Electric Blue Rose - Book One. [COMPLETED] Undergoing Edits

Chapter Seventeen - Jade's Honor

Alex crossed down the halls searching for James's room, but he noticed James pinned against his door, with Edge on the other end when he got there. Edge had James's shirt in his hand, clutching it while holding Jade's tabloid.

"Look, like I said, I don't know, okay?" James replied.

"Don't play coy. You know who bought this painting. If you didn't directly give it to the reporters, who did?" James shrugged. "You Wera," Edge punched James. Alex quickly rushed over to pull Edge off. Edge turned, saw Alex, and scoffed. "Oh look, none other than Jade's prince charming, huh? Was it you that published this then? That reporter didn't tear her down enough for your liking?"

"You came here just to beat him up, then?" Alex asked.

"I came here to defend Jade's honor, something you should've done."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"I know better than anyone else the pain she constantly suppresses. The love she thought you had for her, I could see it. I watched her struggle with why you did certain things, like not answering her letters. I remember clearly the night she came to see me and finally acknowledge reality. She told me, 'I guess he's not going to answer,' that was the first time she reached out to me. She told me, 'I'm ready to be with someone who sees me as you do." Even after all that, she still chose you. The most toxic, self-centered Wera I've ever met." Alex scowled in a fury and jumped on Edge, knocking him to the ground. James stood up and crossed back into his room while Alex and Edge exchanged blows. Dozens of shutters around him, but he didn't care. He wouldn't sit there and listen to this pathetic man's insults.

"She was only with you because she was lonely," Alex shouted. "She always loved me. No matter what I say and do, she will only love me."

"What the Void," Joe shouted. He pulled the two of them apart like they weighed nothing. "Grow up, you two morons. Look, I don't know you," Joe said, turning to Edge, "but Jade would hate this." Joe turned to Alex, "and you, you should be ashamed. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have said one good thing about her during that interview. Then that tabloid comes out, and you're fighting him rather than comforting her? I woke up Pangy to take him to see her, to try and cheer her up, and here you are on the floor like stupid Wera's. Neither of you deserves her."

"Oh, and you do?" Alex asked, spitting blood out of his mouth. "Don't act like you aren't completely captivated by her."

"Jade is my friend, Alex. That's it, but it seems that means more than whatever you two consider her."

"I don't want to hear your bullshit. Like Edge, you try to take Jade from me," Alex said.

"Alex, you're the most oblivious jerk I've ever met. I never wanted Jade. I wanted you." Alex froze, obviously at a loss for words. "But after these few days, you'd be the last guy I'd ever choose. You know what, kill each other. I don't care. I'll see her, so she's not alone in the darkness you once claimed to be concerned about, Alex."

"Look," Edge started after they sat on the ground in silence. "I would want nothing more than to run and be there for her, but I won't. However, you should." He stood up, picking up the magazine and tossing it in the trash before crossing towards his room.

Alex crossed into his dorm room. It remained untouched since he spent every night with her. He traveled to the bathroom and showered, washing off the blood, not needing her to worry about him. He got dressed, doing his best to move his hair over the eye that was blacking. He jumped at the sound of alarms. Attention- This is not a drill. There is a fire in Hall F Dorms. Please find the nearest exit and leave the building. Attention-." The message continued to repeat. Alex stilled for a moment, "Hall F," he whispered. His heart jerked, realizing that was where Jade was. He rushed out of the room and ran towards her room. He prayed to Asai for her to be okay, for the fire to be unrelated, and she would be out of the building safely, but even before he saw her on a stretcher, unconscious with an oxygen mask on, he knew it had to be her room.

Joe sat beside her. They gave him a mask too. Pangy was sleeping in the hallway, obviously where Joe sat him while he rescued Jade. They were covered in burns that were being treated. Alex tried to go further, but he was presented with an arm across from him.

"You need to evacuate the building," the security guard said.

"Please, she's my girlfriend. I'm Alex. Erm, Caldwell." The security officer looked over at him and sighed, letting him through. Alex wasted no time rushing over to her. She was covered in burns, but the one most obvious on the underside of her forearm. A burn that had since been healed, leaving her with another scar. This time the scar spelled out the word 'fake.'" He knew it was related to the tabloid. He noticed the sling back on her arm. "Her arm," he said. The medical team looked over at him, and one nurse came over.

"Jade is going to be okay. She will survive this, but I'm afraid her arm was re-broken, and she suffered several burns and physical attacks. She will be recovering for a while in the medical ward."

Alex's eyes welled up. This attack was his fault, all of it. If he had stayed with her, if he had been there for her and listened then, she wouldn't have been alone and wouldn't have suffered this. Alex frowned and crossed to Joe, who glared at him. "You saved her?"

"I'm just lucky I got here when I did. The medics told me Jade risked dying with every second that passed. Imagine if you stayed with her, hm? Or if you had stopped the reporter in his tracks. She'd probably be just fine, huh? Happy to have you comforting her during this trying time, but you put a target on her."

Alex wiped the tears leaving him. He turned to the nurse, the guilt sweeping over him. "Whatever she needs to be comfortable, spare no expense; I'll take care of it. She has to be okay."

"Every student receives the same level of care, Mr. Caldwell. We will take care of Jade and ensure she heals."

"Someone needs to contact her father about this," Alex stated.

"It's been taken care of," Dean Turk said behind Alex. "The fire's been put out, and her room is being evaluated for damage. The hall cameras show a dozen people at least, dressed in indistinguishable clothing and masks, shoving their way in the door after Jade opened it. Dean Turk looked at Alex and Joe, "Why weren't either of you with her?"

"It's on me," Alex confessed. "I usually stay there with her until Joe shows, but I wanted to get to the bottom of the picture."

"We'll talk about how you invited that reporter on campus later. Right now, you can go with the medical team to the medical wing as they continue to work on Jade."

Alex nodded, bowing his head in shame as he followed the medical team as Dean Turk instructed. Joe walked behind them, holding Pangy in his arm, as nurses asked him questions about his well-being. Alex sighed, Jade remained unconscious, and the last thoughts she would've had before being attacked were all the terrible things he said to her. The terrible things he did to her.