Runaways and dreamers

Chapter 11- War of willpower

Meeting head on, fists raised and anger boiling, Romona and Katie began to throw violent punches.

"You'll never win!" Katie screamed in rage as she once again slammed her fist hard into Romona's jaw bone.

Romona narrowed her eyes, "Wanna bet!"
Romona ducked Katie's next punch, running forward and tackling her with a strong hold around her waist. Katie dodged her punch, forcing Romona's fist to slam into the ground with a sickening crunch. Romona gasped in pain, pulling her hand back that was now bleeding. Taking the moment of Romona's confusion, Katie threw her off and rose back to her feet.

Staggering to get up, Romona still refused to lose. She charged again, catching Katie off guard and scoring an extremely forceful hit to the mouth on her. Katie touched the blood that slowly dripped from her busted lip. Her eyes ignited with rage as she charged forward, pinning Romona to the ground and punching her nearly unconscious.

"Don't ever challenge me!" Katie stated with an edgy tone as she stood up, leaving Romona barely conscious on the ground.

"Katie!" She heard Jace's voice and footsteps nearing, but what caught her attention was the other voice, "Romona!"

Instantly recognizable as James, the voice made Katie feel more lightheaded and sick then her physical fight with Romona. Katie spun around, spotting James running toward Romona and herself. On the other side was Jace, also running toward them.

For Katie everything seemed to spin and stop all at once as her two worlds threatened to collide. Her past and future, hopefully future, were hurtling toward each other leaving her dead locked in the middle. The giant expanse of forest seemed to be closing in around her, shrinking and confining her. Eyes darting back and forth, Katie knew she couldn't let her worlds collide or nothing may ever be the same.

She turned, deciding that she had to prevent Jace from ever meeting James and Romona.
Running toward Jace, she hoped he would just follow her and not try to go toward her past and force a collision.

"Jace! Run!" She yelled, pointing back toward the direction they'd originally been headed. Confusion crossed his face but he shook his head and followed her anyway. Pounding footsteps trailed them from behind, raising the anxiety that was already tight in Katie's chest.

Jace took the lead again, running a little ahead of Katie. She tried with all her willpower not to look back to see who was following them. Though deep in her mind she already knew who it was. The mindless knowing she had was confirmed when strong arms wrapped around her, tackling her to the ground.

"Katie?!" James half asked half stated, "What'd you do to Romona?!" Katie grimaced, only hoping that Jace would keep running and not come back and end up meeting James. Meanwhile, James continued to keep her pinned on the ground with an expectant look as she still hadn't answered his question.

"I beat her up!" Katie yelled at him as she struggled in his grip.

"Why?!" He demanded, keeping her pinned and straddled.

"Because she deserved it and she asked for it!" Katie answered angrily as she pulled and struggled against him.

James glared at her, "She just needed your help!"

"No! You both needed my help! I might have helped her but I would never help you! Not for a million dollars!" Katie screamed defiantly.

"We'll see about that." James narrowed his eyes, as he kept her held down.

"Katie?" Jace's voice called out.

No, not now, oh God Jace please don't come back to find me, Katie thought urgently as alarms sounded in her mind.