Noxious

26 | trouble's coming

Rowan 

I didn't even know what happened. 

One second, I was enjoying the fire nipping at my fingertips, and the next second Charly was screaming. She fell to her knees, grasping at the remnants of the papers that I let slip from my fingers. I stood there, confused as hell, listening to her screaming.

Until she rose and punched me. 

"What--" I tried to ask. What did I do? 

She didn't give me a chance to speak. She nailed me in the jaw again and I stumbled, which was my mistake, because I ended up tripping over the curb and landing on my back. She sprung on top of me like a hellcat. 

I could feel the anger in her punches. 

I could hear her screaming that she hated me.

Why did that hurt more? 

I had tried to protect my face from her but she had obviously been in fights before. She was good, and I hadn't even been in a real street brawl. I don't think I've ever punched anyone before either. 

Maybe I blacked out for a second because the next thing I knew, Kyle was by my side, and Charly had been pulled away from me. I sucked in a breath I hadn't realized I couldn't until she finally left me alone. I felt like I was suffocating. 

I didn't realize it was my own blood suffocating me until Kyle rolled me onto my side. I started coughing more violently, blood trickling between my lips. My entire face felt like it was on fire. She had done some damage, that was for sure. 

"My emancipation papers!" I heard Charly say, her voice was hoarse. "He took it away from me. Fuck, fuck!"

I took what away? 

"I don't--" I tried raising my head to look at her, my vision blurred slightly, "I don't even know what that is!"

"Yes, you do!" She hollered, "You do and you burned them because you want to make my life living hell! It's your revenge, I fucking get it, but you didn't have to. I'm already stuck in a fucking nightmare!"

Revenge? 

I took a deep breath and looked at Kyle, "What are emancipation papers?"

Kyle shrugged, "I don't fucking know."

"Jesus, she's strong," I fought a cough, spitting more blood onto the ground, and then I tried to sit up. My head was pounding and I kept closing my eyes because they hurt, too. 

Suddenly, I heard footsteps take off running. I blinked and glanced up to watch Charly's figure disappear down the street. I frowned and turned my head when Tommy approached me. 

"What are you doing?" Kyle asked, confused. 

Tommy squatted down and inspected the damage to my face. I let him with a wary glance, while he spoke to Kyle, "He needs help. He could have a concussion."

Well shit. 

"Fucking hell," Kyle wiped the sweat off his face with his arm.

Tommy made eye contact with Kyle, "You need to go after her."

"What? Why?" Kyle asked, offended he would suggest such an idea. "Are you crazy?"

"She will disappear," Tommy said, looping my arm over his shoulders as he helped me stand, "You can still catch up." He supported most of my weight because I was unsteady.