Ch. 11
The next morning, I get up and get ready for school, as much as I don't want to. At my makeup table, I leave my hair in its waves. I choose shimmery but natural colored eyeshadow with thick mascara and a dark red lipstick. I like this look.
I walk over to my closet and pull out a black top that has lace designs all around the bottom and over my shoulders. The pants for today are tight dark red jeans, and they go with knee height black heeled boots with a gold zipper on the side.
Downstairs, I find that my parents are already at work, so I grab my breakfast, a green apple because food is green today, and walk through the scanner. It pings that I can go, and I start off to the stop. Today, I have asked Kaden to walk with me to avoid an encounter with Ryder if at all possible. When he steps outside in a tight white t-shirt and jeans, he walks over to me and wraps one of his muscular-but-not-too-muscular arms around my waist and starts to kiss my neck, bringing us to a stop.
"Kaden," I say between giggles. I try to squirm out of his grip, but it is useless.
I only earn a muffled, "hmm?"
"We have to get to school," I remind him.
"Can't it wait?" he asks into my hair.
"Sorry, but no. I'm not going to mess up my perfect record now," I strictly tell him before starting to walk again.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoy Kaden's kisses. A lot. But we don't have time.
He pulls away but keeps an arm around me.
"Fine," he says like a little kid who can't have another cookie.
"Thank you," I respond, and we walk to the hovershuttle.
The morning is pretty boring. I leave history, avoiding the closet after lunch yesterday. I am just beginning to think that I may have been able to get away from Ryder today when I am slammed against a locker. I whimper in pain.
"Sorry," Ryder says, not really caring that I'm hurt.
"Don't even lie and act like you care about me," I spit out.
He doesn't answer, just glares at me.
"I see that you have avoided our closet. Want to make this relationship a little more risky by being in public? I like that," he sneers.
Oh, no! I cannot have people seeing Ryder kissing me in the halls. What would they think? I could only hope that word wouldn't get around to Kaden so he wouldn't be upset at me for not telling him.
I am woken up from my thoughts when my hands are, once again, slammed into the locker, pinned above my head. I can do nothing but dread what comes next. I close my eyes and try to escape in my mind. I know it won't work, but at this point, I'm desperate.
"Eager to begin, I see," Ryder takes my eyes closing to be in pleasure, not fear.
I just let him think what he wants. Seconds later, his rough lips crash onto mine. My eyes fly open. There is no escape that way. He leans into me even more, and one of his legs is between mine. His other hand runs up my thigh until it rests on my bottom. Tears flow as he continues to kiss me so hard that it almost hurts. My shoulders and wrists dig into grooves in the locker, and they feel like they could be close to bleeding.
Out of nowhere, I hear footsteps. Ryder must hear them too, because he pulls away and drops my hands.
"Don't even think about going anywhere," he warns, "We aren't done yet."
That is when I recognize who is coming down the hallway. It's Kaden. Like my boyfriend Kaden.
Shoot.
When he reaches us, he looks from me to Ryder and back to me before cradling my cheek and pulling me close.
"I don't know what happened yet, Brinley, but first I need to know that you are okay," he prompts, pulling me off of him and wiping away my tears.
"He-he pushed me against the wall, and then-then he-he-he kissed me, and I-I wanted to tell you but he said he would-he would hurt you, and I was scared, and-" I start, trying to explain so he doesn't get mad.
"Shh, shh, it's ok now. I'll protect you. Next time, you can tell me. He can't hurt me more than it hurts to see you like this," he comforts me.
"Now I have to go find him to teach him a lesson," he explains as I notice that Ryder is long gone, "I suggest that you come with me so that nothing else can happen to you while I'm gone."
We walk together around the halls until we find Ryder trying to hide from us around a corner. It feels good to see him this weak instead of myself for a change.
"Look, man, she threw herself at me," he tries to cover, "I couldn't do anything."
"Good try, but her pinned against a locker with scrapes and bruises doesn't check out with your story," Kaden replies before Ryder punches him in the jaw.
Kaden's hand moves to his face in surprise as the other moves me behind him to protect me. Ryder looks scared now that he didn't think about the consequences of his actions. Ryder isn't wimpy, but he's got nothing on Kaden's height and strength.
Kaden throws a punch straight to his gut before throwing another blow to his nose. The first blood is Kaden's victory. By now, a small crowd has gathered, and Kaden has pushed me away from him a bit for my safety.
I find Ashley next to me, and she just hugs me to her. After a couple of seconds, I find that Kaden has a gash above his left eyebrow that is bleeding, and some drips into his eye. He is holding his side with his left arm. He must have taken a rib shot. Ryder is in much worse condition, but I can't bear to see Kaden like that.
Ashley tries to hold me back, but I break through her grip. I rush in between the two, trying to break up the fight, but I don't see Kaden's fist hurling towards me.
I don't even realize that I have been hit until I fall to the floor. Immediately, they stop throwing punches, and Kaden rushes to me.
"Hey, are you ok?" he asks. He seems worried.
"Yeah, those stars are pretty, don't you think?" I question. These twinkling orbs are quite beautiful.
"Look, you've got to stay awake, ok?" he demands, but the darkness seems so soft and warm.
I giggle a bit, "Goodnight."
And the darkness consumes me.
