A fractured fairytale

13

I could barely contain my anger as I marched through the library. Rose's tiny, soft hand was encased inside mine so I forced myself to remain calm so I didn't crush it in my fist. I couldn't believe someone would do this to her. She tried to put on a brave face but I could see the sparkle of tears in her eyes and feel the slight shake in her hand as I wrapped mine around it. She was shaken by what happened.

I wanted to skin whoever had done that to her alive. I wanted to question her more, pull the names, descriptions, addresses or anything else useful about her attackers out of her but I could see she was hesitant to talk. She most likely knew exactly what I would do them if she did talk.

So, instead, I focused on taking care of her in the way she needed rather than taking care of them in the way I so desperately wanted. I led her through the hallways, slowing my strides so her shorter legs could keep up. I'd nearly sent her flying as I stormed across the library and she stumbled trying to keep up.

"Where are we going?" she asked when we started to approach the changing rooms on the other side of the school. I knew just the other side of those doors were my teammates getting ready for practice but I branched off to the left into the small medical room that the team used if they got injured. As team captain, I knew the passcode to enter the room so I let myself and Rose inside and gestured for her to take a seat on the bed in the middle of the room.

She looked around for a moment before turning back to me. "Are we allowed in here?" she shifted from one foot to another, her gaze flitting between me and the door.

"I wouldn't know the code if I wasn't allowed in," I told her, gesturing again to the bed. "You don't need to worry. The team use this room if someone gets injured but they've only just started practice so I doubt anyone will come in."

Her shoulders relaxed a little and she nodded before shuffling backwards to sit on the bed. Meanwhile, I approached the workbench over to the right and grabbed some rubbing alcohol and a cloth. "This is going to sting a bit," I told her as I turned back, seeing her swallow despite the confident nod she gave me.

I stepped towards her and cupped her chin in my left hand. Her skin was so fucking soft against my own that she felt like she would break at any moment. I wondered if that's what the dickhead who cut her face thought, that she was so soft and breakable and that he wanted to be the one to do it. The thought made me see red. But one glance down at her wide, watery eyes reminded to remain calm – she didn't need to be scared any more than she already was.

As gently as I could, I pressed the alcohol-soaked cloth against her face. She winced, her eyes squeezing shut at the burning sensation she was probably feeling. I'd been banged up and covered in cuts and bruises enough times from playing football as a kid that I was familiar with the pain she was feeling right now and I wished I could somehow take it away.

"Are you okay?" I asked her. I continued to dab at the cut, cleaning off some of the dried blood around the nasty gash. Up close, I could see just how deep the wound was and I frowned. "Maybe we should take you to the hospital for stitches," I commented, concerned that it wouldn't heal on its own.

"No."

She shook her head and looked away from my inquisitive gaze. "Why not?"

She swallowed. "I don't like hospitals. Or needles. If they give me stitches, I might throw up." She offered me a meek smile that didn't reach her eyes. "I'll be fine honestly, it's not as bad as it looks."

My frowned deepened at her nonchalance. If my sister had this nasty slice across her skin, we'd never hear the end of it and my dad would be emotionally blackmailed into buying her new clothes for at least a couple of weeks. But Rose shrugged it off as if it was a regular occurrence and the idea that maybe it was made my blood boil.

"I'm driving you to school from now on."

Her head snapped upwards so her wide eyes met mine. "What?"

"I'll pick you up from now on," I repeated, angling her face again so I could finish tending to her cut.

"No. I mean ...there's really no need," she sputtered.

"There clearly is a need. If it's not safe for you to walk to school then I'll pick you up," I told her. "Besides, you shouldn't be walking in the snow anyway, you'll catch hypothermia."

I caught the subtle eye roll. "You sound like a mother," she teased.

I laughed at that. "My mother likes to claim she's always right, so maybe you should listen to me."

Her lips quirked before she turned back to face me fully. "I really appreciate the offer, but you'd have to go well out of your way to pick me up and I don't have the money to give you for doing that." She chewed her lip before continuing. "Besides, it's really not necessary, this doesn't happen that often and I walked in the snow this morning, I can do it for the rest of the week, honestly." She offered me a small smile. "But thanks anyway."

I moved across the room and tossed the cloth I'd used into the bin before returning the bottle of rubbing alcohol to its spot on the shelf. "It wasn't an offer Rose," I told her, turning back and leaning against the worktop while she slid off the bed. "I'll pick you up at half seven tomorrow and every day after that."

With that, I turned to leave but hadn't made it far when her scoff reached my ears. "What makes you think I'll give you my address?"

At that, I smirked and turned back around to face her. I noticed the flush on her cheeks and the way her arms were folded across her chest. "What makes you think I need you to?" I challenged. "Surely you know better than to assume I can't very easily find that out."

She gritted her teeth. "It's not a nice area," she muttered, twisting slightly to avoid my gaze. "It's not somewhere you want to be driving, not in your nice car."

I could hear the shame in her voice and wasn't sure why it bothered me so much but it did. "It's just a car Rose, there are more important things in life that a hunk of metal." She met my eyes and read the meaning behind my words there. I couldn't give less of a shit about my car, I just wanted her to be safe on her way to school. "Are you done arguing?"

Her arms unfolded and hung limply at her sides while she once again chewed on her lip, hesitation shining in her eyes. "I can't pay you," she eventually muttered, shifting from one foot to another where she stood.

I couldn't help but scoff. "I wouldn't let you," I assured her. "Now let's go, you're not going to change my mind about this so we may as well get on with my calculus."

I heard her giggle as I made my way out of the room, holding the door open for her as she passed me. "I never thought you'd be asking to go back to calculus."

I smirked. "Don't tell anyone. I have a reputation to maintain."

"Your secret is safe with me."

I followed her back through the halls, thinking ahead to when I'd have to pick her up tomorrow morning. The guys would be in for a shock if they knew I was chauffeuring some girl around and, if they told her, my mom would never shut up about it. I'd have to make up some excuse as to why none of them could ride with me tomorrow morning.

I wasn't ready for them to know about Rose yet,maybe because at the moment, there was nothing to know. She was my tutor and Iwas her tutee. It wasn't any more than that, we were hardly even friends. Andyet, I spent the rest of my day assessing every guy in school, searching for adrop of blood or any other sign that they could've been the one to hurt her. Iignored every word spoken in class because I was too busy fantasizing over whatI would do if I found the culprit, how much pain I'd cause them for daring toharm her. Every thought was consumed by Rose and making whoever had held aknife to her pay. And that screamed a little more than friendship to me.