Marks
1932 Words
"What the hell is this all about?!" I demanded as Xander drove like a maniac out of the parking lot, "Fine. I quit!"
That seemed to startle all of them out of whatever angry trance they were in and Xander pulled into an abandoned lot.
"He's not a safe man, Brina," Xander said as we sat there, idling, "We know him."
"What do you mean? Solitude is safe. Everyone here is safe," God, I must have sounded like a naive child.
"No, they're not. He—he's hurt women before..." Quinn glanced at Xander who looked at me through the rear view.
"You're lying."
"Why would I?"
"You said you had beef! People with beef will say anything."
"None of you seemed to care when I was in school and his locker was next to mine."
I was grasping at straws here. The Quads were driving me insane.
"Just be careful," Seb said, leaning into my ear.
"Or what?"
Xander slammed his hands on the steering wheel.
"Or I'm not going to let you out of my sight!"
The car was quiet—save for the sound of the engine purring. My heart was racing so quickly and my body was shaking.
"f**k, Xander..." Hudson shook his head and pointed to me, a trembling mess of a person, "Chill out, man."
"Well, I didn't know... " I gave up. They were unrelenting, especially Xander who'd turned into a caveman.
Seb frowned, "No, Xander shouldn't have reacted the way he did."
"Don't tell me how I'm supposed to react," Xander grumbled.
"Fine, fine.." I tossed my hands up, defeated, "Where to next?"
I found out where my PO box was, but Xander didn't like it.
"This is so out of the way for you to go and you don't even have your own car."
"I need to get one .."
"You have our driver's, but we'll get you a new, closer PO box or you can just have your mail sent to the house."
"Does everyone have their own mailbox at the estate?"
Sebastian shook his head.
"No, but they will.. starting today."
I smiled. I don't know why that made me happy or why no one else had the conveniences that I had.
"We'll get you set up this week after your first paycheck," Seb was saying, but I was looking at Xander who rubbed his side.
"Why were you and James fighting?" I just couldn't shut up.
Silence.
Xander opened his mouth and I don't know when I grew a set of balls, but I didn't let him start.
"And don't tell me you didn't. I'm not an i***t. "
Xander huffed, "I never said you were an i***t, Sabrina, but my business is my business. It's better for you to stay out of it. "
Seb put his hand on mine. I felt a tingling in my spine when he did it, but it wasn't all hormonal. It went deeper than that.
"He's right. You know we fight.. "
"In a town named Solitude, you think you'd get some peace. Aurora was at least accepting of me because I wasn't rich or popular or pretty enough... "
"You are very beautiful, " Quinn whispered.
"Huh?" I had heard him, but I didn't think I'd heard him correctly.
"Nothing, we're almost at the next stop. Seb works at this law firm over here," He said, pointing to his right.
"Oh, yeah! Thomas and Thomas? I had to sign papers there after moving here with the Gideon's..." I didn't realize that I was not only leaning over Seb's lap, but his hand was gently rubbing my back. It was so strange how natural it felt for him to do that.
"And up here is where this asshole works on cars," Q said about Xander and his mechanic shop to the left of us.
Once again, my instincts were to lean over Hudson and this time I put my hands on his covered thigh. He gasped, as if I'd zapped him, but his fingers tiptoed down my arm, causing me to shiver.
I was ovulating so my hormones were out of control, but my heart was beating so fast I couldn't stop it if I tried.
"Hudson works at the game shop down that way," Xander said, pointing to the left at a busy road, "You know where the mall is so you must have seen Radioactive Games?"
"I have.."
"And this is where I will be interning soon," Q said, pointing at the general hospital, "Right now, I am doing billing and coding and going to school, but they have some classes in here actually. Hands on."
"Maybe you can practice on me...." I blushed, not even stopping myself when I said it. My stomach dropped and I was so embarrassed until Q turned around and winked at me.
"That's the plan."
We drove around some more and Hudson asked if I wanted some ice cream. Considering what my body was going through, I needed all of the chocolate in the world.
"Yes, please!" I was giggling like a little school girl, almost forgetting about the incident in the store when we pulled into the Moo Barn.
Xander had to have the last word.
"Just stay away from Mueller.." He warned, glaring at me through the mirror.
I started to say something and stopped myself.
"I'm sorry.."
Seb frowned, "There's no need to be sorry."
We finally made our way to the Moo Barn and settled in to an outside seat.
"Whatcha want, Cupcake?" Xander asked as we settled down at an outdoor table. I hadn't noticed the looks from others until then and it was a bit intimidating.
"I can get mine," I offered, before Hudson grabbed my hand and smiled.
"We got this.."
Not wanting to argue, I just smiled and thanked them.
"Cookies and cream, please."
"Our mom loves that flavor," Q grinned, "The two of you will get along well, I think."
"Oh, I know Mom and Dad will love Sabrina," Hudson said, scooting closer to me.
I didn't mind. It was weird, internal bliss or chaotic conflict was bubbling inside of me and I didn't dare question it.
We settled down to eat and talk about dinner or childhood memories the boys harbored.
I told them that my childhood was difficult, but I didn't know it until I was older. We were barely middle class and they too kept me pretty isolated like I was a fragile doll.
"You are," Xander said, scooping the last of his butter pecan ice cream out of the cup.
I pursed my lips together.
"I'm not a fragile doll," I reddened. I don't know if I was angry at his statement or taken by it, "What do you mean?"
"He means you need people to protect you, " Seb said.
"I can protect myself. "
Xander shook his head and laughed.
"What's so funny? Why are you four so weird with me all of a sudden?" I demanded, "Is this a trick? Are you trafficking me or playing a cruel game?!"
I jumped up and rushed off, only to find myself in the alleyway of the connecting buildings.
"Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry... " I breathed in and out through my nose and leaned up against the sidewall of the Moo Barn.
"Red!"
Startled, I stared at James Mueller and his brothers, Cody and Oliver.
"H-hi... " I turned around and ran smack dab into Becky, their sister. She'd been out of school since I got to Solitude, but I'd seen her throw hands with Tina.
"Little Red... " She eyed me curiously.
Becky was my height, but for some reason, she felt bigger than life at that moment.
"Do you guys always pop out of alleyways unexpectedly?"
"I work here," Cody pointed to the printing office next to the Moo Barn.
"That's great, but I have to get back to my, -"
"Your boys?" Becky smiled, "What are they up to? Pranking you? You think we're the bad guys? Is that what they told you?"
"Sure, but I think you're all f*****g crazy. "
A hearty laugh from Cody brought the Quads into view.
"The f**k did I tell you, Mueller?!" Xander didn't hesitate before he'd punched James in the face, sending the agitator fumbling back.
Pure chaos ensued after that, with Becky even throwing some punches at Hudson, but not getting anywhere. He merely picked her up and set her down next to me.
Pointing a figure at her, Hudson smiled.
"Stay.."
Quinn was on Cody and Hudson was on Oliver, while Xander relentlessly punched James over and over again until James had the upper hand and was practically beating Xander to a pulp.
I've no clue why I did it or what made me think I could do it, but I jumped in front of Xander and spread my arms out.
"Stop this! Stop hurting him!"
Xander grunted something about me getting out of the way and the others stopped fighting long enough to watch me.
"Look, I don't care what problems you guys have with each other, but this has to stop. Are you children or adults?"
"Red, I suggest you get the f**k out of the way," James growled.
"Make me... "
With one move, his arm shot out at me, but I grabbed his hand and bit down as hard as I could until he yelped in pain.
"What the actual f**k?! She f*****g bit me!"
Becky laughed. The woman.. laughed.
"Yeah and I haven't had a rabies shot since I was 10!" I told them, producing a snicker from the Quads.
This wasn't funny, but they sure as hell thought it was.
"I didn't even draw blood!"
James looked at his hand and then back at me and the man was smiling.
Smiling...
"You're so much more than I thought you'd be, little Red.."
"What the hell does that mean?"
Cody tapped James on the shoulder.
"Come on, man. It's over today."
"Today? What do you guys plan to do? Schedule skirmishes?" I was still stuck in the fact that I'd bitten him and I'd no idea what made me so protective of Xander.
We watched the Mueller's walk away and disappear into the printing office.
I examined Xander as did Quinn..
"He'll be fine. Don't you ever get in the middle of our fights again, Sabrina."
I opened my mouth to argue, but didn't, especially when Xander's eyes pleaded for me not to.
I was examining all of them by the time we made it back to the car.
"Is everyone OK?"
"Yeah, we are..." Xander shifted in the passenger seat, allowing Seb to drive.
"Hey,what's this?" Hudson ran his hand along my neck and behind my ear.
"Oh,uh,it's a birthmark,I guess. Looks like two fingers,right?"
"Yeah,the pointer and the middle finger,it looks like."
The boys stared at me until I flipped my hair and let them see my birthmark.
"My mom said it was the touch of my guardian angel or something after birth. I don't know. I don't remember it's there until someone points it out to me."
There's no way this was happening, but each one of the Quads placed their fingers in the spot.
"No this isn't creepy at all, " I chuckled, tossing my head back as my hair cascaded over my shoulders, curtaining the sides of my face.
After what seemed like a lifetime of the boys staring at me like hungry hounds, Sebastian revved the engine.
"Let's go. We've had enough adventures for one day."
- Writer
