kitkat's ★ vance hopper

[04] 01.10.79

BROOO vance defends my girlboss Caroline what a MIRRORBALLLLLLLLLL

1ST OCTOBER, 1979.

13:02, HOLLENFIELD PARK.

VANCE DEFENDS CAROLINE.

Caroline had settled in fairly well to the school, she had her two close friends and she had Vance. Her Vance. The only problem was with a group of people in her grade. Well it was more of their problem with her. Caroline didn't understand what had provoked them to be so horrible to her, in fact she's been nothing but kind. Giving them answers to homework, refusing to grass on them, lending them money for lunch, giving them a punching bag. The girls in it gave comments on her body and looks, occasionally holding her back while a few of the boys would hit her. Nothing too damaging, but nothing nice. Of course most of these had been involuntary, but it's not like she minded that much, it kept them happy. Even if she was unhappy.

She guessed some of the comments they'd made about her looks had really gotten to her, she hasn't been confident in herself ever really. Being told it made it much worse to Caroline. Far more real.

To escape her own self derogatory thoughts, she often found herself going on walks with her favourite mixtape playing through her headphones. It improved her mood, and allowed her to become more familiar with the town. It was a Saturday, and she'd decided to take a walk to a local park. This one was rarely occupated by young children, and had become property to the teenagers of Denver. Hollenfield park was definitely a favourite of hers.

The smile on her face quickly faded as spotted one of the boys who'd took a particular liking to beating her up. Braden Kramer was nothing short of brutal. She tried to turn back the way she came before he noticed her, but was too late. "You alright, Sanderson? Look like you've seen a ghost."

"Haha, I mean who knows!" Caroline tried her hardest to walk past, trying not to show her fear.

"C'mon Sanderson, that desparate to get away from me?" She was. She desparately was. Attempting to gulp down her fears (and failing) she stopped and looked up at the taunting boy. A sickening smile, spread across his face in realisation of her fear.

"You know Caroline, been feeling pretty angry lately. Think I need to let it all out." She braves herself for the first hit from the boy, it landing on her stomach. She threw away her headphones, walkman and backpack to avoid damaging them during the fight. It's not like she ever fought back. But Braden kept hitting and hitting. Eventually she fell to the ground, unable to keep herself up any longer. He leaned over her helpless self, and landed a hard punch to the nose. The warmth of pain came over her face as blood began spilling out of her nose. Caroline opened her eyes to watch him lift his fist up for a second hit to the mouth. He couldn't even lower it down before a fast blonde head of hair tackled him off of her and to the ground.

Caroline didn't even care who it was, she just cared he wasn't hitting her any more. She didn't even lift her head off the ground as she faintly heard insults and threats between her tormentor and saviour. When her nose had started bleeding, the blood had dripped to her ears, preventing her from hearing whatever was being said. As she finally grew strong enough to use her elbows to slightly lift off the ground, Caroline watch Vance hopper scream to a running and terrified Braden who had become bloody from his injuries.

"DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HER AGAIN, MOTHERFUCKER!" Screaming at the boy one last time as he turned to see her condition. Vance helped pull her up as he gently moved his hands over her body to view the damages. "He got you you good didn't he? Doesn't matter now, I got him worse so he won't be trying anything again."

Caroline couldn't even speak, she fell into Vance and wrapped her arms around his neck tightly. He cautiously hugged her back as the girl began crying into his neck. "C'mon, KitKat. We gotta get you cleaned up."

"We can go to my house, only my brother will be home and he won't care."

"He wouldn't care about you?" Vance softly said, not wanting to upset the girl.

"No silly, not care that there's a boy in my room." Caroline laughed as she held Vance's hand and took him to her home. It was only a ten minute walk away, and the small blue house was a growing comfort to the girl. As the pair walked up the path, she used her spare hand to take her keys out and unlock the door, still not letting go of his hand.

Caroline lead Vance to the bathroom, and took out the medical kit from under the sink. She didn't bother calling out to her older brother she was home. "You sit down, I'll do it for you. I got some experience."

Caroline sat down on the edge of the closed toilet seat, removing her jumper to reveal heavily bruised arms with a few small cuts littered around from impact to the ground. Carefully, Vance cleaned each and every wound on her arms, eventually reaching her face. Wiping up all her blood from the nosebleed, he smiled at the now much cleaner girl. "Has he ruined my face?" Caroline asked quietly, looking up at the boy. "Nothing could ruin your face, you're way too pretty for that." Caroline blushed and looked down, no boy had ever called her pretty before.

"Vance! Your hands, are you okay?" Vance had barely noticed the cuts on his knuckles from punching Braden Kramer. Quickly flexing his hands around to show they're okay, he washed the dried blood out and presented them in front of Caroline.

"See, I'm just fine."