W.A.T.D

Chapter 12 Hungry? - his perspective

Estimated reading time - 7 minutes 30 seconds
TW: mild violence (nothing much, no details)

School was… long to say the least. Eliza was pestering me all day, begging me to tell her what I said, which I'm absolutely never telling her… Well until it happens of course.
“Come on let's get this done,” I pleaded, desperately trying to get her attention away from yesterday.
“I’ll work when you tell me what you said,”
“Still not telling you just work,”
“Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease?”
“No.” She finally gave up, for now. She slumped in her chair and pouted, probably trying to guilt me. But it won’t work! Not today, not this time.
Next time absolutely, but we will cross that bridge when we come to it.
“What are you smiling at?” She mumbled, her arms crossed over her chest.
“You,” I smiled, my eyes flicking over to her before returning to the assignment in front of me. It wasn’t often I actually did work in class, but I needed something to keep me distracted from her.

All through the halls and to the line she was following behind me like a puppy, begging and pleading with me to tell her, it was getting increasingly hard to ignore, and it stopped being cute about two hours ago.
“Come onnnn, don’t keep this from me, you’re going to have to tell me eventually!” she whined, following close.
“Just stop talking please, I’m not telling you that's final.” I was starting to get a headache, and I was really not in the mood for this right now, but it’s not like I’m going to ask her to leave, that would be insane.
I grab my food and leave the line giving her half when I notice she didn’t get any.
“I’ll see you later, ok?”
“Um no you’ll see me now,” She retorts quickly, not skipping a beat, I have a feeling this isn’t going away anytime soon. As I go out the door, I prop it open this time, making sure I don’t get locked out again.
I know if I did Eliza wouldn’t just let me go home, and we would both get in trouble. I pull out my pack of cigarettes and she hands me my lighter.
That small action internally makes me smile a bit, but externally I stay stone faced as I thank her.
She coughs lightly as I smoke, I know she is trying to make me feel bad, and it’s kind of working if I’m being honest.
“This smells like shit,” She mumbled, and just like that my guilt faded.
“You should quit, or at least take a break,” She followed, I think on it for a bit, she may be right but I’ve tried to quit before and it usually doesn’t go very well.
Suddenly she just snatched the cigarette from my hand, my fingers still up, now holding nothing. Is she going to smoke that?
“And what do you plan to do with that?” I question while reaching out, trying to take it back. She extends her arm as far as she can, holding it away from me.
The ash is getting long, if she isn't careful she could end up hurting herself, and I never want that to happen on my watch, especially not when it's my fault.
“You’re going to burn yourself just put it down!” I’m so close to reaching it, just a few more inches when suddenly I lose my balance, my hands ending up on either side of her on the cool ground, her wide-eyed beneath me.
My face heats up, and she blushed profusely, slowly handing me my cigarette with a shaky hand.
“Thank you…” I mumble softly, trying to keep my eyes on hers as I get up off her.
I clear my throat awkwardly, taking a bite of my crappy cafeteria food to keep me from talking or doing something stupid.
She just stays lying down for a bit, breathing shallowly. Eventually, when she does get up I see movement in the corner of my vision, I look quickly, seeing Elliot and his gang of idiots pointing and laughing among each other.
Eliza took notice and was about to turn, but I quickly redirected her attention to me, hoping Elliot will just go away.
“Don’t,” I whispered to her.
“Eyes on me.” She looked into my eyes intensely, seeming confused. That confusion was quickly replaced by annoyance, her pupils contracting slightly when she heard his voice.
“What's the matter? Girlfriend couldn’t put out?” Elliot sneered, sauntering over to us, towering over Eliza as he stood behind her. He slowly kneeled behind her, on one knee as he leans in and whispers something in her ear.
Eliza immediately tenses up, closing her eyes as Elliot smiles cockily behind her. I was already angry from just his presence, this definitely wasn’t helping. I was incredibly angry, but I wasn’t letting it show, I didn’t want to let Elliot win.
“Get away from her,” I calmly demand, his smile getting wider, his hand snaking up to rest on her shoulder, lightly squeezing it.
“Oh really? You mean like this?” Elliot teased, right now I just wanted to cut his hand off, but that would get me in jail so I settled for staying still and silent.
I could see the emotions crossing her face, and her fist balling up, so I looked her dead in the eyes, trying to tell her I'll take care of it for her. She understood, her hand relaxing a bit, but still on edge just in case.
I was doing a good job keeping myself in check till I saw Elliots hand trailing down from her shoulder, slowly starting down her front.
I mouthed for Eliza to move and as soon as she got out of my way I lunged at him, tackling him to the ground and swinging at him, over and over. I’ve fought so many times before I knew exactly what to do, what to dodge, and when to hit.
I saw Eliza wincing and covering her eyes, I looked over briefly, not having enough time to block Elliot’s punch. He got a good hit in, knocking me back slightly. In my recoil I was about to keep going when someone pulled me off him.
I was done but he was still trying to attack, wiping blood from his face, good day for me to wear rings. We were walked to the nurse before getting dropped off at the office.
They had put Eliza between me and Elliot, which makes sense in hindsight but why would they put the subject of our fight between us. The fact that she has to rub elbows with that bumbling idiot just makes me even more annoyed.
I held an ice pack to my head, but Elliot was covered in cuts and bruises, and that was more than satisfying. The silence was deafening, save for the soft blow of the ac.
Once the principal finally showed up she looked more disappointed in Elliot than me, I had to hold back from laughing, keeping a deadpan expression as best I could.
“So, what happened?” The principal questioned as she sat like she was better than us. Always with the air of superiority. Me and Elliot talk at the same time, she looks pissed.
“One at a time. Raymond, I’d love to hear you explain this one,” She smiled condescendingly, assuming I didn’t have a reason again, and you know what? That’s exactly what I'm going to give her, absolutely nothing as always.
Just hearing her say my name like that makes my skin crawl, only Eliza is allowed to call me that, because when she says it it’s not punishment.
“Ray.” I correct, everyone stayed silent for a couple seconds before I talked again.
“Elliot was being an asshole. That's what happened.” I spat, her face twisted in displeasure.
“Hey, language,” She spat, then turning to Elliot, who was staring down at the floor, probably in shame to look more pitiful so he could get off easy.
“Elliot?” He made up some bullshit, I was about to say something till Eliza’s hand slid into mine, turning it slightly so she could look at it. My hand was still red and slightly bloody from Elliot and hitting him so many times, my hands will definitely be sore for a bit.
Eliza gave her story and the principal let her go, she lightly squeezed my hand before she left with an apologetic smile.
As soon as she was gone the principal started spewing crap about being responsible or respectful, whatever she said. I wasn’t paying attention to anything till she said Elliot only got detention.
“Elliot, I'm going to let you off this time since this is your first fight, and it doesn’t seem like you instigated it. Raymond, since this is far from your first, you're suspended. For the rest of the week.” I could see that Elliot wanted to laugh, but he was at least smart enough to stay quiet till we got out.
“See you next week loser!” Elliot called out as he ran off, I was about to just leave before noticing that Eliza had been waiting outside the office for me the whole time. I quickly came up to her as she questioned what Elliot said.
“What? What does he mean? What happened in there? She seemed confused but I didn’t really care right now, my arms wrapped around her waist as I pressed soft kisses on her neck. I’m glad I got to fight for her, and more than that i’m glad she is okay.
“Mmm… three days suspension,” I mutter distractedly.
“Ray what are you-” I cut her off by kissing her directly, pressing my lips to hers with a slight smile. When I briefly parted for air she covered my mouth with her hand, giving me a second to see the worried look on her face.
“Ray! Explain!” She moved her hand, allowing me to explain
“I got three days suspension, the rest of this week, and he got off with a slap on the wrist because he’s in football,”
“Awww I'm sorry, that's so stupid,”
“It's not your fault, don’t apologise,”
“Well it kind of is-” This time I shut her up, she shouldn’t be taking any sort of blame for this, not a single moment of that was her fault.
“Shut up. It. Wasn’t. Your. Fault.” I annunciate, making sure she understands. I waited a couple seconds to kiss her again, continuing like I never stopped.
“What’s… this about?” She asked between kisses, I stopped briefly to talk, slightly annoyed that she keeps stopping me. I mumbled an excuse, and her stomach growled in protest, I almost forgot she didn’t get to eat because of me, and now I just feel bad again.
“Hungry? Let’s go get something,” I pulled back, keeping a tight grip on her hand as I start walking toward the exit.
“Hey hey wait! I didn’t get suspended I can’t leave!”
“Oh come on it's not like they will be looking for you,” I counter, her brows furrow as she mulls it over.
“Ok fine, but you totally owe me,” She sighed and I smiled, continuing to pull her along next to me.