Tainted Love | ✓

Chapter Fourteen

I felt horrible for not being open with him - but I couldn't tell him. I was ashamed and embarrassed to. I didn't want him to look at me and tell me that it was all my fault and that he had warned me. I was the one who had gotten myself in this situation and I deserved to suffer in silence.

"I don't know what the hell happened between you two, but he has no right to talk to you anymore," Toby hissed as he blew air out of his nose in anger, "What did he do to you?"

I watched as his knuckles turned white; balling them into small fists. My eyes widened in concern when a vein began to protrude out of his neck, about to pop. His face grew redder with each passing second, so much so, that I was worried he wasn't even breathing.

"Toby -" I reached towards him, trying to comfort him but he turned away from me.

"No Naomi," he snapped, scraping the legs of the chair against the floor. "Enough is enough. He can't get away with this and you know what? I've had fucking enough of his shit."

"Wait, Toby, no, don't you dare –"

Toby didn't even wait for me to finish my sentence. Within a few short seconds, he was storming towards the door, nearly pulling it off its hinges as it slammed open. I ripped the covers that were over me, struggling to get out of the bed. Staggering on my feet, my hand snapping out to balance myself against the wall.

"Toby, wait!" I called out behind him pathetically.

I stumbled out of the room, trying to keep up with his long strides. He had a determined look on his face as he stalked down the empty hallway. My heart skipped a beat when he came to a halt outside one of the classrooms - Tyler's homeroom.

I opened my mouth, my eyes wide, "Toby, no -"

My sentence fell short as he violently jerked the door open, banging the handle off the wall. He stormed inside, ignoring my calls for him. A pained hiss left my lips as the splitting pain worsened in my head. I gripped the edge of the door, taking a deep breath.

"What the hell do you think you're doing!?"

My eyes shot over to the familiar sounding voice. The air left my lungs as I saw Toby had Tyler pinned against the wall, gripping the edge of his collar. A collective gasp was heard in the room as everyone stared with wide eyes at the two boys. Tyler's face was red in anger as he struggled to get Toby's arm off him.

His beady eyes slid over to mine, and I physically flinched at the visible hatred and warning that was blaring in them.

"Toby," I called out in a shaky voice, "Let go of him."

"No way," he spat, not even turning to look at me, "Who does he think he is? I don't know what happened, but it was enough to make you fucking pass out, and you want to be okay with that?"

"Toby," I stressed, "You know that this won't do anything, and you'll end up being the one who is punished -"

"I don't care anymore, Naomi!" he shouted in distress, "I seriously don't give a shit anymore. I've had enough. Whatever he's done, I know he deserves this."

"Please?" I whispered pleadingly, peering up at him wide wide eyes, "For me?"

At my words, he faltered for a second, loosening his grip on Tyler. It was in that moment that Tyler saw his chance and raised a fist, pounding it into Toby's jaw. I staggered back as Toby stumbled towards me, clutching his jaw.

Tyler's face scrunched up as he took a threatening step forward. By looking at the faces of all the girls in the room, the once fairy-tale image they had of him was slowly beginning to diminish; like it had with me. Tyler fixed his shirt, a sneer on his face, "How dare you touch me with your filthy fucking hands?"