friends (rick riley and scott holland)(INDEFINITE HIATUS)

chapter five

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chapter five: basic (maternal) instinct

tw(s) — inappropriate jokes, gwen is a bit of a bully

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"Be good today, won't you?" Gwen rests her hands on her hips and squints up at the two fourteen-year-olds standing in front of her. "That goes for the both of you and all of your little friends, alright? I don't beg, but I am begging you now to remember what I said about keeping your heads down."

After a (mostly) painless drive, they linger in the lot closest to Rick and Scott's dorm so she can say her goodbyes. The other two seniors stand a few feet away, back by the car, to give them a semblance of privacy, but she isn't sure how helpful it is. Gwen's known Charlie since he was ten years old and she knows when he's paying attention, so she knows that he's not listening to her right now. He is, because he's never been capable of letting things go, glaring at the other boys over her shoulder like he'd be able to hold his own in a fight with them. His jaw is clenched, his body taught and trembling as his hands form fists at his sides, and she has half the mind to see what Rick is doing behind her.

She doesn't, though. She just grabs Charlie's chin and forces him to look at her. The harsh look in her eyes makes all the words he was going to say die on his tongue.

"Alright?" She asks again, releasing his face.

Charlie doesn't respond. Adam casts his best friend a sideways, wary glance.

"Yeah. Alright." Her little brother answers for them both and nods succinctly.

"Good. Do you need a ride home, Charlie?"

He shakes his head. "No. I'll take the bus."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah." Charlie takes a deep breath. "I'm sure."

"Okay." Gwen flashes them both a soft, warm smile. Adam lets his sister hug him without any fanfare but Charlie tenses up and whines petulantly. "Now go. Run along. I just can't be seen with you."

Adam smiles, too, when she winks. He grabs Charlie by the arm and drags him away.

The Ducks' captain is still glaring behind her when she turns away from them. Immediately, she finds the root of the problem.

Rick is flipping him off.

"Seriously?" She scoffs and crosses her arms over her chest as she walks. His hand falls to his side quickly. "Can't you stop for, like, five minutes?"

"What? What am I doing?" He tries to act cool but his voice is a pitch higher than it should be.

"Y'know, Winnie," Scott pushes off Rick's car, his gum popping as he chews it, "it's cute how you act like such a mom. Almost makes it look like you've got a soul."

Gwen hits him in the middle of his chest with her palm when he slings an arm around her shoulders and shoots him a withering glare.

"He's right. It is cute." Rick sounds a lot more sure of himself. He pushes off his car, too, and grins toothily as he assumes his position on the other side of her.