𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐣𝐞𝐭 | riff wss

ten.

"Why of all chores did Val give me this one?" Nancy sighed as she made her way into the heart of town.

Empty paint cans were swinging from both her arms as she walked quickly. Apparently the paint on the back wall had been chipping, so Valentine had assigned Nancy with going out and getting two fresh buckets of paint.

But right as she told the pair of siblings that they both had to get a few chores done, Tony immediately came up with the excuse of learning some Spanish for when he would see Maria again.

Now there was nothing she wanted more than to go back home.

Chores that consisted of going back into the city were normal for Nancy, but there was always fear of the unknowns the West Side held.

But she still followed the route she always did and took her deep breath of fresh air as she passed by the park, only for the smell to turn into fossil fuels a few minutes later.

Seeing all of the people pass by her along with families walking in and out of stores made her realize that she was already back into her normal routine from a few days before.

It had only been a day or two which consisted of her spending more time with Riff, but she was sad that there was nothing exciting to keep her going each day.

Something had to have been missing.

Maybe someone was missing.

She couldn't get this thought out of her head as she continued to walk through town. The certain someone she was thinking of was nowhere to be seen.

I wonder if Riff is here somewhere. Nancy thought. What I would give to see him right now, this trip would be so much easier.

Her thoughts about the boy she missed dearly were interrupted by finally arriving at her destination.

The store had the word paint written in huge letters on the outside that looked like it was on its last life. The door creaked as she opened it and a little bell rang to indicate that someone new had entered.

The costumers in the store all turned their heads to see where the noise came from and they all smiled when they recognized the girl who lived with Valentina.

Everyone smiled except for two.

Nancy didn't notice the pair as she walked in and began to look for the correct color that was the same as the bucket she was holding.

After looking for a while she finally found the right color and went to grab the bucket of paint, but someone beat her to it.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw someone take the paint off the shelf and extend a hand to give it to her.

"Is this what you were looking for?" A deep voice said behind her.

"Oh yes tha–" Nancy cut herself off, finally seeing who was really behind her.

Bernardo stood tall with a smile on his face as she went to take the paint from him. His grip hardened as her hand landed on the can but failed to pick it up the first time.

He then loosened it and dropped it in her hands. "I'm just kidding, here niñita." Bernardo laughed.

Nancy's eyebrows furrowed as she put it together that the Shark probably wasn't here to catch up with her. "Wait...don't I know you?"

He looked the girl in the eyes as he waited for a response. He wanted her to reveal that she was on the side of the Jets, but Anita came from behind him and elbowed him in the side.

"She was at the dance last night, remember? Who was it you were with again?"

Of all people to know about her and Riff, Nancy didn't want it to be the leader of the Sharks and his girlfriend.

"I didn't go with anyone."

"No I don't think so—oh! I saw you with the Jet. The scrawny one, Bernardo what was his n–"

"Riff."

Bernardo's patience with the girl he and Anita were speaking with became thin as he finally remembered her from last night. How dare she side with the other gang that thought they could walk all over them.

His eyes burned into Nancy's as the the Jet's name lingered in the air. As he did so, an idea slid into the back of the Shark's mind.

"Well if he fights as bad as he dances, let's just say your boy won't last too long." Anita giggled as the words rolled off his tongue.

Bernardo wanted to inflict fear into the head of the girl who knew Riff. Hopefully by doing so, it would leak to the pathetic leader who he was going to have to fight.

Nancy's brows furrowed again as she listened to him, what fight could he have been talking about? She looked to Anita to see if she would give anything away but all she did was smile and raise her eyebrows.

"What do you mean he 'won't last to long?'" The girl's body stiffened as she asked the question she wasn't certain to know the answer of.

Right as Bernardo went to respond, the little bell on the door opened as the same police officer from the dance walked in. He scanned the store quickly and noticed the pair of three standing towards the back of the store.

"Let's make this quick then." The Shark sighed as he stepped closer to Nancy so no one could hear him accept her.

"Whether he likes it or not, Riff is going down next week. Him and that culo Tony will be taking orders from me after the rumble."

Nancy took a step back, seeing the deadly intent for the people she cared about. Whether he knew it or not Bernardo was talking about her brother, the only family she had left, and watching him fall to his feet.

This was a dangerous man she was standing in front of and all she wanted to do was swipe her hand across the man's face.

So she did.

Only a few people heard the noise as her hand left his face, but thankfully the officer wasn't one of them.

"You don't know anything." She hit the man's shoulder, dropping the paint can, as she stormed out of the shop.

Her eyes burned with tears as fear began to seep into her mind. There was a real threat that was now hung over Riff and now her brother. As people passed, she didn't care who looked her way as she constantly wiped her eyes.

"I need to talk to Riff." Nancy mumbled to try and set a plan for herself.

The rivalry happening right in front of her was more real than she realized, and it scared her more that lives could be on the line.

All for dominance over the other group.

"I really need to talk to Riff."

emma speaks :)
- i know it's been a few chapters without our Jet but i promise he's back in the next chapter!!