He Comes at Night

Damage

FINALLY have gotten you an update. Please be patient with me, I'm an adult even though I don't want to be LOLOLOLOL :(

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"You look very pretty today," Jax admitted in a quiet whisper, nudging Nina's shoulder gently as Mr. Harris started his lesson on the white board. 

The compliment barely pulled her out of the trace she had been in since the night she watched Carter be interrogated by detective Kelly. It had been three days without any news on the investigation and three days since she had last seen him. 

He hadn't been in school.

However, It was no secret what happened to her even with his absence. Word spread quickly throughout not only the hallways, but the small town as well. And no matter where she went, she cowered under the glares of judgment and concern. 

School though, was the worst of it. 

The whispers from her peers as she passed them in the hallways were often hurtful. Some even speculating that she was making the entire thing up and blaming Carter for something she did to herself, in order to seek attention. 

One comment even made the feeling of vomit creep into her throat as someone suggested she did not get enough sympathy from her mothers passing, so this had to be made up to make more people feel sorry for her. 

And although she was feeling alone, Jax had been there since he heard the news. Never once asking about Carter, like everyone had, only caring to comfort her after the attack.

Even Trish was playing both sides of the fence, not fully able to grasp that Carter could be capable of such a thing. She never admitted she thought Nina was wrong, but she didn't have to. 

It was clear Trish was more concerned for Carter than her own bestfriend. 

Nina was beginning to feel shunned by those she thought were there for her. Between the loneness and the stress of her condition, life was becoming overwhelming.

Similar to when she first lost her mother. Except no one had died, it just felt like Carter had. 

Everything she thought he was, was gone. 

Heat began to build behind her eyes, flushing her skin and making her feel light headed suddenly, "Is it hot in here?" She asked in a panic, pushing herself away from the lab table. The screeching of the stool made Mr. Harris stop mid sentence.

And of course, this gesture made the entire class shift their attention to her. 

The air in her lungs felt trapped, beating against her chest for some kind of release. She felt the warm touch of Jax's hand on her arm for support. 

"Are you okay?" He asked gently.

"Nina?" Mr. Harris rang out in a confused but concerned tone. Turning to face him, she got flashbacks of the night at the football game where he approached her in the tunnel. Then as her eyes glided to Jax's concerned touch, she remember the nightmares she had of him, and then of Abbie. 

And then to the real life nightmare of the attack in Carters house.

Soon her gaze fell to Trish, who also looked at her with worry. Her best friends face falling into a confused frown, lips finally parting with a ghastly look.

And in that moment it was evident that Nina was proving to everyone around her, that she just might be losing her mind after all. 

Feeling an intense sense of claustrophobia, she jumped from her seat, darting past Jax and out of the classroom.

With tunnel vision, Nina focused on her breathing as she sped down the hall, attempting to expel the trapped air from her lung. Within a few agonizing seconds, her chest released. Rounding the corner to her locker, the air was knocked back into her, this time trapping itself in her throat. 

Just inches from her, was Carter, she had collided into him. 

His large hands were firmly gripping her upper arms, steading her from the impact she had made. Noticing the embrace, she violently ripped from his grasp. 

Her actions made his face fall with regret, and in turn, made her ashamed of her own reaction. 

The bruise his father had given him had nearly faded into a yellow hue. Unlike Nina's cut, which was still secured with a wound closure bandage and heavily bruised near her cheek bone. Carters eyes scanned over the wound and she turned her face away from him for a moment, pushed her hair over the damage.

"I have to go," she whispered as she moved past Carter. Before she could turn the corner, the same firm grasp from earlier stopped her in her tracks.

"Wait, please wait," Carter pleaded, "I need you to hear me out."

The grip was tight, almost suffocating, "Carter I can't," she tried to pull away, unable to look at him, "I have to go," the last thing she wanted to do was make him angry, but should couldn't stand to be touched by him, "Please let me go," she almost begged, but when wouldn't release the anger in her overtook her fear, "Carter let go!" Her words rang high pitched down the hall. 

"Nina, please. You don't actually think I did this, do you?" He too tried to beg her, still not listening to her pleas. 

In the midst of the chaos, a voice bellowed through the hallway, louder than hers had, "She said to let go," Jax said flatly, almost as if he was un-phased, "Don't you think you should listen to your girlfriend," stuffing his hands in his pockets, Jax made his way towards Carter ever so casually, "Actually, can you even call her that anymore? I mean, I think you might have fucked that one up."

Flaring his nostrils at the sight of him, Carter finally let go of Nina's arm. She knew however, it was not because Jax told him to, but because this was his moment to finally show his dislike for him. 

"Since the day you moved here, you have not be able to mind what's yours. Do you need a reminder that my relationship is none of your business?" Carter moved passed Nina. 

A small, gurgled laugh erupted from Jax's throat as the pair were now just a foot apart from one another, " "I don't know, did your father remind you to keep your hands to yourself?" Jax tilted his head at the sight of Carters heaving chest, "Oh my bad, I forgot he doesn't know how to do that either."

The statement was too much, even for Nina, who held her breath. Everyone in their close circle of friends knew Carter's dad had a habit of raising his hand to him, but no one dared to speak of it. 

Carter put his hands to Jax's chest and sent him back a couple of feet, "You wanna go motherfucker? Let's go then!"

Jax smiled and pulled a football maneuver. Getting low and ramming into Carter's torso. They wrestled on their feet briefly, getting the attention of nearby classes. Students then flocked out of the doorways. 

Soon, Nina looked up to see Mr. Harris rushing towards the two boys.

Not worrying about flying fists, Mr. Harris forced his hands between the two, pulling them apart with the help of another male teacher, "Okay ladies!" He yelled, almost out of breath.

"That's enough!" The intensity of his voice made everyone watching, scatter like ants. In all her years of seeing him teach, Nina had never witnessed Mr. Harris so angry.

"Office, now!" he demanded in a deep scream, pushing Carter and Jax down the hall, leaving Nina to wonder how her life would ever recover from the damage that already had been done.