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</div>"</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff4d4d"><b>H</b></span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 204, 153)">ey, I don't want to wear this! It smells like...well like you,"</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 128, 0)"> Rose told him rather adamantly. She was up to something...</span></span><br/>
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<span style="font-size: 22px"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffcc99">"</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff4d4d"><b>N</b></span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffcc99">o matter what I wear, if it rains I'm going to get wet, so might as well wear what makes me happy."</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 128, 0)"> Yep, definitely up to something. </span></span><br/>
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<span style="font-size: 22px"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 204, 153)">"</span><span style="font-size: 22px"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff4d4d"><b>H</b></span></span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 204, 153)">uh,"</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 128, 0)"> Jason lit a cigarette boldly right there in the school parking lot. Natural American Spirit, full flavor--100% full tobacco with no additives. It held the hardest one-two punch of any cigarette blend. Even Marlboro didn't stack up, for</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffa64d"> all its</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 128, 0)"> hype as the go-to cigarette. </span></span><br/>
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<span style="font-size: 22px"><b><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff4d4d">H</span></b><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 128, 0)">e had slowly twisted and turned the cigarette so that the tobacco burned evenly. It was a trick he'd picked up from smoking even more powerful cigars--and not the black cherry ones either. Real cigars. Tobacco packed and leaf-wrapped cigars. Hondurans, Cubans, Nicaraguans, and Dominicans. They each had their own great tastes and flavorful experiences. The way he expertly handled his </span><a class="link link--external" data-proxy-href="/proxy.php?link=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2F564x%2F44%2F7f%2F0a%2F447f0adccbc4eff8dc02b1965f1f244e.jpg&amp;hash=76f56d1fa0b91ea103c22fb72493db5a" href="https://i.pinimg.com/564x/44/7f/0a/447f0adccbc4eff8dc02b1965f1f244e.jpg" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" target="_blank"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 128, 0)">zippo lighter</span></a><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 128, 0)"> like some sort of butterfly knife. It only added to his mystique as the resident bad-boy. It made the girls swoon and murmur--it also pissed the guys off to no foreseeable end. <br/>
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<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffcc99">"</span><b><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff4d4d">S</span></b><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffcc99">trange, you wore one of my work shirts this morning without fuss, I know it smelled like me," </span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 128, 0)">He retorted he whipped his zippo shut by spinning it quickly between three fingers before handily slipping it into one pocket. He took a long draw off the cig before pinching it between his fingers backhandedly, flicking the ashes to the ground with a twitch of his pinky. He then put the cig back loosely between his lips, leaving it to dangle from the edges of his lips. </span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 204, 153)">" I know because I worked in it last night."</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 128, 0)"> He told her, exhaling the smoke from his nostrils calmly, much like a dragon would one could imagine. </span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 204, 153)">"But, if you don't want to wear an all-weather jacket in 55-degree weather,"</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 128, 0)"> His eyes rolled up to glance at the sky. </span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 204, 153)">"With the strong possibility for torrential rain--then I can't make you. But, I can, as the only one who acts like a parent in our house, make you go to school and cheer practice even when you just don't feel good. And I know how you are. You'll say 'no' now, then you'll get sick and beg and plead to stay home cause you just feel so awful. I'm just gonna point at my jacket and say "Remember this?" then tell you to get your ass ready if I have to haul you out the door myself, I will." </span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 128, 0)">He was dead serious, and his loud and clear, orotund voice spoke in volumes of how serious he was. Picking her up would be a piece of cake for someone who barges into burning buildings with 70lbs of gear on and still capable of lifting 250lbs of dead weight. </span><br/>
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<b><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 77, 77)">H</span></b><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 128, 0)">e was a big, big man, and there was a reason he played a defensive lineman.</span><br/>
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<span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 204, 153)">"</span><b><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff4d4d">I</span></b><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 204, 153)">f you get done before me, just wait inside. Once I get through practice at the end of today, I'll give you a ride home before work."</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff8000">  He then told her, handing her the umbrella.</span><br/>
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<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffcc99">"<b>R</b></span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffcc99">ight so about that," </span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 128, 0)">Roslyn began, here they go... </span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffcc99">"George is going to pick me up from school today and drive me straight home."</span><br/>
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<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffcc99">"</span><b><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff4d4d">O</span></b><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffcc99">h, is that so?"</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff8000"> Jason nodded, rubbing the bristling short hairs that were trying to make a beard if only he'd let them. He then marched around the car, cig dangling from his lips.</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffcc99">"You wanna know why I don't trust that plan, hmm?"</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff8000"> He then gently tilted her head away to reveal the ever so noticeable abrasion on her skin left by someone biting her. He then pointed at it, the cigarette tucked between his fingers.</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffcc99"> "That's why, right there. That's all the proof I need. And you're trying to hide it--doesn't work too well with a tank top in the middle of fall, sweety."</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff8000"> Jason commented harshly.<br/>
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<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffcc99">"</span><b><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff4d4d">G</span></b><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffcc99">eorge was it? You tell George the next time thinks of laying a hand on you,"</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff8000"> Jason enunciated each word punctually. "</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffcc99">He better start thinking of which he wants to be broken the most; his face or his hand."</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff8000"> Jason hissed. </span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffcc99">"I did not raise you, for 18 years to be this way while your mother ran off to God knows where, and our father leered at you, to be this way. I thought I raised you with modesty and common sense!"</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff8000"> His words were grating, biting into Roslyn's emotions as they had rung true. He'd been there for her since day one. And when she turned three, her mother Alexia, just walked out on them both. But he still remained. He guided her, protected her, loved her in more ways than a brother probably should.<br/>
</span><br/>
<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffcc99">"</span><b><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff4d4d">A</span></b><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffcc99"> man like him only wants one thing--and when he gets it, your just another notch in the bedpost. He has no respect for you,"</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff8000"> He threw his hand expressively.</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffcc99"> "Zero. Ziltch. Natta. If he had an ounce of respect for you, then he'd have come to me first. But he is so hasty to get you into a bed, that he doesn't care about who you are, he doesn't care about me, he doesn't care about boundaries or rules--no, no. He just wants what he can't have, and he'll keep pushing you and pushing you. And if he can't get what he wants he'll turn violent-mark my words, Rose."<br/>
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<b><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff4d4d">J</span></b><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff8000">ason walked back around to the driver seat and opened the door. </span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffcc99">" You tell <i>George</i>, I'm gonna be coming to pick you up after practice. and if he lays another hand on you, I'll break every finger on the hand that he did it with."<br/>
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<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffcc99"> "</span><b><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff4d4d">A</span></b><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffcc99">lright well, I better go get ready for practice so I'll see you at home after school, Bye bro." </span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff8000">She lightly pecked his cheek, he could feel the reserved attitude kicking in. She still hadn't outgrown the rebel phase just yet, and he couldn't very well stand there and argue with her--she had school and he had a job to do.<br/>
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<b><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff4d4d">T</span></b><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff8000">he day was a boring one; only one fire was reported on his shift as a first responder; it was a dryer vent fire. The occupants of the apartment hadn't cleaned the lint trap out. Three elderly people needed ambulance rides to the local hospital for minor reasons, he was sent by dispatch to check up on each one and to stabilize them, and if necessary provide CPR as needed. One had fallen, one had anaphylaxis, and one was complaining of unusual headaches. He took their pulses, blood pressure and oxygen in each subsequent case. By the time his shift was over it was nearing 4 o'clock, it was football practice time. He removed his firefighter outfit, and in place threw his jersey and shoulder pads in the back seat, slid his jock strap on and his girdle along with some black Under Armour football <a class="link link--external" data-proxy-href="/proxy.php?link=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sportsunlimitedinc.com%2Funder-armour-youth-football-integrated-pant.html&amp;hash=dbf4f9ea66ae800e2dcfb78342633ed6" href="https://www.sportsunlimitedinc.com/under-armour-youth-football-integrated-pant.html" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" target="_blank">pants </a>kept his tennis shoes on at least until he got to the field then he could put his <a class="link link--external" data-proxy-href="/proxy.php?link=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sportsunlimitedinc.com%2Funder-armour-highlight-rm-mens-football-cleats.html&amp;hash=3459ee9c6ca631bb5c05552fc37ccd57" href="https://www.sportsunlimitedinc.com/under-armour-highlight-rm-mens-football-cleats.html" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" target="_blank">cleats </a>on.<br/>
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<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff4d4d"><b>T</b></span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 128, 0)">he ride back to school was just like any other. Though, he'd hoped Rose had taken his words to heart about George. If he was right about the guy, and he was sure that he knew he was, things could get hairy. He sighed as he got out of his car, took his firer Dept shirt off and threw on his <a class="link link--external" data-proxy-href="/proxy.php?link=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sportsunlimitedinc.com%2Frussell-carbontek-football-shoulder-pads.html&amp;hash=0260364ebc6698dabc65263c9aaff893" href="https://www.sportsunlimitedinc.com/russell-carbontek-football-shoulder-pads.html" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" target="_blank">shoulder and chest</a> padding, slid the <a class="link link--external" data-proxy-href="/proxy.php?link=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sportsunlimitedinc.com%2Fschutt-f7-adult-football-helmet.html%3FColor%3DBlack&amp;hash=d72d7cfc17a2498f26d1a71eac681b0e" href="https://www.sportsunlimitedinc.com/schutt-f7-adult-football-helmet.html?Color=Black" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" target="_blank">helmet and face mask</a> over his head. Finally, he slid his <a class="link link--external" data-proxy-href="/proxy.php?link=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sportsunlimitedinc.com%2Funder-armour-f6-adult-football-receiver-gloves.html%3FColor%3DBlack%2FWhite&amp;hash=df5d35a8c46bc6ddf8d74e3a2e8ce613" href="https://www.sportsunlimitedinc.com/under-armour-f6-adult-football-receiver-gloves.html?Color=Black/White" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" target="_blank">gloves </a>on and slipped the <a class="link link--external" data-proxy-href="/proxy.php?link=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sportsunlimitedinc.com%2Fbattle-sports-adult-back-bone-back-plate.html&amp;hash=f18bc9c9e3a761a269171bab1fa53747" href="https://www.sportsunlimitedinc.com/battle-sports-adult-back-bone-back-plate.html" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" target="_blank">backplate </a>for his lower back on. He stepped out onto the field, he could still hear the chanting names. It must have been the same for knights at a tourney. He sure as hell felt like a knight. Nearly 30 and strapped head to toe with football attire. The coach proudly introduced him as the school's best defensive lineman for six-years running. The menagerie of greenhorns all chuckled--until he took them down one by one--then all at the same time. Not a single 12th grader could outperform or outmaneuver him. He adapted on the fly. They went for his legs, he took a knee and they drove themselves into the muck that had, by this point, become of the field. Each time someone played QB he got squashed. But he always showed sportsmanship and pulled the guy up out of the soggy crater their cumbersome body's made.<br/>
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<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff4d4d"><b>T</b></span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 128, 0)">hey had cut practice short, the storm wasn't going to blow over. Walking from the field back to his car, he took off his shoulder pads, cleats and the back support pad. He first had to remove the helmet which had gotten lodged after so many sacks. He unstrapped his gloves and threw it, and all the other items in a duffle bag in his trunk. He'd wash the shit tomorrow. Slipping on his waterproof Harley Davidson boots, he began for the shower--if the rain didn't give him one first. The other players and the coach all headed home. He'd have the shower alone tonight. He was pretty sure those guys who had joined up never thought in a million years a state champion defensive lineman with 29 sacks to his name on average, would show up and show them what they were really in for.  Jason was smart, he knew some would take it hard but in the long run, they needed the experience of being broken down to be rebuilt into something greater.<br/>
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<b><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff4d4d">J</span></b><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff8000">ason almost made it to the building when he saw it. Gregory smacking Rose and that's all he needed. No excuses. He walked over to the driver side door, opened it right up and grabbed the kid by the throat and jerked him right out of the car. </span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffcc99">"The fuck do you think you're doing to <b>my</b> sister?"</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 128, 0)"> He questioned, but before Gregory could answer, he took the sharp point of Jason's knee to the stomach, bowing him over before the car door slammed shut against his head.  blood started pouring from Greg's nose, it was surely broken.</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffcc99"> "You listen here you sack of shit, you come near Rose again, I'll do a burnout and make you face my mural, understand?!" </span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 128, 0)">Jason barked the order; shivering and trembling Greg nodded exceptionally hard even though he was pretty sure he had a concussion.<br/>
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<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffcc99">"</span><b><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff4d4d">R</span></b><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffcc99">ose, get out of the car and stand by the back doors." </span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(255, 128, 0)">He ordered his sister. Now was no time to question him. He was in a foul mood, as foul as any she'd ever seen him with their father.<br/>
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<b><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff4d4d">O</span></b><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff8000">nce she had done as she was told he shoved the kid into his car, and waited for him to speed off. Speed off he did. He then walked over and took Rose's hand safely in his, and led her inside. Without no words, she could reflect what had just transgressed and contemplate his words from earlier were really about. He led her into the men's locker room, and into the bathroom. He turned and grabbed her by her waist and hoisted her up with such ease, it was like she barely weighed anything to him. Of course, he was shirtless so she could see the ripples and bulges along his washboard stomach, and see his arms flex as they took on her weight and made her feel weightless. He sat her up on the counter turned and opened a cabinet to pull out a washcloth. He soaked it crisp, cold water. </span><br/>
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<b><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff4d4d">J</span></b><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff8000">asom's left hand cradled her unharmed cheek, while his right tended tentatively to her stricken one. It was red and swollen alright, but it wasn't going to last. Jason, all the while kept giving her concerning glances that spelled out "I told you so." But it wasn't as if he were gloating over the fact he had been right, he wanted to be wrong but he knew a lot of guys tended to prey on girls like her; their insecurities, misgivings. But she was young still, and he knew that, at some point, he had to let her make the mistake. Let the dice fall where they may, as it were. He leaned in once he'd soothed the swelling, numbing it with the cold water he washed over it with and kissed Rose's cheek. It was very near to the corner of her mouth and she may not have noticed it yet, but after he kissed her forehead--he let his head duck down in a very fluid motion, and ignited her lips on fire with his own. Jason's lips kissed and caressed Rose's tenderly. Not too overbearing; they were rough, unforgiving but they were gateways to an oath of safety. His tongue explored her mouth as he held her face in both hands.<br/>
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<b><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff4d4d">H</span></b><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff8000">e wanted to tell her then, there, that he loved her more than George ever could, or ever did. But the words would not spring from his mouth. In their place, silence fell as he broke the kiss gently and stared at her before turning away, touching his lips as if to always remember, then said: </span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffcc99">"I need to shower, then we can go home..."</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff8000">. Though the shower didn't take that long, it left her with time to think over what had just happened. As did the ride home. He wasn't his usual self. He wasn't as high-strung, more complacent. When they reached home, they would separate, each going to their respective bedrooms.</span></span>​</div>