Hey guys. Ugh, just so you know editing sucks and takes foreve-r-r-r.

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UPDATED/EDITED: This chapter has been fixed, but it took me forever and there still might be something wrong. So please, if you see a mistake of any kind don't be afraid to point it out so I can fix it.

Enjoy!

-&-

Chapter 8

       "Come on Rose! I have to be at the college in an hour, and you're using up all the hot water!"

       I jumped as my sister's muffled voice shouted behind the locked bathroom door. I had been so lost in my thoughts that I didn't even notice the hot water turn cold against my quickly pruning skin. I cringed and washed the rest of the soap off my body before turning the shower off- but it was no use. All the hot water was gone.

       Last night had been so- so surreal, and I couldn't convince my mind if it actually happened or not. Rex had been almost sweet and kind for most of the conversation, and that was so unlike him. There was no way that last night could have been real.

       I dried off as fast as I could, threw on my clothes, and brushed my teeth before throwing open the bathroom to greet the fuming Luce. "I'm so sorry!" I gave that furious face of hers a sheepish smile, the dark ringlets of her hair pulled into that messy bun she loved so much.

       She glared at me as I gently slid past her, but like always, that angry scowl slowly softened. "It's fine. Just pay attention next time, okay?" I nodded eagerly and gave her the biggest smile I could muster before she stomped into the bathroom and slammed the door behind her.

       It was no big secret that my sister wasn't really well liked. She wasn't in high school, and she wasn't in college- but that also had to do with the fact that she was a royal 'b-word' to anyone you asked. Luce was beautiful, more beautiful than I could have ever wished to be, but her anger issues were usually the only thing she let people see.

       She was a jerk to everyone- dad, Tate, the majority of the populous at her school, but not me. Whenever Luce was mad at me, her face always softened and she let me off easy. I liked to think that it was because I was special to her, but I knew it was only because I reminded her of mom.

       "Rosie, are you ready?" Tate's voice called from the bottom of the stairs, and my somber mood instantly brightened. Thinking about the mom I never knew wasn't necessarily pleasant.

       "Yeah! I'll be right down!"

       Tate was such a sweet and caring person to everyone he knew or met. In fact, that hostile attitude he held towards Rex was the first sign of malice I ever saw in the guy. I didn't know why Luce was always a jerk to him, and I sure as heck didn't know why he put up with it.

       Then again, Rex really did not like his half-brother, and I had no idea why. Last night, if it was real, was the second time he told me to keep my distance from Tate, but why? What happened between them that made Rex, of all people, worry about my safety?

       The doorbell rang as I bounced down the stairs, and its long, consistent chime pulled me out of my subconscious. I wouldn't figure their little tiff out anytime soon. It would take days of prying at Tate. Might as well not worry about it right now. "I got it, go get your bag." Tate shot me a warm smile and ruffled my hair before he walked past me to reach the door.

       I had just slung my bag over my shoulders and adjusted my hoodie when Tate's angry snap reached my ears. "What the hell are you doing here?" My heart jumped at that simple statement, and it wasn't because Tate was mad. I've only heard him use that tone on one person before, and that one person made my head spin in more ways than a few.

       Rex was here?

       "Taking Rosalyn to school. What the fuck are you doing here?" Rex's voice was a dark, angry grumble coming from my front porch. I froze. He really was here. Last night- last night wasn't a dream? A very large and overly happy smile spread across my face when the fact that Rex and I were friends now started to sink in- and he came all the way to my house to bring me to school. I wasn't so sure my heart could take all this.

       "I live here, but you already knew that. And I was taking her to school."

       My smile almost vanished when I remembered the wall that was Tate blocking my view of the perfect, but I'm sure furious, sight of Rex. "Don't worry about it, Tate!" I piped in quickly and stepped around the fuming, angry wall so my back was to Rex. I sent Tate a small, pleading smile.

       "Stay home and bring Luce to the college with you. I'll go with Rex." I tried to give him a reassuring smile, but his angry eyes only flashed and glared at the owner of the rock wall of a chest that was pushed against my back. Rex stood as tall and firm as a statue behind me, and he didn't back away as I leaned gently against him. It was the only comfort I could have given him at the moment.

       Tate opened his mouth to protest, but Rex's voice rang out before he could. "You heard her. Go bring your girlfriend to school. You know, the one that you're actually dating. I'll take care of Rose." Electric tingles shot through my whole body when Rex suddenly looped his arm around my waist and casually pulled me behind him. The movement was so smooth and easy that I wouldn't have been surprised if Tate didn't even notice.

       "Watch your fucking mouth, you piece of-"

       I flinched and tried not to hide my face in the back of Rex's jacket like I so desperately wanted to do as I waited for the onslaught of curse words. I wasn't used to Tate cussing, or anyone in the house for that matter, and it kind of frightened me. Luce's voice rang out from the top of the stairs before Tate could finish the angry thought swirling behind his murderous eyes.

       "Tate! Get your butt up here and help me with this door knob! And you better not be cussing around my sister! You know how she is with words!"

       My face turned beat red in embarrassment when Tate closed his eyes and took a few calming breaths. It was no secret how I was with words, and usually I wouldn't have gotten so embarrassed about it- but Rex was here and I didn't want him thinking I was anymore of a baby than he already did.

       "I'm sorry Rosie, I forgot-"

       "Don't call her that." Rex suddenly growled, his rather angry voice leaving little room for argument. When I saw the anger quickly start to return to Tate's dark eyes, I gently pulled on Rex's jacket. It was time for us to go. I didn't need either of them getting into a fight, especially on my front porch.

       "I can call her whatever the hell I want to call her. You're-"

       "Tate!"

       "God woman! I'm coming!" Tate shouted back into the house before turning his irritated eyes on us. "Fine Rose. Go with him, but if there's a problem you call me alright?" I nodded viciously and tugged on Rex's jacket slightly harder when I felt his body start to tense.

       "She'll be more than fine." Rex spoke the words through gritted teeth and a clenched jaw. I could tell he was trying to hold his anger in, and I could tell it wasn't working well. With him, it never did.

        Tate cast one last look at me before turning back into the house and slamming the door behind him. I let out tired sigh. School hadn't even started yet, and I was already ready to go back to sleep. "Well, that was fun." I mumbled as we stood staring at the closed door.

       "Why the fuck does he live with you?" Rex's voice was a dark grumble that shook deep from his chest and stirred the butterflies hidden in my stomach.

       "He's Luce's boyfriend and my dad loves him." I shrugged and lifted my eyes to lock with his intense, dark, tummy turning ones. I gulped. It wasn't fair that people as beautiful as him existed. It just wasn't fair.

       "That makes no fucking sense." He sighed and shook his head, but turned on his heel and walked down the porches steps without another word. I followed quickly behind him.

       I still wasn't so sure this was real. I mean, I knew it was, but it just seemed like something from a dream. The Big Four didn't take in outsiders, much less become friends with them. And Rex Turner definitely didn't become friends with some random person. This just all seemed too good to be true.

       "Do you have a car?"

       "Yes."

       "Are we taking it?"

       "No."

       "Oh, why?"

       "Do you ever stop talking?" He snapped just as we reached the sidewalk. I instantly shut my mouth and dropped my eyes to the ground. I tried to ignore the jab of hurt that shot through me, but it was hard. We had just become friends, and I was already ruining it.

       I talked too much, I knew that, and it was only a matter of time before it started to annoy him. I guess I just thought our new-found friendship would have lasted at least the whole day. I didn't want to irritate him or make him angry, even though I did that unknowingly all the time.

       The silence between us was tense and deafening before Rex let out an angry sigh and shot me a glance with those dark chestnut eyes. "Roza, I'm-"

       "Princess!"

       A smile instantly spread across my face as the voice I had become quite familiar with the past couple of days called in front of us. I had just enough time to snap my eyes away from the ground and catch a glimpse of strong arms before my face was being squished into Trey's chest.

       "I missed you Princess! Two days is too long." He let out a loud bark of laughter before his insanely large arms lifted me off my feet and spun me around in a wide circle.

       "I swaw wou yesterway." My voice came out as a soft muffle between us, but he didn't seem to have a problem understanding me.

       "Yes, but only for like two minutes before your cute little ass ran after lover boy." He let out a mock sigh before setting me back down with a bright spark flashing through his eyes.

       "Shut the fuck up." Rex snapped and turned angry eyes on his so called 'best friend' before grabbing tightly onto my upper arm and yanking me back to his side, not that I was complaining. Rex actually wanted me next to him- Who would complain?

       Trey rolled his eyes before sending me a devious wink. I blushed and tried not to hide my face in embarrassment. These boys were something else, I swear. "Come on, we're taking my car." He gave me a big cheesy smile and nodded towards the black Expedition waiting for us on the curb. I gave him a small smile of my own before turning towards Rex- who was glaring at a tree like it just killed his puppy.

       "Rex?"

       "What?" He grumbled, but didn't turn his eyes away from the brown bark of the tall maple he seemed infatuated with.

       "Nothing, sorry." I mumbled and quickly turned back to Trey. The smile that usually rested on his face was replaced by a soft frown that quickly disappeared when he saw me looking.

       "May I have the honors, Princess?" His cheesy smile was back as he stuck his arm out towards me with a happy glint in his eyes. My face lit up at the sweet gesture and I nodded before looping my arm through his. Rex followed silently behind us.

       Why was he so mad? Did I do something wrong? I- I didn't think I did. But I always ended up doing something and he always ended up mad. I'll just have to work harder to stop being so annoying.

       Trey let go of my arm when we reached the back door of his expedition and shot me a wink before climbing into the driver's seat. Okay? I reached out to open the back door, but it barely moved an inch before something hard shoved me back and the door ripped open.

       Denton lunged at a furious Rex and wrapped his arms around his neck in a bear hug that I think was meant for me. The next thing I knew, there was painful yelp from Denton as Rex slammed him back into the large vehicle.

       "Don't you ever fucking hug me again." The angry leader of the Big Four spat through furiously clenched teeth, his large hands curled into fists at his side.

       "I meant to hug Rose, you prick!" Denton winced as he rubbed the back of his head where it hit the window. I frowned. Denton didn't do anything, Rex didn't have to hurt him-

       "Don't fucking hug her either." He snapped, and I couldn't help the flinch that racked through me. I thought he was okay with the boys and I being friends? If he still didn't want me hanging around him, he didn't have to say that it was okay last night.

       "Get in Rose." Rex all but growled beside me, and I climbed in without hesitation. He didn't call me Roza- he was mad at me.

       I fumbled into the middle seat and buckled the seat belt around me as I choked down that hard knot building in my throat. I glanced over at a pouting Denton who gave me a sloppy smile before going back to nursing his head. I tried to smile back, but the knowledge that Rex was mad at me kept eating at my chest.

       "Hey kid." Brett shot me a smile from the passenger seat and I smiled back before dropping my eyes to my lap. Rex's attitude had me sitting in a sulky mood.

       He climbed in after me and buckled his seat-belt before Trey threw the car in drive and pulled out onto the street. The ride passed in an awkward silence, one where I kept my head pointed towards my shoes and twirled my thumbs sheepishly in my lap the entire time.

       I glanced at Rex a few times, but his beautiful dark eyes stayed trained out the window. When we pulled up to the school parking lot five minutes later, I fully expected him to jump out of the car and make a bee line away from me- but he didn't. "We need to talk." He spoke quietly into my ear as I climbed out of the vehicle after him. Trey shot me another quick wink before he and the twins sauntered off into the school.

       I stared with pleading eyes after them. Besides last night, nothing good ever happened between Rex and I when we were alone together. Especially when he was already mad at me. Fear swelled inside my chest- fear that he would tell me this friendship wasn't going to work.

       That I couldn't be friends with any of them again- but I nodded anyways and followed him a few feet away from the car. He sighed and leaned against the tree beside us before crossing his arms over his chest and staring down at me as I stared at the ground.

       "I'm not mad at you, Roza."

       I swept my hair behind me ear and peeked up at him as his dark eyes stared down at me. I bit my lip nervously. "But-"

       "Just be quiet and listen."

       I shut my mouth instantly and dropped my eyes back to the ground as his voice rolled over me. He let out another heavy sigh. "We weren't taking my car because Trey offered to drive, and I wasn't going to object." His tone wasn't as hard as usual, and a part of me actually thought he was trying to be gentle. I nodded and wrapped my arms tight around me as his chestnut eyes stared holes into the top of my head.

       "I... I wasn't trying to be mean when I asked if you ever stopped talking. I'm just- I'm not used to someone always asking questions." He seemed hesitant, gruff, but that didn't hide the apologetic tone of his voice.

       I knew he didn't actually say he was sorry, but he was still apologizing in his own way, and that was all I could have asked for. After all, if I didn't annoy him so much he wouldn't get so angry. "I'm sorry." I mumbled softly and kicked a pebble away with my foot. He apologized, the least I could do was say sorry for always being so annoying.

       "You're sorry? Why the hell are you sorry?"

       I shrugged my shoulders, but didn't bother looking up at him. I wasn't sure what look would be flashing that beautifully sculpted face of his, and I wasn't sure I wanted to know. "For annoying you. I know that's what makes you so angry." I couldn't look up at his dark chestnut eyes, their never-ending depths did something funny to my stomach whenever I did.

       "God Roza, I'm trying to tell you I'm not mad at you." He grunted in a way that sounded almost painful and I watched as he rubbed his hand down his face out of the corner of my eye.

       "Then what are you mad at?" I scrunched my eyebrows in confusion and lifted my gaze to stare at his beautiful jaw-line instead of those eyes.

       "Those fucking idiots don't know how to keep their damn hands to themselves." He bit out through clenched teeth, and I suppressed the flinch that badly wanted to seep through.

       "But, I thought you said I could be friends with them again." I trailed off as my eyes finally locked on those dark chestnut orbs, and just like I said, their never-ending depths made butterflies erupt in my stomach.

       "That's not what I meant-" He stopped and let out a heavy breath. "God, this is failing miserably." He groaned and broke eye contact with me long enough to rub the palms of his hands into his eyes.

       "I don't care if you're their friend, but them touching you is not okay."

       "Why?"

       "It just isn't, alright?" He snapped, and I instantly dropped my gaze back to the ground.

       "Okay."

       A few seconds of silence passed before I felt gentle fingers stroke my cheek. I lifted my head just enough to see him staring down at me with a sad look haunting his dark gaze. "I thought you weren't afraid of me?" His voice was soft as his eyes flashed and his thumb gently rubbed across my cheek.

       "I'm not."

       "You flinch every time I snap at you." I watched in amazement as that dark look in his gaze ease with one of slow building guilt. He quickly looked away.

       "Because I know you're angry with me, and I don't want to make you mad." I admitted softly as his hand dropped from my face and his eyes snapped back to mine.

       "It's never you I'm angry at, Roza."

       My brows quickly furrowed in confusion, but he was walking away before I could ask him any questions. "I- I'll see you in class?" I called after him and watched as he paused before turning back to look at me.

       "Yeah." His beautiful chestnut eyes regarded me curiously before he nodded and turned back around. "You coming?" He called over his shoulder as he headed for the school's entrance.

       A hundred-watt smile lit my face as I ran to catch up with him. He raised his eyebrow at me as I turned that smile on him, and I could tell I needed to drop it, but it was a genuine smile that was brought forth by him. And I could never stop those.

-&-

       First and second period went by slowly, but I was on a happy high for all of third- even though that was only because Rex gave me a small smile when I sat next to him. An actual smile! I hardly ever got one of those- heck no one did. Not from Rex Turner. I felt significantly special- which was rather stupid, but I just couldn't help it.

       We didn't necessarily talk except for when I first sat down and said 'hi' and he said 'hey', but I didn't really care. He actually smiled at me and said hey in a class full of students! It was safe to say I was extremely happy. Fourth period was a bore, but maybe that was because I was way too excited for lunch. Looking back on it now, I should have just gone straight to the Big Four's lunch table instead of the lunch line.

       That's where chaos broke lose.

       I was so early to the cafeteria that none of the boys were there yet, and I hopped over to lunch line as I waited for them- despite my new-found distaste of the school's food. When I normally came to lunch all the 'somebodies' had already gotten their food and were at their tables, but I just had to be early.

       Big mistake.

       I had just paid for my food and grabbed my tray when I turned around and accidentally slammed right into a blonde firecracker with a major attitude and superiority complex. My tray crushed into her baby blue blouse and I fell right on my butt in the middle of the cafeteria. I gulped.

       Uh oh.

       "What the fucking hell?!" Jeslyn's voice screeched across the entire lunchroom and silenced the students entering it. There were quite a few things I didn't do well with, stress and a whole butt-load of attention was some of them. I could feel my insides turn uneasily as everyone's gaze turned to the gruesome scene in front of them.

       God, I hoped none of the Big Four saw this. I just became friends with them, talk about an awkward situation.

       "I-I'm so sorry." I tried to stand and apologize to Jeslyn Mayne, the "it" girl of the school, before any more damage could be done- but her hand clamped down on my shoulder and pushed me back onto the ground hard.

       "You fucking bitch! Do you see what you did to my shirt?!" The voice I usually only heard laughing obnoxiously in the halls or during lunch rose in pitch as she stared at the spot on her shirt that the crappy cafeteria's greasy pizza had made.

       "I'm so sorry, really I am-"

       "You think a fucking sorry is going to get this out of my Valentino original?" She snapped as those icy blue eyes shot daggers at me so sharp I'm sure she envisioned slicing my head off. Honestly, I had no idea what a Valentino original was, but I'm guessing it was expensive. It had to be if she owned it.

       The students around us just sort of stood around watching eagerly, some more awkwardly, but none of them rushed to help. They knew what would happen if they got between Jeslyn and her prey, and it was never good. The girl practically owned the whole school. The Big Four controlled in their own way, but she ruled in that all time typical usual popular way. If you got on her bad side, you got on all her follower's bad sides as well.

       "Um, no?" I blinked up at her with confused eyes and a sorry expression. I didn't want to cause any trouble, at this point I just wanted to leave.

       "You fucking nobody skank." She hissed through teeth that reminded me of a rattle snake. Thank God I had dropped my eyes to my shoes in embarrassment, because the next thing I knew there was a tray of food being shoved down on my head.

       I think my heart stopped when the quickly filling cafeteria burst out laughing. Spaghetti, pudding, and I'm not sure what else sat smeared all over my hair and down my face. I felt that familiar icy pang prick my eyes as I reached up and wiped at my face.

       Don't cry Rose. I found myself repeating that same statement over and over again in my head as Jeslyn's hand retracted from my shoulder. "Watch where you're fucking going next time, or spaghetti won't be the only thing you got coming." She smirked, her eyes flashing maliciously before she snapped around and walked away.

       I let out a very shaky breath.

       I tried to avoid the mess on the floor as I stood slowly to my feet, my backpack laying helplessly on the floor. I wrapped my arms tightly around myself and tried to hide a gut-wrenching sob as I walked from the cafeteria- yes, walked. I wasn't going to run out crying, that would only make them all laugh more. But as soon as the doors closed behind me I raced to the bathroom with tears streaming down my face in waterfalls.

       I ran into the nearest restroom I could find and went straight for the sink. The sooner I got this gunk off me, the sooner I could leave this whole place. I froze when I saw the rather gruesome and morbid sight staring back at me from the mirror. My eyes were red from the tears, and smooshed food covered my face and hair- some even made its way down my shirt. I let out a ragged sigh, it looked like I had just spent the last hour dumpster diving.

       I patted at my hair to no avail and the tears that poured down my cheeks only smeared the food even more. My hand shook as I reached over to turn the faucet on and tried to wash the grime from my skin the best I could, but that still left my hair a total disaster. I nearly screamed when I glanced back at the mirror again and saw a pair of dark chestnut eyes staring down at me. My hands gripped the sink tightly as I sucked in a ragged breath and dropped my head.

       "W-what are you doing here, Rex?" I could barely whisper loud enough for him to hear, but I know he did. Rex was good like that.

       I watched his tall body walk up behind me until the warmth of his chest seeped into my back. I gulped. There was a short, heart pounding pause before his strong fingers pried mine away from the sink and he turned me around gently- his hand warm and soft as it held mine.

       "I'm so sorry, Roza." His dark voice whispered as the hand that wasn't holding mine reached up and rubbed gently across my now clean face. I sniffled as the tears fell harder, but kept my gaze directed at his chest. I was too embarrassed to look into his eyes, too humiliated to see the pity shining there.

       "Don't say that. It's not your fault."

       He sighed and shook his head before his thumb went back to stroking my cheek. "I wasn't there to protect you like I promised, and that part is my fault." His voice sounded so guilty as it washed over me, and I couldn't help the painful feeling it put in my chest.

       I kept my eyes locked on his shirt, but let my head fall into his hand as he pulled me gently closer. I liked this Rex- this sweet, caring Rex that actually seemed like wanted to help in any way he could. "Let's get you cleaned up, alright?" His voice was a gentle caress as he whispered in my ear. It was so different from how he usually talked that I had a hard time believing it was really him.

       I nodded slowly and let him turn me around. He walked over to the side of the sink and turned the faucet back on before gesturing for me to lean over. Wet, strawberry strands danced along my vision as tears continued to fall from my eyes.

       The humiliating scene replayed over and over in my head, like my mind was stuck on a constant, and incessant replay. I felt Rex's fingers massage through my hair, washing away all traces of the smooshed assortment of food. I tried to focus on that, on how good it felt.

       I closed my eyes and urged the tears to stop as his fingers sent my mind into a serene bliss. I momentarily forgot about the disaster that happened just minutes ago, the replay had finally been broken. His hands in my hair felt like magic and I never wanted it to end.

       Reality came crashing back hard onto my shoulders when he turned the water off and ringed out my hair. The sound of paper rustling caught my attention before he began patting my hair dry. I was happy he was doing this for me- I wasn't exactly sure I would have been able to without breaking down. He threw the paper towels away and grabbed my hand once again.

       "Rose?" It took me a minute to realize he was calling my name, and when I finally looked up into his dark eyes, a whole new level of anger glinted back at me. "I swear that will never happen to you again." His voice was soft, but firm as he cradled my face between his hands and rubbed his thumbs across my cheeks. This is the most he has ever touched me, ever been this sweet to me- and I never wanted it to end.

       I wanted to believe him, to trust that look in his chestnut eyes- I just wasn't sure if I could. I was always finding trouble, always putting myself in danger or doing something stupid, keeping me safe was almost pointless. I attracted trouble like a magnet. But I just nodded anyway and dropped my gaze back to his shirt.

       He sighed and let go of my face as he took a step back and looked down at my shirt. "Do you have something under that? Like a tank top or whatever stupid things girls wear under their clothes?" I nodded and tugged uselessly at the bottom of my ruined shirt, my eyes still glued to his black one. He gently pushed my hands aside and pulled my shirt over my head like I was a child who couldn't do it myself. Well, I guess I was acting like one.

       "Put this on, little Roza." He said softly a moment later as he shucked his jacket off and handed it to me. I did as he said and slipped the warm, worn down jacket, that was way too big for me, over my arms. I watched as he rolled my now useless shirt into a ball and stuffed it into his backpack.

       I cuddled into the warmth that radiated from the old leather cover as the smell of Rex filled my senses and turned my thoughts to mush. He bent down enough to zip the jacket all the way before his chestnut eyes met mine.

       "I'm being serious, you know." He grumbled as he threw his bag back over his shoulder and shot those dark eyes at me. "I will never let those fuckers hurt you again." He grabbed my chin to emphasize his point, but I could only nod as I tried to choke down the tears that wanted to fall again.

       I leaned over and wrapped my arms tightly around his waist, but unlike the night before, his arms wrapped tightly around me too. I felt my heart flutter in my chest. Rex was hugging me. The Rex Turner was hugging me. He didn't say any soothing words or whisper sweetly into my ear, but that was okay. I really didn't need him too. Just being in his arms was enough to make me feel better. This sweet and caring act he had going on was chasing away the pain and embarrassment from earlier.

       He held me tight like that for a moments before he slowly peeled me off him and wrapped his arm snugly around my back. I curled into his side. "Let's get you out of here." His dark voice was almost a soft murmur as he led me away from the sink and out of the restroom.

       Wide eyes turned to us and stared with opened mouths as Rex held me closely to his side and pulled me down the hall. I knew they weren't shocked because a boy was in the girl's room- girls bring them in there all the time to do only god knew what, but it had to be the Twilight Zone if Rex Turner was walking out of the bathroom with a crying girl in his arms.

       He didn't date, he didn't even talk to girls, so seeing me plastered like glue to his side was a sight for sore eyes. It wasn't like him. "I'm going to take you home, okay?" He whispered softly into my ear, and ignored the gaping girls as I clutched at him like a life line. I only nodded.

       I didn't care about skipping school at this point and I didn't care about getting in trouble. My stomach felt like it wanted me to throw up its contents, and my head was pounding from all the crying. The only thing I cared about was Rex holding me, and praying that he would never let go. This was a dream, a dream come true that I never wanted to end.

       I hadn't even realized we were in the parking lot until he was opening the passenger door of Trey's SUV and helping me in. I didn't really pay any attention to my surroundings as his strong fingers brushed against my cheek, his warm chestnut eyes staring down at me in worry.

       "Roza-"

       "Rex!"

       His head whipped away from mine as Trey's voice boomed across the parking lot, his large, mountain-like figure jogging over to us. "Don't move." Rex's voice was a soft murmur as he wiped a tear off my cheek and turned towards his best friend.

       "Where are you going?" Trey's voice drew me out of my depressed spiral, and I curled into a ball before turning my face to watch them. Trey looked worried, really worried. His bright eyes kept glancing between Rex and I, and his handsome sat in an unpleasant scowl. It only made me frown. Great, now I had two of the Big Four worrying about me. I didn't deserve that.

       "I'm taking her home, she doesn't need to be here right now." Rex was leaning against the open passenger door with his arms crossed and his eyes hidden behind a pair of dark sunglasses. I hadn't even noticed when he put those on.

       "You okay, Princess?" Trey asked after a moment of silence. I didn't miss how Rex's hands dropped to his sides in tight fists, or how his whole body stiffened with tension.

       I nodded and gave him a weak smile before tightening my arms around my knees and dropping my gaze to the ground. Rex said something that I couldn't hear, and I zoned out for the rest of their conversation.

       It was barely a few seconds later before I felt Rex's warmth hovering over me once again. His eyes sent a strange reassuring sensation through my body as he grabbed my seat belt and secured it around me, the warmth that he seemed to radiate seeped through his jacket that I was wearing and into my bones.

       "It's going to be okay, Rose." His voice was a deep, gentle, and surprisingly reassuring. I didn't even know that Rex Turner knew what the word reassuring meant. It reminded me of a lullaby as it wrapped around my shaky body in comfort. I nodded and closed my eyes as he stood back up and closed the door softly.

       When I opened them again, I watched as Rex and Trey talk for a few more seconds before Trey nodded and turned to walk away, but not before he gave me a reassuring wink. A sickening though hit me when Rex finally climbed into the driver's seat and started the large SUV.

       "Rex, I left all my stuff back in the cafeteria."

       "I know. Trey's going to get it and I'll bring it over later after I drop his car back off at school."

       "Okay..." I mumbled softly and cradled my knees to my chest before resting my head against them. 

       He sighed a moment later when he pulled out onto the main street and cast a sideways glance at me. "I really am sorry Roza, that never should have happened."

       "It's okay Rex, it's my fault. I shouldn't have gotten there early and I shouldn't have walked into her." I mumbled against my jeans, but I noticed his grip on the steering wheel tightened.

       "Just- if you get there early again, wait for one of us, okay?" His voice was clipped and hard at the end, but I could tell he was trying not to let me see the anger boiling underneath the surface. He was controlling himself, for me. I wasn't so sure I knew how to take that.

       "Okay, T." I cracked a small smile as he groaned and turned his attention back to the road.

       "I thought you forgot about that." His dark grumble was almost a growl, but he couldn't hide the small curve that appeared in the corner of his lips.

       "Why would I put you through the torture of making you think I forgot your handpicked nickname?" I teased which earned me another 'almost there' smile. I felt my insides light in happiness. I was making Rex Turner almost smile. I should get a trophy or something. "It's okay to smile, you know. It's just you and me right now."

       He kept his gaze locked on the road, but I didn't miss when his body visibly tensed. A frown pulled at my lips. He was really against smiling. "I just... don't like to smile." His voice was off, his face hidden behind that usual mask of indifference and anger- but that didn't stop me.

       "I've noticed, but I would really like to see it."

       He let out a heavy breath of air and ran his hand through his hair before casting a glance at me. "Will that make you happy, little Roza?" I nodded eagerly with a small smile of my own plastered to my face. He brought his gaze back to the road and shook his head, a heavy sigh slipping past his lips.

       But then something amazing happened. The first actual smile I had ever seen from him lifted those perfect lips into a heartbreaking expression.

       My heart stopped.

       I thought that boy was perfect before, but seeing him smile for the first time, actually smile, threw my definition of perfect out the window. It lit his whole face up- brighten his dark chestnut eyes, and caused these most mouthwatering dimples I had ever seen to appear in his cheeks. But all too soon, he caught me staring at him like a gaping fish.

       "What?" His smile fell almost instantly and that dark demeanor passed once more over his face.

       "Perfect..." My voice escaped my lips in an awe filled whisper without my permission, and I instantly wanted to clamp a hand over my mouth in embarrassment.

       "What?" He asked again, except this time he was staring at me like he either: (A) Didn't hear me. Or (B) Thought I was insane. I was desperately praying for A.

       "You should smile more often." I mumbled instead of answering and quickly buried my face back into my knees to hide my blush. Two decent conversations in two days, this had to be a new record. And I was loving every minute of it.

       "Smiling is for people who have something to smile about." His dark eyes were glued solely to the road, and his jaw was stiff. It made unease swirl in my stomach. What happened to him, to make him so- so dark.

       "Or sometimes, people smile to make other people smile." I shot him one of my own as his gaze glanced over at me.

       "How would you know? You smile all the time. It's easy for you, it's natural. You grew up with a good life, a good family, and good friends. Not everybody has that." He shook his head, and even though his voice was gentle it still sent a shot of pain through me. He knew nothing about me, about my life. And I prayed to God he never would.

       "You don't know anything about me, Rex." My smile was gone, my urge to continue this conversation went with it. I didn't want to think about my past, to tell him how he was completely wrong. It would raise too many questions, questions I didn't want to answer. I could tell my words took him by surprise, but I didn't elaborate, and he didn't ask me too. Those were painful memories, memories I didn't want to repeat.

       I knew the general idea why Rex was the way he was. He had a bad past, and I never once judged him because of it, even if I didn't know the details. Not everyone that smiles all the time has a good history, and he shouldn't judge by what he sees on the outside.

       He pulled into my drive way a few moments later, and I hopped out of the car before he could say anything. I wasn't angry at him, just upset. Upset and tired at the whole day. I just wanted to curl up in my bed and sleep. Everything that happened today was so stressful and depressing, and I needed to take my medicine if I wanted to make it through the night without an attack.

       "Rose wait!" Rex's voice stopped me from making my escape up the porches steps as his beautiful figure jogged over to me. "I didn't mean to make you upset. I just-"

       "It's okay Rex, I'm fine. Thank you, for everything." I gave him a small smile and stopped the protest that rose to his beautiful lips by standing on my tip toes and kissing his cheek. Shocks shot through my lips the moment they brushed against his warm skin, and I nearly jumped back at the shock.

       The sensation was the greatest thing I had ever felt, and I never wanted it to end. I think I stunned the living crap out of him, because I left him standing by my porch with his mouth slightly open and his eyes wide before I closed my front door and turned to hurry up the stairs.

       That did not just happen. Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God-

       "Rosie? Is that you?" My father's voice stopped me in mid-flight, and I let out a reluctant sigh before turning to walk down the hallway. I stuck my head in the kitchen and smiled at my father.

       "Hi daddy."

       "Hey honey, what are you doing home so early?" His blue eyes narrowed before I could answer his question and instant 'worried parent' mode kicked in. "Did someone bully you again? You need to tell me who it is Rosalyn, so I can report them."

       "No one is bullying me." I sighed softly, at least it was mostly true. Today was bullying, but I did accidentally dump my tray on her. I understood why she was upset.

       "Then why are you home early?" He put his coffee cup down and crossed his arms over his chest in the 'I'm an intimidating father' stance. It made me want to laugh. He was a pretty big guy, and he scared almost everyone except Luce and I. He couldn't even ground us if he wanted to. The poor guy didn't have it in him.

       "I spilled food all over myself and my friend dropped me off." So that was kind of a lie, but it was close enough, and it seemed to work for him. He smiled and dropped his intimidating stance immediately before pulling me into a hug.

       "I love you, kiddo." He mumbled as he squished the life out of me in a terrifying bear hug.

       "I love you too." I tried to gasp as he gave me one more hard squeeze before setting me back down. I swore he didn't know how much that actually hurt. "I'm going to go lay down, I don't feel so well." I mumbled as he picked his coffee cup back up and nodded.

       I headed for the stairs as his eyes dropped back down to the paper in front of him. He's never really forgiven himself for what happened all those years ago, and no matter how hard I tried to reassure him, he still beats himself up about it. It's not his fault his parents were completely and totally insane.

       It wasn't until after I had taken a hot shower and grabbed my dirty clothes back in my hands that I realized I still had Rex's jacket. His warm, leather, and extremely comfy jacket. I lifted it to my nose and took in a deep breath. God, it even smelled as good as him.

       I could have waited until school officially ended and dropped it off at Trey's house for him. I didn't know where Rex lived, and even though I told him everything was okay, I didn't want him to see how much his words had affected me, and I honestly planned on avoiding him at school tomorrow. I was way too embarrassed about what happened outside, and at lunch. I wasn't sure if I would be able to face him for a while.

       After I put on my comfy clothes, I grabbed his jacket and crawled into my fancy full sized bed that had its own little platform in my room. I wrapped myself tightly in his jacket once again, that part of my mind that so desperately wanted him to like me pretended it was his warm arms wrapping around me and never letting me go. I did not want to give the worn cover up back.

       I laid there quietly until school got out four hours later, and I couldn't help replaying the cafeteria scene over and over again until I wanted to throw up. I always envied the people that could hold their tears in, almost as much as I pitied them.

       Crying, for me, had always been a way to release all the pent-up emotions that raged through my body- but for other people it was a sign of weakness. I didn't want to be weak, but it didn't take a genius to tell that I wasn't necessarily strong either. I crawled out of bed at four thirty and, much to my reluctance, replaced Rex's jacket with one of Tate's old hoodies. Trey would give the jacket back to him, and I could avoid him like I planned.

       A part of me knew that was probably highly unlikely.

-&-

I hope you all enjoyed it! Tell me what you think!