I am pulled out of my roundabout thoughts when Caspian walks in, hesitantly standing near the glass French doors. How doesn't he remember what happened? Not a lot happens in this small town, so word travels fast, even about the smallest things. I send a questioning look toward Belle, and she's confused for a second before a look of understanding crosses her features.
"Right before the whole ordeal, Cass was on that exploration trip, remember?" She whispers to me before starting a conversation with Caspian across the room. I remember now; he was on a trip for students with average scores who want to see college and university options. Basically, Caspian missed all the drama for two weeks. Still, I thought he would have heard something. After thinking for a bit, I tune back into Caspian and Belle's conversation.
"-you were better than this!" Belle exclaims, still mad.
"I know, it was a mistake. I found she was only using me, anyway," Caspian replies resignedly.
"Hey, guys," I say, interrupting their argument, looking at my phone. Perfect timing, Julie. "Julie's asking if we can join her at the public beach, but she doesn't say if anyone else is with her,"
"Should we go?" Belle asks, a little concerned. I can relate, but since it's Julie, I'm not too worried.
"You know what?" I start, pulling on my sunglasses and grabbing my summer hat, "Let's go and have some fun! We need to loosen up, especially with all this drama,"
"Good idea, Vivi," Caspian remarks. Belle nods and pulls her jacket on, zipping it halfway. We all get our shoes while Caspian gets his shirt on and I pull on my yellow dress, pulling on my hat afterwards.
"Caspian give me the keys," I demand, my hand outstretched. He narrows his eyes.
"Don't you only have a learner's permit?"
"Well, yeah, but I was taught to drive by my dad, and you've got to loosen up a little," He raises an eyebrow.
"Fine," He tosses the keys at me. I get into the driver's seat while Belle reaches shotgun before her brother, causing him to groan and sit behind me.
While I perfectly pull out of the driveway Belle turns on the radio and the siblings start singing lyrics on the top of their lungs. I hum a little but never open my mouth, catching Caspian's attention.
"Vivi, don't you want to sing?" He asks tentatively.
"I don't sing." I say with a tone of finality, my knuckles turning white on the steering wheel. I have memorized many maps and roads of our town and areas around us, thanks to my photographic memory.
"Come on, Vee, just one song, please! It doesn't matter if you're really bad, I mean, have you listened to us?" Belle rants a little, trying to persuade me to join them. Though Belle is a little older than me, she's always felt like a cute little sister, and I can never resist her.
"When we drive back, if Caspian lets me drive I'll sing one song with you guys, okay?" I relent slightly. I just hope it isn't a song that will show that I have a practiced voice. I doubt I even have a good singing voice, anyway, since my brother is the only one who's heard me really sing, and he doesn't count.
I turn my focus back to driving while they continue singing. I take the lesser-known roads to shortcut to the public beach, which isn't that far anyway. I drive a little over the speed limit and expertly switch lanes and make quick, almost-full speed turns.
"Show off," Caspian mutters when there's a break in the songs and I make a small handbrake turn to a small road. I smirk at him through the rear view mirror and he childishly pouts.
I take the final road to the beach, a dark and shadowy road through a bunch of trees. The pines and oaks quickly turn into imported palm trees and tropical plants with sand. The road emerges into the parking lot. Most of the spaces are taken, but there is a long line of vehicles on the side of the road. I proficiently parallel park in between a large truck and a dark beaten up motorbike. Not many people in our town own bikes, but the beach is a place for a little tourism, so I guess someone from out of town might own it.
We all get out and look around at the number of cars and people strolling around. The majority of them are students like us. I spot the ticket booth and pay for a parking ticket before either Belle or Caspian can offer. I have a very large allowance, so I don't want them to pay when I am able to. I hand the ticket to Caspian who sticks it on the windshield of the Jeep.
"Belle, why don't you find Julie, and Vee and I'll get ice cream cones," Caspian suggests a coolly. Belle nods while I go with Caspian, a little confused, but I brush it off. I hope no one recognizes me so I lightly touch my sunglasses and tilt my hat to shadow my face further.
I see a bunch older students around as well as kids coming home from college. Caspian greets some of his friends as they eye me, a little perplexed, but he always tugs me along before they can ask.
When we are a few meters from the ice cream stall, Caspian tenses up and looks at something I can't see in the alleys behind the small shops. I see a shadow of a couple people standing around, but I don't make out who they are, respecting his privacy.
"Hey, uh, Vee, why don't you get the ice cream. I need to handle something really quick. Vanilla for me, and I think strawberry for Belle," I nod and take myself to the vendor, asking for three large cones, two vanilla and one strawberry. I watch Caspian out of the corner of my eye, throwing respect for privacy to the wind, and see him approach a bunch of unfamiliar boys that look like they mean trouble.
I wait for the small old lady, Helga, to finish making the cones and ask her to put them into a cardboard holder for me before walking towards Caspian's direction. When I am almost there, two of the boys grab him while the third punches him in the stomach and the fourth and fifth, who I am assuming is the leader from his cut up face and dominating stature, watch.
I size them up; all of them are bulky and weigh more than me, but undoubtedly are not as quick, strong, or as skilled as me. I am still wary, as I don't usually fight in the streets, and they probably have rough experience.
A buzz comes from my phone.
Belle: found Julie. Where are you guys?
Me: Caspian's about to get beat up. I am trying to help him. Stay where you are, don't tell anyone.
I turn off my phone and scan myself. Great, I'm in a swimsuit and dress, with a hat and sunglasses, a clutch, and ice cream. I keep everything on but move the ice cream and my clutch to one hand. I can still kick and move since it's a pretty loose dress.
I walk into the alley all six people moved deeper into. The guy who was punching Caspian freezes and the rest of the attackers stare at me while Caspian is doubled over in pain. When he finally realizes something is happening, he looks up at me and shakes his head, fear evident in his eyes. I haven't fought against more than four people in a long time, but I am confident I can get us out of this mess. None of the boys look as skilled as dad.
"Hey, girl what are you doing here?" The leader guy asks. They all check me out, making me feel gross.
"Well, I don't mind as long as you're here for us," one of the guys holding Caspian says, chuckling. They all laugh, unaware of the hell I am about to unleash.
I smirk and fake a giggle, making them grin stupidly at each other and let go of Caspian for a couple moments as he is slumped in pain still. I then wipe myself of all expression, confusing them. In a blur I hand my clutch and the ice cream to Caspian before throwing my punches. I punch the guy closest to us repeatedly in the face and he is knocked unconscious.
Two others come toward me at the same time and I let myself tap into more of my adrenaline. In runs through my veins like a powerful drug, making me feel like I am on fire. I kick the legs out from the first one, causing him to hit his head and groan. I use my momentum and kick off the brick wall and swing myself onto the other guy's shoulders while grabbing his fist from him attempting to punch me.
I pinch a nerve at the back of his neck, and he falls unconscious, and I push myself off him after kicking him in the solar plexus for good measure. The first one gets back up and I swing my leg around, kicking his ribs and feeling two of them crack. He almost cries out in pain, but I force his mouth shut with a punch to his jaw, knocking him out. If my parents find that I had to fend myself from attackers, they will never let me go outside again.
I receive a punch to my cheekbone from the guy opposite the leader, but I barely feel it as the adrenaline pushes me to finish off the last two guys.
I give him a hard kick in between the legs and take his arm as he falls to the ground, twisting it until it breaks. Before he screams I punch his face five times in succession to knock him out. Caspian stands frozen where I left him behind me, shocked at what he just saw. It's just the leader left against me.
"My, aren't you a dangerous little thing?" The leader says, stalling for time, from his body language. But I'm not taking any of his bull shit. I see his arm about to go into his jacket and I am confused for a moment before I realize he's about to pull out a gun, the shape of it faintly visible against his leather jacket.
"Caspian, drop!" I yell, lunging forward just as the last guy grabs his gun. I kick it out of his hand, pointing my toes, and we watch the gun slide toward Caspian before he aims a punch at my jaw. I quickly move out of the way and swing my other leg around to hook him behind his knees, causing him to fall. Fear flashes in his eyes before I knock him out with a couple of swift and powerful punches to his face.
I take a deep breath and drain away the last of my adrenaline. I feel around my cheek for the one lucky punch that bastard got. It wasn't as hard or as skillful as one of dad's punches, so I doubt it'll bruise heavily, most likely only leave a red mark. I finally remember Caspian and step over the unconscious bodies to reach him.
"Are you alright?" He asks, finally snapping out of his shock.
"I'm fine, that bastard only got one lucky punch. What about you?" I ask.
"I think I'm just going to bruise a little; you got here after they punched me only three times," he says, still concerned, before realization comes across his face, "Vee! You could have died!"
"And?" I say, rolling my eyes.
"Next time, don't step in, I can handle myself!" He bites out, anger coloring his tone. My whole demeanor changes. I wipe all emotion from myself and hold myself straighter. He immediately senses his mistake. "Wait, Vee, I didn't mean – "
"It's okay," I say, holding up a hand, "I won't ask why those guys were doing what they were doing, but just be careful," I say it's fine, but I still don't relax.
"They wanted money from me. I thought it was someone else until they held me down," He explains, trying to earn my forgiveness. I send him a small smile to say it's forgiven, and he hands me back my clutch.
I wave him on before I take out five hundred-dollar bills and a napkin, pressing my glossed mouth to it, leaving pale pink marks in the shape of my lips. If anyone asked me on the street for money nicely, I would simply give it to them, but these sad little shits just had to pick a fight. I still feel bad that I have a rich life while some people have to ask for money, so I tuck the items into the front pocket of the leader's jacket and find the gun, tucking it safely into his other pocket, since I have never handled a gun.
He looks at peace while unconscious, though I know that they'll be waking up in a few minutes. He looks decent despite being beat up, with light brown hair and sun-kissed skin, a bulky build and scars covering his face. I take a final look before tucking in a hundred-dollar bill in the fists of each of the other boys and joining Caspian at a stand selling water bottles. He reaches for his wallet, but I quickly reach from behind him and place a fifty-dollar bill on the table. The vendor looks at me and I point at Caspian while he looks at me, a little frustrated.
"Must you do everything for me?" He asks, disgruntled while I shoot him a dimpled grin. I check my phone and see that I have around fifty texts from Belle. I simply tell her that we are coming to her section of the beach and are mostly okay.