Corbyn.
He's walking towards me and I can see that he's tempered. His constant frown is married to his face and his mouth is a hard line. All the muscles in his arms are tensed showing out his toned and worked out body.
But nothing of the above matters because as he comes closer, I see that a cigarette is resting between his fingers in his right hand. Anger builds up inside of me and by the time he stands close to me, I'm fuming.
"What are you-" he starts saying angrily but my rage doesn't allow him to talk despite his already angry state.
"What on earth is that!?" I shout pointing to the cigarette.
"Do you have any idea what this could do to you?" Thousands of the negative effects of smoking come to my mind and one is worst and more dangerous than the other. "You know what?" I ask and taking a step closer I grab it and throw it in the ground before I smash it with my shoe.
"I don't care if this is just a cigarette, if this contains weed or some other narcotic, if you smoke daily or if this is a one-time thing which I seriously doubt, you won't smoke EVER AGAIN! You put your rules and now I'll put mine. NO MORE SMOKING! Are we clear?" I ask and when I'm done I'm breathless, anger is still radiating off of me. But instead of looking angrier or annoyed, a smirk has formed on his lips.
"What?"
"Deal" he simply answers and I'm shocked. The surprising look on my face must say so but I clear my throat and blink in an attempt to cover it.
"Good," I state in a formal tone and turn around to leave.
Once I have my back on him, a grin appears on my face. A few meters before I disappear, I turn to look at him only to find him standing in the same spot under the green trees as the sunlight passing through the branches falls upon his face making him look...perfect. His head is cocked to one side, as usual, and a grin covers his beautiful face as well. Maybe we can do this.
The bell rings freeing us for the day. I walk through the chaos of students towards the exit doors but stop when a hand takes mine.
"Come with me," Corbyn proposes and I follow him to an emptier and quieter corridor that leads to the back instead of the front of the school. I notice that our hands are still intertwined and my heart melts at the action.
"Where are we going?"
"I have football practice" He explains and only then do I realize that he wears his football clothes.
"I still can't believe you smoke."
"I don't anymore, remember?" He smirks gazing down at me. "There's still a lot of things you don't know about me," He adds when we turn the corner and a big hallway unfolds before us.
I don't like to hear that even though I know it already. I want to get to know him but I can't ask him personal questions. I don't know how lucky I'll be to just catch him red-handed to discover more of the real Corbyn like today.
"I'll come to your house tonight," He states when we get out of the school and head to the huge soccer field. Boys are warming up in the center, or running circles around it and the memories of our kiss flood my mind.
"I don't think I'll see you,"
"Why?" He enquires stepping in front of me. We've reached the field and I see as more boys are getting in the field for the practice.
"I have an appointment with..."
"You have a date?" He asks and I look up to him. His jaw is tensed and his eyes are blank with anger.
"Yeah, I have a date with not so much sexy fifty-year-old woman to talk about my psychological health." I exclaim. He visually relaxes and lets out a long breath.
"Very funny" he mumbles mockingly narrowing his eye at me and I giggle.
"Corbyn!" We hear a voice shout in the back and Corbyn turns.
"Give me a sec!"
"I better go now," I murmur and taking a step forward, I kiss him softly on the cheek causing him to smile.
"Good luck on your date!" He cries before I enter the school and I tug my tongue to him. He laughs at my childish action shaking his head.
When I enter the house after my appointment in the Social Service, my body aches. My visits to the Social Service it's just a reminder of how tragic my life has turned out to be and how much I've lost the last few weeks. It doesn't help me to move on, at all.
"Amelia! Do you want to join us for dinner?" My aunt asks when she sees me and the smell of cheese and spaghetti reaches my nostrils.
"Absolutely," I agree licking my lips and she laughs. I walk to the bathroom to wash my hands but when I try to shut the door, it sticks. It opens again and Corbyn gets in locking it behind him.
He snakes his arm around my waist and moves me around so my back hits the door as he brings his lips on mine. His hands cup my cheeks keeping me steady as we get lost in our kisses. We haven't kissed for a day and it feels long. Too long.
"How was your appointment?" He asks leaning against the door while I'm washing my hands.
"Good, I guess," I murmuring shrugging. Every time is just the same thing. I know what will follow, what she will ask and how I'll respond.
"Why do you go?"
"They have to keep a watch on me for a few months to check if my psychology is stable." He nods as if he's thinking of it and I wonder about the reason he's asking me all these things.
"What are you talking about?" He asks when I let the tower and stand before him.
"The school, my friends and more serious stuff like insomnia, nightmares-"
"Do you have nightmares?" Worry crosses his facial features; he acts as if he cares and I can't help but think that he might care indeed.
"I do,"
"What do you see?"
"My parents," I whisper and the image of the crashed car stuck in the tree comes to my mind. Tears threaten to appear but I blink to make them go away. He caresses my cheek with his hand and I unconsciously lean into it shutting my lashes. I just want to stay here with him touching me and making me feel all those emotions that he only can.
"What was the last one?"
"I saw them dead inside the car bleeding and no matter what I did..." I mutter. "I couldn't help them,"
"When was it?"
"It was actually the night I find you bleeding in the bathroom."
"I knew you had been crying,"
"You did?" I whisper as well. We're very close once again and I don't exactly realize how I ended up in his arms. It's like a magnetic force is drawing us together; closer. He nods in response brushing his nose in mine.
"I notice you more than you think," he whispers leaning down and the movement of his lips brings desire in mine. I lean up and press my lips in his until a voice is heard from the living room.
"Dinner is ready!"
We eat in the dining room and the lamps are hanging from the ceiling down to the table with low lighting turning the room into a romantic mood. I end up sitting next to Corbyn as Noah sits opposite me and Jacob across Corbyn.
"Where is Oliver?" I ask taking my first bite. The food is amazing and the way the cheese has melted over the meal is making it simply delicious.
"He's asleep," my aunt responds and the conversation starts going down. My aunt asks about our class, teachers, grades, the next football game but my uncle has different interests.
"Any girl we're interested in?"
"No, after Vanessa, I haven't really dated anyone." Jacob announces and my uncle glances at his other son.
"Well, I do have a girlfriend," Noah says smiling.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Jacob grunts annoyed.
"It is a recent thing,"
"Do we know her?" Corbyn asks as all of them look at Noah waiting for her name.
"I don't think so. She's not the kind of girl that likes drawing attention. Amelia knows her though,"
"You do?" Corbyn asks looking at me.
"Yeah, I was there when they first talked and I knew what was going on from the beginning. Besides, she's in one of my classes."
"What's her name?"
"Anna Cullen,"
"I don't know her,"
"I know her," Jacob and Corbyn say at the same moment. All the eyes turn to Corbyn with shock. My stomach flips.
"No, no...not like that. She's in my English class." Noah relaxes falling back in his chair with relief over his face and I know I must have the same. I don't know how I would feel if Noah's girlfriend had messed with Corbyn.
"By the way, did you see what happened to Edward?" Jacob questions after a few minutes and I nearly choke on my food.
"Oh my God, yeah! Did you see how he looked?"
"He must have been beaten up really bad...he can't even walk."
All the blood strains from my face and my heart is beating so fast that I feel my own pulse in every single cell on my body. I see Corbyn looking at me from the side and I feel his hand on my thigh after a second. He seems contained and calm yet when I take a better look at him; he's nothing of the above.
"Some rumors say that he slept with a girl at the party we went and his boyfriend beat him up as revenge." Jacob keeps saying but I can't hear him.
Corbyn's body is tensed and his hand is touching my thigh strongly; his fingers dig into my skin. His jaw is clenched and his eyes don't leave Jacob's as he keeps narrowing the stories that the school has going crazy with. If only they knew what really happened that night.
Corbyn leaves after dinner but I can't bear it; I run after him. The sky is dark; clouds have blocked the stars. My body shudders; I feel the chilly wind blow my hair as I run to his car.
"Corbyn,"
"Did you see Edward today?" He asks and the mention of his name makes all my muscles tense in a defensive mode. I feel my stomach clench.
"no...I didn't" My voice comes out in a weak whisper even though I put all my energy to say those words loud. "Did you?"
"Yeah," He admits and my eyes widen in fright. "Nothing happened," he adds to calm me down. "Yet,"
"Yet? What does that mean?"
"It means that we're not finished yet."
"Am I supposed to understand that?" Anxiety takes the reins of me; exploding before filling me with a distressing aftertaste. He looks at me for a few seconds as if he's debating but finally speaks.
"I beat him up really bad. He isn't the kind of guy that will let this go. Sooner or later something will happen. Some parts of the rumors are true. He'll want to get revenge. Maybe he won't do it himself but he will get someone else to do his dirty work."
"So you're in danger?"
"I don't think you should be worrying about me,"
"Do you think he'll try again?"
"I don't know. He has a bad reputation and all these years when he wanted something, he got it no matter the difficulties." I shudder and pass my hands through my hair. I can't and won't let him touch me again. I hated every second of it and I don't want to relive those hateful and disgusting minutes ever again. My fear though is too big and my weaknesses too many against him.
"Hey," Corbyn says walking to me. He cups my face in order to make me meet his eyes; but I don't want to see pity or empathy in his glassy blue eyes.
"Look at me," He says, and tilting my chin up, our eyes connect. "I won't let this happen to you,"
"I'm sorry,"
"For what?" He asks confused.
"You saved me and know you're in trouble for it,"
"I saved you," He repeats, his eyes full of determination and confidence. "And that's all that matters,"