"Define polyatomic ion," you quizzed Isaac next to your locker.
"It's, uh," he started to say, his eyes focused off in the distance.
"Isaac?" You cocked your head to the side, watching him shift his weight to one foot. When he didn't respond, you followed his eyes to Aiden, who seemed to be looking straight at you, talking to his brother.
"He's talking about you," Isaac said angrily.
"It's fine," you put your hand on his shoulder, but he jerked away.
"Do you know what he's saying?" Isaac huffed.
"I could take a guess," you sighed.
Aiden winked at you from across the hall, and Isaac slammed his fist into a locker. "That's it," he said, stalking towards Aiden, who had his arms opened tauntingly.
Isaac punched Aiden hard across the face, and Aiden's head moved towards the ground. Aiden looked up, with a bloodied mouth, and clocked Isaac under the chin.
That was when things turned into a full out brawl. Ethan put his hands up in surrender, walking away from his brother's fight, shaking his head. You watched as the two boys rolled around violently on the ground.
A small crowd gathered, and you pushed through them to the front. "Isaac!" You tried to yell, but you knew it was useless. He was too damn mad.
Blood trailed down your boyfriend's face as you stood by. "Isaac!" You tried one last time.
"What's going on?" Lydia ran up behind you.
"Nothing," you snarled, reaching down and grabbing Isaac by the collar. You shoved your other hand into Aiden's face.
"Let go," Isaac growled, trying to wriggle out of your grip.
"Stop struggling, you idiot!" You said.
Aiden swatted angrily at your hand, but he wasn't willing to hurt you, not in front of Isaac and the whole school.
Isaac relented and stopped moving, wiping some of the blood off his nose.
"Are you going to be calm if I let you go?" You whispered in his ear, and he nodded. You released him, and he stood up, shoving through the scattering crowd. You pushed up off Aiden's face and followed him.
"I'm sorry," Isaac breathed out, leaning against the lockers. "I overreacted."
"You didn't overreact," you said, pulling tissues out of your backpack and wiping the blood off his face.
"He was saying he was going to steal you," Isaac explained. "And do things with you."
"Hey, look at me," you said. Isaac obeyed. "You didn't overreact, but you didn't need to react at all. You have something he'll never have."
"You?" Isaac smiled shyly.
"Me," you said, reaching up and kissing him.
