Chapter 3:
Zarabeth groaned as she tried to sit up, "That went well." Tumbling out of the pile of broken crates where she'd been lying, Zara was able to roll onto her hands and knees, the cold paving stones beneath her confusing the girl's mind with conflicting senses as her cheek continued to throb and burn.
Looking up, Zara's gaze was instantly caught by Jim's gentle blue eyes, sending pure relief through her sore limbs as she hurriedly embraced the boy. "Oh I'm so glad to see you!"
The sirens that had been wailing above them slowly disappeared as the robo-cops flew further and further away.
Jim had to chuckle as he looked up at the clouded sky above them. "The cowards. Got scared off when the cops weren't even after them. Lucky for us, though." Pulling away slightly, Jim looked down at the girl in his arms, his lip trembling slightly as his eyes fell upon the angry red hand-print on her cheek. About to say something, the boy was suddenly cut off as Zara's eyes grew wide.
The girl's voice was soft and sad, sounding almost guilty. "Jim, you're bleeding." Zara carefully brought her hand up to the boy's face, gently wiping away at the corner of his mouth, cleaning it of the persistent trail of blood. "I'm sorry...D-does it still hurt?"
Jim took a deep breath as he shook his head, the boy's look almost distracted as he avoided eye contact with Zara. "No, I'm ok. It wasn't bad." Finally looking up again, Jim gingerly reached down to touch the girl's cheek, his eyes full of pain and anger as he felt how hot it still was. "I'm gonna kill him."
Zarabeth hurriedly tried to object as she instinctively raised her hand to her face. "Jim, no. It was my fault, really. I got snappy with Damian and it ended up only encouraging him more. I'm sorry, it turned into such a mess." The girl looked down in embarrassment at her lap as she thought about how much trouble she'd caused.
"You can't defend him! It wasn't your fault! Jerks like him just don't know when to quit." Jim tried to get the girl to understand, hurt that she would even consider it to be her fault. "What happened anyway?"
Zara spoke quickly as she attempted to summarize the accident meeting. "I was on my way to meet you when Damian and I sort of crashed into each other. Then he realized who I was and he got all cocky and flirty. Oh, did you know he's a skin changer?"
"Wait, you didn't?"
Zara looked surprised as she continued to talk, realizing how unobservant she must be. "No, but now I do. Has he always been such a creep?"
Jim chuckled quietly as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "It's gotten worse over the years, but yes. He's always been this way."
"Well anyway, that's about it. Damian was just being a big, fat, stubborn, flirt. I didn't want to give in to him...but I also don't like watching you get into fights."
Jim's face finally softened a bit as he smiled gently at the girl. "Hey, he can punch me all he wants as long as it keeps him off of you. Got it?"
Zara bit her lip nervously as she met Jim's eyes. "I just don't want you picking fights with him." The girl closed her eyes as she felt Jim's lips press softly against her flushed cheek.
"He doesn't touch you, I don't hurt him. But, if he lays one finger on you, those purple eyes of his are gonna be tinted black and blue. Sound good?"
Zarabeth had to laugh as she answered, her mind put at ease. "Ya. But, I don't think we'll have to worry about him for a while. He told me he was leaving soon, and since we'll be on Kalepsia most of this year, we'll probably not run into him again."
"Good. No one hits my girl and gets away with it. You're too precious to be thrown around like that."
Zara closed her eyes as she leaned her forehead against Jim's, smiling as she whispered, "I love you too."
