"She won't find out," Nicky said rolling her eyes. "Believe me, it's a good fucking plan."

When she heard that Tricia was being bullied at school Nicky couldn't stop thinking about it. The anger inside her only grew and she needed to find a way to defend her sister.

"So, I'm going to call my mother saying that we won't have our last class and that we'll go to the mall near Tricia's school until it's time for her to pick up her." Nicky explained once again for the friend. "We ditch class and go to Tricia's school to teach a lesson to those girls."

"Okay, so what if your mother finds out that we ditched class?" Alex said nervously. "What if she tell MY mother? Nicky, I don't know if this is a good idea. "

"Alex, for the thousandth time, my mother will not find out." Nicky said impatiently. "If you don't want to go, you can stay, I'll go alone."

"I know your mother well enough not to fuck her rules Nicky..." Alex rolled her eyes at her friend's silence. "Okay, I'll go with you."

Nicky smirked and picked up her phone to call her mother.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

"Okay, Nicky, I need to go back to work now," Red said, holding the phone with her shoulder while cutting some vegetables. "I love you too, bye."

Red hung up the phone and leaned on the counter for a few minutes. Sighing, Red can't help feeling a slight mistrust rising in her chest. The Russian woman was trying to trust her teenage daughter a little more, but Nicky had a great hability in getting into trouble.

"Are you going to stand there all day doing nothing while I do all the work?" Gloria said as she entered the kitchen, bringing Red back to reality.

"Sorry," Red laughed and started to cut the vegetables again.

"You look worried," said Gloria analyzing her friend. She could already guess, it was Nicky again. "What happened?"

"Nicky-" Red was interrupted by Gloria's laugh. "What's it?"

"Nothing, sorry," Gloria chuckled. "I just figured it was something about her."

Red rolled her eyes but could not help but smile. "She called me saying she'll be dismissed from school earlier today."

"I'm listening," said Gloria.

"She said I don't have to pick her up earlier because she's going to take a walk in the mall with Alex." Red said putting the vegetables in a large pot. "And she'll wait for me at Tricia's school."

"And why exactly are you worried?" Gloria said not understanding the point.

"You know my daughter."

"I thought you were trying to trust her a little more, Galina." Gloria laughed and approached to place a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Maybe it's the lack of confidence that makes her the way she is."

"You think so?" Red's heart sank at once. She didn't wanted to be like that. Didn't wanted to be that kind of mother. But she didn't know what to do. "I just care about her, you know?"

"I know, and I understand you," Gloria said trying to calm Red's fears. "I would be just like you if Nicky were my daughter. But I really think you shouldn't worry. She just wants to have fun at the mall with her friend."

"Maybe you're right ..." Red said trying to convince herself that everything was fine and that Nicky wasn't going to do anything stupid.

"I'm always right," Gloria winked at her friend and slammed her butt as she left the kitchen.

Red laughed. With or without the disagreements, Gloria was her right arm and Red was grateful for it. Gloria has always helped her with her daughters, and Red has always helped Gloria with her boys. They were like a team. And what a great team.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

3.00pm

Tricia was about to get released from school. Nicky and Alex stood in front of the gate waiting for her. Alex couldn't stop biting her nails and rocking her feet which was driving Nicky crazy. They were both very nervous.

"Jesus Alex, you're making me nervous," Nicky shouted at her friend.

"I AM nervous." Alex yelled back. "Nicky this will not work."

"Of course it'll work," Nicky rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed at Alex's negativity.

* Triiiiiiing *

The school bell rang. After a short period of time Nicky saw her younger sister coming out and right behind her a small group of girls giggling. Tricia had a crying face and the anger inside Nicky began to rise.

"There she is. Keep an eye out to make sure my mom won't show up, I'll take care of it." Nicky said to Alex and headed toward her sister.

"Faster, you idiot," said a girl behind Tricia, after pushing her to the ground.

Tricia was about to fall to the floor when Nicky ran to hold her younger sister. Tricia's face flashed with relief as she saw Nicky.

"Nicky!" Tricia hugged her.

"I'll fix this." Nicky said hugging her back and sending a deadly look to the girl who pushed Tricia.

"Who the fuck do you think you are to treat my sister like that?" Nicky approached the little girl who looked a little frightened.

"Did you call your sister? Can't you solve things by yourself?" Said the girl, looking at Tricia.

Alex spotted Red's car approaching and tried to warn Nicky but a small crowd had formed, making it difficult for her to find her friend.

"Shut up," Nicky said. "My sister never did anything to you, why do you insist on being so mean to her?."

"Because she's an IDIOT," she said, standing up on tiptoe to be Nicky's size. "And I'm not afraid of you."

Nicky pushed the young girl who quickly fell to the floor. When the small crowd had started shouting 'fight fight fight', Tricia covered her ears with her hands, quite frightened by the situation. "I swear if you touch or even talk to Tricia again I'll fucking kill yo-"

"NICOLE REZNIKOV!"

Nicky was petrified with the voice that screamed her name. Her mother. The fear of turning to face the furious Russian woman filled every part of her body. I'm dead. Nicky thought.

Red ran toward her eldest daughter, pulling her left ear Red made Nicky move away from the young girl who was lying on the floor. "Have you lost your mind?"

"Ow! Ma-" Nicky would explain when Red cut her off.

"NO, I don't want to hear," Red fired. Glancing at Nicky furiously and turning her gaze to Alex, Red ordered. "You two go to the car right now!"

Nicky and Alex looked at each other and obediently headed toward the car.

Red helped the young girl stand, to make sure she wasn't hurt. "Sorry about that, kid."

"It's fine," the girl said in a crying voice, tidying up her uniform skirt. "Sorry Tricia..." Before Tricia could respond the girl ran away from the school gate and disappeared through the streets.

Red looked at her youngest daughter and bent down to be her size. "Did she hurt you?" Red asked, holding Tricia's cheek.

"Every day she hurts me with something Mama," Tricia's eyes began to fill with tears. "Please don't be mad at Nicky, she was trying to protect me,"

"We'll talk about this later, okay?" Red wiped away a single tear that fell from Tricia's eyes and gave her a kiss on her forehead. "Let's go home."