More - A.M.

Chapter Eleven

As can be expected, I woke up feeling horrible. I kept replaying yesterday over and over and it was starting to drive me crazy. I just wanted to forget and move on, but who ever gets that lucky?

I got a text from Austin this morning asking why I never texted him like I was supposed to yesterday and I simply told him I had a lot going on. He asked me to come over so we could talk about it and that after he would take us both to school. I wasn't really in the mood to talk about this, especially to Austin who hated Tyler anyways, but I did have to tell him. He was going to be pissed that I didn't come to him the second it happened.

I now stood on Austin's doorstep, debating whether I should actually go inside or not. After much convincing, I finally let myself in.

"Austin, i'm here," I called out.

"I'll be down in a second," he yells from somewhere upstairs. I set my backpack down by the front door, and then go and sit on the stairs to wait for him. After a minute or two he finally comes down and joins me in sitting. "What's going on?" He asks gently.

I take a deep breath before answering him, trying to push the tears back. "Try not to jump for joy when I tell you this, but Tyler and I broke up yesterday," I said, looking up at him to see his reaction. There was too much emotion to read though.

"You guys broke up? I thought you guys were going to talk about it?" He seems puzzled.

"Well, we were, but we never got the chance."

"What happened?"

I shake my head. I was backing down, losing my courage. I couldn't tell him, it was too embarrassing. Plus, I knew he was going to be angry and I really wanted to avoid that.

"What happened?"He asks sternly this time.

"He-" I tried so hard in this moment to swallow my emotions and just get it out, but I couldn't. It all came rushing back to me and I burst into sobs. Austin held me close to him while I confessed about yesterday. "He cheated on me with that girl from the other day, so I broke up with him," I sobbed. His arms tensed around me.

"You're kidding, right?" He spat. I shook my head no.

"He's been seeing her for weeks," I cried.

"Oh hell no," he says. That comforting hold he once had on me was gone now. He got up, grabbed his keys from his pocket, and headed towards the front door.

"What are you doing?" I practically shouted.

"What does it look like? I'm about to go beat his sorry ass," he yelled back.

"No!" I tugged at his arm, but he wouldn't stop. "Austin please don't," I said frantically. He pushed past me and made it to the door. I ran in front of him and pressed my back to the door, hoping to stop him from opening it but he just jerked it open, sending me flying forward. "Austin!"

He ignored me again, and got into his car. Panic rushed through me so I ran behind the car and planted myself there. If dramatics is what it's going to take, then dramatics it's going to be.

"Ella, get out of the way!" He shouts at me.

"No, get out of the car!" I shout back.

"I'm not fucking kidding, Ella, move."

"No!"

He turns the car off, and steps out. He slams his door so hard that I wonder for a second how he didn't end up cracking his window. He rushes up to me and I swear I can feel myself shrink in size. "Why are you protecting him!" He yells at me.

"I'm not protecting him! I'm protecting me! You going over there and kicking his ass isn't gonna help me move on, it's gonna make things worse and then it'll all just fall right on top of my head," I said.

"Remember that the only reason I haven't put my hands on him yet is because I care about you," he glares at me, then walks back inside.

***

It was lunch at school now. Austin had finally kind of calmed down. He was talking to me about something, but I had stopped listening because I caught a glimpse of Tyler from across the cafeteria. He was laughing and joking with his friends like yesterday never even happened. It was like he didn't even care, like he wasn't hurt. He looks up and catches my eye, and I awkwardly look away. Out of the corner of my eye I see him get up and leave the cafeteria.

"Ella, are you listening to me?" Austin asks.

"Sorry," I sighed.

"I said, I want to go get my book for my next class from my locker. Will you be okay by yourself for a few minutes?"

"Oh yeah, sure, go ahead," I give him a half smile, and he leaves. I start to think about what he said and I could've sworn I saw him carrying it when we walked into the cafeteria. Curiosity gets the best of me so I peek over the table, and sure enough, there was his textbook sitting on the seat next to his.

Going to his locker, my ass. He went to go follow Tyler.

"Shit!" I yell to no one in particular. I race out of the cafeteria as fast as I can and I start frantically searching the hallways. I hear yelling and I follow it, and sure enough it leads me to Austin and Tyler.

"Did you really think you could cheat on my best friend and I wouldn't find out and come for you?" Austin yells, getting in Tyler's face.

"Look man, I've already been beating myself up over this-" Tyler starts, but a fist connecting to his jaw interrupts him.

"Austin!" I scream.

"Well, then I guess it's my turn now, isn't it?" He spat.

"Dude, don't do this," Tyler warns.

"Or what?" Austin pushes, hitting him again.

"Stop!" I scream again, but the both of them ignore my presence. By this time a crowd is starting to form. I turn to one girl and ask her to go get someone for help. She rushes off and I turn back to Austin and Tyler. They've gone all out now, hitting each other, shoving each other around, yelling. It was chaos, and I couldn't help but feel like this was all my fault.

Finally, a few teachers and the principle separate them. They immediately take Austin to the office. I rush up to Tyler and put a hand to his face.

"Are you okay? Your nose is bleeding pretty bad," I say in a panicked tone.

He pushes my hand away. "I'm fine, I deserved it anyway. Just go check on Austin," He waves a hand at me.

It doesn't take much more convincing for me to turn around and rush to the office. I go up to the nurse to find out what she'll tell me. "Is Austin okay?"

"He'll be fine. He's being sent home on suspension, though," she says and then turns away.

"Damn it, Austin," I whisper to myself.

I was so mad him for doing this. I couldn't believe he went behind my back when I begged him not to. And all because he wanted to protect me like he always has.

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what do you guys think? how many of you expected/knew austin would do this when he found out? let me know your thoughts!

prepare yourselves for the next chapter ;)

--m