The Berry Wars Chapter One
POV: Rachel
The last day of Sophomore year was the final straw for Rachel Barbara Berry. Hitting an all time low on the SUCK FACTOR that was her existence. She had been slushied 13 times that day alone, her locker had been broken into and vandalized. Someone had cut the straps on her backpack, so that they snapped at the worst time as she was running to class. She had been locked in the auditorium until the cleaning crew came at quarter to 11pm. Honestly the list went on and on. But the final straw was her car. Someone had broken out all her windows and flattened all her tires. All FOUR of her damn tires.
She called a tow truck, and hid in the back seat until they showed up. She sat there shivering, crying and feeling bad for herself. She was so angry! So angry at everyone but mostly herself. Why did she let everyone walk all over her? First her fathers, and now the McKinley high population.
In her heart she knew that her days in Lima were numbered she just had to stick it out until the end of senior year. Then she would go to New York, and be everything that she needed to be to make it on Broadway. Nothing was going to stand in her way of Broadway. Nothing.
"You just need to get mean." she whispered to herself. She needed to "Toughen Up." as Hiram told her they last time she'd seen him. That was two years ago, her dads decided the were going to Key West, FL where they wouldn't be judged any more after seeing some stupid ass commercial on TV. Apparently Rachel wasn't to be included in their new life in judgment free Key Fucking West.
She let herself into her dark and quiet house, once the tow truck guy was gone. "I forgot to pay the light bill again." she muttered to herself as she sat heavily onto the old dilapidated sofa in the living room and began to cry again.
Hours later she stood up heading to the kitchen and hit the corner of the coffee table with her already bruised knee. In a blind range she picked up the table and tossed it over her head and it crashed into the TV splintering the table and shattering the tv. Once she started she wasn't able to stop she picked up pictures of the Berry family that were framed with lies and broken promises throwing them into the wall. She ripped the fabric from the sofa to shreds in her anger.
Four hours later the entire Berry House was destroyed. There wasn't one piece of furniture intact, not one cheap knock off vase standing, not one picture hanging on the wall. But instead ripped in several pieces and left on the ground. Drinking glasses, glass tableware broken laying lifeless. It was utter destruction and for the first time in Rachel's life she felt in control, and she liked it.
She headed up to her room and grabbed a bag, using her cell phone's flashlight app she packed a bag of things that she would need. Two weeks worth of clothes, toiletry essentials, her laptop, her cell phone. She stepped over the debris in her fathers tattered room and opened the safe she took out the 30 grand that was sitting there, shoving it into her bag. She would later deposit it into her checking account, wasn't safe to carry that much cash, she knew that.
She took one last look around her childhood house and walked out. She walked to the garage, lifted the door manually and pulled back the cover on the only thing that Shelby , did right by her. Her late granddaddy's 1969 Pontiac Firebird convertible. It was the only thing in the world that she had left of the person who truly loved her. The only person that she came first to. Fighting back the tears she ran her hand down the gleaming red paint. Having just waxed it two weeks ago, it gleamed up at her lovingly.
She popped the trunk placed her bags into the trunk, checked the tires, the spare, her emergency kit. Check all the fluids for the classic car, and then without looking back. Rachel Barbra Berry left Lima, Ohio.
She left without telling a soul where she was going, when and if she was coming back. There was no use in kidding herself no one would even know she had left.
"Hola niña ¿Te has perdido?" came a snicker from behind her.
Rachel crossed her arms and looked at the teenager in front of her. "No, I'm not lost. I'm looking for Hector."
"Hector's ocupado." he said giving her body a once over. His was dressed in lose sweats, a wife beater. His dark hair slightly curly and slicked back. He had the lightest brown eyes Rachel had ever seen, they were almost gold. He had a uncolored tear drop tattoo to the left of his eye. On his left arm was a beautiful initiate dragon tattoo that Rachel found mesmerizing.
"I've an appointment." she said with a raised eyebrow. She was intimidated by the size of the guy in front of her. They might be around the same age but he had bulging muscles the size of her head.
"Raul deja a la chica blanca en paz!" called an older man from the doorway to the gym. "Are you Rachel?"
"Yeah, are you Hector?" she called out to him making her way to where he stood.
"Yeah that's me. Marlena said you wanted to talk to me?" Hector said motioning her to take a seat.
"Nice to meet you, thank you for seeing me." Rachel sat down in the chair and took in all the trophies.
"What can I do for you?"
"I want you to teach me how to fight." she said simply smiling at the man.
In all fairness to him he didn't outright laugh, he just nodded and looked at her. "Why would a pretty girl like you need to know how to fight?"
"Because I need to know how to protect myself." she said watching for signs of condescension.
"Why me?"
"Because you're the best in California, and you came highly recommended. Listen I don't expect to be able to take on everyone. I just need to re-tone my muscles. I'm a brown belt in karate, TaeKnowdo, and Jui Jitsu. I'm rusty and I haven't been in any competitions in over two years. But I have the core muscles. I'm no slouch and I'm a fast learner."
Hector leaned back in shock, looking over the little girl now with a different eyes. "You know how to fight, you don't need me."
"I'm classically trained, yes. But where I'm going I need to learn how to fight dirty.
The man tossed his head back and laughed. "And where exactly are you going?"
Rachel leaned back with a smile on her face. "Back to high school."
Translations:
"Hola niña ¿Te has perdido?" {Hello Girl are you lost?}
"Raul deja a la chica blanca en paz!" {Raul leave the white girl alone}
Taylor's Notes
Thanks for reading
Please review
This story isn't written in stone and I haven't decided on who
Rachel will end up with yet. I haven't gotten to that yet.
She still too closed off. I'd love to hear your idea of
what should happen.
Thanks
Taylor
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