It's a love-hate thing

Chapter 8

   ‘Oh my God, Amelie!’ he exclaimed, a hint of anger and curiosity hidden in his voice, I moaned in response. He knelt beside me and breathed in. He took out my hair so it wouldn’t pull at my head and put his hand on my cheek and looked into my eyes. He swallowed, then blinked as if to wake himself up from a dream. He cleared his throat as if he felt awkward and took out my phone from my purse and called someone

   ‘Alex? Come out to the garden’ he ordered, he sounded as if he was used to being incharge, she asked something ‘It’s Brandon. No time to answer. Come here!’ A few minutes later Alex and Carl ran through the door and into the garden, she cursed worriedly and gasped and asked what happened, tears gathering in her eyes. His answer was one word:

   ‘Jared!’ he growled, not asking me to make sure. She crouched down beside me and took my  hand. Brandon supported my back by holding me by the waist. ‘Wait here, okay?’ he said to Alex. She nodded, looking curious. But didn’t question him because of the look on his face. When he was gone she helped me stand, slowly and gently and slowly lead me back into the dance hall.            

   Muttering 'Careful' quietly, concentrating not loosing her grip on my arm and back. Brandon grabbed Jared by his hair and dragged him out side, barely glancing at him. When they were outside Brandon spun him around and punched him in the face. Jared cursed and fell. He tried to trip him but failed. Brandon hit him again. Carl took Alex by the waist and brought her back a step so she wouldn’t be hit accidentally. She smiled.

   ‘FIGHT! FIGHT! Go Brandon! Punch that angel mask right off his plastic Ken doll head!’ Carl stared at her surprised. Other people from the crowd beginning to gather outside stopped and stared at her ‘What are you looking at. I’ll send Brandon after you next!’ she warned, they avoided her gaze and returned to the sight of Brandon beating the crap out of Jared. Under other circumstances I would have laughed. Then, instead… I fainted. Alex and Carl caught me. I woke up in my room with Alex and Brandon either side of me.

                                                  ***************

Many things happened in one moment:

I punched Jared in the face, again

Amelie’s eyes rolled back in her head as she fell backward

I got kicked in the stomach

And a teacher ran out side towards us, screaming and demanding we stop fighting.

Jared looked up at the teacher, trying to look innocent and I ran over to help Alex and Carl carry Amelie to my car. I told Josh we had to go, he was about to question me when he saw Alex and Carl outside struggling to keep Amelie up off the ground, and he left the unasked question hanging in the air as I turned and sprinted towards them , lifting her easily. Then I brought Carl home and then brought Amelie home. -Alex refused and stayed with Amelie and I- Her parents weren't home, probably out with my parents. I layed Amelie down on her bed. Alex sat beside her. She smirked up at me

   ‘She’ll be okay, right?’ she asks me, trying not to smile. I shrug

   ‘Of course she will.' I said, confidently with a quick nod 'I’ll be right back, okay?’ I said and stood, she nodded

  ' 'Kay' she mumbled. I left the room and got a cloth from the press in the bathroom, I wet it and folded it into a roll, I returned to Amelie’s room and put it on her forehead, gently with a smile playing on my lips

   ‘Aw, Brandon! You’re so sweet!' her smirk was back, it developed into a grin '... you... uh...You like her, right?’

   ‘Pfft! No!’ I denied. 'Me...? Gross... I'm like the only guy in the school who doesn't. Haha... why would I like her. She hates me... So... yeah.'

   ‘Whatever!’ she scoffed. I rolled my eyes with a sigh.

     After a few hours she opened her eyes slowly. Relief flooded through me. She sighed.

   ‘Oh, thank God!’ Alex hugged her ‘I’ll get you some water!’ she said standing. As Alex closed the door. Amelie pounced on me, wrapping her arms around my neck, she nearly fell backwards, I imagine because her head was probably spinning.

   ‘Thank you, Brandon!’ I stumbled backwards when she crashed back into me. She grabbed my shoulders and held me up. She leaned against the wall, casually. ‘Bran?’ she asked

   ‘Yeah?’ I replied, curiously.

   ‘Why...? I mean why did you do that for me’ she asked, I smiled, not sure if I was ready to admit it. 

   ‘Because, Amelie, I love you’ I smiled, her eyes widened with confusion, she paused waiting for me to finish what ever joke she thought I had tried to make. If I paused I wouldn't continue, I closed my eyes and leaned in. . . Finally I had the guts to do what I had wanted for five years! To show Amelie how I felt.