I jump down the cement steps leading me away from the school and towards the teachers car park, my heart beating at triple time whilst my head fills with the worst images I can imagine, preparing myself for the worst case scenario.
I hit the asphalt and then start running in amongst cars, desperately trying to remember what kind of car he drives or at least what colour it is
"TAYLOR!" I'm not usually one to draw attention to myself or my problems this way but if I hadn't have yelled out her name I fear I may have spontaneously combusted with the pressure cooker of emotions building inside of me.
I look in car windows, running between them as I set alarm after alarm off. I can't see anything other than the odd stray student watching me in amusement
"What the fuck are you looking at?!" I scream at a greasy looking rocker guy as I duck once more and look into a car window.
Was his car black???
Blue???
I try my hardest to remember but all I see is Taylors face...
"FUCK!!!!!" I scream and then slam my hands down on to the bumper of an unknown vehicle and then turn and see Connor and Brian stood at the bottom of the steps. Their faces pale and solemn. I step towards them like the big man I am, convincing myself I can take anything they say, deal with anything that needs dealt with as long as Taylor's ok. "What?" I bark out
"Your girl..." Connor looks to Brian and Brian looks to the ground
"Where is she?" I ask the question whilst walking past them and heading back up the stairs
"In the girls bathroom with Brit"
"With Brit?! What the fuck?" I stop long enough to look over my shoulder, my friends are following me but they aren't looking at me and that's a bad sign
"It's okay, Brit's taking care of her"
Taking care of her...
My mind races through all the reasons she might need someone to 'take care of her' and not one of them is pretty.
The three of us walk up the stairs in silence, into the hallway and towards the girls bathroom, not a word being spoken. The hallways are almost empty, everyone is already in class.
I push the door open and I can already hear Taylor crying.
My chest constricts and my windpipe tightens. I begin to panic that I can't do this, I can't see what I'm about to see I can't deal with what I'm about to have to deal with but then I think about Taylor, so tiny, so frail, that big smile, those beautiful eyes... she needs me now the way I need her every second of every day.
A girl I don't recognise is standing with her back to me so I grab her by the shoulder and pull her back "move out of my fuckin way" she looks at me in shock and then backs away when she realises who I am and then I see her, huddled on the bathroom floor, Britney's on her knees beside her, both arms wrapped tightly around Taylors small frame, I can hear her soothing her but that's all I can hear other than the sound of blood thumping hard against my ear drums.
I take a second to run my eyes over Taylor, inspecting for any obvious signs of injury. Her hair is a mess, the thin strap of her tank top is snapped and I spot blood seeping out through the knee of her blue jeans
"Your girl fought him hard" says Brit without ever looking at me and I feel myself smile involuntarily knowing that just like me, my girl was a fighter
"Everybody out!" I instruct, dropping to my knees and untangling Taylor's arms from Britney "thank you" I tell her and even I can hear in my voice how much I mean it
"You're going to be ok" Brit whispers into Taylors hair and then stands up "take care of her" she says quietly and then pats me on the back, leaving the bathroom and me and Taylor alone... finally.
I slide my arms under her and scoop her up into my lap and her arms immediately wrap tightly around my neck, I draw soothing circles on her back with my palm and we just sit in silence as our breathing becomes synched.
I feel calmer than I expected, I thought I would see her and want blood and vengeance but instead all I want is her in my arms, as close to me as humanly possible. The anger will come, the blood will run but for now it's just me and my girl.
"I'm sorry" she whispers and I squeeze her even tighter
"Don't you dare apologise to me"
"I'm so, so sorry" and she begins sobbing into my shirt, her fingers gripping my arms so tightly I know it will bruise but I love the way it hurts, love that it's me she's clinging to. My heart aches and cracks open in my chest for her, for what we are about to face but right now as I run my hand over her hair and down her back promising her it will be okay all I can think is one thing and it's the only thing I need her to know right now, just before everything changes forever
"I love you baby girl" I whisper it into her ear and she clings onto me even tighter and sobs even louder "I love you so damn much Taylor"
