We Come Alive 4

Different, But...

Thursday morning after being dropped off by one of the guards from the facility, Ethan made his way to his locker. Most of him and his friends' lockers were near each other so he knew the rest of the gang would be there. When Ethan walked up, he saw Stephen, Jose, Diego, and Jacob crowding around Clover.

Ethan quickly rushed towards them and pushed himself into the huddle. "What happened? What's wrong?"

Clover couldn't help but giggle when Ethan started searching her for injuries. He lifted her arms, spun her around, and padded down her stomach and back. "Eth, stop it." She laughed. "I'm not injured."

Ethan let out a sigh of relief making his friends laugh. "Oh god. Good."

Jose elbowed Ethan before turning his attention to Clover. "What happened? Why'd you ignore us all night just to tell us to meet you here?"

Clover let out a deep breath and fidgeted with her hands nervously rubbing up and down her arms. Diego rubbed down her hair that was in French braids and held her close to him to try to comfort her. Clover slightly calmed down but still looked traumatized.

"Yesterday after the practice, I was sitting in the parking lot by myself with Danny." Clover retold.

"I swear to god," Stephen hissed, "if that bastard laid a finger on you—"

"No." Clover shook her head quickly, assuring them. "Nothing happened between us. We were talking while I was waiting for my sister to pick me up. Next thing we know, this car pulls up. Neither one of us know who it was and then he showed up."

"Who's he?" Diego whispered, rubbing her back.

"Nixon."

The boys fell silent instantly. None of them said a word as they looked around at each other, shocked. It felt like hours went by before Stephen slammed the side of his fist into the lockers.

"That piece of shit came to you?! Isn't he suppose to be rotting underneath a prison?!" Stephen yelled.

Clover looked up at Stephen shocked before calming her expression. "I don't know. I don't know how or when he got out but I just know he came there trying to apologize and I lost it. I was so scared cause this dude was someone I thought was a friend....but he was planning to rape me at a party. Then he said that he didn't touch Olivia, he just filmed it."

"Than sent the video out to the entire school." Jacob pointed out. "He sent out a video of him and his best friend raping a girl they drugged to the entire school."

Clover leaned forward so she was no longer leaning against Diego's chest. "I'm not defending him, but Danny had to hold me back from trying to rip him apart limb for limb. I was so mad that he tried to pretend that he was sorry."

Diego let go of Clover and shook his head. "He ain't sorry. He raped Olivia after trying to rape you. There's no being sorry about that. He knew what he was doing. You're never being alone again."

Clover just rubbed the back of her hand over her eyes and forehead while the boys started to walk off. They stopped after a few feet when they saw Clover didn't move. Jacob walked back, scooped her up bridal style, and continued to walk with her in his arms laughing and asking to be put down.

~**~

Meanwhile in the middle of the day, Manny was sitting in the athletic building doing school work in her dad's office. She was sitting in his desk chair feeling her daughter moving in her belly as she typed away on her laptop.

Manny jumped when she heard sudden yelling and Victor walking in the office. "Hey! Boss man! We finished that— oh. Hey, little one. Where's your dad at?" He stopped in his tracks with plays and forms in his hand.