Two Broken Souls

chapter twenty

Harry's POV

"I had fun last night." Jared tells Mia for the third time since they've been at her locker.

I was with Conner at his locker. He accordingly took my history notebook while I took his and we needed to switch back, but I stayed when Mia and Jared arrived at her locker. I wasn't trying to listen, but I was curious if they were friends again.

During third period, I hooked my bag over my chair and took out my calculus book when Mr. Petersen said, "Let's start by going over the homework." but he barely gets the words out before the fire alarm starts blaring. I gather my stuff and follow everyone outside.

While everyone else was waiting for the fire department to show up, I was looking around for Mia. I knew that she had her elective third period, but I just couldn't find her class.

I stalked off and when I found her, I whispered. "Meet me in the student parking lot." She turned around and her eyes widened. I don't think that she was expecting me.

I walked away as if I invisible and we aren't surrounded by teachers and faculty, including Principal Alders, yelling into his phone.

I didn't want to look behind me to see if Mia was coming, but then I started to hear her bag slap against her side and before I knew it, the both of us were running.

It was too late to turn back now. We quickly made our getaway and and no one shouted at us to stop, come back here.

We race across the boulevard that cuts in front of the school, and alongside the trees that separate the main parking lot from the river that splits the town in half.

When we come to a break in the trees, I take her soft delicate hand in mine and run my fingers over her knuckles. "I'm sorry." she said. "I didn't mean it."

I pulled her into my arms and hugged her tightly. "We both said things we didn't mean." I spoke into her hair, rubbing it.

For a little while, we hung out by the river. Mia and I sat in silence together and just watched the water slowly move back and forth.

"We should go back to class," She said say. "It's been almost an hour, I'm sure that everything is cleared out."

"I've got a better idea," I grinned.

Before I can tell her what it is, Jared and Ryan come hiking down the trail. "Great," Mia said under her breath.

Jared and Ryan come right over to Mia. "We saw you take off during the fire alarm." Ryan said.

Jared gives me a nasty look. "You know the sociology project is to take care of a fake baby, not make a real one."

"Classy," Mia comments.

"Why are you defending him?" Ryan snapped at me.

Jared rubbed Mia's arms like he was trying to warm her up. She wasn't even cold nor did she go into the water. 

"Are you okay?" He asked her.

Mia shrugged him off. "Of course I'm okay. You don't need to check up on me."

I finally break up this lovers quarrel. "I didn't kidnap her, if that's what you're worried about."

Jared stares back at me. "Was I talking to you?"

I look down at Jared. He and I are about the same height and built, but I did have a bit more muscle on him. I like to think that I could take him in a fight. "No, but I wish you would."

"Lay off, guys," Mia snapped at all three of us. I knew that she was trying to defuse the situation before it escalated.

Jared reaches to Mia's  level and wraps his hand around her arm. "Come on, I'll take you back to class." he tugged at her trying to pull her up.

Mia moved slightly due to his force. "Don't touch her like that." Harry said, stepping forward.

Jared let go of Mia's arm. "Really, what are you going to do about it?"

Just like that, Jared jumps on me, and the two of us went rolling down. Both of us managed to get a few punches in, but I honestly can't even tell who's winning right now. I know that this is just going to make Mia more concerned.

I can faintly here Mia yell at Ryan to do something, but he just stayed put saying this wasn't his fight.

Jared swings and hits me in the face with a thud. He swings again and again, his fist smashing into my mouth, into my nose, into my ribs. But then I have Jared's arm twisted behind my back, and I'm plunging his head into the ground trying to get him to calm down.

"Let him go, Harry." I can hear Mia talking to me, but the adrenaline is taking over my body.

"Let him go." Ryan yelled with more force.

I finally look up at Mia now and she looks shocked. I am still holding onto Jared. "Let him go." She snapped at me like I was a child.

I listen and let go of Jared. He straightens up, spits on the ground next to me and quickly staggers off with Ryan trailing behind.

I thought for sure Mia was going to give me a stern talking to, but she surprised me when she asked, "Are you okay?" Mia frets. "You're bleeding." She softly placed a hand on my face and I tensed, but not because of her touch.

"I'm fine." I wheeze out. I don't know how I'm keeping my voice so calm right now.

"Are you sure?" She reaches for my face. I try to swat her hands away, but she's not having it. "Let me look at it." Her fingertips tenderly graze the side of my mouth.

And a shiver runs up my spine.

Her bottomless brown eyes lock with mine. "It's just a busted lip." She says with a small smile making me relax a little bit.

I push her hand away and hold it in mine. "Not my first fight. Won't be my last." I joke.

"You're bleeding again. Sit down, will you?" I dutifully lower myself onto the rock. If she wants to fuss over me, then I'm going to let her.

She grabs a packet of tissues from her backpack and cups her hand with some water, then presses the wet wad against my lip to soak up the blood.

"Let's leave this on here for thirty seconds or so," she murmurs. "Hopefully the pressure will stop the bleeding for good."

I try not to smile. "You know I could be doing this myself, right?"

"Just let me do it, please. This is all my fault."

I hold her chin in my hand forcing her to look me in the eyes. "It's not your fault."

She slowly nods and before I know it, both of us are leaning in and slowly her soft lips touch mine and we are kissing until I abruptly pull away.

"What?" she says urgently. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I croak.

"Is something wrong? You look like you're in pain."

"Everything's fine."

"I don't know whether to believe you or not," she mutters.

"I'm fine." I say more sternly this time.

She removes the toilet paper from my lip. It's soaked red, and she makes a face before tossing it back into the empty packaging. "The bleeding stopped," she says."

"That's good."

Her fingertips run over my cheek again. And just like that were kissing again. It feels like heaven as she gently rubs her lips against mine.

I officially forget my surroundings. I register the faint sound of the water, but my pounding heart drowns it out. The kiss goes on and on, a tangle of tongues and the mingling of heated breaths, not ceasing until the moment I taste copper in my mouth.

"Ugh." This time I groan unhappily. "Mia, stop." When she pulls back, I see her lips are tinged with my blood. "I'm bleeding again and now it's all over you."

She places her hand on her lips feeling for the blood. "I didn't even notice." She said.