I do not own Twilight.
Thank you all for reading! This will be a short two-parter (with Edward) before the actual visitation.
Enjoy :)
A few of Edward's teammates have pulled him from Tyler, and a couple of Tyler's friends have pulled him from Edward.
They stand, ten feet away from each other, panting, glaring, hurting and I notice, as I look quickly at Tyler, that his jaw seems to be hanging loose.
I feel like I'm going to lose my lunch and all over what? A stupid fucking comment that Tyler had to make?
Edward's not in worse shape, but Tyler definitely gave him a run for his money and I wring my hands nervously to keep myself from fawning over Edward and the reddening corner of his jaw, his bleeding nose, his split eyebrow. The blood runs over his cheek and I remember my mother telling my once that cuts on the face tend to look worse than they are, but right now, he looks bad.
And I can see from the way he's sheltering his right hand and wrist from Eric who has a grip on his right arm, that he's injured his fighting hand, too.
There's a fast, strange flash of relief in me.
If he has no fighting hand, he can't fight.
But Edward will find a way; he always does.
Half a dozen people are already backing away from the circle that had formed and I know what that means without ever having to take my eyes off of Edward: the principal.
He doesn't even speak a word as he juts a thumb over his shoulder, glancing first at Eric, Sam, and Jasper, and then at the couple holding Tyler. He turns and is disappearing back down the sidewalk, but I can see in the way that he is walking that he is mad.
Tyler's friends take him, in a wide berth, around Edward and the three and he's practically being dragged to O'Leary's office.
Eric and Sam are glancing at Edward, always waiting to take their cue. I've always, in the back of my mind, wondered if they really were that loyal to him, or if they stayed out of fear of being next. Right now, the looks on each of their faces tells me it's the latter.
But I never fear Edward. I fear for him, but I don't fear him.
I hurry over to them, because they still haven't moved and I know the consequences will be worse if Edward doesn't face up, and Jasper lets go, knowing that the worst is over. Eric and Sam hover and then, after I give them each a weak, watery smile, they let go of his arms.
Edward's looking at me, which is strange because he usually goes above and beyond to avoid eye contact with me after something like this, and his mouth and jaw are hard, but his eyes are softening and remorseful.
"Come on," Jas says to the other two and they follow him, glancing back at us once, but I know nothing else will come out of this today.
It's just me and Edward, how it should be.
He takes a breath, like he wants to say something, but I just nod and blink at the tears that form in the corners of my eyes. With the sleeve of my sweatshirt, I wipe at the trickle of blood on his cheek, leaving behind a darkened stain and an even darker outlook.
He ducks his head and I'm pulling him into my arms the best that I can with our height differences.
"I know," I whisper against his throat. "It's okay. It's going to be okay."
His body sags a bit against mine and I put my hands on his shoulders to push him back just an inch. He looks down at me and his emerald eyes are blazing with every emotion possible and I wonder just how he keeps it all inside the times that he does keep it inside. How hasn't he burst into a million pieces yet?
I cup his face gently and pull him towards me, pressing my lips to his until he groans in pain, the sensitivity of his jaw getting the better of him.
He rests his forehead against mine, closing his eyes in defeat.
"Okay," I repeat like a mantra. "Tell him what he said to you. It's going to be okay."
His lips press once to my cheekbone and he pulls away because he knows he has to go and defend himself. It seems like he has to do that to everyone he comes in contact with.
"I love you," I say, staring up at him as I fall into step with him. "Remember I love you."
He doesn't speak, but the way he looks at me tells me everything.