Out of My Mind (COMPLETED)

Chapter Eight

Mia's POV

"Oh my god! What happened?" I shriek when I see Adrian's lip is busted open and a purple bruise is forming on his left cheek. There's blood dripping from his mouth.

He spits onto the ground as he walks toward me. "Brayden punched me. I found him leaning against my car after you left."

Brayden? Did he just say Brayden? Why does he keep bringing Brayden up?

"Are you sure it was Brayden?" I ask, confused. Brayden wouldn't punch someone. He's not one who looks for a fight. He barely shows his emotions.

Adrian coughs and spits again. "Yeah, Mia. I'm pretty sure it was Brayden."

Would Brayden really do something like this? I know he doesn't like Adrian and that he thinks Adrian is dangerous, but why would Brayden punch him?

"Why was Brayden leaning against your car? Was he there before I left?" Questions are spilling from my mouth as they file into my brain and I can't stop them.

Was Brayden there to look out for me? Was he there because I was in danger of Adrian? Where is Brayden now?

"Did you punch him?! Adrian-," I blurt and then in a quick second, my thoughts jump to another track. "Brayden punched you." The words roll off my tongue so controlled and monotone.

"Yes, Mia, he did," Adrian's voice smoothly says.

All I can see are glowing eyes. Nothing else.

For the second time today.

Why are they appearing so often lately?

I blink, trying to look away from the eyes. I feel like I'm about to split in two when suddenly the eyes are gone. I blink a few times until my eyes focus on Adrian, who is still standing in front of me. My stomach begins to twist and turn and I feel like I'm going to throw up.

"Are you okay?" Adrian asks, concerned.

Am I okay?

No, I'm not.

Do I tell Adrian about the glowing eyes? Do I tell him that I've seen those same set of eyes multiple times? Did he happen to see them too?

"Yes, I'm fine," I lie and hope he buys it. "Do you want to go to the hospital, you know, to get your lip checked out? It's bleeding quite a bit."

Just breathe, Mia. Brayden will find you, I tell myself over and over and over.

"Oh." Adrian touches his lip, pulling his fingers back to see them covered in blood. There's something in the way he looks at the blood and saliva mixture all over his fingers that sends a small shiver down my spine. "I think I'll be okay."

"Are you sure? How are you going to get it to stop bleeding?" I ask, stepping closer to him to get a better look at the gash on his lip. "I have a first aid kit in my car!" I blurt. Adrian looks at me confused, his eyes squinting at my words quizzically.

I turn around and unlock my car as Adrian rushes, "Mia, that's not necessary. I-"

I look back at him when I open the door to the backseat. "You're just going to bleed out in the ice cream shop?" A small laugh slips through my lips. Adrian doesn't smile at my sarcasm. Tough crowd, huh?

"Mia, I'm fine. I swear."

"There's an antiseptic wipe in here somewhere." I dig through the first aid kit, determined to find it. "I just want to clean the wound before it gets infected, Adrian."

"Mia-"

"Found it!" I take out the wipe from the kit. "Come here."

Adrian kneels in front of me on the gravel. He places his hands on my knees to keep him steady, the warmth of his palms bleeding right through my jeans like the blood dripping from his mouth that is bleeding into his black t-shirt. I try to ignore the warmth in my belly and focus on the task in front of me: curing Adrian's busted lip. Which was caused by Brayden, according to Adrian.