little bird // r.keene

xxxvi. no mercy.

Tory and Sam were still on the stairwell, Wren bolted towards them, she reached them in moments. Tory held Sam back by the hair, gazing down at her.

"Hey, remind me what lesson, we need to teach her again?" Tory smirked up at Wren who had stopped beside them, but her eyes were still fixed on the boys at the top of the stairs.

"How about basic respect and not to kiss another girl fucking boyfriend? That suffice?" Wren asked, looking down at Sam and in that moment, Sam let her eyes flicker to Wren. Wren saw everything. The snide remarks, the accusations, the cruel assumptions... So, in response to seeing Sam like this, Wren felt nothing.

"Sounds good to me," Tory smirked breathlessly, yanking Sam's hair black so she yelped, "You go, I want to do this." Tory told Wren and she didn't argue. She felt no sympathy for Sam but still at the same time, something twisted in her gut. Wren ignored it.

She dashed up their stairs, shoving aside the crowds of students watching and recording the fight on their phones. Wren ran forward and grabbed Miguel who was behind Robby, instinctually he shoved her away and Wren slammed into the railing, she glanced behind her, gripping the bar, it was a story drop to the bottom of the stairs.

With Wren out of the way, Miguel yanked Robby's arm and twisted, slamming him to the floor, holding his right arm behind his back as his face pressed to the floor. He was about to twist once more when-

"Miguel!" Wren shouted and for one split moment, he looked up at her standing there. Wide eyes. Afraid. Alone.

Miguel heard Johnny's voice.

"I wasn't taught the difference between mercy and honour, and I paid the price for it. If I'm extra hard on you, it's only because you have the potential to be better than I ever was. You want that Don't you?"

"Miguel." Wren's voice rang out to him softly, "Let him go."

Miguel looked back down at where he held Robby, he let go of his arm, "I'm sorry." Robby gasped as he let go, then all of a sudden pushed himself up. Kicking Miguel in the leg with such force Wren had never seen before, it all happened so fast she didn't have time to move away from the railing to get to them. Miguel pushed himself to his feet, but he just wasn't fast enough.

Robby kicked him once more and Miguel tumbled back a few steps right beside Wren.

Wren reached out.

She grabbed his arm.

Miguel fell backwards, over the railing.

"Miguel!" Wren screamed.

His full weight was on her arm, slamming her hips into the metal railing.

Wren screamed again.

She held on.

She looked in his eyes.

"Wren!" He yelled.

She had no choice.

Wren couldn't hold him.

She let go...

"No!" She screamed.

"Miguel!" Tory wailed from the stairs, but it was no use. The hall fell silent as he struck the railing, landing on his feet but crashing the rest of the way- his momentum slamming him into the solid floor.

"We need an ambulance to West Valley High." An security officer said, pushing his way to the front. Towards Miguel. Wren fell to her knees, clutching the railing. Robby was beside her in a second, looking over the railing, down at Miguel. Down at what he had done.

"Robby, what did you do?" Sam shouted at him, from the stairs, cradling her injured arm.

Wren wrapped her arms around her waist, on her knees as tears blurred her vision, she held her breath. She felt like she was going to be sick. She breathed deeply over and over again. Robby looked from Sam. To Miguel. To Wren.

Robby wanted to say something. Shout. Scream. Apologise. But nothing came out. He looked down at Wren again to find she had already been staring. Blood trickled down her head. Her eyes were wide and tearful.

He looked to her lips, she mouthed two words.

Bookshelf. Go.