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Mari's POV
I staggered backwards but was held upright by firm hands, Bill's hands, and when I looked up too see his face he was making a expression I had only ever seen him do once before. It was when one of his friends had made a joke and went too far with it, it was something about his mother. That guy didn't come back to school for a solid month after Bill was done with him. His eyes were dark and cold. I could tell just from looking at him that he wanted to beat up the guy that had just hit me but I couldn't let that happen. I came here to stop him from
fighting, not be the reason for it! I tugged at his arm and pulled him out of there, it took all my strength just to move him. The guys were running after us and shouting but we soon escaped and hid in a dark alleyway. I could hear distant shouting and footsteps but it didn't sound like it was getting any closer so I leaned back to the wall and sighed in relief.
Bill was looking at me with his usual
frown, there was something he wanted to say, most likely to scold me. But I wasn't gonna let him so I spoke before he got a chance to. "You shouldn't get into fights so often," my voice came out as a whisper, Bill remained silent. My gaze wandered to the starry night sky covered in colours that gave me a sense of relief. "Your mom," I sighed, "If you continue like this she'll worry." I chuckled at my own words, to have parents that worry for you or are even present enough to notice your wounds.. what would that be like? Cold hands rubbing against my cheek broke me out of my thoughts. My eyes weren't on the sky anymore but instead at the
man in front of me. "To lecture me, while in this condition. Do you realize how stupid you look?" His eyes were glued to mine, stuck in a gaze I couldn't dare look away from. There was a softness to his touch, as if he was holding glass as fragile as a feather. I finally realized just how much blood was spilling from my nose and covered it up instantly. My white shirt was now dyed red and I sighed at the mess. I'd have to wash it as soon as I got home, my favourite shirt just had to be stained in blood of all things.
My body started shaking and I could feel how my knees went weak, small teardrops fell from my eyes and I didn't even bother to wipe them. Pretty delayed reaction, I know. A girl like me wasn't exactly used to situations like this. Dealing with a group of scary men, out at midnight, getting punched and messing up my shirt. I couldn't deal with all these
emotions stirring up inside me so I did what I do best, cry. And the crying only made me feel worse, which led me to cry even more, it was a vicious cycle. To cry in front of Bill, the person who made me grow to hate this side of me the most wasn't something I'd thought I'd do in a million years. It was a silent cry, the only thing that could be heard was the
teardrops hitting the ground but it didn't stop me from feeling any less weak. My eyes stayed locked to the
ground, I couldn't look up, I didn't
want to look up. Bill had most likely noticed my crying yet he still didn't say anything. He only remained silent.
Did he not know what to say? Or did he simply just not want to say anything? Either way I didn't have
a problem with it.
"Do you still consider me a crybaby?"
The question sat at the air which made me feel stupid for opening my mouth and saying something like that. I looked up, just so I could see his face. If I could read his expression maybe I'd feel less awkward? But the expression I saw wasn't one I had expected. His lips were curved in a smirk. "What a stupid question," he said. "You'll always be my crybaby."
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