Two Months Later

"Wish you weren't sleeping over at Angela's," Soda had dropped me off at the Shepard's, and like the last few times, didn't like the idea. "Are her brothers going to be home?"

"Yes, and her mom," I leaned in and kissed his cheek, as I reached for my over night bag, "Aren't you glad I made such a good girlfriend?"

"Angela's the nicest, but her brothers are-" He was stopped mid-sentence, when I kissed him.

"Hey Eva," Curly, who was one of Angela's brothers, greeted as he made his way to the jeep, "Angela, is in her room, are you sleeping over?"

"Hey Curly," Soda got out of the jeep, and wrapped an arm around my waist, as he looked at the younger Shepard boy, "How are you doing?"

"Great, going out tonight with Ginger." Curly took the duffel bag from my hand, and tossed it over his shoulder. He smirked as he looked at my boyfriend, "Don't worry, Tim won't let anything happen to the girls tonight, mom is working a night shift."

"That make's me feel a lot better," Soda mumbled, as Curly laughed his way into the house, he wrapped his arms around me, "Are you going anywhere tonight?"

"Angela, and I, usually just stay at her house, you know girl time," I cupped his face in my hands, and kissed him, which he deepened.

"Hey, no boyfriends," Angela shouted, from the front porch, she had her oldest brothers smirk. "You could pick her up in the morning, lover boy."

"All the girls you had to become best friends with, you become best friends with Angela," He was only teasing, he liked Angela better then her brothers, "I'll see you tomorrow morning, alright?"

I hurried to my friend, as Soda jumped back into the jeep, and drove off. I turned to the youngest Shepard, and wrapped my arms around her, "What's the plan tonight?"

"Mom got some new magazines, we could take the quizzes," She linked her arm through mine, as we entered her living room, where her oldest brother was relaxed in the arm chair.

Tim was very likeable, only reason a lot of people feared him, was because his gang was uncontrollable. He looked out for his family, and no matter how much my boyfriend worried, he always treated me like he did his sister. Of course only Dally, who was closer to Tim, then the rest, and I believed that. He smiled when we entered, "You two staying home, right?"

"Might go to the corner market, and get some ice cream later," Angela answered, she respected her brother, but wasn't afraid like his gang.

"No, you two are staying here, Mike's gang is causing trouble, don't want anything happening to you," Tim stood to his feet, and walked to the door, "If you want the ice cream, we'll go now."

I walked over to the duffel bag, where Curly, always dropped it when I slept over, and grabbed my coin purse, "My treat."

"Put that away now, Eva," Tim looked at me, waiting for me to challenge him, "You know you're moneys no good, when you're over here."

I rolled my eyes, as I linked my arms through Angela's, and we walked over to the car, "My aunt says you could sleep over next weekend," I told her, once we got into the back seat, "and she promised to keep the boys away, for our girl time."

"Wish I could do the same," She glared at her brother, who just laughed.

"I am going out tonight, don't worry about me Ang," Tim assured, as he pulled to the curb. "Go get your ice cream, I'll wait out here." He handed his sister some money, as he got out, and leaned against the car.

After we got our ice cream, we found Tim, and an all to familiar man, glaring at one another. Neither man knew we were there, until Angela, cleared her throat.

It was the Lieutenant, and I felt like I wanted to run away, and probably would have if Tim, didn't have me by the waist. I noticed him wearing street clothes instead of the uniform I couldn't get out of my head, "I have restraining orders against you, what are you doing here?"

"Yes, your father made sure I knew about it, but I don't give a damn," He looked at Tim's arm, which was still wrapped around my waist, as he glared at the Lieutenant, "So this is your boyfriend," he eyed him top to bottom, and laughed, "Some hood, thought you had better taste, than-"

"Eva, Angela, get in the car," Tim didn't take his eyes off the other man, as he opened the door for us, than shut it when the two of us climbed in the back seat.

"Look, there's the rest of Tim's boys," Angela pointed, to where a group of six, or seven men came to join Tim, "He's surrounded."

Lieutenant, actually looked worried as the others surrounded him, and was about to run off, when two of the guys grabbed him, and carried him to where there was a car parked, shoving him into the vehicle, as five of them got in with him. Then drove away.

Tim talked to the two guys, who stayed behind, and talked secretly with them, so other passer buyers couldn't hear, before getting into the car, "Did you get your ice cream?"

I was shaking, from the encounter, as my friend kept her arm wrapped around me, "How did you know about him?" I looked towards where Tim, was driving in the front seat.

"Angela, told me about the guy, and so I had some of my boys keep an eye on him. He has been hanging out at the bar, where Roy, works. Kept bragging about getting a piece of, sweet sixteen ass, and then was heard saying your name," Tim answered, glancing through his review mirror, where his two friends followed on there bikes, and at my friend who looked guilty, "Angela, only told me, because she was worried."

I patted my friends leg, and smiled a little, "So what's going to happen to him?"

"Don't worry about that," Tim pulled up to his house, and got out of the car, "I'm not going anywhere after all. Roadie, he's going to call when everything is taken care of," he helped Angela, and me out of the car, before going into the house.

I was sitting in the Shepard's kitchen, as I thought of the days events, as I drank some water.

"You're up," Tim walked into the kitchen, in a pair of sweatpants, no shirt, and his hair going all directions. "What are you drinking?" He was squinting his eyes, looking at my glass.

"Water," I answered, watching as he grabbed a bottle, from under the sink, "What's that?"

"Vodka," He grabbed a cup from the shelf, and came to sit with me, "So you couldn't sleep?"

"Every time I close my eyes, I could see his face," I answered, knowing he'd know who I meant, "What did your boys do to him?"

"Don't worry about him, just know you're safe now," He passed me the bottle, as he ruffled my hair, "This will help you sleep." He downed his cup, and passed it to me, after refilling the glass"You're my sister's best friend, so if there is ever someone bothering you, let me know." He got to his feet, and took the bottle with him, "Good night, Eva."

I drank the small amount in my cup, before returning back to Angela's room, like Tim said, I fell to sleep quickly after.

Soda, and I, were parked in the 'Lot', as I straddled his lap in the back seat, "Hey baby, as much as it pains to say this, slow down." He stopped me from unfastening his belt, as he helped me back onto the seat, beside him, "You been acting weird, since I picked you up from Tim's, what happened?"

I looked outside the passenger window, as the previous days events, all caught up with me, "You actually don't want to have sex."

"Not until you tell me what happened," He took my hand, and brought it to his lips, "Please talk to me, Eva."

"He found me," I fought against the tears, as I concentrated on something in the distance, "Tim's boys took care of him though, I guess I am still a little shook up."

Soda's face got red, as he jumped out of the car, and started pacing in front of my car. He did that for at least twenty minutes, before returning to my side of the car, and leaning against the door, "Why didn't you call me, when you guys ran into him?"

"Because Tim's boys took care of him, and I didn't want to worry you," I was avoiding, looking into his eyes.

"How did he find you?"

"He probably saw me hanging out with all the guys, and Angela. Only saw Tim, and Angela with me, thinking it was a fair fight, not expecting the rest of his guys." I climbed into the drivers side of the car, "I wanted to just forget about yesterday, I know I come with a lot of baggage, but you should know that most of it was packed with the help of other people." I turned the key in the ignition, and waited to see if my boyfriend was going to get in the car, "Are you getting in?"

"I thought you trusted me, but I think I was mistaking," He took a step from my car, and looked at me before turning around, "I need to clear my head."

I watched as he left the lot, before resting my head on the steering wheel, and began to cry. I turned my car off, and laid back against the front seats, as I waited for myself to calm before driving home. Closing my eyes in the process.

A knock on the passenger door woke me, from a nap I didn't even know I was taking, followed by the sound of my brother shouting at me. He opened the door, after I unlocked it for him, as I sat back up.

"Hey, what happened, Eva?" My brother turned to face me, as I stared straight ahead, "I saw Soda walking home, did he do something to you?"

"Mr. Edwards didn't rape me, I slept with him by my own choice, it was the Lieutenant that raped me," I explained, not meeting his eyes, again not wanting to see someone else disappointed at me. "The lieutenant raped me on the day of our mothers funeral, when dad sent me to show him where to get ice, remember?"

"Why didn't you tell me about that, or tell dad than?" My brother asked, reaching to take a hold of my hand.

"Because the lieutenant threatened to hurt you, or dad, if I told anyone about what he did, and I was to scared to question his words. Than I just wanted to forget about the whole incident, so I just kept it to myself." I explained, still not looking at him.

"You could tell me anything, remember we're a team Eva," My brother wrapped an arm around my shoulders, as I wrapped my arms around him, and cried again, "I know that we're a team, mom use to call us 'The Double Team Duo,'" I wiped my eyes, and turned to start the car, "So how did you know I was here?"

"I was on my way home from football try outs," Gene was now avoiding looking at me, as he explained where he had been, "The coach is talking about varsity, and you know what that means, since my coach from our last school called this schools coach. So the coach had been trying to get me to join, because apparently he had heard about our schools winning streak, when I was on the team at the last school. So are you ready to start a knew High School?"

"I am as ready, as I will ever be," I answered with a smile, "Now let's go home, and tell aunt about you joining the team."

"Will you make me brownies?" He asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

I knew he was trying to cheer me up, which he was good at when I needed cheering, "I suppose."

"Great," He was bouncing in the seat, since he really loved my brownies.

I was parked in front of the Curtis's, waiting for my brother to get Pony, while Johnny, sat in the back seat. I hadn't been inside the house, since a week ago when Soda decided he needed to clear his head, because I didn't want to make things uncomfortable for him.

"Are you, and Soda, still fighting Eva?" Johnny asked quietly, as he leaned towards the front.

"He just needs time I guess," I smiled at the boy, who I started to think of as another brother, since I been out here. I patted his hand, knowing he didn't like when his friends fought, "It'll be alright Johnny."

"Johnny, we're walking to school instead, " Pony shouted from the porch, and that's when I noticed Soda making his way to my car, and my brother grab his books. I glared at my brother, who tried to give me an encouraging smile, before walking back to Pony, along with Johnny.

"You're not getting a ride home, Pony, or Gene!" I shouted, and smiled when Johnny laughed.

"I need to talk to you, Eva, can you drop me off at work on the way to school?" Soda was already sitting in the passenger seat, in his work clothes.

I just nodded my head, and began to drive when he shut the door, "Why didn't you catch a ride with Steve?"

"I wanted to talk to you," He answered, as he turned in his seat to look at me, "I am sorry for saying you didn't trust me, even than I knew it wasn't true, but I guess I was just upset I wasn't there to defend you."

"So you were jealous of Tim, because he was the one who took care of Lieutenant, instead of you?" I still didn't face him, as I pulled into the DX.

"Well yeah," He reached for my arm, to get my attention, "Your my girl, or at least I hope you still are," he held his hand towards me, wanting me to taking his hand, "I miss you."

"It's only been a week, Soda," I finally turned to look at him, and saw tears forcing there way out, and just sighed as I took his hand, "I will talk to you later, alright?"

"I'll talk to you later," He leaned towards me, and kissed.

I pulled from the kiss, and squeezed his hand, "I have to get to school."

"Curtis, get your ass in here!" Mr. Randell called from the doorway, smiling as he waved at me, "You're going to be late, Eva!"

Soda laughed as he got out of the car, after giving me one more kiss, "Come by after school lets out."

"I have cheer practice," I reminded, since he was there the day I tried out, sitting in the bleachers with Steve. "I will see you later." I drove away, so I wouldn't be late for school. My brother, and Pony, had to be at school early for track, and football, and Johnny just went to hang out.

Soda smiled as I walked towards him, after the football game was over, "I love how you look in your cheer clothes," he pulled me by my waist, and held me close, "But I like you in everything you wear."

"Hi, Soda," One of the girls from my team, greeted as she leaned beside him, ignoring that I was in his arms. Her name was Sarah Crude, she had black hair, green eyes, tan skin, and stood at five-eight. She was the only one who gave me a hard time in the squad, "I noticed you looking in the cheerleader session, mostly towards me."

"I was actually looking at my girl, you were just in front of her," Soda corrected, turning away from the girl, as he talked about the game.

I smiled at the shocked expression on Sarah's face, before turning my attention back to my boyfriends, "I am glad you made it to the game."

I was sitting in my English class, when the lady from the office came into the classroom, and whispered something to the teacher. They both looked in my direction, and that's when I spotted my brother in the doorway, along with my cousin. Both of them were looking worriedly at me, as my teacher made his way towards me, and placed a hand on my shoulder.

He was a nice older man, who made the class fun, and lent me books to read for fun. "Miss Johnson, please gather your things, and follow Mrs. Kindle to the office. You don't want to keep you brother, and Cousin waiting, Honey."

I only remember my brother coming into the room, and help me out of my seat, when I didn't move. I rest my head on his shoulder, as he carried me in his arms, as my cousin carried my things.

Gene's Prospective

"Poor dear," Mrs. Kindle looked at us, with a look of sympathy. She patted my sisters shoulder, trying to get her attention.

"How does she know?" My cousin asked, looking at Eva. She had her head on my shoulder, as she played with my collar.

"Because they did the same thing, when our mother passed away, while we were at school," I answered.

"Did the Colonal die, Gene?" She asked quietly, as I set her in front of my cousins car, and sat beside her, "I don't know Eva, Keith just told me that something happened to dad, but our aunt was waiting for us to get home to tell us."