I looked up
from my accounting homework as someone walked through the door into homeroom-
it was Cain. He hand an armful of books with a bottle of orange juice resting
on top precariously. I contained a laugh, “Having a hard time?”
He sat everything
down on the desk next to mine, “Not anymore, thanks.”
“Oh? Is
someone cranky this morning?” I chuckled.
Cain gave me
a stern look as he sat down and took out his Spanish homework, “No, I’m fine.”
I dropped it
there, not wanting to agitate him further when I was clearly in a good mood and
he was not. The rest of the people in homeroom glanced back and forth between us,
obviously recognizing our couple-like banter. I shrugged it off and hurriedly
filled in debits and credits and proved cash in my workbook. The day flew by,
bells rang and people shuffled around me- I laughed and smiled and it felt like
I was finally coming back together, that I might be returning to my new state
of normal. I boarded the bus back to school from vocational and noticed that only
one open seat remained- next to Cain.
I was sort
of dreading sitting next to him, especially because of our exchange this
morning, but I sucked it up and put on my best smile, “Hey, can I sit here?”
He scooted
toward the window, “Sure, go for it.”
We made some
small talk on the way back to school and chatted with some of our friends. It
went by fast enough and without much awkwardness passing between us. Everyone
filed off the bus with a hum of excitement. Excitement on a Monday? Ew. The
thought repulsed me.
I stood by my
truck attempting to open the door when I noticed someone miraculously appear
next to me, leaning against the side. I gave him a halfhearted glance, “Hey,
Jake, what are you doing?”
“Just lookin
at a fine piece of lady that I would like to take home with me tonight,” He
said smoothly.
I had to
give it to him, he was attractive, but he had a reputation that I had no
intention being a part of, “No thanks, I’m busy tonight.”
Jake laughed
and moved a step closer, “Come on, Claire, you know you need to get over this
breakup somehow… And we’ve always been close.”
I turned to
look at him, “Jake, I’m really not interested, okay? I’m just not ready to- er-
sleep with someone this soon after.”
He stepped
closed again and reached around me, “Claire…”
I shoved his
arm away, “Seriously, Jake, I don’t want this!”
“Back off,
Jake. She said to leave her alone,” A defensive voice came from behind me.
My head
whipped around to see Cain standing there, his chest puffed and fists clenched
in anger. Jake scoffed, “Really, Cain, coming to her rescue after you broke her
heart? What a douche. You trying to get back in with her or something?”
It happened
so fast. I barely had time to jump out of the way before Cain had lunged forward
and grasped Jake by the neck, pinning him to the ground. A scream escaped me as
people gathered around, cheering and chanting and yelling out names, betting on
who was going to win this match. I just stood there, horrified, and frozen in
fear. Cain landed punch after punch as blood began to well at the corner of
Jake’s eye and on his cheekbone. Jake shifted his weight, shoving Cain over
into his back and landing a blow as well. Finally I found my voice, “Stop it!
Stop! Both of you knock it off before a teacher comes out and you both get
expelled!”
Cain grunted
and threw Jake off him with Jake landing flat on his back a few inches away. He
lay there, still and unmoving, as Cain loomed over him like a giant. He turned
his head and spit blood onto the ground, his chest heaving, “Don’t ever talk
about Claire like that again. And if you do, be prepared to taste your balls.”
Jake just
stayed where he was, groaning pitifully on the ground, as Cain stalked away
through the crowd that had gathered around us. I ran after him, grabbing his
still-tensed arm, “Cain, wait, are you alright? Do you need me to help you with
that lip?”
He just
looked back at me, eyes blazing with blue fury, “No, Claire, I think you’ve
done enough for me today.”
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