Sarina Blade: Hey yall, I'm back. With another update. Yep, that's right. I am an updating machine! Ok, so not a machine, but close enough. I had it all written before, now I'm just going through and adding detail. Got a massive headache and I'm in the midst of moving. But I don't care. I gotta update. I missed writing. Also I noticed something while reading through my work. There are discrepancies in the car style. That will be fixed upon this update.

"Robert, please stop!" Mariah whimpered.

"Shut up! I do not fucking take no for an answer!" Robert spat. He slammed her hard against the shelves in the closet. This caused her to cry out loudly in pain. Her aching ribs inflicting more damage than there would've been normally. "I thought I fucking said to shut up!" He pinned her to the shelves with his hips. Taking a free hand grabbing the duct tape from the shelf above her head. Tearing off a piece and pressing it firmly over her mouth. "I'll take it off in a bit if you're a good little slut." His voice was thick with lust, a sadistic nature hidden behind it.

Mariah whimpered softly against the duct tape, pushing against his chest in vain. Her attempts were no use, she was far too weak to even try and fight him. But this irritated him, taking her wrists in one hand, and wrapping them thoroughly with duct tape with the other. Taping them to one of the poles. "You're not being good, how to expect me to want to uncover your mouth with you being like that?" Robert asked darkly.

What happened after that was a blur for Mariah due to the tears that were streaking down her cheeks. Next she knew her feet were dangling a few inches from the ground, crying out as the duct tape tore at her skin. Kai was on top of Robert, landing repeated piston-like blows to the young man's face. When Kai was satisfied he stood up. Spitting on Robert as he stood up.

"You so much as even look at her wrong, and you will get so much worse," Kai snarled. He quickly turned his attention to Mariah, taking out his knife and cutting the makeshift duct tape restraints. And looking at her cringing about the piece over her mouth. "You know there's only one way to do that…"

Mariah nodded taking the edge in her hand. And ripping it away. Gasping as she did so. Then taking a few deep breaths to relax. Kai pulled her into his arms. "It'll be ok, I promise. He didn't hurt you too bad, did he?" He asked softly. His fingers stroking her cheek gently.

"No, I'm ok… Just kinda shaken," Mariah responded leaning into Kai. Blushing as she did this. She liked him, a lot. She wasn't exactly sure what they were at the time. Friends, best friends, lovers. What she knew for sure was that Kai was her best friend. And there wasn't a damn person in that school that would change that.

As they walked out the closet, leaving Robert to his agony on the floor, the school's broadcast radio station came on over the intercom. Sara's voice bubbly as ever.

"Hey, hey students. It is another beautiful day at Carrillo High! And I'd like to send out congratulations to the Lady Cougars basketball team for winning last night against the Baymont Academy Lady Knights. And let's not forget about the big regional swim meet at Baymont Academy tonight. Come out and cheer on our swim team as they make their way state!" Sara announced excitedly. "I have a song dedication. And it's from Kai Hiwaitari. He wants me to play Your Guardian Angel the acoustic version by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. And the acoustic version of Face Down, also by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. And he wants them dedicated to Miss Mariah Wong. Isn't that sweet." Mariah could hear the twinge of hatred in Sara's voice when she said Kai's name. And the venom dripping from her overly sweet "isn't that sweet."

Kai looked over at Mariah. This song was his song for her, because it reminded him of her and him. He'd always protect her. Even it cost him his own life. Because he knew she's get out of that house eventually, away from her father.

Hey, girl, you know you drive me crazy
one look puts the rhythm in my hand.
Still I'll never understand why you hang around
I see what's going down.

Kai took her hand in his; everything she did drove Kai crazy. From the way she looked at him with those gorgeous eyes. To the way she put up with her father despite everything. The way she looked directly at him while she shook those perfect hips to the music of their cheer routines. She knew exactly how to make him want her so much more then he already did. She was his perfect angel, an angel with a broken wing, but his angel none the less.

Cover up with makeup in the mirror
tell yourself, it's never gonna happen again
You cry alone and then he swears he loves you.

Kai knew everything she went through with that bastard. The beatings that she hid from everyone. Everyone but him. And it killed him inside to know that he couldn't protect her from him. He'd sworn to her that he'd get her out, one way or another. If he had his way, he would marry her. He loved her so much. She'd never be unhappy again, not if he had anything to say about it.

Do you feel like a man when you push her around?
Do you feel better now as she falls to the ground?
Well I'll tell you my friend, one day this world's going to end
as your lies crumble down, a new life she has found.

A pebble in the water makes a ripple effect
every action in this world will bear a consequence
If you wade around forever, you will surely drown
I see what's going down.

Kai knew the smallest things would set her father on another rampage. But he also knew that his actions would soon bear the appropriate consequence. He would catch her father in the act one day and he would make him pay, dearly, for what he's done to her. Kai couldn't simply stand by much longer.

I see the way you go and say you're right again,
say you're right again
Heed my lecture.

Do you feel like a man when you push her around?
Do you feel better now as she falls to the ground?
Well I'll tell you my friend, one day this world's going to end
as your lies crumble down, a new life she has found.

Face down in the dirt, she said,
"This doesn't hurt", she said,
"I finally had enough."

Face down in the dirt, she said,
"This doesn't hurt", she said,
"I finally had enough."

One day she will tell you that she has had enough
It's coming round again.

Kai looked over at her beautiful face, he was going to make her life better, and this life hopefully included him. Mariah would soon tell her father that she'd been pushed to her limits one too many times, and that she was getting out. She needed to. Her father was going to eventually boil over and kill her, and Kai couldn't live knowing that he'd known the whole time and did nothing.

Do you feel like a man when you push her around?
Do you feel better now as she falls to the ground?
Well I'll tell you my friend, one day this world's going to end
as your lies crumble down, a new life she has found.

Do you feel like a man when you push her around?
Do you feel better now as she falls to the ground?
Well I'll tell you my friend, one day this world's going to end
as your lies crumble down, a new life she has found.

Face down in the dirt, she said,
"This doesn't hurt", she said,
"I finally had enough."

"Hey Mariah, what do you say you and me get outta here, you don't have any finals or anything today. So let's just skip. Cause I know you could use a day away from this pit. And away from the peppiness of cheerleader world," Kai whispered in her ear. Looking at Mariah with a smile spreading across his gorgeous features, showing pearly white teeth.

Mariah tried to come up with a reason not to go, but when he smiled it melted her heart. He had such a cute little lopsided smile. She looked up into his crimson eyes, her smile spreading on her face, "Ok, I don't see why the hell not. I have no finals, and I can skip one practice," she said.

Kai took her hand gently, this made Mariah blush heavily. Averting her eyes as he dragged her back out to the car. Climbing back in the car they turned the radio on to the school's station. And there was that overly peppy voice once more. "That was The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Face Down. And you're listening to 101.9 Cougar Radio. Coming up by popular demand is Superman Tonight, but Bon Jovi. Listen and enjoy everyone," Sara smiled.

Kai and Mariah listened to the song in silence. He stole glances at Mariah here and there, when she wasn't looking, he couldn't help it. She was so beautiful. "You mentioned the other night, wanting to see that new horror movie right?" Kai asked softly. Looking over at the beautiful woman next to him.

"Yeah, I mentioned it. I wanted to see it cause it looked scary, you know I love me a good horror movie," Mariah giggled. "Why?"

"Well, would you wanna go see it? Right now?" Kai asked hopefully. "It doesn't have to be a date or anything, just, you know, as friends…" Kai was stumbling over his words nervously. Sure, he wanted it to be a date. But he didn't want to push her. He could not risk losing her.

Mariah couldn't help but smile at how nervous he was, she took his hand that was resting on the stick shifter. "We can call it a date, maybe some of the guys at school will leave me alone," she smiled.

"R..really?" Kai stuttered. He couldn't believe she'd just called it a date. He wasn't expecting that out of her. He smiled a bit when she took his hand. A blush coming over his cheeks now. He pulled up to the theater, and paid for tickets, pop corn, drinks and candy. Not allowing Mariah to pay for anything.

"Kai?" Mariah laughed as he wouldn't let her pay.

"It's our first date, you're not paying," Kai smiled. He looked down into her eyes. A smiled coming over his features again. No one had ever made him smile like this. He let her choose the seats, and she chose the middle of the very back row. The same place he always sat. He wrapped his arm around her as the movie began. The scarier it got the more she cuddled into him."Don't be scared, you know I'm always here to protect you, no matter what," Kai whispered in her ear, wrapping his arm tighter around her.

"I'm not scared, why would I be scared? This movie isn't even that scary. Maybe I just wanted to be closer to you?" Mariah asked indignantly. A small pout on her lips. But he body betrayed her; she was shaking in his arms.

"No, me thinks you're scared. You're trembling Riah," Kai whispered in her ear.

"Ok, so maybe I'm a little scared…" Mariah admitted honestly.

Kai smiled and pulled her closer to him, holding her tighter to his chest.

At the School…

"Wonder where Kai's at…" Tyson thought to himself, accidentally thinking out loud. Tyson was good for that. Loud, brash, cocky blue-hair young man. He was one of Kai's best friends. But he often annoyed Kai with his lack of tact.

"Who knows? He's probably out with Little Miss Happy Cheer Bitch," Tala said rolling his eyes. "Cause she was over at the house last night. She and Kai crashed on the couch. I ought to know. They woke my ass up too early this morning."

Ray's hands clutched into a fists, his blood boiling at hearing this. Mariah was his. Kai knew this. "She what?" Ray growled softly.

"She came over and they fell asleep on the couch watching Titanic. Chillax dude, you're gonna hurt yourself," Tala said looking at Ray's now white knuckles. And blood dripping from his palm from gripping so tightly.

Ray let out a growl of frustration and stalked off. Punching a locker as he did. 'I'll fucking kill that bastard. Mariah is mine. And he fucking knows it….' Ray thought angrily.

Sarina Blade: Yay, that's another chapter down. I'm doing pretty good on updating regularly. And I apologize for any spelling or grammatical errors in this chapter. I have all four of my wisdom teeth extracted so I'm on some fairly heavy duty pain killers. But I promised regular updated. Once again a cliff hanger.

What will Ray do? Are Mariah and Kai finally official? How will the school react to Kai's assault on Robert? Or better yet, Robert's assault on Mariah? Find out in the next chapter of Pep Squad Goth.

Preview:

Mariah stood up and made her way into the kitchen, only to find her dad waiting for her.

"What? You think I'm stupid? Every time you run off to that freaks house, you skip school the next day!" Her father slurred. "And now I know why you little slut!"

Her father slapped her hard, sending her to the floor. Kai heard the noise quickly rushed to the kitchen. To find Mariah's father standing over Mariah's prone body. He wasn't gonna let this happen to her again.