering over the time her club ended. "Well, it goes for two hours, since we're tutoring some students, it might take a little longer. I'm not sure. Coffee and french sounds good, though." She nudged him with her elbow playfully as they walked. Kilo had walked away, which was none of her business she supposed.
Patch rose an eye brow, not completely believing Sage as Chloe had walked up to the two talking, which set her off. "Oh I'll go fucking get him." She grumbled, walking off to approach them.

Kilo crossed his arms, loving to see that pretty smile. It suited her well, just like any type of clothing she decided to where. Nothing looked bad on her according to him. Just as he was about to answer her, the bitch of the school approached them. His smile faded, and he froze in his tracks. He understood that she acted friendly towards that girl because she didn't know any better, but if she went to that party she would learn as any innocent and naive person did: the hard way. When Winnie wasn't looking, he sent a harsh glare towards Chloe. She was in a pit now, talking with the popular kids. When Chloe strut off, he watched her with a bitter look in his eyes. He was tense, not comfortable with the fact that this girl had been trying to yank Winnie away from him. His focus was thrown off by Winnie, who was talking as if nothing bad had happened. Kilo faked a smile, hiding how he felt rather well. He would talk with her later, and try his best to be gentle with his words to have her understand the importance of staying out of the popular crowd. "Oh, Sure." He smiled at her, offering his arm to escort her to art class.

Just before they could go anywhere, he felt a yank on his arm. He turned to see a rather angry Patch. "Hey, come on. You gotta go to class." She grit her teeth while speaking, glaring at him. "Okay, I'll go after I walk this pretty girl to class." In return she sneered at him, glancing from Winnie to Kilo. "Don't do shit you'll regret, Kilo." Her voice was bitter, yet she left him alone. When she was walking away, she made eye contact with Winnie. She made a hand motion pointing from her eyes to Winnie's, as if she were saying that she was watching her. When she returned to Sage, she was still aggravated. "Let him learn the fucking hard way. Bitches like them are no better than that whore Chloe." There was a hiss to her words, which set off any type of good mood that so much as hid underneath all the angry vibes being thrown around. She was cursing under her breath grabbing for Winsley's arm to pull her alongside her. Winsley wanted to stay out of it, but there was no way she could. Kilo should have just come back to them. As they were walking, Patch pushed people out of her way, cursing at anyone who got in her way. At this point she was absolutely fuming, and would need time to calm down.

McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Winnie moved to take his arm when another girl walked up, fury radiating off her like no other. It unnerved Winnie, even before the girl started speaking. Once she had, Winnie grew nervous, looking to the ground and shifting on her feet. That tone was not one of just a simple statement. It held a deeper meaning to it. Get away from that girl. Winnie bit her lip, looking anywhere but up at the two. And while Kilo did make a rather nice comment that was aimed for Winnie, she couldn't exactly smile. Especially not after the second comment Patch made. Is he supposed to regret me? She glanced up as Patch walked away, noticing the little hand signal with genuine fear in her eyes. What was she stepping in between? Did that girl like Kilo? Were they close friends? Was she a sibling? Winnie shifted on her feet nervously, unsure of what to do. "Maybe you should go with your friends," Winnie said quietly, scared to cause problems. She did like Kilo, but the last thing she wanted to do was come in between him and somebody who cared about it. But then, to make him choose they couldn't actually care, could they? Still, Winnie was the new girl, not the old friend. "They seem to need you more than me," she said, a slight quiver to her voice. She wondered if that girl would hurt her for being friends with Kilo. Winnie crossed her arms over her chest, looking down at her outfit, at her cute outfit she had put on for Kilo because she was trying to impress him, but what good did that do if there were girls like that to threaten her off? Winnie didn't want that kind of drama. She could barely handle a conversation at a car wash, let alone an intimidating girl.

Sage watched as Patch tried and failed to pull Kilo back to reality, frowning slightly. When Patch came back without their friend, he turned to her, listening to her grumble about him learning the hard way as they walked. "Patch," Sage took her hand, squeezing gently. "He's already had his heart broken once. I think that was hard enough." While he didn't want Kilo screwing around with a popular kid, he didn't want to be cruel either. "We just gotta remind him, you know? Bitches will be bitches, and I don't know wanna see him go through all that shit again." Sage glanced back towards Kilo. "But I promise you he's not leaving us." Sage finally let go of her hand, hoping his words would settle Patch a little bit. He knew she didn't like the idea of being abandoned but he wanted her to know that wasn't what was happening- he wouldn't let it.

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Kilo sighed, running a hand through his hair. He looked over to see a rather uncomfortable Winnie and frowned. At the suggestion she gave, he softened the look in his eyes. He crossed over in front of her, crouching down to be below her. As he did this, he carefully took her hand. "Hey, Winnie." Just as he was sure he had her attention, he shared with her a comforting smile. "Don't mind Patch. She's just protective over her friends, okay? It takes her a while to warm up to people." His hands clothed hers, thumbing over the back of her hands to make sure she was calm. "You aren't intruding anything, alright? I'll keep you safe. Nothing's gonna happen to you, and you sure as hell aren't in the way." When he was done talking, he stood back up and crossed back over to her side, offering his arm. "Shall we?" His voice was proper in a joking manner, ready to take her to her class through the crowded hallways.

Patch looked up when Sage grabbed her hand, her sneering expression fading as he spoke, though it still stayed with less intensity. She nodded in understanding, still bitter about Kilo not walking with them. With one last glance in Kilo's direction, she sighed. "He better not, not like that bitch." Even though it happened a few years ago, she could never let go what Chloe did to them. She tricked them that she was their friend, only to turn on them and bite them all in the backs. It still stung, no matter how time pressed on, what she did to them would never go away. Her hand tightened into a fist, popping her knuckles before finally attempting to calm down. "Let's just get to class." Patch spoke quietly, sounding rather defeated. She turned away, walking hand in hand with Winsley to the building. Winsley leaned against her friend, trying to comfort her the best she could. No one would ever be allowed to forget how the group was so scarred by a single girl.
McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

Winnie looked down at Kilo as he spoke to her, attempting to reassure her and yet she wasn't fooled by this. From the sound of Patch's voice Winnie wasn't someone she could warm up to. She was someone to regret, and that did not sit well with her- especially because already the seeds of that truth were sprouting into something dangerous. She panicked, she jumped to conclusions, she became jealous and clingy, she could scream and yell and argue for days, she held grudges- of course he would regret ever knowing her. How could she have been dumb enough to think this would ever work? Nice guys like Kilo didn't belong with her kind of damage. But then, did Bucky? According to Kilo he was pretty screwed up, maybe that would make Winnie and Bucky a nice match. The thought almost made her push past him and leave him now, for the better, but looking into those icy blue eyes made it impossible. So she offered Kilo a weak smile and nodded once, hoping that maybe that would be sufficient enough for now. He did promise to keep her safe, and those mere words made her heart swell, yet she took it all with a grain of salt, unsure of what would happen or how any of this would progress. As Kilo stood and offered his arm to Winnie, she giggled at his posh accent although she still hesitated before finally wrapping her arm around his. "I'm so lucky to have you, Kilo," She said quietly. "I just hope you're right." With that she began walking to class, glancing over at the group that Patch had gone back to. She wondered if any of them would ever like her. They all must have been Kilo's friends. It worried her to think they wouldn't. Friends always knew best, but then wasn't Kilo her friend? She hoped he knew best for her as they walked to her class, leaving their problems behind them for now.

Sage nodded once as Patch dismissed the topic for now, and began walking towards Korren's first period, wanting to take her there and make sure she got there without any problems. Most people were too scared of Sage to approach them and so he knew as long as he was by her side everything would be okay.

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Kilo smiled at her, nodding once before heading off to take her to class. He could tell that she was wary of Patch, but would talk with her about it later. Of course he did this with her direction, but they managed to get to the class. Once she was taken to her class, he took his sweet time walking to his class. His teacher didn't even attempt to send him to the office for being late, continuing on teaching while he sat down. Today would be a long day, since the only thing he could think about was meeting with Winnie, about the drive down to the pizza place. He let his imagination wander, smiling to himself all the while.

The gang separated to go to their classes. Patch hadn't been paying attention throughout the day, while Winsley listened to music in each and every class, blocking out everyone including the teachers and lessons. For art class she was one of the favorite students due to the focus and commitment she gave to each stroke and detail. By the second class she was ahead of the rest of the class, already finishing up by the end of the class, only stopping from painting to put away supplies by the time the bell rang. The rest of the day was a blur.

Korren had gone through classes with less bullying, yet people still joked and snickered to themselves about her and spread more rumors that only spiraled downward. She tried her best to ignore them, almost breaking down in the middle of the day before moving on to her next class, holding back any tears and sadness that she struggled to hide. At one point the bullying had gotten as bad as being slammed into a locker and beaten by a group of lesser popular kids. The beatings were intervened when Patch and Winsley were walking out from lunch, rushing over and tag teaming to give a similar beating to each and every one of the kids that hurt Korren. The fighting stopped when the last kid was beat to a pulp, leaving the group broken down and damaged. Korren had to skip her last class to be in the nurse's office with Patch and Winsley, all bruised and beaten. They rested up until the last bell rang. One of the girls let Sage and Kilo where they were, since Kilo was their ride home and Sage needed to be with Korren, who was recovering both mentally and physically from the abuse.

Once the last bell rang, Kilo got up and went to the nurse's office, wanting to meet up with the gang above all when it came to their physical condition. His mood was dampened by the news of his friends being in a fight on their own, and he only wished he had known. He sent a message to Winnie, letting her know where he was before they could go out. Meet up at the nurse's office, a fight broke out today. The crew isn't lookin' good.
McMajestic

 

[McMajestic]

The day had gone by rather slowly for Sage. He didn't have much on his mind despite Korren, and while he thought about texting her all the time, he didn't want to distract her from school. He blew out a heavy breath as the day started winding down. People still whispered about him, but he was more or less safe from anyone doing anything too stupid. Sage was purely demonic when someone pushed him, and that poor kid had learned the hard way. They all knew never to tell on him- because that punishment would be far worse than a couple punches. Sage phone buzzed around seventh period, and he lazily looked at it, seeing a message from Winsley. Not odd, by any means, but the contents of it sent him into a frenzy. "Fucking popular bitches," he hissed, gaining a couple glances as he slung his backpack over his shoulder and started to leave. "Mr. Vixen, sit-"

"I'm going to the nurse," he snarled at his teacher, before leaving without another word. He was scared for Korren, afraid she was hurt badly, of course it probably wasn't as bad as the gore he was picturing in his mind, but it still worried him, and he rushed through the halls, not wanting to waste any time as he headed towards the nurse's office. When he got there, the last bell was ringing. "Korren," he said, dropping his backpack and rushing over her, past his friend. He dropped to his knees by the bed, gently taking her hand in his own, squeezing carefully. "Love, I'm here. I'm sorry, I'm sorry I wasn't there for you," he whispered, feeling horrible. He'd have to walk her to class every day from now. Every class. He didn't care if he was late for the rest of his high school experience. "Are you okay? Where does it hurt? Is anything broken? Who was it? Winsley, I want names!" he added, obviously in a panic as he glanced towards her. He knew Winsley and Patch took care of them, but unless they were hospitalized, Sage wouldn't believe it was enough. He turned back to Korren, moving to rest his hand on her cheek. "This is not going to happen ever again," he said quickly, wanting to reassure her and himself.

Winnie had spent the entirety of her third period listening to Bucky flirt with her. His hand would brush against her knee sometimes or the back of her hand as they talked, and he couldn't seem to get over how beautiful she looked today. It made her think back to Kilo, who hadn't said a word about her outfit. She wondered if he had even noticed. Probably not. He had called her pretty though, of course it was nothing compared to all the compliments Bucky showered her with. "So, you coming to the party tomorrow? You could be my date," he had offered at the end of class. Winnie had smiled, blushing slightly as she thought before finally nodding. "Sounds amazing. But I have to warn you, I have to left feet," she had said. Bucky had laughed, and it was such a sweet sound. "I'll teach you some things." He winked at her and walked her to her fourth period, and then again at lunch they had flirted and she had helped Chloe with color coordination and refining some of her fashion designs and everything was going so great up until her sixth period when she heard about a fight that had gone down. She wondered between who, but once she got a text from Kilo she knew.

Winnie rushed down to the nurse's office at the bell. Even in heels she managed to move quite fast, practically running until she got to the office. She first noticed Kilo, then Patch and Winsley, and finally Korren and Sage. Sage, the boy Bucky had warned her from, and Korren the girl he had called a liar. She just looked to be in pain, and Sage just looked to be concerned as he held her so tenderly. It hardly seemed like what Bucky had called it. It made her wonder if she should have agreed to his invitation. "Is everyone okay?" she asked Kilo, though anyone who heard could have answered. "No because of fucking Bucky. What are you even doing here? Aren't you his new slut?" Sage snarled, turning on Winnie so rapidly she was quite literally knocked back a couple steps. He didn't dare leave Korren's side and yet the glare he sent Winnie felt like a slap in the face. What had she done. "I... I um-" Sage rolled his eyes. "Great pick, Kilo, really. She can't even fucking speak right." He snapped. "How about you pick a girl that's not toxic to mine, okay?" It was obvious Sage's anger was generalized to every popular kid in existence after Korren was physically targeted. Winnie, however, was not aware of this generalized hatred, and her breathing began to pick up in the same dangerous way it always did before a panic attack. "What the fuck's wrong with her? She's so fucking rich and she's with Bucky. She's on cloud fucking nine," It was still Sage's voice, and yet it was muffled as she stumbled slightly, trying and failing to calm herself down.

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren had been laying on a bed, resting from the injuries inflicted on her. Bruises clothed her stomach and arms, engulfing them from the continuous abuse. She had been crying before he had gotten there, though had been calmed down by Winsley and Patch over time.They were in just as bad of a shape as her, yet they could endure the beatings if it meant protecting a friend. When Sage came in, she was hit with relief, grabbing his hand as she looked at him, though refused to sit up. It hurt too much to sit up, so she resorted to lying down in defeat. She held on to him, rolling her head to the side to look at him. A smile appeared on her lips at his presence, though dissipated by his worries. She reached for his cheek, brushing her thumb over it carefully. He had asked so many questions, and it was hard to process each one. Her head was spinning, unable to concentrate. "Shhh, I'm feeling better with you here." She spoke with a faded smile, her voice weakened from the crying earlier. Korren moved to lay on her side, grunting in pain during the process. It was hard for her to move. Instead of answering any of his questions, she moved on to a different topic. "We still on for coff- ee..."Another girl walked in, her voice triggering a rage form Sage that unsettled her. There was no way this girl had any connection to the fight or what was going on, since she had not seen this girl once in her life. There was a bottomless pit in her stomach, dropping all sense of trying to keep calm out the window. Her face went pale as he continued to insult this girl, one who was apparently affiliated with Bucky now. Just the mention of Bucky made her scared for this girl, and feel bad for her all in one. She would have said something, though Kilo beat her to it. The fight was taken outside, where there were muffled bits and pieces that could be heard. Winsley was clutching on to Patch, her face blanket white during the whole argument. She looked like she would be practically in tears if the argument wouldn't stop.

Korren looked to the shaking figure, instantly feeling bad for her. "Hey, come here, please." She almost begged the girl, feeling the need to warn her about Bucky. Rumors were probably already spread about Korren that she was some skank that betrayed Bucky, but to her it didn't matter anymore. Her hand was reaching out, desperate for a hand to hold, specifically the girl. "Bucky... he doesn't stop." She whispered, almost in a whimper. "Please... stay away from him. Please, I don't want to see you turn out like me." Her voice wavered, the memories of of Bucky rushed in. One hand clasped over her mouth as she stifled her senseless cries, trying to contain herself. She took shaky breaths, with a tear falling down the side of her face. "Don't let him hurt you." It was all she could manage, with her words sounding choked and desperate. She had been panicking just by the thought of him hurting another girl, doing to her what he did to Korren.

Kilo was waiting at the door in the nurse's office, looking out for his friends and searching to see if Winnie was coming. He smiled as he saw her walking to the nurse's office. He would have answered her question had Sage not went off on her, letting loose his rage out on someone who did nothing wrong. Near the end of his heightened and rather aggressive speech, Kilo stood in front of Winnie, glaring at Sage. He had no idea who Winnie was, or what she had been through, but Kilo did. Everything that Sage said pissed him off until finally- "Hey! You have no god damn room to talk to her like that. " He was shouting, arching his brow in rage. Noticing the worry in both Korren and WInsley's eyes and expressions, he stomped over to Sage and grabbed him roughly by the arm and yanking him out of the room to have a word with him. He was careful not to slam to door to the nurse's office, pulling Sage aside in the hallway. Their argument could probably still be heard, but was heavily muffled by the concrete wall and thick wooden door.
There was silence as he stood there for a moment, letting go of Sage at this point. All of his frustration was pent up into a single fluid motion he would probably regret, but he needed to get the point across through Sage's stubborn mind in the only way possible. He landed a hard punch to Sage's gut, reeling back right afterwards. "I don't care what you think she is or isn't. She's new here, she's lost, and her god damn family life is a piece of shit. You can say I betrayed you all you fucking like, or you can stop and think before you open your damn mouth." He was shouting, infuriated by Sage's accusations. "We all could have said the same damn thing about Korren, but do you see us talkin' shit about her?" Kilo paused, allowing it to sink in before he said one last thing, but this time in a quieter tone. "You think us street rats would know better than to blindly follow them damn social constructs." When he was done, he turned away from Sage, thinking about what he had done. Even if his friends hated him for it, he knew in his heart that it was the right thing to do.

McMajestic