Claims on a Soul Volumes 1 & 2

Chapter 38: Protector

Grace

The last hour at Windham has officially arrived.

I take my usual desk. Sixth seat from the front, all the way to the left. Completely opposite of where Dean usually sits. This seems to be the section where everyone stayed to themselves. The quiet side of the class, which I very much prefer. Once seated, I drop my bag and start to do homework for another class.

A shadow crosses my desk, and my pencil is suddenly snatched away. "Well, well. If it isn't Georgia." The snide remark comes from over me.

I look up, finding every girl's crush, according to Marissa.

Todd Andrews.

He stands in front of my desk now, leaning over it with both hands. Behind him, his guy friends watch with smiles.

"Nice clothes," Todd says rudely, plucking at a tear in my shirt.

"With a bod like that, who needs clothes?" His friends laugh, bumping fists.

I glare at them. "Give me my pencil back, Todd."

"What? Oh." He smiles, looking down at his hand that holds my pencil, then back to me. "You mean this pencil?" He raises it with one hand, then effortlessly snaps it in half with his fingers. "Whoops."

Serious heat rushes through me, but I calm it. The truth is this isn't my first time dealing with guys like Todd. There was a Dex Hunter in every school I attended.

I think I found him at Windham.

Drawing attention or getting a temper in my situation will only cause me something I don't want later if it ever gets back to Merrick and the others. Causing a scene is what Todd wants, and I know enough to know that's the last thing him or I need.

Poor Todd. If only he knew the very, very thin line he would have to cross to get himself killed.

Even though Todd isn't my favorite person, I will try with everything in my power to keep him breathing. Ignoring him, I continue to read, hoping he will get bored with me and leave.

"Hello! Anyone home?" he taunts, waving his hands in my face. His friends laugh behind him again, obviously enjoying Todd's show as other students look on as well. But I don't look up at him. I turn the page.

"Hey!" Todd shouts, slamming his hands down to my desk, making me flinch.

The room falls silent at once, all eyes on us now.

My fist tightens under the desk. I slowly glare up at him.

"There she is," he says with a twisted grin.

"What do you want, Todd?"

"You know, Georgia, ever since you've been here, you've been a literal waste of space. You don't talk to anyone. You don't hang. You don't do anything. You just blow people off like you're better or somethin'. What? You too good to talk to us? Is that it? You think you're better than everyone else here?" he says in an angry voice that fills the room, drawing more heads our way. "Answer me!"

I don't answer and don't pretend to not know what this is really about.

He asked me out a few weeks ago. I said no.

Suddenly, a gush of strong wind with faded tints of peach and black jolts past me, making me jerk. Todd disappears. There is now a ferocious and alarming scuffle against the classroom wall.

Turning around immediately, I find Dean grasping Todd violently and savagely by the collar with fire in his wild, unrecognizable eyes.

Gasps and panicked whispers fill the room immediately as students stand up from their desks and back up in alarm.

"Dean!" I run to him, setting my hand on his rock-hard, tensed shoulder. But he acts as if he hears and feels nothing. He continues to firmly clutch Todd's shirt collar, merciless as I've ever seen him. He breathes unsteadily and his eyes blaze with fuming crazed anger I didn't even know he could exhibit. His skin is flushed red and his nostrils flare. Everything about Dean that was once calm and pleasant is now raging and hostile.

A pit off the leash.

Todd gazes at Dean, going from shocked to furious. He attempts to push Dean off and succeeds for a single moment, but Dean comes back ten times harder, ramming him to the wall again and holding him there by his shirt.

"Dean! What the hell, man?!" Todd yells, furious.

But Dean doesn't answer, blink, or let up on his death grip.

"Dean, it's okay. Calm down. Let him go," I stutter behind him.

After another long moment of gazing a death glare at Todd, Dean pushes Todd hard into the wall as he steps back.

Todd retaliates, viciously pushing him, and Dean pushes him back even harder. Todd's friends pull him away, but Todd angrily pushes them off as well. Another guy does the same with Dean, but Dean pushes him aside, as well.

"Dean, dude! What the hell is your problem?! We were just jokin' with her!" Todd shouts, upset.

"I don't give a shit! Don't ever in your life walk up on her again," Dean threatens in a way that makes the room even quieter.

Todd gives him a 'screw you' smile. "Well. I think Dean here has a little crush," he calls to anyone who is listening. "You know what? You can have her," he says glowering at me over Dean's shoulder in disgust. "Bet the little bitc—"

So fast I barely see Dean do it, Todd crashes back into the wall then drops to the ground from Dean's brutal punch to his face. Blood spurts from Todd's mouth.

Gasps fill the room, including mine.

"Problem here?" Mr. Jacobs calls firmly. He stands in the doorway with folded arms, appearing enraged as he glares at Dean and Todd.

Not answering, Dean keeps his harsh eyes on Todd, who now stands, holding his jaw.

Todd glances at the teacher, then back to Dean. "No. No problem," Todd murmurs, wiping the blood and glowering at Dean with hate.

"That's good. Now both of you. Take a seat before I send you two to the office," he warns heatedly. "And Mr. Andrews, I doubt you want to go again after what they promised you about another mishap on your record."

Todd looks at me, then at Dean, before rolling his eyes. He backs off, taking his seat on the other side of the room.

"Ms. Emerson," Mr. Jacobs calls. "Would you like to explain to me the problem, since you seem to be in the middle of it?" It isn't until now that I notice how close I'm standing to them compared to the other students. "Or maybe, all three of your parents would like to explain this to me?"

I gasp, stiffening. When I do, I don't miss the way Dean turns to look at me, his eyes scrutinizing me carefully.

I find his eyes, fear probably screaming in them. Dean gets it.

"No. She had nothing to do with it," Dean promises him, speaking up boldly. "She was just in the way trying to stop it. There's no need for you to threaten her with anything," he tells him confidently, surprising me. "It was a private matter between Todd and I, and it's solved now. I assure you it won't happen again."

Mr. Jacobs, who still stands in the doorway, gives us another incredulous look.

Eventually, he loosens up.

"My apologies, Ava. And as for the both of you... Dean. Todd. Nothing like this better not ever happen again, or I will deal with you both personally, starting with suspension. Now take a seat. Let's get started."