With All That I Am: Bound To You

Rocky

"Leave her alone."

Winter pulls on the boy's arm, almost ripping his uniform in the process until she's being shaken off of him.

The boy continues to pick on the girl, taking her bag from her and dumping all her belongings on the floor. Winter grits her teeth and hops on the boy's back, fist pounding on his head.

"I said leave her alone! You stupid bastard!"

"What is your deal?" The boy turns quickly, causing Winter to fall off his back and onto the floor in a thud. The students in the hallway start to murmur and giggle to themselves.

"Do you even know her?" The boy points to the girl who was busy picking up her belongings from the floor, "why even bother with a loser like her?"

Winter glares, holding onto her hand that ached from her fall. "You're the loser in this situation." She retorts back, only angering the boy.

Before the boy can even say anything back, his friend taps him on the shoulder. "That's Karina's girl. You don't wanna mess with her."

Winter scoffs, "I'm not Karina's girl."

The boy looks down at her, contemplating in his mind. He looked regretful, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Just... mind your own business next time." The boy tells her.

"Why would I mind my own business if someone is getting bullied? Unlike you, I'm a decent human being." Winter stands up, still cradling her hand against her stomach.

"Don't act like—," before the boy could finish his sentence, a sharp pain in his legs shot up his body, and suddenly he's kneeling on the floor, hair in a tight grip, and head pulled back to meet fury in hazel brown eyes.

Karina's foot is still painfully pressed against the boy's calf on his right leg, bending it in a weird way as he kneels. She tightens her grip on his hair, pulling his head back so far that his back almost breaks. She lowers her mouth to his ear, and she looks up to lock gazes with a surprised Winter.

"I thought I made myself clear to this whole school when I said," Karina pauses, putting more pressure on her grip and on her foot, "whoever messes with Kim Winter, answers to me."

The boy groans in response.

"Are you not scared of me? Is that why you've gotten so bold?" Karina's deep chuckle rings in the poor boy's ear.

"N-No, I-I... it wasn't even about her." The boy says in extreme fear.

Karina pushes his head forward, causing him to fall on all fours, still on his knees.

"Apologize. Right now." Karina orders.

"S-Sorry."

Winter frowns, "apologize to her too." She points to the girl pressed up against the locker, her bag securely in her arms.

Karina glances at the girl, before looking back towards Winter's genuinely upset face. Her heart swells for how empathetic Winter was for others. If Winter wanted to play hero and save every person she sees who needs it, fine, Karina's right next to her as her sidekick. She'll do all the dirty work.

When the boy apologizes to the girl too, they run off, and one glare from Karina clears the hallway of the nosy students.

"Are you okay?" Winter asks the girl.