Raining on the Bad Boy

Something So Small

#1 draft published 30/7/16

Warren's POV

This morning I'm very thankful that I have AP Chem first because it means I can satisfy my insatiable need to see Beatrice again.

When the first bell goes I walk towards my room, Amy clinging onto my arm until we reach her classroom.

Amy is most definitely not my girlfriend. She is more like a rash that just won't go away. I've had my fun with her, of course, but I've never felt any emotional attachment. I have told her before that I'm not interested but I think she has the attitude 'where there's a will there's a way!'.

As I get to my classroom I perch on my seat eagerly and wait for Beatrice to come in but she doesn't come in punctually. She actually turns up 5 minutes late, wearing a black cap, covering her face, dammit.

"You're late Beatrice." Mrs Mathews remarks pointedly.
"Sorry Miss," Beatrice mumbles as she begins to rush to her seat.
"And, you're breaking the dress code. Hat off please." And at this I silently get more a more excited to see her foggy blue eyes. But Beatrice is in the middle of the classroom and she begins to squirm and I realise that removing her hat is the last thing she wants to do.

As Beatrice hesitantly removes her hat, revealed from the shadows, I see a huge bruise marring her chin and mouth. Her lip is big, purple, and split. And her eyes hold the sort of embarrassment that makes me feel ill at ease.

"Mr Mason! Sit down!" Mrs Mathews calls out to me. And it is only at this moment that I realise that I have stood up, staring at Beatrice's face and that everyone is looking at me expectantly.
"Sorry" I grumble, and sit back down as Beatrice makes her way to the back of the room to her seat.

All throughout the first half of my lesson, all I can think about is who gave that to Beatrice. I have good idea but I need to hear her say it. All that occupies my head space is how a face that before seemed so pure and innocent to me has now been corrupted. Then a sudden rush of panic surges through me as I realise that nothing Mrs Mathews is talking about is going into my head, so for the rest of the lesson I attempt intense focus, so much so that it give me a headache.

My headache is worsened as the bell sounds to signal the end of the lesson. I leave my chair swiftly, as one of the first to leave the classroom. I then go and stand in an alcove of a door, as soon as I see Beatrice's little figure approach I lunge out and grab her hand and the soft skin rubs against my calloused hands. I then pull her into the empty classroom that the door leads to.

When I turn around I do not see the defiant girl who I had knocked over in the hallway, I see a frail, little girl.
"Who did that Beatrice?" I say, trying to remain calm.
"It doesn't matter," she says, seeming frustrated but her exhaustion makes is hard to tell.
"Was it your ex?" I persist, putting as much compassion into my voice as I can muster. Her eyes widen, almost inconspicuously but she remains silent.
"Beatrice," I begin slowly, but I'm quickly cut off with,
"Why do you care?!" As she furrows her brows, and at first I don't have an answer but then I come up with,
"Because if it was your ex, then I should have driven you home or something, I should have made sure you were home safe." She heaves out a long sigh and then says,
"Yes, it was," but seeing the rage on my face she follows up with, "but not everything, is about you." With that she storms out of the room, her hair whipping around her and slams the door.

I brush myself down as if brushing off my irritation and being denied and step out into the crowded hallway. Who was she to speak to me like that?

Beatrice's POV

After my small dispute with Warren I just want to escape to somewhere but (I'm sure that a lot of people can relate) there are very few places to escape to in a crowded school full of judgemental people.