Scars

Scarlett fluttered her eyes open to the sound of a rock song. She looked around and flash backs of the night before came back to her. Looking over she smiled down at a still sleeping Jack who had his arm draped over her side. Moving out of his grip a little she reached down and found her jeans, she then frantically grabbed her cell phone out of her back pocket, she didn't want it to him wake up. She opened it and held it up to her ear and quietly said hello.

Libby: Scarlett!!!! You've got to come down to the shop, it's gone! It burnt to the ground!

Scarlett was confused as to what Libby was saying. Not only was she talking so fast that you could barely understand a word, but Scarlett wasn't full woke up yet. She ask Libby to repeat herself and then the panic set in. The shop burned down? But they checked everything yesterday before they left. Nothing was left on. After calming Libby down a little she told her she'd be right there. Closing her phone she sighed as she got up out of the bed and started pulling her jeans up on her body.

Joker: Where are you going, princess?

He ask very groggily. He was rubbing his eyes and Scarlett thought he was probably the cutest thing in the world at this very moment. But, she couldn't stay around to tell him that. She needed to get to town, and quick.

Scarlett: Libby called and said the shop burned down. I have to go see what's going on.

He only nodded his head and then laid back down into the pillows. He still wasn't done with his sleep time. She reached over and placed a quick peck on his lips before running out of the door and down the stairs. She ran out the front door, and jogged to her house. She ran up the stairs grabbed her car keys and back down. She looked at the clock in the car and it was a bit past 9 in the morning. She looked in the rear view mirror and groaned at her appearance. Her hair was a mess and out of place. Her make-up from yesterday was smeared and almost gone. She defiantly looked like she had a rough night.

Arriving at the incident Scarlett's mouth dropped. Libby was right, the store was gone. All that was left was a few bricks standing around in a square. All of the rest was burnt to the ground. She stepped out of her car and watched as the fire department put out the last bit of the fire. She made her way towards Libby and Jules who were just as confused as she was.

Scarlett: What happened!?
Jules: We don't know! We came to work this morning and it was in flames!

Scarlett shook her head as a man in a suit came over towards them. He told them he was with the fire department, and he also told them how he believed that it didn't start from the inside.

Scarlett: Are you saying.. someone set our shop on fire?
Man: I believe so, ma'am. The way it burnt... there is no possible way it started on the inside.

Jules and Libby mouths just dropped as well as Scarlett's. None of the girls could believe that someone hated them so much to set their damn shop on fire. Who would have the guts to do that? Did they not know who Scarlett's family was?

The man ask the girls if they knew anyone who would want to do this to them. They all replied with no. None of the girls could think of anyone who would want to do this to them, especially on their opening day. Scarlett just shook her head when he ask if they had insurance yet. They didn't have the chance to get it yet, they was going to wait until it got a little more popular with the community before they purchased insurance. Now that was shot down the drain.

They all sit in the parking lot just looking at the burnt down disaster sitting in front of them. All of their hopes and dreams burned with that shop. Each of them had gave up so much and put so much into it; and now it was gone.

Libby: So what now. We had all of our creations in that place.
Jules: I guess us ever owning a shop is shot to hell now.
Scarlett: I still can't believe it.
Libby: I won't who done it? Who could possibly hate us enough to burn down our damn shop!

The girls all thought about this for awhile. Soon they was the only ones left around. They discussed what they was going to do; and knew that they couldn't just start over. They had been designing stuff since they was sixteen, and now all of it was gone. They'd each have to pick something different to do with their lives now.

After a bit more talking, and discussing what they was going to do with their lives now the girls departed ways. Each promising to call the other soon. Scarlett got inside her car and still couldn't believe it happened. She was in utter shock. She knew that she could always get a job at her uncles bank, or even go on to college, but her heart was in that shop.

She walked inside her home and saw everyone sitting at the kitchen table. Her aunt and uncle looked at her with a worried face. They probably knew she wasn't home last night, she opened her mouth to speak but her aunt beat her to the punch.

Shyla: How was Libbys? Chad told me you three girls were wore out yesterday and just decided to crash there.

Scarlett looked over at her cousin and thanked him through her eyes and then turned her attention back to her family. She made up a lie about Libby's and then broke the news to them about the shop. Like her reaction earlier; they was all in shock too. Her uncle nor Chad could believe that someone else started the fire.

Carmine: Who would want to do this? Well, I'll tell you right now they won't get away with it. I'll call some of the businesses in town and see if they have any cameras around their shops on the outside. They might possibly have caught something.

Scarlett just nodded her head as her uncle went off to call all his shop friends. Chad just sit there shaking his head. Shyla talked to Scarlett and made her feel like everything was going to be okay. Soon though she disappeared off and out of the house to get her weekly pedicure and manicure.

Chad: I guarantee I know who it was.
Scarlett: What? Who?
Chad: Zeke.
Scarlett: He wouldn't do that, Chad. He's not that crazy.
Chad: Yes he fucking is. You wouldn't go out with him again and that's his revenge on you, I bet you money Scar.. but don't worry he's going to pay.
Scarlett: What do you mean he's going to pay?
Chad: Nothing, listen. I've gotta go.. going over to J's to talk to him for a bit.
Scarlett: He's probably still sleeping.
Chad: It's nearly 11 a.m. Why would he be sleeping?
Scarlett: I just think he's still sleeping.
Chad: Please don't tell me you two were up all night fucking and that's why your hair is a mess.

Scarlett just rolled her eyes and got up from the table. Her cousin was so blunt, and sometimes that annoyed her. She walked upstairs and could hear him yelling childish phrases in the background. She though just ignored him and blocked it out. She decided to get a nice shower before she crawled under her covers. She was still exhausted from last night, and then with the morning she had didn't help.

Chad walked into The Joker's hideout and saw that his fellow 'team' was sitting around in the living room with poker cards. He ask them where the boss was and they pointed to a room he had yet to be in. He walked in and saw The Joker standing there tossing knives at a large board covered in newspaper clippings and pictures. He coughed as he entered the room. He turned around full in make-up and ready for the day.

Joker: Yes?
Chad: They find Maroni yet?
Joker: They still aren't back, I warned them not to come back unless they found him. What happened with the shop?
Chad: Burned to the ground... But that's not what's so interesting.. It didn't start on the inside, it started on the outside and they think foul play was involved.
Joker: So you're saying someone burned it down?
Chad: and I believe I know who it is.
Joker: Hmm?
Chad: Zeke.
Joker: Why would he burn down Scarlett's shop? Doesn't he have a crush on her or something along those lines?

As soon as he said had a crush on her he felt anger and jealously shoot through him. His eye twitched and his knuckles tightened. Zeke now reminded him of Brandon Sixx, and he wanted him to die.

Chad: He does like her, but he's probably pissed since she turned him down the other day and told him she basically had a boyfriend.

The Joker's lips curved into a proud smirk when Chad said 'boyfriend'. He didn't quite know why since he was still having the internal battle with himself over her, but it felt good to have her tell someone else that she was taken. Once he got her out of his head and pushed to the side he turned his attention back to Chad, ready to ask him his opinion on what they should do with Zekey boy.

The front doors opened up and Giggles and Dopey rushed in, tired and wore out from there constant searching for Maroni.

Giggles: Boss!
Joker: Yes?
Giggles: He's at his vacation home in Cancun. He's set to arrive back in tonight though.
Joker: Reliable information?
Giggles: We threatened his gardener. Then killed him.

The Joker nodded his head, proud with what the boys had come up with. He looked over at Chad and gave him a stern look. They was going after Maroni tonight. The man wouldn't know what hit em.

Joker: Smiley! call up the others, and tell them we have a job tonight. I want them here in two hours or their dead next time I come across their worthless asses.

Chad leaned against the corner as he listened to the Joker give orders to the men in the house. From the conversation of one liners he picked up that he had much more men than just the few who stayed in the hideout. Apparently he had several hideouts with many men. Chad now knew why no one could stop him, not only was he talented at what he did but he had a damn army of clown goons behind him.

The Joker then handed Chad his very own clown mask. He looked down at the mask in his hand and felt powerful. He smiled as he looked back up at The Joker.

Chad: Should I give Scarlett a ring and let her know that we won't be around tonight?
Joker: Yeah.

He said disappearing up the stairs. Chad wondered about him, he didn't really seem that crazy to him. He seemed like he was just a man on a mission. He pulled his cell phone out and dialed his cousins number. He wanted to make sure she stayed inside the house tonight, it wouldn't be safe if she came out.

The Joker was placing all of his knives and weapons safely in his pockets. He was aching to get a hold of Zeke. He wanted so badly for that boy to bleed, but tonight instead he would have his father. An evil smirk appeared on his face and he once again started that wicked humming as he descended from the stairs ready for an evening of chaos.