The University of the South

Protection (3 of 5)

"Theo? Come on, please talk to me." She says and huffs as I continue to remain quiet the whole ride to her house.

If she hadn't kissed me, the guy wouldn't have been able to run away.

I wasn't done with him.

"It wouldn't have done any good if you beat him to death." She continues to talk and I sigh.

She was right, it wouldn't have.

That wasn't a reason to kiss me though.

At the moment I felt used. She had only kissed me to distract me, to shut me up.

She didn't actually feel that way for you imbecile.

"It's alright, Eva. We'll be at your house soon." I say and try to shake off this feeling.

I just needed to drop her off and that was it.

I just had to make sure she made it home safe.

We shouldn't have stopped by at the club in the first place.

"Theo, I'm sorry." She suddenly says and I see her pout, looking down at her hands.

She looked so much like she did in kindergarten.

Little, pure and innocent. She looked like she did right after she had been bullied that day.

I wanted to protect her, I remembered why I needed to.

"Don't worry about it, Angel. It's not your fault, the guy is sick and needed to have his face bashed in." I tell her.

Thinking of what would have happened to her made my stomach turn.

What would he have done if I had just waited in the car?

It made my blood boil.

I pull up to her apartment and sigh, quickly getting out of the driver seat to open the car door for her.

She pouts up at me and makes grabby hands.

What now?

"Like old times?" She requests and I roll my eyes.

Yes it was.

I let her grab onto my neck and her legs wrap around my torse before I carry her out of the car.

We always had this huge difference in height and size so I would always carry her around even at kindergarten.

She would always cling to me just like she was now.

Of course we had grown apart and she had changed a lot.

The way she punched that guy in the face showed me that she knew how to stand up for herself and made me feel a little bit at ease.

I remembered how I taught her how to punch and taught her everything my dad had passed down to me.

I just wanted her to be safe and teaching her my moves made me proud of her.

She was different, but that didn't make me like her any less.

Shit, don't fall for her idiot.

Leave your feelings back at kindergarten.

"I have to put you down now." I tell her and she continues to cling onto me, not wanting to let go.

Suddenly I feel her shake and pull her tighter to me.

She was crying.

"I was so fucking scared." She says and buries her head in my neck.

Scared?

"I wanted to show you that I was independent and could fight like how you do." She says and I place my hand on the small of her back, hugging her.

"Eva.." I start to say and feel her cry even more against my shoulder.

"I don't want to think about what he would do if you weren't there." She says and I frown at that.

I didn't either.

"Shh, you're okay. I won't let anyone hurt you. Let's get you to bed. We'll talk more in the morning. You need rest, Angel." I hush her and I feel her pull away from my hold and stand on her feet.

She wraps her arms around me and sighs, looking up into my eyes.

"I know what my father told you before he passed away, Theo." She suddenly says and I sigh, frowning at her.

She had known all along.

"I know he told you to protect me and I'm touched that after all these years you're fulfilling your promise." She says and I sigh, frowning.

He didn't want her to know. He knew she'd have a fit if she found out.

"But I've changed Theo. I'm not the same innocent sweet girl I was before." She says and I shake my head.

She places her hands on my cheeks and sighs.

"You're probably done with my bullshit anyways so think of this as a thank you. I'm setting you free from whatever my dad has wished upon me and protecting me and all.You don't need to. I know how much of a burden I am." She says and laughs as a stray tear falls from her eye.

I shake my head down at her.

"I don't protect you only because your dad told me to." I say and she shakes her head.

"No Theo, it's okay really. This isn't the first time you've gotten me out of trouble! I'm sure you're tired of it. You don't have to do this anymore. I saw how mad you were out there." She trails off and I groan in annoyance.

The girl wasn't letting me speak.

"I look out for you because I care about you." I say and she stops talking as she looks up at me.

It wasn't all because of her dad.

I had fallen for her the moment I had first laid eyes on her.

I wanted to protect her with my life.

She remained silent as she continues to wait for what I have to say.

"Theo.." She starts to say and I sigh.

"Ever since kindergarten, when I found you crying in the park all by yourself, I had always wanted to keep you harms away. I always wanted you to depend on me. It's always been like that." I say and she laughs sadly at the memory.

"The other boys bullied you, said you were too weak to hang out with them because you were a girl. Those assholes." I say and she continues to laugh at me.

"They were kinda mean." She says and I frown at her, remembering how broken she had looked.

I pull her closer to me and sigh, pressing my forehead against hers.

"I had fallen for you at that very moment. I knew I had found my purpose to protect you and to never ever let you feel that way ever again." I whisper and hear her gasp as she sighs and pulls my face to hers, allowing my lips to descend on hers.

So much for leaving my feelings back in kindergarten.