And the last one for today, the longest of them all, because I was in a flow (~^o^)~

I hope you like it, leave a review if you want, I will highly appreciate it :)

As always: I own nothing!

Goodnight you beautiful people,

WYS

Chapter 6

Nothing could take away her good mood. Rhine was on a high and nothing would get her down from it, not even a Paul Lahote who stared at her like he imagined how to kill her.

When she entered her history class and sat down next to a shy girl called Kim, she still was in her good mood. Kim offered a small smile. She was one of the few people that never had bullied Rhine. They weren't friends, but they got along. Both shy and quiet, but good at school, at least in everything written.

"Sit down, class starts." Their teacher, Mr Briggs, announced and waited until all were quite before he put a muffler to Rhine's good mood.

"You will be doing a group work for the next week. I want a paper of 10 pages on a topic I will hand out to you. There will be groups of two and I want you to work equally on this. I have your essays for comparison, so I will know when only one is doing the work. If you let your partner do it alone, you will both be getting a F." The class immediately argued about that, put the teacher didn't budge.

"Silence, work together and you have nothing to worry about! Now, I want every person in the last three rows to write their names on a piece of paper. I will collect those and the people in the front rows will pick one each. Luck decides who is going to be your partner." Rhine sighed. Kim did the same. It would have been easy to work with her on this, but no such luck. She only hoped that God wasn't so cruel as to give her Paul as partner.

"God hates you." Kim said when she looked at the name Rhine had picked. "Yes... Who do you have?" Kim showed her her partner: Michelle. "Not much better. But at least she isn't a raging idiot on steroids." Ok, now Rhine really like her.

People started to call the names of their partner, who stood up, to change their seating. When Kim called Michelle's name the girl's face looked like she had just stepped in dog shit, but she got up from her place next to Paul and came towards them.
"Move it, pale face!" she said to Rhine, indicating that she wanted to sit on her place. "Go to your partner, or don't you have one?" Before Rhine could say a thing Kim answered: "She's with Paul." looking smug at Michelle.

"What?" she all but screeched. "Gimme that paper, bitch!" she ripped the paper with Paul's name on it from Rhine's hands and wanted to walk back to him, as the teacher stopped her.

"I believe your partner sits here, Michelle. Rhine go to Paul." "But Mr Briggs, look at Paul, it makes him physically ill to work with her. She can work with Kim."

It was true, Paul looked like he was about to throw up every second. He stared at her, like he wasn't just imagining to kill her, but now only waiting for a chance to do it.

"I... I wouldn't mind w-working with Kim." Rhine quietly said.
"I don't care, Rhine, you picked Paul as your partner and Kim picked Michelle, now go to your partners and stop disrupting the lesson before I send you to the principle!" Well fuck you too! She thought bitterly. Then Rhine grabbed her stuff and smiled one last time at Kim before she walked to the back of the class to sit next to Paul who leaned away from her like she stank or something.
Gone was her good mood. Nothing could destroy her high like forcing her to work with Paul Lahote!

Mr Briggs, the cold-hearted bastard, wrote down the groups so no one else would switch and started to hand out topics.
"Paul and Rhine, you will work out the advancement of Hitler. From his first political actions to where he became Leader and Reich Chancellor."

Paul still hadn't said a word to her when they had gotten the guidelines for the paper and were allowed to go to the library. He only got up and walked away with his backpack, probably assuming that she would follow. Probably not caring anyway. She went after him, with a stop in the toilet to get some cold water on her face and take a few calming breaths, and found him at her favorite table, feet on the table, backpack closed beside him, a glare constantly on his face and a smirking Michelle in his lap, kissing his neck up and down.

"That's how it's going to happen, pale face: I will enjoy my free period and will not be bothered to so much as see you around while you will do all the work, and you better make it sound like we both worked on this or you get a F yourself, got that, bitch?" Rhine nodded. Why did he even sit on a table, her table, if he wasn't in for working. There were couches around for fuck's sake!
Now she would have so search for another table, one where people were likely to walk by and interrupt her working with calling her names and stupid shit like that. But she left none the less. Rhine still knew where the books about Hitler and WWII were stashed from the essay she had to hand in a few weeks ago, so she went there first, she didn't want to leave her bag somewhere unwatched. When she reached the shelf, Kim was already there searching for books herself.
"Hey." Rhine said quietly. "Hey." Kim answered smiling slightly again. "I guess you have to work alone as well?" Rhine only nodded. "Well, at least all the other idiots are using Wikipedia first, so we can get all the good books!" Which was the smarter move, as Mr Briggs always preferred book references more than the internet, if you could do your work without even using the internet and only giving books as reference you got bonus points in the grading.
"So what do you search for?" she asked Kim, already scanning the shelves.
"WASP related stuff, that's" "Women Airforce Service Pilots, I wish I had that topic, it's actually cool!"
"Well if you were my partner you would, but sadly we're doomed with Mr Steroids and Ms Dumb-As-Bread." Rhine grinned at that. She really liked Kim, the girl only seemed to talk like that around people she felt comfortable with and it helped resume some of her good mood to know that she belong to this kind of people. Maybe, now that she could have a social life, Kim and her could become friends?
"I help you searching." she suddenly said, making Kim smile. "Thanks! I already made a keyword search, I need those books!" She showed Rhine a handwritten list and they began searching.

"Now Mr Steroids would come in handy." Kim murmured, looking up at the top shelve where the last book she needed was stocked.

"He's busy shoving his tongue down his girlfriends throat!" Oh oh, that sounded far bitchier than she had intended... She wasn't jealous, she just wanted him to do some of the work himself. At least that was what she told herself...

Kim thankfully only gave her a meaningful look but didn't say a word.

"I can get it, I only have to climb up two shelfs." Rhine said then.

"I don't know, maybe some of the guys can help us? You could hurt yourself." Kim didn't look convinced.

"It'll be fine, see?" Rhine already climbed up the first shelf. Ms Honse would surely kill her, if she saw her do that, Rhine thought and climbed on the next shelf. She barely got hold of the shelf above her, the books were only leaving so much space and the wood was far too slippery underneath her sweaty hands. She grasped the shelf tight with one hand and the needed book with the other, when her gaze was caught by a movement on the other side, visible through the space between the books and the next shelf.

Paul and Michelle, heavily making out. Michelle was still in Paul's lap and he now gripped her hips tight and kissed her, just like Stephan had done with her yesterday evening. The memory flashed before her eyes; fear, of what could have happened if their parents hadn't interrupted, ran through her. She was just one moment unconcentrated, but it was enough, she slipped from the shelf and fell...

"Rhine!" Kim called her name. A loud thud as she landed on the floor, her already injured shoulder slammed into the wall behind her and her head only a millisecond later. The book landed on the floor beside her. She moaned painfully and grabbed her shoulder. It hurt so fucking much.

"What the hell were you trying to do, pale face?" The question sounded like a growl, an angry growl in a deep manly voice... Paul.

Rhine looked up at him, the tears in her eyes making it hard to see him clearly, but she saw enough to know he was crouching beside her, staring angrily at her face.

"Don't call her that!" Kim interrupted suddenly. She was on Rhine's other side, looking quiet angry herself with the slight difference that she seemed angry with Paul whereas Paul was angry with Rhine. But... why?

"Shut it, dwarf!" Paul didn't even look at Kim, his gaze was focused on Rhine.

"If you want to kill yourself there are more effective ways than jumping from a fucking bookshelf! I'd be happy to show you." Rhine pressed her jaw together, she wanted to tell him where to shove his help, but again Kim was faster.

"She only was up there, because you forced her to work alone! If you want to help her, idiot, then at least make yourself useful with grabbing the books, as you are too stupid to do anything else!" Rhine's jaw dropped, never had she heard anyone talk like that to Paul! And neither did he... he looked dumbstruck for a second than even angrier than before.

"Listen bitch..." He moved toward Kim, coming closer to Rhine, who moved backwards to be farther away from angry Paul, but this brought her shoulder against the wall again, making her hiss in pain.

Paul suddenly turned around to her again. "Where..."

"Your shoulder, isn't it?" Kim was already moving closer, trying to take off Rhine's cardigan to look at the injury.

"It's nothing." Rhine said, gripping her cardigan while trying to move away, but she only moved closer to Paul that way. And he didn't hesitate to grip her good, right shoulder in one hand and pull the cardigan off of the other.

Kim whispered: "Oh gods." and clasped a hand over her mouth, Paul only stared at it. It was a huge bruise, covering all of her right shoulder-blade and went over her arm and down towards her waist. All deep shades of blue and brown, so dark some places seemed black.

In that moment an enraged Michelle came around the corner. "What the hell was that, just now, Paul, you all but threw me on the floor and then suddenly disappear?! Because of that?" She motioned to Rhine, but everyone ignored her. Kim even found her voice again: "That bruise is not from your fall... It looks older." She still looked shocked, when her gaze met Rhine's. "Who did that to you?"
The ignored Michelle tried to get the attention again: "Uh-hu, the pale face got the beating she deserved, so what? Paul come on, we had so much fun back there!"

But Paul was still staring at the bruise. His gaze slowly lifted to look Rhine in the eyes. Getting the answer he and Kim were searching for: Yes, he had done that to her.

He suddenly started to shake lightly, breathed heavily threw his nose and his grip on her cardigan and arm tightened.

"Stop! You're hurting her, again!" Kim said and tried to push him away from Rhine, but he didn't move one iota.

"Paul!" Michelle whined, still not getting his attention.

He stared into Rhine's eyes as she stared back. His grip tightening more and more and the shaking becoming harder, when Rhine slightly raised her hand to touch his hand that had her cardigan in a tight fist. Her fingertips barely touched his skin, and she said in a low voice: "Please stop, Paul." The first time, she ever said his name out loud. And he immediately seemed to calm down. The shaking stopped abruptly and his grip loosened slowly.

"What is going on here?" The stern voice of Mr Briggs came from somewhere behind Kim. Paul pulled her cardigan up and used the grip on her other arm to haul her to her feet with him.

"Rhine tripped and hurt her shoulder on the wall. I think she should go to the nurse." he told their teacher. Kim also got up and shot Paul a death glare, but she kept quiet, when she saw Rhine slightly shake her head. Michelle thankfully didn't say anything as well.

Mr Briggs looked suspicious but he only nodded and told Paul to bring her to the nurse and sent Kim and Michelle back to work.

Paul grabbed her bag and pulled her towards her table to get his own, then he pulled her along with him, out of the library, never letting go of her arm.

Rhine had to jog to keep up with his long legs, but in a school with only one hallway nothing was really far away.

When they got the nurse's office Paul went in without knocking. He shoved her into a chair in front of the desk and moved behind it. Th nurse was... not there.

Paul opened a small fridge and took out a cooling pack. He pressed it into her hands and answered her unasked question: "She never locks the door, she's a bit... out of it, forgets everything. Never let her treat an open wound!" He walked past her and threw himself on the lounger in the back of the room, putting his hands behind his head.

Rhine's eyes went slowly over his tall frame. From his strong biceps over his six-pack down to his boot-clap feet he had crossed at the ankles.

He seemed so calm and relaxed it was easy to forget how he had acted only minutes ago! Practically growling her way, staring to shake, he had looked like he was seconds from losing all control and freaking out... well he freaked her out anyways!

She looked down at the cooling pack, lifting it towards her shoulder and let out a sigh of relief, when the pain of the bruise did subside a bit. When she turned her gaze back at Paul, she found him watching her, as if trying very hard to figure something out. She was curious, of course, but never would she dare to ask him. But apparently she didn't need to, as Paul asked her suddenly: "Your brother, he's very protective of you, isn't he?" Rhine couldn't stop the shocked expression, she really hadn't expected that!
"Erm..." What was she supposed to answer? Of course Paul was right, but why did he ask? Did he suspect anything? Did he know?

"He's trying to be a good brother, I guess." she said very quietly.

"Sure." was all Paul answered and for long minutes the silence between them seemed to be palpable.

"Is it true that he's going to Seattle?" How did he know that? Stephan only knew since yesterday? But before she could answer he continued:
"He's the reason you have no friends. Could be good for you if he would just fuck off!" What the fuck?! Where did that come from?
And no, Paul was the reason she had no friends! Making sure everyone knew how he thought about her, was the reason! In his eyes she didn't belong there - in their school, in the reservation - never should she have lived there, much less become a part of a Native American family, he had never kept that a secret. Actually he had told that everyone, even those who didn't want to know. This made the other students stay away from her, no one wanted to provide a target for angry Paul because he or she protected a pale face.

Her brother had been her only friend! The only one talking to her at school, sitting with her during lunch, even though he had been quiet popular back then, he would never call anyone a friend who had hurt or humiliated her in any way!

"That's... that's not true!" she forced out. Yes, her brother had broken her, hurt her, but he also had tried his best to make the rest of her life as easy and carefree as possible.

"Oh, really?" Paul's voice was dripping with sarcasm, "then where are all your little friends?"
Of course he would humiliate her again, it had only been a matter of time. Paul could only stand her presence for a few minutes without physically or verbally assaulting her.

"Tell me, pale face, have you ever spent a day in a mall with your friends? Went to the cinema with them? No? I bet you haven't even kissed a guy!"

"I did!" she blurted out but regretted it immediately when she saw his face turn from smug to a glare.

"And who was willing to kiss an ugly excuse of a girl such as you?" Ok, that hurt... But she couldn't show, and she couldn't answer!

Paul raised a single eyebrow while looking at her from the corners of his eyes. Then he snorted.

"That's what I thought." Now he looked smug again. She pressed her jaw together, keeping herself from leashing out at him.

"Look, ugly, it's not a shame to die as a lonely cat loving virgin, not in your case." He grinned and Rhine couldn't stop herself, she threw the cooling pack directly at his face. But the asshole caught it before it got even close to his face.

"Careful, pale face, or I have to punish you for attacking me." He sighed dramatically, "And that while I take such good care of you." Now it was her turn to glare. He was the one who had injured her in the first place! She stood abruptly, wanting nothing more than to leave his presence. But as soon as she opened the door a few inches, his big hand pushed it shut again. Rhine tried to pull it open to no avail, then she tried to move his arm, but she could have tried to push a steal beam instead, that probably would have been more successful!

She heard his dark chuckle behind her, felt his body-heat directly behind her. His skin was far too warm to be normal! Or was she only half frozen?

"You're not going anywhere until I fucking say so!" His lips nearly touched her ear, he was so close that she could feel his breath ghost over the side of her face and neck.

He suddenly pressed the cooling pack on her bruise again, making her jump and shut her eyes tightly. But he didn't hurt her this time, odd, though his right arm was still blocking the door and he was too close for her liking. Rhine deeply regretted that she had pulled up her curls this morning to rest in a messy bun on her head. She felt so vulnerable right now, her neck completely exposed before him. He was still too close, she didn't dare move a muscle!

Suddenly the bell rang, startling both him and her. Rhine reacted on instinct: she pulled his arm away and was out the door, before he had even realized what was happening.

A few people threw her disgusted glances, certainly thinking she was now really out of her mind, because she practically ran down the hallway.

When she reached her locker, Kim was waiting for her, five books on her arms.

"Hey, I got these books for your project. Normally one person isn't allowed to take more than six books, but when I told Miss Honse, that half of them are for you and your homework, she made an exception." Her smile faltered. "Are you... I mean... He... He didn't hurt you again, did he?"

Rhine drew a hopefully convincing smile on her face and shook her head. She just opened her mouth to say something, when she heard Paul call: "Hey pale face!" and turned towards him. He threw her bag at her. Not caring if she caught it, he walked past them, Michelle again glued to his side.

"Asshole!" Kim muttered. For that Rhine could manage a small smile.

"That you for the books... And for everything else." Kim smiled again. "No big deal. You wanne go home together? I only live a few houses down your street, you know?" She did know, but never dared to hope for a thing as walking home together, that was what friends did... and Rhine had no friends!
"Sure." she said, with a bigger smile now on her face. Maybe she could really change things now. Maybe Kim could really become her friend.

Note to myself: Stay strong, things are turning for the better now!