My Love Standing Next to Me

Chapter Seven

Even when I approached him after class, between classes or in any of his free time he still wouldn’t talk to me. I texted him, but I was sending texts to someone who wouldn’t reply. I even called his parents to at least get contact with him but they told me that he doesn’t want to talk. It kinda broke my heart to have my best friend leave me out in the cold. I walking to class alone and depressed which is the total opposite of me. I heard punching and fighting along with a crowd of people cheering by the field where my class was. I don’t like to get involved in these things so I just tried to walk away but I couldn’t help but hear someone shouting Matt’s name. Was Matt in a fight? I pushed myself in enough to see the fight and it was Matt and some other jock named Damon. Matt had bruises all over his face and he was down on the ground while Damon was being the bully. I asked around about why did they start fighting in the first place. It was because one of Damon’s friends told him that he saw Matt flirting with Veronica, his girlfriend. She was just watching and cheering for Damon to beat him up. And the sight of that was completely enraging. I knew that was completely untrue so I bravely entered the circle that everyone surrounded and I stopped Damon who was about to land a punch on Matt.

“Get outta my way, nerd!” He pushed me away.

“Clara, get away from here!’ Matt coughed. That was the first thing he said to me and I wasn’t going to just stand there and watch him get beaten up so I didn’t let it get to me.

“What are you doing? It was your girlfriend who flirted with Matt not the other way around!” I shouted at his arrogant face.

“No way, my best friend saw him wrapping his hands all over her during chemistry!” He said while pointing at one of the guys in my chemistry class that was his best friend.

“No, he didn’t! I was there and it was all Veronica. She’s always flirting with every guy and if I were you I would’ve dumped her on the first date.” I said fiercely while everyone watched me say every word, including Veronica. Damon was speechless but then Veronica entered the circle and I was guessing that she was going to tell me off.

“Woah there Korean wannabe! You better stay in your own lane and watch what you say.” She said as she grabbed Damon’s hand and started to kiss him.

“You are the one who should stay in your lane and back off! He doesn’t like promiscuous, easy girls!” I said contentedly in her face. The crowd oohed and I hope she liked that burn.

“And how do you know you’re not one of them?” She tried to make a comeback.

“Just face it Veronica, he doesn’t like you, he likes me!” I said recklessly and I just blurted out the rumor I wanted to talk to him about. I suddenly regretted it eminently.

“Come on Damon, they’re not worth our time.” She backed off while bringing Damon away with her. But before anyone could go, security started blowing the whistle. Being a jock and all, Damon and Veronica made their escape, which left me and Matt the responsibility.

“Hey! Don’t move! What are your name’s?” The security shouted at us from a distance. There was no running now as we looked at each other in uneasiness.

“It wasn’t our fault, we swear! Damon just started beating up Matt because of Veronica!” I pleaded.

“That’s impossible, we were told that it was the two of you starting this fight.” The man looked at us like we were being dishonest.

“No, no, no sir. It wasn’t us, it was them!” I could tell Matt said that in distress. But the security guards showed no mercy and they wrote down our names for Saturday detention, and now I have to go twice. My parents were already pissed the first time and now I know I was going to be grounded for the second detention. As soon as they left I made sure that Matt was okay.

“Hey, are you okay?” I dropped down on the ground with him and I touched his bruises on his face.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” He said, still avoiding direct eye contact with me.

“Look at me please, I’m sorry.” I said while using my hands to face him towards me. He resisted and got up and walked away.

“Hey, you can’t avoid me forever!” I said as I got up.

“Maybe I can.” He said over his shoulder. I can’t help but shed a tear and we headed in opposite directions. Why was I crying all of the sudden? I defended him and he didn’t even say anything. I can’t take this, I would embarass myself in front of everyone if I have to, if that’s what it takes to be able to talk to him and renew our friendship.