Realistic or Modern DotC High

[FlameintheRoses]

Winsley watched the two of them, noticing Sage's expression faltering. Did something happen? Something must have, otherwise he wouldn't have faltered. It made her unsure of whatever was happening behind the scenes. Still though she held a smile, as not to alert or frighten Korren.

Korren held a smile as he continued to share the expression, though it faltered. She felt a weight on her shoulders. Perhaps she was overthinking things, though she was scared that he knew. Did he know? She hoped in a way that he did, though there was no way he did. She simply scooted closer when he wrapped his arm around her, resting against him. Again her smile widened by the compliment, her cheeks just barely flushing. The attention then turned to Winsley, and so she looked towards her as well. She rested her head against his shoulder as he spoke. Everything was all fin and dandy, at least until he asked that blasted question, mentioning the name she never figured to hear when it came to jocks. Surely it wasn't really him that they were talking about, right? But it was him.

The color began to drain from her face, sucking in a breath as if it were her last. "Uhm.." Her voice was shaky. She remembered him. He went to parties, even the ones that were thrown at her very own house. Specifically she remembered going into a back room with him, and in the end she regret ever going with him. Just barely, she shook. "He.. uhm.." Her throat was clamping up. What could she say? She didn't want to hurt Winsley, and being reminded of him frightened her. He was one of the boys that hurt her badly. To conclude her thoughts temporarily, she gulped and tried to speak. "I don't know him... that well." Korren shifted so her head dug into Sage's arm, not wanting to make eye contact with anyone. Surely she had already ruined their night. The last night she would have with them, and she ruined it already.

 

[McMajestic]

Sage was a bit taken aback by Korren's behavior. She had gone pale, had began to stutter, had buried himself against him. And the moment she spoke he knew she was lying. He glanced at Winsley, before looking back at Korren. Both arms now moved around his girlfriend, and he gently pushed her chin up to face him. "Korren," he began, his voice low, a bit afraid of what he was about to ask. "Did Jay do something to you? You gotta tell the truth okay. We don't Winsley to get stuck with a bad guy," he coaxed, his voice soft as he smoothed down her hair. "You don't have to tell details or explain anything but if he did something you gotta tell me, love." He rested his hand on her cheek, looking into her beautiful blue eyes.

He felt horrible for asking for this out of her, but at the same time he needed to protect Winsley just as much as he needed to protect Korren. Both girls meant the absolute world to him in two very different ways and he wanted to make sure they both got justice. "Uh... we don't have to talk about it here either, if you don't want. Winsley won't mind if you'd prefer some privacy," he added, not wanting her to feel pressured to talk in front of Winsley too since it was obvious she liked Jay.

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Winsley looked at Korren with shock. Something happened to that girl, something that was off. It made her feel like she did something wrong, even though she didn't. The reaction she watched go down wasn't one she expected. Surely he wasn't that bad, right? He shouldn't be. She let go of Sage for now, wondering to herself what he could have possibly done that was so bad to Korren.

Korren held on to Sage tightly, squeezing so she could hold on to him. There was no way she was letting go. Her head was moved so she would look at him, though she was unsure if she wanted to. Carefully she listened, holding back any sounds so she wouldn't stress Winsley out any more than she already did. Her breath was shaky as she looked at him, nodding every now and then so he would understand that she heard him. She glanced at Winsley, then back to Sage. Instead of having an overwhelming loom of Winsley's reactions to the news being brought for them to know. "Okay." She whispered, glancing to Winsley with an apologetic look. This was something that she couldn't hear.

Winsley saw the way Korren looked at her, understanding that this was something dire. Jay really had done something wrong. What Bucky was telling him was a blur between the abuse, though she heard something about... Oh god. Her eyes opened wide, and she slowly got up from the couch. "I'll be in my room." She spoke quietly. It seemed that everyone knew, everyone except for Sage. She didn't want it to be true, though. Winsley didn't want to hear the confirmation that Jay was capable of hurting someone like that.

Finally, once Winsley left the room, Korren took deep breaths. Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale. She closed her eyes for a moment, before opening them back up again. "He did." Finally the news was out. It felt as though she was directly calling out Bucky, though this wasn't him. It was Jay. Part of the night at she was hurt by him she didn't remember, though she remembered the rest. Once everyone was gone from the party and she was alone, she remembered to have cried herself to sleep. It wasn't the first time she had it done to her before, though it was still traumatizing. Each time it happened she always made sure to get tested, on edge each time for whether she would end up with a child or not in the end. She was lucky, though. Protection or not, she was lucky.

She recalled the night in vivid memory, with the memory hitting her like a truck. First she seemed to be numb, then it all spilled out. She started to cry, pushing her face into his shirt so he wouldn't have to see her that way. "He- he.. it was at a party.. I was drugged- I-I didn't have a choice.." The words poured out between the sobs. Not only was it the memory of such a thing, but the fact that she would have to be brought back to that lifestyle soon enough. It made her uneasy, saddened and scared of such pressures. She didn't want to go back to worrying over whether or not she would wake up pregnant or not the next day, or whether or not to take the drugs or drinks at parties just to ease any inescapable pain. Don't make me go back...

 

[McMajestic]

Sage felt shock pour over him as Korren admitted that yes, Jay had hurt her. It was even worse when she gave such a look to Winsley that the poor girl decided to leave. Though it wasn't till a moment after she was gone that Sage heard the truth, and it killed him to hear such a thing. He held Korren tighter as she stumbled over her words, rocking her gently. "It's okay, I got you now, Harvard. It's never going to happen again, I got you," he whispered, holding her close. Even as he comforted Korren though, he couldn't help but feel angry at Jay. Not only had he let Winsley get stabbed but he had also raped Korren. This guy didn't deserve anything, and Sage was gonna make him pay on Monday when he saw him in the halls. Nobody was going to get away with what they did to any of his loved ones.

Although another thought dampened his anger, and that was how much Winsley liked Jay. Maybe after she head what he had done it would go away but even as he thought it Sage knew that was far too easy. He didn't know what to do about it, for once. The jocks were once again standing in his way but there was no clear solution to get around it all. He sighed, kissing the top of Korren's head and smoothing her hair back. "I love you, Korren, I love you so much and I promise I'll always take care of you now, okay? I promise," he told her, wanting his words to sink in so she'd never have to revisit those horrible memories again. Even as he said this though, he continued to wonder about Winsley. He couldn't take care of both of them in this situation, not like he wanted to, and he felt that dark sense of mortality wash over him. All he wanted to do was keep them both happy, but he knew he couldn't do it.

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Korren held tightly on to him as she sobbed, shaking every now and again. Each time she took a breath, she would try to slow herself down, to settle from being hit with emotion. She listened to what he had to say, not completely believing it. For the sake of calming down though, she leaned against him as she was rocked. Such a subtle motion helped her to settle down, though things would still not be okay. She wanted them to be okay, and tried to make it so they would be okay. The promise he made caused her throat to catch, pausing from speaking. As much as she wanted to believe the last portion, she couldn't.
"I love you too." She whispered, calming down after who knew how long. It felt like forever.

Soon, when the crying had slowed to a stop, bitter silence bit the air. Winsley came out when she felt that everything was safe. When she was in her room though, she heard bits and pieces of everything. It unsettled her, knowing that Jay did something so horrendous. She wanted to yell at him for it, though she was scared to. He didn't want to see her anymore, anyways. What did she matter to him? Did anything that he say to her even matter to him, or was it all just a rouse to get her to care about him. Everything was so confusing. She didn't want to think about it, so she made sure to drown everything out with music. Earbuds clouded any sense of hearing what was going on in the outside world, and she kept it that way as she walked carefully out to the living room. Her side felt like it was going to tear if she moved the wrong way, so she made sure to walk slowly. She kept her hand over her side just to be sure.

Winsley sat down on the couch near them, pulling out one earbud after a moment. She glanced to Sage with a shied smile, trying to be uplifting, even if it wouldn't help. Every now and then she chewed on her lip, sifting her lip ring. It clinked against her teeth, helping to distract herself from her own mind. Her gaze moved to her television, watching whatever was still going on so she could keep her sanity. Thinking wasn't the best thing for her, so it was something she preferred not to do, especially in this situation.

 

[McMajestic]

Sage kept one arm around Korren as Winsley showed up, and used his other hand to grab hers, wondering if she had heard anything as he offered a weak smile back. There was nothing worth smiling about though, and for a long time he couldn't say anything else. It was a lot to think about, to figure out. But it was still Friday night, and some time in the beginning of the week Sage had promised Korren they would go on a date tonight. He wondered if she'd even be up for it though, with how strange she was acting lately. Then again, getting out of their own heads seemed to be something worth doing at a time like this.

"You know, if you guys want, we could invite the crew and maybe go to the mall? Just get some fresh air, have a little fun. It might be better than just sitting here all night, don't you think?" he asked, gently twirling a strand of Korren's hair around his finger as he glanced between her and Winsley. "Me and you, Harvard, we can go ice skating, too. I promised you we would, remember? that sounds nice, right?" he asked, hoping his suggestion would have more of a positive effect. It'd be better to go out and do something than just sit and think about everything wrong with them, or so he thought anyways.

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Winsley squeezed his hand, releasing any tension she held up in her. It felt better to have a physical release than to internalize everything. She sat still in the silence, watching the movie as the house stayed dead quiet. It distracted her from the deathly feeling that things were her fault, that feelings over Jay had been bad all along, and that true love was something she couldn't ever experience outside of friends and family.

Both the girls looked at Sage as he announced his proposal with great intrigue to the idea. Winsley smiled brightly at the mention of a mall. There were so many things she could buy in such a short amount of time, even though she wouldn't really be the one buying it. Part of her money she could bring, though surely she would end up mooching off of a friend, which happened on occasion.
"Yesss! That sounds like a flippin' amazing time, if ya' ask me." Winsley grinned, hoping to lighten the mood. They just needed time to themselves, time to relax. "I'll call the guys." Winsley pulled out her phone, dialing up numbers left and right. First Patch, then Lift, then Kilo. Everyone answered except for Kilo, which meant he was probably asleep or working. Patch and Lift answered with cheery replies, hanging up just so they could come over as soon as possible. Since she was so excited though, she forgot to mention her little injury. That didn't matter at the moment, though. Whether it be to limp the whole way there or move by wheel chair, she was going to go out and have fun.

Meanwhile, Korren smiled at the idea. It was good to get out, since it was their last chance. For now she pushed back her worries, deciding to follow her heart for that night before she would have to break his. That part she didn't want to think about though. She looked into his eyes and nodded in approval and agreement. "That sounds wonderful." Korren held her smile, making sure it wouldn't waver for a moment. All they needed at that moment was happiness, so she was going to try and provide that. No silly sob stories for the rest of the night, not until she has to leave.

After at least 20 Minutes, the door flung wide open. Patch and Lift entered the room with grins spread on their faces. The grins were wiped clean as soon as they saw the bandaging on Winsley. "Brit, what happen-" Winsley rose her hand to stop them from speaking, smiling all the while. "I'll talk about it later, but for now we're only going to have the time of our lives." She smiled at her friends, which rushed over to her side at that point. Patch hugged her tightly, while Lift sat down next to her, wrapping an arm around her. "Oh, I might need some help to walk. I'll explain later, don't ask. All you need to know is that I'm a badass with battle wounds." With a wink she leaned against Lift, knowing that he would at least carry her to the car. She didn't want to be much of a burden though. "We need to get a wheel chair, man! Or a little scooter, name me Hell on Wheels." She chuckled, and the other two laughed along with her, though it was clear that they were curious about the wounds.

 

[McMajestic]

Sage snorted, shaking his head as Winsley claimed to be Hell on Wheels. "You do realize those things only go two miles an hour, right?" he joked, ruffling up her choppy hair. They'd have to get that fixed but he didn't even know where to start with it. Sage wasn't much for cutting hair. None of them were as far as he knew. Tomorrow I'll find something, he thought, before taking Korren's hand and leading the way to the car.
-
When they got to the mall, Sage walked over to Winsley and counted out some extra money for her to spend since he knew she couldn't ice skate. He had a well paying job at least, so he'd always have a steady income every couple weeks. "Buy yourself something cute, wifey, okay?" he joked, glancing around and figuring at least Patch would go with her. "Me and Korren are going to head over to the ice skating rink. I'll teach her some of my moves." He winked at Korren before moving to take her hand in his own, squeezing gently for reassurance.

He was sure it was all still bothering her but he was hoping he could take her mind off everything. Hopefully, he could take it off his own mind too. In truth, Sage had been soaking in his own anger for Jay. Part of him wanted to make a U-turn straight to the football field and strangle the guy, but he knew he couldn't do that. Not yet anyways. Besides, practice was ending by now anyway, and he didn't know where to find Jay if not at school. Monday, though, Monday Sage was going to do something about it. Until then, he began to lead Korren off to the rink, leaving his friends behind to do whatever they wanted.

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Winsley, Lift, and Patch all tumbled out of the car, with Lift holding on to her the whole way. Near the doorway he put her down, making sure she stood for the moment. She grasped the money given to her, nodding with a smile on her face. Patch kept by her side, while Lift leaned against a nearby wall. It was good to see him and Korren enjoying themselves, even if jealousy tried to peak in. There was no room for such negative emotions, though. "Will do, Sleeze!" Then, she looked to Lift. He gladly moved over and picked her up, carrying her around to find and borrow a wheelchair. They rushed inside the mall, walking around and heading straight to the food court. They were all hungry, so they deserved something to eat for now. Each of them got what they wanted, ending with Winsley going to the coffee shop. People stared at them, at Winsley. She didn't care. None of those people mattered.
Their final stop for food was the coffee shop, with Winsley moving to sit in a comfortable and fancy couch. Patch sat next to her, while Lift waited to get her coffee. They talked and smiled together, ignoring the hurt held inside of them.

Korren followed Sage, nodding when he mentioned where they were going. She squeezed his hand back as they walked away. They traveled to the rink, leading in to a colder area. There was a smaller crowd skating around, filled with young lovers and children. The happy looks on their faces made the night feel better. This was a normal environment, and they were going to have a normal date. She took a deep breath, inhaling the bitter air, before looking at Sage. With such a homey setting, she felt more at peace. There they were in a crowd, not alone where they could be singled out. "I haven't skated in a while. Expect me to be falling on my bum." Lightly she chuckled, trying to brighten the mood. There was a tensity that hung over them like a rain cloud, one that needed to be dissipated... for now, at least. Again, she squeezed his hand for comfort and to comfort him as well. There was no time for tears or worries.

 

[McMajestic]

Jay had been off. The entire practice had gone poorly. So bad in fact, that the coach had threatened to throw the second string in and bench Jay. He was already on thin ice for running late and dropping passes certainly wasn't helping to ease the coach's mind. Even Bucky had held a mildly concerned expression as Jay tripped over his own two feet while chasing down the ball. To put it simply, it had been rough. But now he just wanted to relax and forget about his shitty day, and how nice lunch had been and how bad everything after that was.

He has a shift at the pizza place that night, and even though it was set to start in ten minutes he still found himself walking through the mall. He needed coffee, and not the shitty kind they had in a half-broken Keurig at his own work. He needed something strong and hot, to burn his worries away. So he headed into a coffee shop. As he stood in line he checked his phone, not sure what he was expecting as he did so. His lock screen was a picture of Celeste wearing a tiara, and that made him smile at least.

He looked up as it became his turn to order, and spoke it without bothering to even look at the menu. Jay frequented all the coffee shops so he knew what he wanted by now. After the barista took his order he moved towards a table in the back, but froze as he saw short green locks of hair in his peripheral, turning slowly to see if it was true- it was. There Winsley sat, and here Jay stood. Right in the middle of it all. What a small fucking world.

Sage led Korren over to a bench before going to get their skates. Once he had grabbed them, he set his own down on the floor and then sat next to them, slowly working to slip off Korren's shoes. "I won't let you fall, Harvard." He moved to put the skates on, lacing them up for her tight but not agonizingly so. He knew it was important to keep them knotted so there was last chance of breaking ankles on the rink. "And besides, you're skating with a pro, you'll be doing spins and leaps in no time." He then moved to pull his own on before pushing himself up to his feet.

"Come on, we'll do a couple warm up laps, let you hug the wall a little." He reached his hand out for her to take, smiling all the while. He didn't like the tension in the air between them, even if it was fading. There was so much going wrong and he only hoped that this night would help them forget everything that was hurting them. Maybe for just a little bit the tension could go away completely and they could both have a nice time. It was probably a lost cause considering Sage hardly ever got that kind of wish to come true, but he still hoped for it anyways. That for a few hours they could go back to before everything went wrong, and just have fun.

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Winsley had been casually chatting with Patch, leaning against her friend as they sat in chairs. The wheelchair she was borrowing was set next to her for when they would be wanting to leave. Meanwhile, Lift was standing near the counter and chatting with a costumer, a cute girl in fact. This was something he usually did, though no one ever seemed too interested in him. He didn't care.
As she turned her head to look at Lift, she noticed someone looking at her. It was Jay. Her eyes showed shock, though she played everything off as if nothing was wrong. Slowly she turned her head to Patch, pointing a finger to Lift, while in the other hand she slipped her friend five dollars. "Go get Lift and find some arcade games for me, okay? I'll get my drink, don't you worry. Ain't nothing stopping me." With a quick wink, she shooed her friend off. Patch knew this action was odd, but did as she said. There was no sense in aggravating her friend. The dark haired girl walked up to Lift and yanked him away from his conversation after the drink was given to him. There was something she whispered in his ear before they left, leaving Winsley's drink on her table as they passed by. She sighed when they were gone, allowing her eyes to fall in a sort of saddened look. Twice she glanced up at Jay, though didn't know whether to call him over or just sit there alone and sulk. Curiosity killed the cat. She needed to know why he did the things he did, and what made him do it. Of course she believed that Korren was raped, but didn't believe that it was completely his fault. The thought sounded terrible, but it was on her mind nonetheless.

The third time she looked up at him, she took in a deep breath, shakily exhaling. "Jay..." Her voice was quiet, apologetic. A tone she didn't use often, or ever, really. Her hands cupped around her cup, pulling it close to feel the warmth of it. "I'm sorry.. for hitting you." Winsley's eyes wandered down to the cup, feeling absolutely horrible. Even with the knowledge she had about what he had done, she couldn't shake the feelings she had for him.
--
Korren sat down on the bench, watching as he worked the shoes on to her feet. They had an awkward weight to them, something that felt that if you tripped and fell, it would end badly for you. She nodded at what he said, smiling at the little comment following. After a beat, she reached up and grabbed his hand, pulling herself up. All the stress on her mind was dissipating, leaving most thoughts alone for the time being. Her thoughts were a virus, but Sage... well, Sage was the vaccine. For a moment she wobbled on her feet, though with the help of Sage she held her balance. "I think I'll need more than the wall," She chuckled, walking with him to the rink.

The first steps were easier than expected, though that was because of her grip on Sage. Every now and again she wobbled on the ice, almost falling on her bum. It was almost like a child riding on their bicycle for the first time, except she had no control over what she was doing. Moving forward was the most efficient option, though it still held obstacles.

 

[McMajestic]

Jay had heard his order called and grabbed for his coffee, eager to get out that shop as quickly as he could. He never wanted to see Winsley again after she had hit him, had proved herself to be just as bad as the other people who claimed to love him. Though he paused from his hurry towards the exit when she said his name, and turned to face her as she apologized. Nobody ever apologized. Nobody ever cared. Yet here she was, looking defeated as she stuttered out those fateful words.

It made Jay walk over. Despite the little voice in his head telling him to book it. He took the seat across from her, took a sip of his coffee, and licked his lips, unsure of what to say for a long moment. "I guess I'll accept it. I'm not used to people hitting me and apologizing." He shrugged once, though tried to make it clear without explaining that that little phrase was some sort of insight to his reaction. He took another drink, let silence threaten to overcome them, and then decided it was his turn. "I'm sorry, too, Wins. I shouldn't have left you alone. That was a dick move. Fuck, letting them stab you was a dick move. I guess I really don't deserve the apology, do I?" He sighed and tapped his nails against the table. "Are you feeling okay? Want me to get you a muffin or a cookie or something?" he offered, trying to give her more than just a few simple words of apology.
-
As they get out on the ice Sage kept a close watch on Korren, seeing the stumbles before they happened so he could keep her on her feet. He held her hand, sometimes her upper arm too, determined to keep her up as they moved slowly. "You know, I don't think you're half bad, Harvard." He leaned down and kissed her cheek quickly, before pulling her along a bit faster. "Come on, we can do this." Sage quickly spun so he was in front, facing her, gliding backwards as he reached to hold both her hands in his own. "I was on a hockey team for six weeks in middle school before they kicked me off so I know what bad skating looks like. It isn't you." He chuckled and pulled her forward a bit more. "Just keep kicking back with your feet, like you're walking but you have to slide your foot against the ice instead of just step on it," he explained easily. He wanted to do more with her but he had to give her time to warm up, and then the fun could really begin.

Already he was starting to forget. His wish was starting to take shape. His smile grew more genuine and he was glad in that moment he had convinced himself to bring everyone out for the night. It was nice to be with Korren doing something as silly as this, to be able to hold her up, for both of them to have something different on their mind. Maybe everything would get better after tonight. He hoped it would anyways.

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Winsley waited for a moment anxiously, moving her fingers over the foam cup she held in her hand. It clicked when her nails tapped just barely against it, up until she heard his voice. It made her freeze, reacting as if she would never hear it. Who could blame her, though? She turned her eyes up slowly, grazing to his face, almost meeting eye to eye, but not yet. What he said had shocked her. It wasn't obvious, but it was hinted that he had been hit before. It matched with the way he reacted, and she suddenly felt her stomach fall into a pit that would be difficult to climb out of. The words sunk in, seeping through the cracks at a chilling rate. The silence ensued after broke her. Perhaps he just was sitting there to agree that she messed up and move on with his life, but she was wrong. Thankfully. Thankfully? Yes, no? She didn't know. She took a sip of her drinking, allowing it to burn her throat. The rest of what he said was difficult to answer to. Maybe he didn't deserve the apology, but that didn't feel right to her. She looked into his eyes as he asked her if she wanted something, anything. "No, no. Uhm... I'm good..." There was a long pause, which was dreadful, but she didn't know what to say. "But...maybe a.. a hug?" Winsley murmured, clutching tightly on to her drink after asking such a question. It felt too soon, but she needed it. Surely he would have needed it as well.

Korren kept her hold on him, helplessly chuckling at herself.They whisked along after he encouraged her, with her trying to steady herself. There must have been a technical side to it all, though she didn't have time to process it. She gripped on to his hands as tightly as she could, stiffening up as they glided across the ice. Her eyes widened slightly as her grip tightened, moving along on the ice. Even if he said she was doing good, she wasn't. She listened to him, trying to keep from falling. Every little tip he gave her, she tried them. She was wobbly, but was getting better. Her steps were growing more sure, though she still wasn't the best. Even so, she smiled genuinely. Learning something new was fun, especially with Sage with her.

 

[McMajestic]

Jay was a bit surprised by Winsley's request. He didn't move for a moment, instead looking her over, thinking. He didn't know what to do in this type of situation. Most girls didn't ask him for hugs, especially not so suddenly, after so much. Still, he knew she must have really needed it. Winsley was a strong girl, and for her to be so... girly, especially in public, well, he knew he couldn't refuse.

He stood, moving to the seat next to hers before picking her up, careful of her wounds, and setting her in his lap, hugging her close to him but refraining but wrapping his arms too tight around her waist. "I got you, Wins," he said gently, keeping her close against him. "I always got you." He leaned back a bit, relaxing now that he had the comforting weight against him. This was better than sitting alone, than sitting across from her in stoney silence. It made him feel better, at least. And he hoped it made her feel better too.
-
Sage grinned as Korren slowly but surely started to get the hang of it. "Hey look at that, you'll be out-skating me in no time," he joked, pulling her forward and spinning her around on her skates without much warning. After he did this though, he pulled her close to his chest, letting momentum carry them across the ice, hoping he hadn't scared her. "My sweet little snowflake," he mumbled, kissing her gently.

He then pulled away, spinning around himself and chuckling as he did so. "Come on, you can do it without my help, come towards me, babe, I'll catch you, I promise," he said, gliding backwards farther and farther away from her until there was a good amount of space between them. He made sure to move towards the middle too, so she couldn't use the wall and would have to skate to him all on her own.

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Winsley waited there in suspense, watching as he seemed to ponder over the idea. It made her anxious to see him thinking over it, as if it were some grand trick. Then he stood, and she was relieved. In public she could care less what people thought of her, though would never let anyone see her cry, not unless it was someone close to her, like Sage. She gladly allowed him to hold her, to keep her in his arms and not let go. The maneuvering hurt, but she got use to it. From there she leaned against Jay, keeping herself positioned so she wouldn't hurt so badly. Feeling his arms around her was more than comforting. It warmed her heart, the one that had been so ice cold. Her cheek laid against his collarbone, resting for the moment. "Thank you," Winsley spoke in a quiet voice, sounding soothing on such a rare occasion. Her arms hung around his waist, holding tighter as time went on.

Korren chuckled at his comment, though it was cut short when she was pulled forward and spun. In her mind she was screaming, though she was merely surprised in expression. When she was pulled close, she held on for dear life, letting out a breath that had been held for the moment. She smiled, hugging him as they glided with ease. Since he did all the moving, she didn't do or think much of it.

Then he started to pull away. "Wait," She said, noticing that he was moving out of range of her. Immediately she clutched the railing, almost tripping over herself in the process. "No, no I can't." She spoke out, looking slightly worried, and not to mention embarrassed. "Sage, come back here!" Korren exclaimed as he moved away to the middle. Once she automatically tried moving forward, but immediately remembered where she was on the rink and moved her arms to hold on tight to the wall. At that moment she stopped moving, digging into the ground with her skates, or at least as well as she could. She looked over her shoulder at Sage, who was now moving towards the middle. "Come on," She mumbled, glancing down at her feet. People skated around Sage, adults and children alike. They were all much better than she was, and not to mention doing almost as much as Sage was.

Through all that though, she wanted to try. At least trying would get her to the middle, even if she knew she was going to fail horribly. With a deep breath, she slowly maneuvered around to face him. With much effort, she pushed herself away from the wall. At first she wobbled, moving her arms out in front of her so she wouldn't fall before regaining her balance. Yes, she was smart. No, she wasn't coordinated. She glanced down at her feet every now and then before making sure to keep an eye out for other skaters. Ever so slowly she glided out towards Sage, using what little technique he taught her to move forward. "You're so impossi-woah!" As she lost her focus, she wobbled forward, holding her arms out in front of her so she wouldn't at least land on her face. For a moment she casually drifted on her skates, watching as other skaters passed by her. The color drained from her face momentarily while her heart thumped inside of her chest. "Sage, this isn't funny!" She glanced up where Sage was before looking down at her feet, giving a few glances to the people around her. There was high possibility that someone could crash right into her, and she was ready to dive out of the way if that was necessary.

 

[McMajestic]

"Anything for you," Jay said, reaching slowly for his coffee and taking another sip before setting it back down. He let them sit together comfortably for a while, not at all worried about his shift at work. He never showed up on time anyways and no one seemed to care too much as long as he did show up eventually. So for now he just held Winsley and drank from his coffee, until an idea suddenly came to mind. "Hey, I have a surprise for you." Jay stood, picking her up in his arms and grinning widely. "A really good surprise. I think it's going to make you wanna give me hummers for days." He winked at her before starting to carry her out of the store, not caring that he was leaving her wheelchair ride behind. "Best part is your little surprise is actually in this mall, not too far away. So close your eyes cause this is going to be a real Cinderella moment for you, Dear."

He headed over to the mall salon. Normally, he wouldn't waste time on places like this, but it was actually extremely high quality for sort of high prices. And he'd been going to this one guy the last few times he cut his hair cut. It seemed to work out great for him and he knew this guy would work wonders on Winsley too. "Ay, Monty, you around?" he called out, looking into the hair salon for him.
-
Sage laughed as Korren attempted to reach him. Even as she attempted to call him impossible he stayed still, waiting for her to try. Once she had had covered at least half the distance though, and was wobbling like a baby deer, he finally decided to end her misery and casually drifted over to her, taking her hand in his. "What's the matter?" he asked innocently, as if he hadn't just left her alone to skate for herself. "You were doing great, Harvard." He led her back over to the wall, skidding to a halt in front of her and smiling down. "My multi-talented snowflake." He kissed the tip of her nose, still chuckling at what he had done. He had to admit it was hilarious to see her struggle over something so simple.

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Winsley held on, shifting once or twice to stay comfortable. She reached for her coffee after a bit, holding on to it as they sat there, clutching it tightly as not to drop it. After a while she looked up when he talked, arching a curious brow. She laid in his arms, clutching her coffee cup close to her chest. For a moment she chuckled, laying her head against him. It felt like nothing had ever even happened, even though she knew that something did. "Oh, alright." And with that she closed her eyes, making sure to keep them shut. Every now and then she took a sip of coffee. The suspense killed her, but she knew that she would want it to be more of a surprise anyway. One hand moved to rest over her eyes, at least until she heard him call for someone. She took a peak, since it couldn't hurt anything. A quick peak and she knew what kind of place they were at. Immediately she was giddy. He was going to make her look pretty again.

Monty moved around the corner, running a hand through his curly colored locks. Shades of violet highlighted his dark brown curls. He walked out to Jay with a smile. The one customer he truly enjoyed seeing. Golden subtle studded earrings glistened on his ears, matching the hint of golden eye shadow. "Oh, hello, Jay! Come in, come in!" He waved a hand for them to come inside, greeting with a bright smile. There was a girl in Jay's arms, which slightly disappointed the young man. Relationships wasn't the priority in his job, though it was something he longed for. He turned a chair around for the girl to settle in, leaning slightly against the counter. "What are we doing today, doll?" Monty looked at Jay, aiming the question to him. It seemed that the girl messed up her hair badly, needing a professional cut. This was the usual case though. People tried to do it themselves and end up failing horribly.

Korren looked up as he rolled over, grasping on to his hands as soon as she could. The panic inside of her slipped slowly away, replacing with slight aggravation. She let it go, chuckling nervously. Of course he did that to mess with her, but in a playful way. Merely she shrugged, blushing in slight embarrassment. Her nose scrunched up as he kissed her, leaving a smile behind. "Yeah, yeah, but I wouldn't say talented in skating." She mumbled, shrugging to herself. As they chatted they drifted along the side, with one hand drifting next to the wall, and the other clutching on to him. Over time she was starting to get the hang of it, but still wouldn't be as good as him.

 

[McMajestic]

"We're fixing Winsley up," Jay answered, setting her in the chair. "Have I told you about my douchebag football team? The head dick decided to slice all her hair off. Bucky, that one. I'm sure I've complained about him before." Jay looked over to Winsley, wondering what could be done with the choppy mess that sat on top of her head. "I need you to be careful. My babe doesn't really like people screwing with her, and looking at it now, can you blame her?" Jay snorted, shaking his head as he moved to lean against the chair a bit. "Just take good care of her. Give her something hot, okay? I trust you on whatever you wanna do."

He then moved to stand in front of Winsley, taking her hand in his own and squeezing for a moment before letting go. "Monty's the best, Wins. Just try and relax, alright? I promise you'll be irresistable by the time he's done with you. Not that you weren't already," he added, kissing her cheek before taking a step back. "And I'm paying, so don't worry about using the expensive shit."
-
Sage grinned as he skated with Korren. She was slowly but surely starting to figure it out, and every now and then he'd speed them up a bit for a little bit of fun. As time went by though, he could feel the cold seeping in and slipped his jacket off, laying it over Korren's shoulders. He wasn't sure if she was cold but he didn't want her to be so it was better safe than sorry. "Wanna take a break? Get some hot chocolate, maybe? Or scones? They have something right by the rink. Don't even have to take our skates off," he added. "Unless you're feeling sore. Then we could go shopping instead," he offered, ready to cater to anything Korren wanted. He smiled, kissing her temple as he slowed them both to a stop near one of the exits.

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Monty nodded as he spoke, gasping at the mention of Bucky. Even though he hasn't seen the boy, he despised every bit of him. Seeing what happened to Winsley now only increased his loathing for him. Once he glanced over at Winsley with an apologetic look, before turning back to Jay. "Oh, but of course. She will be a star, brighter than ever before." He turned to prepare the proper tools, waiting until Jay stepped aside to get to work. "Alright, love. What I see on you could be punk, but subtly glamourise. Slanted bangs with some choppy effects..." He explained the rest all while hovering his hands around her head, making sure she knew what he was talking about.

Winsley smiled gently, bummed about the mention of Bucky, but still glad that she was getting the chance of a lifetime. Sure, she had gone to cheap hair salons, but never this kind. Monty seemed to be a legend and truly knew what he was talking about, so she trusted him. She looked at Jay as he crouched down in front of her, holding his hand for a brief moment. When he was done speaking, she nodded and placed her hands on her lap. Already terms and styles were being given to her, ones that all seemed good. The very first style though caught her attention. And so she paused him from spouting out ideas, and gave some of her own. With those ideas combined, Monty nodded and got to work. It would be a while before he was done, but it would all be worth it.


Korren felt herself growing colder and a little more tired as the night went on. With the jacket given to her, she listened to hear her options given for the night. She didn't feel like shopping so some warm food sounded good. "Maybe just some hot cocoa. We can sit for now." One foot over the other she climbed out of the rink, walking out on her skates on the carpet. Already it felt warmer than on the rink. Her feet felt sorer than she remembered, but she could handle it.

 

[McMajestic]

Jay stood out of the way for a little while, a small grin falling over his face as he watched the two interact. Winsley seemed genuinely interesting in the conversation which excited Jay a little bit. He was glad he could do something nice for her, glad he could try and make up for the many things he had done wrong in such little time. As Monty got to work though, Jay moved to sit down in the little waiting area, picking up a car magazine and flipping through it. He knew it might be awhile but he didn't mind. His shift ran to two in the morning and he figured even if he didn't show up at all they'd probably be more relieved than anything. Of course a few of them might be bored with Jay to spice things up.

He flipped the page in the magazine, glancing up towards Monty as he worked before looking back down at the pages. "You know Monty, Celeste really wants to learn a few things from you, care if I bring her by sometime? She likes playing with hair," he said. He had mentioned Celeste on purpose, hoping his little sister would also help to remind Winsley to stick around him, that he wanted her to stick around. He didn't' introduce his sister to many people so hopefully that would provide some sort of subliminal incentive.
-
"Alright, that sounds fine to me." Sage walked off the ice with her, holding her hand and leading her over to a bench to sit. "I'll be right back, love, just try and get those skates off," he said, before walking over to the hot chocolate stand and ordering for the both of them. It was a good date so far. Nothing bad had happened and he thought that Korren was having a good time.

As he waited in the short line though, from a distance Bucky watched, pulling his phone out and scrolling down to Korren's contact. You looked cute on the ice, babe. You only have a few hours left in the day, better break his heart quick. After it was sent Bucky began to walk off. It was time to go home for the night. She'd either meet him there or in the morning he'd hunt her down.

Meanwhile Sage had just gotten the hot chocolate and was heading back to Korren, a smile on his face as he headed over to his love.

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Monty glanced up from his work once or twice, though kept his focus all the while. The mention of Celeste made him smile. The one little girl that was simply gorgeous, and a spitting image of Jay for that matter. He nodded to himself, chuckling with the idea of Celeste coming to the salon. "Of course! I would love to have a little prodige." Then he continued working, meticulously working.

All the while, Winsley sat there with a giddy look on her face. Most of the time her eyes were kept closed, mostly so she could surprise herself after everything was said and done. The mention of Celeste made her smile, hearing about such an amazing little girl lightened up her world more than ever. Thankfully, now that they temporarily worked things out, she could look forward to seeing her again.

As she sat in the chair, she pulled out her phone, sending a text to her friends. Hey, keep yourselves busy. I have a surprise! Sent. A rush of dopamine pushed her lips into a smile. She averted her eyes from the mirror to keep it a surprise. Over time she fidgeted with her hands, ending up conversing with Monty about hair techniques to pass the time. Pop music played in the background of the shop, the kind that was popular 10 years ago. It reminded her of her younger, more innocent years. Of simpler times that consisted only of who would get to sit in the front seat with mommy, or the times where they could buy ice cream at least once every few months. Those times were fun, but have been over for a long time. Now it all lead to the future, where ever that would go.
--
Korren walked with him to the bench, sitting down with a smile. With a nod, she reached down to her ice skates to pull them off. It felt relieving to get them off now, freeing her feet from a confined space. She breathed in, then breathed out.
Her short moment of relaxation was cut off by the buzz of her phone. A knot in her throat form. It was either her parents texting, which they rarely did, or... it was Bucky. For a moment she hesitated before unlocking her phone, glancing over the text. Her eyes widened in shock, before quickly glancing around to see where he could have been. All that time she was being watched. Of course. How could she allow herself to enjoy herself without him showing up abruptly? The answer was simple, she couldn't. Her heartbeat picked up, pounding in her ears. Quickly she put the phone away. It was then she noticed Sage walking back to her. Immediately she began wearing a brave face, especially since she was scared of what would happen if she didn't. He couldn't find out. Not yet. She smiled at him, brushing off her skirt as she looked up towards him. "Thank you, Sage." Korren spoke casually, with a hint of shakiness in it. Some of her shook, though it could have easily passed off as her being cold. Bitter cold air bit at her skin and gnawed on the tip of her nose and cheeks, leaving red in place of the pale pigments in her skin.
--
Kilo slowly woke up from the nap, opening his eyes to feel Winnie still in her arms. Earlier he had stirred when she left his side, but didn't rise from sleep. Now, though, he woke on his own accord. Hair stuck up on ends, pushed at awkward angles. His arm stayed wrapped around her waist, holding her close for warmth. He brushed his lips against her cheek, gently placing them against the skin. It was soft and slow. If it was to wake her, she would wake up slowly, and if not than she would be comforted still in her sleep. One hand brushed over to move a strand of hair behind her ear, just to look at her face. Even when sleeping she held a peace in her face, more than ever before. It melted his heart, making him feel blessed. This was heaven, one he wished would and could last forever.

 

[McMajestic]

Jay stayed in his magazine for the most part, though every now and then he would glance up at the two, smiling at the way Winsley smiled. She was a beautiful girl, even with short hair. Jay had never really liked girls with short cuts but he supposed Monty's magic was tricking him because the closer he got to finishing, the more beautiful Winsley became. Even more so than with her long green locks.

It made him feel horrible all over again, though. He had let this happen to her, had let her get hurt and her hair get cut. He shouldn't have sat back and watched. He should have done something- he was going to do something. Bucky was going to pay. Jay was his best friend, arguably his only friend, and he was going to beat the sense into him if he had to. Of course, as Jay looked up, casually thinking about ripping Bucky's fingernails off, he saw the devil himself walk. He did a double take, rubbed his eyes, blinked a couple times, and suddenly Bucky was gone, vanished into the crowd. Maybe I'm going crazy, he thought before looking back to Winsley and Monty. "Hey, you done yet, Monty?" he asked, a hint of impatience in his voice. If that was Bucky then Jay wanted to get out of there quickly.
-
Sage moved to sit down next to Korren, his smile faltering as he took notice of the shake in her voice. "Are you cold? Get in my jacket. Come on." He set their drinks down before zipping his jacket up on her. "Gotta keep you cozy and warm, Harvard." He kissed her gently before offering her her hot chocolate. "Here, drink up, this will help. After we're done here I have a little surprise for you. We'll go get it," he added.

Sage took another drink of his hot chocolate, using his free hand to hold hers. There was that tension again- or maybe he was imagining it. His foot began to tap though perhaps it was just out of nerves for the gift he had gotten for her. He wondered if it was too simple, if maybe it wouldn't be enough for her rich style. Of course he knew Korren wasn't like that but still, he worried about that now. It was easier to think about than the other problems, at least.
-
Winnie yawned herself awake from the feeling of something warm against her cheek. Her eyes hadn't opened yet but her senses awoke and the first thing she heard was Kilo's deep heartbeat roaring in her ears. It made her smile, and she slowly blinked her eyes open before looking up at him. Her hand moved to rest on his cheek, and her grin only widened from there. "You know I'm so lucky because I get to wake up in my prince's arms." She giggled before kissing his chin. "I hope I always get to do that," she added, cuddling back up in his lap underneath the blanket and reaching for the remote to flip through the channels. Nothing interesting was on though, and she felt herself growing bored of the robotic clicking motion. She dropped the remote, looking up at Kilo. "Does my prince charming want to invite some friends over? Maybe have a little fun?" she asked, deciding anything would be more entertaining than watching TV.

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Finally, after a while of styling and coloring her hair, it was complete. Well, almost at least. Monty glanced over his shoulder, seeing his impatience with the process. "It's almost over, doll. Don't you worry." With a wink he turned back to Winsley, deciding now to take her to the back to wash up her hair before it could finally be complete. He helped her limo back to the back of the shop. The hair do was touched up at the end, dried and fixed to perfection. "All done." He spoke quietly. Winsley had her hands over her eyes for the big reveal, and quite a big reveal it was. When they opened, she paused in speech. A faint chuckle emitted from her. "Oh my god." She reached a hand up, though didn't dare touch it. It would have tainted it if anyone touched it, especially herself. "It's perfect." Winsley whispered, smiling from ear to ear. After a moment she glanced back to Jay. An idea came to mind, and she leaned back casually in the chair, smirking as she struck a subtle pose. It didn't come across her mind over what he was impatient about, but rather instead that he wanted to see her hair done. "How do I look?"
-
Korren allowed him to fix up anything that seemed cold. It helped her relax knowing he was there to help now, and cherished it temporarily. "Thank you," She breathed out, hinting with a smile. There was tension at the moment, something she didn't want to experience. Slowly she pressed her cup of hot cocoa to her lips, taking a sip. It was hot, slipping down and burning her insides, though it was a good sensation. As if it cleansed and warmed up her soul. It was nice. He suggested they went somewhere, which peaked her interest. It kept her mind off of the bad for now. "Alright." She continued to drink her hot chocolate, wanting to finish so they could go.
-
Kilo watched as she woke, helplessly grinning. It was good to see her spry and happy, something he loved to see, even if it was such a small thing. It was extremely important to him. He chuckled to her little comment, sighing in return. "Me too, mi amor." They sat there watching the channels flip through, with nothing on of course. Although he didn't value watching television, he didn't despise it. The mention of inviting people peaked interest. It would be good for her to hang around other people, the people that were trustworthy. "We could invite the gang to your lovely castle, meant for a lovely queen." He kissed her cheek, knowing that she would know what he meant by 'the gang' since they've talked about them before. Sage, Winsley, Patch, and possibly lift. Korren had to have been included now, since it was clear that she was a part of them. "And don't you worry about a thing. Patch might seem mean, but she's really a sweetheart. Just gotta let her open up to you." Again another kiss, just to reassure her that he would be right there if anything at all happened. There didn't need to be anymore worries, not now or ever.

 

[McMajestic]

Jay had been flipping through his magazine with a slight franticness, trying to calm his nerves as he sat on edge. Not much was working, not until Winsley spoke up finally, that is. He looked up, and once again found himself doing a double take. "Fuck," he breathed out, looking her up and down shamelessly. He stood up, walking over to her. "If we weren't in public I'd make you feel how hot you look right now, babe," he told her, leaning down to kiss her deeply. Maybe that was pushing it. Maybe they weren't at a stage where they could make out anymore, but he didn't care. Winsley looked hot as hell with this new hairstyle and he wanted her to know it. His hands reached for her shoulders to pull her in closer and he deepened the kiss for a moment before slowly pulling away. "Monty you're a miracle worker, thanks man. You turned my babe into a goddess. What I gotta pay you?" he asked, looking to his hairdresser and sort of friend with a smile.
-
Sage finished his hot chocolate slowly, waiting on Korren. He didn't want to rush the beautiful moment they were having so he let time slip away as if it didn't exist at all, and after they were both done he undid her skates for her and began to lead them off towards a jewelry store. "Now I know when we first got together I told you I couldn't get any fancy shit but I lied. I can sometimes, because you're worth it, love, and you deserve it all." He moved his hand over her eyes and snapped his fingers. The guy behind the counter handed him a box and he took it in his hand. "Now keep your eyes closed, Harvard, cause this is kind of cool. I mean, it's pretty simple so if you want something better then that's fine but I thought it was nice... I don't know. It was a nice thing," he explained, before moving his hand away from her eyes and offering the box to her. "Go on, Korren, open it." Inside would be a beautifully simple chain bracelet, something that Sage looked at as a symbol of how he protected her.
-
"As long as I got you I have no reason to worry," Winnie said, kissing Kilo one, then again, before sitting up. It took her a moment but she finally got to her feet, keep the blanket wrapped around her as she did so. "Let's set up snacks! and drinks! I have all kinds of beer- can we get drunk? Kilo let's get drunk together. So drunk we do stupid things with each other. Let's get so drunk we convince someone to join us in a threesome!" she added excitedly. In reality, these were Winnie's nerves and she was trying to fake them out as excitement. As much as she liked parties she truly was afraid of being involved in anymore. That was maybe why she needed this little party between friends, to remind her everything wasn't as bad as she thought it was. "Come on, let's go get started," she said, keeping her voice upbeat as she grabbed his hands to pull him along.

 

[FlameintheRoses]

Winsley smiled as he came up to her, chuckling slightly at the comment. They kissed for a bit, which she sunk in to, before pulling away to look up at him. It was clear that he loved the new cut. Who wouldn't? It was perfect. She looked to Monty, who seemed slightly out of it for the moment. An amusing thought crossed her mind that maybe he liked Jay, but that couldn't be so.

Monty smiled as they kissed to be polite, but was secretly holding a dying hope inside of him. The chances he once thought he had were gone. The moment when he figured it would be okay to flirt more. He told him the price needed to pay with a grin, before moving along to clean up the shop. His shift would be ending soon, anyway. It was mentioned there was a party though, and it seemed last minute. With his job he would have to finish the shift, but gladly accepted the invitation. Chances may have been low, but it would be fun to see and meet new people.
-
Korren followed him out in the mall, closing her eyes when she was told to. The mystery of it all hung over her, as well as the suspense. It ended though as soon as she was allowed to open her eyes. She hesitated for a moment before opening the box. A wide grin spread across her face. Her hands clothed over her mouth for a moment, noticing the glittering yet simple bracelet before her. It was beautiful. Not over the top, yet not bad either. She loved it. Without a moment to spare she slipped it on, looking at it for a moment. This would be her shield. She hugged Sage, thanking him a million times over. It may have just been an object, but it already meant so much to her.
-
Kilo nodded, watching as she bustled around. It was cute how energetic she was about it. Usually when his friends hung out it was just them and some snacks in the fridge, nothing too big at all. But with Winnie, she wanted to make it special, which he appreciated. He chuckled at her excitement, standing when his hands were pulled at. "Alright, alright. We can do whatever you want, but don't drink too much, love. Trust me, the aftermath isn't fun." With that he moved around, helping her prepare for guests.

It was at least an hour later that the guests had arrived. Each one joined at the door: Winsley, Patch, Lift, Sage, Korren, and two other guys he couldn't quite decipher. With Winsley hanging off his arm it was easy to assume that this was her lover for the night. As for the man with curly colored hair, he hadn't the slightest clue who he was. He decided to make sure he would stick by Winnie at all costs just to make sure she felt safe.
Winsley spoke in an announcer voice, chuckling beforehand. "The guests have arrived! Make way!" Lift rolled his eyes at her, but smiled and chuckled anyways. Tonight would be a good night from the looks of it. Beer lined the counter, while snacks were displayed to be seen. The house was ginormous compared to what they've all seen, so the gang was taken aback by it, and partially intimidated.