Black Sheep

Rounds

Rue went to the hospital then to work. They told her that her bruises would heal in 3 weeks and they stop the nose bleeding. Her lips were swelled up but her pride wasn't broken if anything she was angry who wouldn't be angry. If anything she needed to blow off steam. She went into work early she was greeted by her boss at the door.

"Hey Rue-" Bennett Caldwell said. He cut his own self off when he saw Rue. "Who who did this to your face?"He rubbed her eye it turned black.

"Don't worry about it Uncle Caldwell." Rue went in the back and changed into her work uniform. Rue and Bennett were just as close as she was to Mrs.Irving. He took her in as a god daughter. One day while she was at work her father called to fuss at her on the phone about not helping her brothers with their homework. She got in a argument over the phone while she was on break. Bennett sat with her and listen to her talk about her family from that point on he thought Rue as his daughter. Bennett would spend time with her teach her about his life when he use to leave in Italy and came to America. He would take her to father daughter lunches give her the full experience.

Rue came out went to her section at the shooting range. It was Friday and her apartment was calling her name. She was just ready to go to sleep. Since it was about 1 hour before her shift she shot a few round she thought she deserved to shoot a few rounds. Her co-worker Tank pull the disk for her not asking any questions. She was the best at her job, best shoot her she took her job seriously. The bad days at school she would bring it and on regular days she would do her job with ease.

Bennett watch Rue in the door way as she shot. He worried about her he wanted to know what happen to her face and her arms. He wanted to know but he was brought out his thoughts when he heard the door open to his shop. His friend Tommy Rizzo walked through the door with his son.

"Tommy how you doin' haven't seen you since you moved into town." Bennett shook his hand.

"Been doing a lot of business, I though you could talk to Your god son here about his actions at school today."

"Let's talk,"Bennett beckoned Vince to come to his side."You want to shoot a few rounds?" He asked Tommy.

"Yea let's head to the back."Tommy said back. Bennett walked them back in the back. Rue was still shooting her rounds and Tank was still pulling disk. Her hair was still wet. The only thing she still wore from school was her snap back.

Rue saw Bennett but froze when she saw who was behind them. She put the rifle over shoulder told Tank to stop. Tank stood at attention.

"Mr.-"

"Rue what have I told you to call me?"

"Uncle Caldwell I'm taking a break."Rue threw the gun to Tank at went in side but Bennett stop her before she went in.

"What's wrong Rue you rarely take breaks."

"Just need to calm down a little bit."

"Hello Rue."Tommy spoke and held out his hand. Rue didn't want to be ride so she shook his hand.

"Hi."Was all she said.

"Oh! How do you know Rue? You know Rue is like a daughter to me. Well let's all shoot some rounds eh?"He put his arm around Rue. Rue tense her shoulders hurt.

"No Uncle Caldwell i'm taking a break." Rue moved away from him. Rue refused to be in the same space as Vince. Vince took his chance to talk to her.

"Rue please-"Vince spoke out.

"No Vince just no."Rue went inside.

"No, no, no what the hell did you do Vince?" Bennett turn to him. "Tell me your not the reason for the bruises and her black eye please tell me you didn't her!" Tommy put his hand on his shoulder and nodded.

"Now Bennett-" Tommy tried to catch Bennett before he blew up.

"È amante madre stupido! Sapete quanto lei ha vissuto? Che diavolo Vince!?" Bennett ran his hands through his hair in frustration. It was like he felt Rue's pain.

"I know Uncle Caldwell I didn't know it would end like that I didn't know." Vince put his hand on his forehead.

"What happened!?"Bennett picked up the gun that Rue had and told Tank when to pull he had to shoot a few rounds.

Vince told Bennett from the beginning about Rue. Told him about for weeks how he pulled pranks on her and teased her and how she didn't do anything back. When he told him about today Tommy stop shooting.

"So your telling me you told the whole basketball team to pour water on Rue and told them to bounce basketballs off of her. That's why she has bruises on her body her lips is swelled up and she has a black eye!?"

"Well at least her nose bleeding stopped."

"Nose bleed!? Se lei non ha combattuto allora lei non voleva combattere contro di te! Dannazione ragazzo!"

"I thought she was planning something against me!"

"If she was planning something against you she would have done it by now trust me I know her."

"I never thought about it like that ."

"That's the thing you never think." Bennett went back to shooting but was wonder what Rue was doing.

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Rue sat in the break room with a of skittles and a peach soda. She drowned herself in sweetness. She wanted to sleep but she didn't. She wanted to go for a long drive just to think. She popped a skittle in her mouth. She turned on the T.V in the break room and watched Duck Dynasty.

'Hey I can fight you physically and metaphysically' said Si.

Rue laughed it had been a long time since she laughed. She didn't even notice that she did. She ate some more skittles. She figured she would go home so she texted Bennett.

Bennett stop shooting when his phone vibrated. He gave Tank the gun and ran to the break room.

"You go ahead and go home gets some rest, I'll be by tomorrow to check on you." He gave her a hug she hugged back and went to her car. Vince watched her in the door way. When she drove away she made the tires screech.

"What did you do to my bambino?" Bennett looked at Vince.

"I'm so sorry Uncle Caldwell I will try to make it better."

"You will make it better there is no try." Bennett told him.

"Well it's about time we get home dinner is about to be ready."Tommy told him.

"Alright Tommy don't he a stranger come around anytime you will like."Bennett pulled Tommy in for a manly hug. "You boy better fix this." He told Vince.

Vince didn't think this through. He didn't think Rue didn't want to fight. He didn't think she wouldn't do anything. He didn't think at all.