youngblood // p. hockstetter // 0.1

//seven

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Abigail, Isabella and Denise were immensely surprised by Rosemary's apparent display of bravery which she herself brushed aside as simple irritation.

"I'm very sorry for my behaviour" She said to the girls as she was led to her locker. "I just h-" She caught herself, "I don't like when people call other people names. It was petty of that boy, uh..." She looked at the girls, waving as Isabella left to put her own things away.

"Patrick. Hockstetter. And don't worry about it hon, I've heard everything Bowers' gang can dish up" Grabbing her book bag from her locker, she quickly slipped her textbook and pencil case inside before turning to follow Abigail to their homeroom. "But trust me Rose, he's not someone you want to get involved with. If I were you I'd consider that collision your last encounter. He's just weird"

"Why? What's he done that's weird?" She asked as they walked into Mrs.Pontleac's classroom.

"Well other them his pencil case full of dead flies" She emphasised, gagging slightly as she slung her bag over her shoulder, stopping at her desk. "There were rumours that he stole some of the pets off Witcham Street"

"What'd he do with them?" Rosemary whispered as she backed up towards her desk. Abigail only shrugged, because truthfully, no one had seen the missing pets in months.

As Mrs.Pontleac reached the end of roll call, she looked up and look around the room. "Has anyone seen Patrick or Marcia?"

A murmur of no's bumbled around the class before the final bell rang and everyone hastily stood up, desperate to leave. "How're you getting home?" Abigail asked once they'd left the classroom.

"My brother wants to drive but I was planning on walking back home with a friend"

"You have a brother?"

"Yeah, he's a senior. To be honest though, I wouldn't be surprised if he's already ditched" Rosemary sighed, fiddling with her cross as they begun walking down the stairs. She hadn't seen Jude at lunch so she could only assume he was either in a teacher's office or not in the school, "Jude isn't much a fan of school" Abigail snickered slightly, "Or listening to rules..."

"What's he look like? I can help you look for him" Pulling her aside from the ongoing sea of teenagers, Abigail leant against the bannister as her scourged the car park.

"Uh...pretty tall? Glasses, black hair, thin-"

"Found him" To Rosemary's surprise, she really had. Leaning against the door of his 1960 Ford Thunderbird, her brother was laughing as he spoke to a larger, broader boy whom rest against his own car, a Plymouth Fury. The very same she'd admired that morning. "Why is he talking to Belch Huggins?" She glanced at Rosemary's placid face, albeit slightly confused face.

"Who?"

"The guy driving the other car?" Rosemary frowned.

"His name is Belch?" She wanted to laugh, what right minded parent would name their child Belch of all things.

"No, he-"

"Rosemary!" A sudden hand clamping downward on Rosemary's shoulder made her jump in surprise before she turned to look at Gretta. Slightly tired, sweat glistened off her forehead while Abigail stared at the freshmen in slight disgust.

"Hey!" Rosemary smiled, slightly breathless.

"You ready to go? We can still go look at the church if you want?" She had completely forgotten about her request that morning but smiled regardless.

"Sure! I just have to go tell my brother I'm going with you" Quickly hugging Abigail, she descended the stairs with Gretta beside her.

"Where's your brother?" Nodding towards him, she heard Gretta stop walking once they'd hit the pavement and looking back at her, her face had whitened considerably.

"Gretta?"

"I..." She swallowed, "I might just wait for you here" Rosemary had recognised the slight fear and definite nervousness in her tone immediately. Grabbing Gretta's hands, Rosemary stared at her in concern.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine" She hadn't stopped looking at Belch Huggin's car.

"I know my brother looks mean but he really isn't that bad" Rosemary reasoned, smiling slightly.

"It's not your brother that's the problem. I told you, the Bowers Gang is trouble with a capital t. I don't want to go anywhere near them"

Glancing back, Jude saw her and quickly ushered her over, a dopey grin slapped across his face. "I should only be a second. But if I'm not..." Gretta gave her a sympathetic look, remembering how he'd reacted this morning.

Parting from Gretta's comforting grip, she slipped past several groups of students before carefully walking around Belch's gorgeous Plymouth Fury. She couldn't take her eyes off it.

"Told you she'd like it" Jude chuckled. "Ro, this is Reginald Huggins"

'Reginald' chuckled, "Everyone calls me Belch"

Belch Huggins was debatably the largest teenager Rosemary had seen in her entire life. Glancing between Jude at 6 feet tall and Belch, whom towered over him, she'd never felt so vulnerable before a stranger. Nevertheless, she smiled. "It's a '58, right?"

Belch let out a low whistle, looking at Jude, impressed. "Girl knows her cars" Rosemary shrugged playfully, gracefully walking around the car where Jude held his arm out to her.

"Belch, this is my little sister Rosemary"

She held her hand out which he took with an impressively little amount of force. Truthfully, Belch was barely holding her hand out of fear he may injure the petite girl in front of him in his bear like grip. "Nice to meet you Belch"

"Pleasure's all mine" His face looked almost doughy, his brown curls hidden beneath a torn up cap and his chubby cheeks swelling as he smiled. Rosemary was tugged back into Jude's side as he draped an arm over her shoulders.

"You ready to go? Belch was just saying how Friedkin's new movie is playing at the theatre" He bent down slightly, prodding her cheek playfully.  "I know how much you love scary shit"

It was true, and the thought of watching another film from the genius behind The Exorcist made her giddy. "I'd love to-" She winced slightly, looking up at Jude. "-but I said I'd walk with Gretta. Didn't I tell you?" For an instant, the grin dropped before he nudged her slightly.

"Come on-" His arm tightened slightly, "-you can walk with her any day, the films only going to be in cinemas for a week or two!" It was that little tighten that made her stiffen. That small, minor action which to others may've seemed like a joking, even affectionate action between siblings, was in fact his warning. His warning not to disagree again.

"I guess I could go" As Belch grinned and Jude kissed the side of her head, she shot a knowing look to Gretta. The small exchange was enough for Gretta to completely understand Jude and Rosemary's relationship in an instant.

Pulling her bag higher, she began walking home, alone.

She was soon out of sight and Jude grabbed her book bag. Rosemary knew better then to ask him whether he'd been at school that day, especially in front of others. "Hey!" She looked up at Belch, who'd turned to greet several figures approaching the car from the school. "Couple of my mates are goin' with us"

Rosemary felt her heart stutter as she watched Patrick Hockstetter approach the car.

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