GIRLS BREATHE FIRE - Paul Lahote

Chapter 4

Song: Cry Me a River (Julie London)

BELLA'S POV

It had been two weeks since Rory and Maxi had moved in at the beginning of October and finally, both girls were starting school. Maxi at a preschool on the way to Forks high school, and Rory with me.

I can't say I wasn't dreading g the idea of her at my school as I knew all too well of her anger problems but there wasn't much I could do. A memory rushed through my head as I looked over at Rory in the driver's seat of her truck.

I remembered it was the fifth time we had met and the first time since her dad's funeral. She was about 15 and had gotten really mad at a comment someone made to her. It was this boy playing baseball and I don't quite remember what he said but I couldn't ever forget the way Rory picked up one of the bats the boys had left on the ground and threw it at him. The bat hit him right in the head and  Rory had to write a formal apology as well as pay for his medical bill. But she didn't feel bad about what she did. And although now her skill set made more sense since I know of her MMA reputation, I still couldn't get that smirk she had out of my head. The one she had on when the boy fell unconscious.

By the time I had zoned back in, I noticed that Rory, nor Maxi were in the care and when I looked outside I saw the two hugging as Maxi got ready to leave. I had to admit the two were cute together and Rory looked at the girl with this adoration, like she would die for her. It was nice to see that my cousin had someone worth protecting and the little girl seemed to calm Rory down so I couldn't complain.

Eventually, Rory Rushed back to the car and drove us to school.

"Sorry we're late, that stupid teacher needed me to sign a few forms," Rory mumbled as she looked at the time on her phone with a scoff.

As we got out of the car I couldn't help but notice my cousin's outfit with awe.

Her fluffy bleached blond hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail and a pair of blue light glasses sat comfortably on the bridge of her nose, the silver rims contrasting nicely against her lightly tanned skin. A tight-fitting white t-shirt was tucked messily into her worn-out grey sweatpants that had cuffs rolled up just over her timberlands, and the look was finished off with the oversized Jean jacket she got from her father years ago that had patches sporadically attached to its denim.

It was clear she didn't put any thought into her outfit. Actually, I'm pretty those were the same pants she had worn to bed but still. She somehow found a way to look good, and it never ceases to amaze me how she looked better in these scraps than she ever did in the fancy clothes she was forced into as a kid.

"Welp, let's get moving."

***

By the time lunch had started, news of a new student had reached the entire school the luckily nobody had recognized her yet, whether it be for the glasses or some other reason, I was sort of thankful.

Today, I decided to sit with my group of friends much to their surprise, but they didn't question it and just let me sit.

"Listen, man, I'm telling you Amelia Davis could beat Rory Rebel senseless." It was Rory's name that had gotten my attention as Mike argued that this Amelia girl was better than Rory though I couldn't bring myself to comment. Socializing was still pretty hard for me anyway.

"Are you joking? Rebel would've destroyed Davis if she had taken the match!" Eric argued back getting the attention of some of the other boys.

"You mean if she hadn't choked?"  Mike's comment got a lot of disapproving calls as well as a few cheers and within minutes the conversation had become a debate between all the guys in the cafeteria.

As the group of kids argued back and forth, completely unaware of their surroundings, the topic of conversation had entered the cafeteria. Rory came to rest her arms around my shoulders giving me a quick hug.

She leaned down from behind me, her arms still resting over my chest as she checked on me.

"Are you alright?"

"Ya."

"Alright, if you need to go home early or anything just holler ok?"

"Ya, thanks."

"Ok, now I'm going to go break up this feud." She left with a smile to do god knows what.

"Who was that?" Jessica demanded as she watched Rory in envy as she walked away.

"My cousin, she's the new girl," I responded flatly.

"What's her name?" Angela asked politely as I looked up to find Rory waiting for something. Most likely the perfect timing.

"I think you're about to find out, my cousins a little dramatic this way," I explained quietly before going back to my food and waiting.

Comebacks went back in forth until Mike spoke up with something I knew Rory wouldn't be ok with.

"Oh please, if you put me in the ring with her, I bet I could beat her. Her fights are totally staged bro." He smirked at the crowd.

"Then why don't you take a shot."

Rory's comment got the entire cafeteria to go silent like she had demanded the attention of every soul present and got it without question.

"Or are you too worried you'll forget the script while I beat you senseless?" She smirked.

Mike slowly turned to face the girl and basically stopped breathing once he saw her. But no one dared speak the girl's name as she took three steps toward mike.

"If the guy your fighting with is Eric, then that must make the girl beside Bella, Jessica, and the Cutie with the glasses, Angela." She sent Angela a quick wink before turning to Eric. "Eric, my friend. You have great taste in women."

"She knows my name." Eric breathed to the guy next to him before looking back to the confrontation at hand.

"And that must make you Mike." She extended her hand for him to shake but that glint in her eyes told me she had other plans.

Mike went to shake her hand but the second their hand made contact she used one quick motion to flip him over her shoulder just hard enough for his back to sound off the tiled floors with a thud.

With Rory's foot now on his chest, I couldn't help bury my face in my hands.

'I can't believe I'm related to her.' I thought to myself but I couldn't keep my eyes off the fighter. It was true that the girl was always a little spontaneous but even when she was like this, it was hard to not be entertained.

"You know, It's pretty ironic how a moment ago you were talking shit about beating me and now your shaking in your boots. But I get it, you probably know how to throw a punch so I'll give you that much. But, disregard the efforts I put into my career again and Fuck Davis, you'll be my next match. And that's not one that I plan on losing." With that, she took her boot off his chest and began turning, but not before getting one last comment in.

"Oh, and if that match comes around... don't choke."

the student body became a sea of cheers and incoherent sounds, but Rory didn't pay it any mind and just returned to my side.

"You're so extra you know that?" I pointed out as Rory smirked from her spot leaning against me.

"Oh, you love me."