….fat ankles….kindergarten pigtails….bookworm…. Flat chest… Tiny tit….no chance...no hope...undesirable… No one could want her…

The slap of skin against skin finally stopped the flow of insults

Every person in the hall stopped and turned to look at the group. Soul stood head still turned to the side face openly shocked

Maka's hand slowly sank back to her side. Heat rising in her face matching the Scarlet handprint on souls cheek.

All their friends stood open mouthed

Maka was strong insults didn't affect her, but the lonely tear streaking down her cheek was starting to suggest otherwise. He had gone to far this time

Maka turned on her heel and walked away from him. She didn't say anything. There was nothing to say.

He was right after all. No one could possibly find her attractive. She was flat chested and skinny, covered head to toe in scars and more toned than considered desirable for a girl.

She was a Meister her job was hard on her body. She didn't have time to try and look pretty while she worried about her grades and took down evil souls.

She was ugly and undesirable, Unwanted, unlovable. The confession note in her locker was a joke. Some prank put up by a NOT class member trying to mess with her. Because no one in this world could ever love maka albarn.

'You should be following her.' Souls brain screamed at him. 'Go after her. Beg her to forgive you.' But his legs were glued to the spot.

No one could love maka. He sure as hell couldn't and no one else would be allowed to.

No one else saw the soft girl behind her 'hell in a pair of combat boots' exterior

No one else saw the sweet way her face relaxed when she was happy.

No one else had to remind her to blink every few chapters

No one else had to run to the laundry basket and grab her a towel when she forgot to get one.

No one else saw her bedhead

Or the little calluses left over from their early years

No one else saw all of the things about her that made her special. The things that made her maka. No one but him could look to her subtle beauty and find himself entranced.

No one else was even allowed to look at her. This had to be a joke because if it wasn't soul doesn't know if he could live.

No one but him has ever laid with her heart beating against his and her soul flirting happily around his.

No one knows maka like he does and no one deserves the girl he loves.

But that's okay. Maka doesn't do men. She hates them. Shed never go on a date. But that flirty little smile the girls coaxed onto her lips when they read the confession out loud had broken him.

She was his Maka. She might not be his girlfriend but she is his partner. His Meister.

Though she might not be for much longer if he didn't MOVE

"Goddamnit soul go after her" blackstar wailed. And that's all it took he was streaking down the hall after her. He screwed up real bad this time

This wasn't a fight, he'd really hurt he

Yes he saw all the sides of her that no one else did. But that meant he had seen the heartbreaking moments shed fallen apart. He was horrified that he knew he'd caused it this time.