Inning of Love (Complete and being edited)

Dean.

When Nina had left to pick Scarlett up, I didn't expect to see her arrive in the state that she was in. I was expecting to see her beautiful face with that adorable smile that I can't seem to stop thinking about. But when she walked in, she looked distraught and completely mortified. Her hazel eyes bloodshot from crying, her dark hair messed up and unruly, and those ripped pants. I grip the couch tightly, thinking about how that happened. I need to know what happened or I am going to go nuts.

"I will be right back, dude. I have to take a piss." I tell Jake quietly. He nods and continues to play Halo. I walk down the hall and stand in front of Nina's door, getting ready to knock when I hear small voices coming from her room.

"Tell me what happened Scarlett. What did he do to you?" I hear Nina ask her. I peek down the hall to make sure Jake doesn't catch me eavesdropping. He is too involved in the game right now to notice me lingering by his sister's door.

"He...he invited me to come hang out and said he wanted to talk about next weekend. I thought that, well I thought that he was going to maybe ask me to the dance, and I have been wanting to ask him where we stand." I hear the small wobbly voice say. My heart drops, hearing Scarlett's voice breaking like this.

"When we got to his house, he had me choose a movie for us to watch and then I sat on the couch next to him. At first, everything was fine and then I mentioned the dance, which he said he didn't like those types of things but would go since I wanted to. I got excited and kissed him but he...didn't stop. He started to make out with me when I felt his hand try to reach up my hoodie to my boobs and I freaked out. I told him to stop and he asked why he couldn't touch his girlfriend. Before....before I could explain that I wasn't ready, he pushed me on the couch and laid on top of me, holding me down."

I could hear Scarlett crying hysterically as she continues, my blood boiling with every word, everything that Ryker did to her. "He told me he was going to be the first man in my panties and he put his hand in my leggings but I was able to get away. His eyes were so black...so....so cold. I don't know what happened, Nina."

That fucking piece of shit. I knew he was just trying to fuck her. That's all he does. Meets a girl, fucks them, and then leaves. He was bragging about being Scarlett's first kiss that night we all went bowling and he was going on and on about how it will be pretty cool to be her first fuck too. I don't know why, but it pissed me off. Who am I kidding, of course I know why. Since the first day, I saw her walk into class, I thought she was beautiful. The most beautiful girl I have ever seen. I literally couldn't think straight when I fell on top of her in P.E. What in the actual fuck is wrong with Ryker?

Before I know it, I am pulling up to his house. His car is still in the driveway so I know he is still here. I start pounding on his door, my adrenaline at an all-time high. Anger driven. "Open the fucking door Ryker," I yell. I see the neighbors' lights go on. He better open the door before I make a bigger scene. Finally, he opens the door wearing nothing but boxers and a shirt.

"Dude, chill the fuck out. I have a massive headache right now man." He tells me nonchalantly. I watch him as he walks back to his couch holding his head. I follow him inside and before I say anything, I see a necklace on the floor by the couch that I recognize as Scarlett's. I pick it up and put it in my pocket before I explode. I look at Ryker, this guy I have considered a friend, a guy who almost raped an innocent girl tonight.

Before thinking, I act on my anger, again. I grip his shirt in my fists pulling his ass from the couch and lifting him up to face me. "Woah, Dean! What the fuck are you doing?" I can smell the liquor coming from his breath as he talks. He has been drinking. Of course, he has. Explains why he acted so impulsively, but certainly not an excuse for what he fucking did.

"Do you realize what you fucking did to Scarlett? You're a piece of shit. What were you going to do, Ryker? Rape her? I heard what you fucking did to her and I saw her bruises and her pants that you ripped trying to get into them." I yell as I slam his body to the wall.

"Back off Dean. I don't know what the fuck you're even talking about. She was all over me and was wanting it." I let go of Ryker before I do anything even more stupid and shake my head. I run my hands through my hair as I turn away from him to cool myself down. "Besides, you can have at it if you want. Bitch don't put out. No wonder she is a virgin. She's too uptight. You are lucky you got, Phoebe, she is down for pound town 24/7." He snickers.

"You son of a bitch!" I shout.

Once I realize what is going on, I am being pulled off of Ryker by a police officer. My knuckles covered with blood and Ryker with a bleeding nose and busted lip. Ryker looks at me with a scowl as he spits out blood.

"Which one of you is Ryker Sanderson?" The tall officer asks. I point to Ryker. The officer then places Ryker under arrest and escorts him out of the house and the female officer asks me what happened. I tell her everything that happened and why I came here, and I admit that I probably would have kept hitting him if I wasn't stopped. She calls my mother and lets her know that I will need to be picked up from the station.

About four hours later, I am able to leave with my mom after answering what felt like a thousand questions. My mom and I are about to head home before I ask to swing back by Ryker's to pick up my car.

"Mom I need to drop something off at Jake's," I tell her. I am glad she is not as pissed as I thought she would be. I explained everything to her and she understood. She nods as she pulls up next to my car.

"What is it that you need to drop off?" She inquires.

"I need to give Scarlett her necklace. I found it at Ryker's before...well before I got arrested."

"Scarlett?" She looks puzzled. "You know what, never mind. Just give her necklace back, make sure she is okay and then come home." I nod as she drives off and I make my way back to Jake and Nina's.

I walk into the house finding Jake exactly where I left him. "Hey bro where did you run off...whoa you alright?" Jake asks, his brows furrowing as he notices my wrapped hand.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Is Scarlett still here?" He nods and gestures to Nina's room. I get to the door and knock and Nina opens the door revealing Scarlett lying on her back on the bed. "Hey, can I talk to Scarlett for a sec?" Nina looks at my knuckles and I can tell she knows what happened without asking. She nods and then exits the room as I pull a chair next to the bed and take a seat. "Hey, are you feeling okay?" I croon.

She sits up and pulls her knees in, wrapping them with her arms and nods. "You heard?" She mutters. I nod and reach for her hand. She quickly pulls away and looks down at my knuckles.

"Sorry," I tell her. I didn't mean to scare her. I hate seeing Ryker's fingerprints bruised on her. I hate what he did to her.

"No. Don't be sorry. It's not your fault. I am sorry, I just...."

"You definitely should not be the one apologizing." I cut her off by saying. I reach into my pocket to pull out her necklace and hold it up for her. She gazes at the necklace and smiles while her eyes water. "I think this belongs to you."

She nods and gently grabs the necklace from my fingers. "I guess that answers my question about the wrapping on your knuckles." She lightly chuckles. I shrug my shoulders and laugh with her. "Nina called the cops and I reported it."

"I figured as much. They were kind of the ones who interrupted me." She chuckles at my sarcasm.

"Thank you." She says quietly and she looks up so that I now am facing those hazel eyes. "This necklace means everything to me."

Scarlett begins crying again, so I move and sit next to her on the bed, my hand laying over hers, as I let her cry into my shoulder. I revel in the fact she feels comfortable enough to cry on me, and I'll gladly be that shoulder for her.