Fake [[Completed]]

Chapter Ten -- Heart Beat

Jane's POV -- September 19, 2016

I scream as Mystery punches Jared square in the jaw. People from all around the cafeteria look over and some start circling around as Jared recovers, rubbing his jaw.

"You nasty bastard." he hisses as he stands up.

"Jared please don't!" I squeal as he throws a punch at Mystery but misses.

I watch as a full on fight develops between them. They both throw punches at each other and the both get hit. Kids all around us are cheering them on while I watch in horror on the brink of tears.

Why do I always cause things like this?!

It takes about a whole ten minutes for a teacher to step in, although it feels like hours.

The teacher steps inbetween them and Jared is taken to the administration office and soon the whole area is cleared away because the bell had rung. It's just me and Mystery now.

He's laying on the floor on his back as he pants hard and looks up at the ceiling.

I slowly approach and kneel beside his face.

"Mystery," I say calmly. "Why the hell did you do that?" I brush hair from his face and he smiles.

He looks up at me with his bright eyes and I see something different in them.

"Because-- because you don't deserve to be treated like that. You are a beautiful and kind woman and deserve to be treated like one." he closes his eyes and I realize that he's in pain.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up." I stand up and hold my hand out for him to take. He takes it and once he stands up, he doesn't let go, but he interlaces our fingers together.

We head to the handicapped bathroom because I refuse to go to the mens and girls are always needing to pee.

So we enter the bathroom and I lock the door. Which was really weird to do. Mystery sits down on the chair in the corner and I wet a paper towel.

"This might sting." I say as I lift the towel up to his cut lip.

He flinches as the cold towel touches his lip.

I continue wiping down his face, neck and knuckles in silence.

"Thank you, by the way." I say as I wash my hands and throw the towel in the trash. I turn back towards him to see him standing right next to me with his arms outstretched. Taking the invitation, I wrap my arms around his neck as he wrap his arms around my waist.

His scent is musky and reminds me of a forest. He moves one hand to cradle my head underneath my long hair.

"I'd do it again if I had to." he whispers softly against my hair.

"Well let's hope that it won't come to that again." I squeeze him harder but he winces and I pull back. "What's wrong?"

"My ribs." he says with another wince and he starts to unbutton his plaid shirt. He opens it revealing defined abs and pale skin. He laughs when he sees the heat rising to my cheeks.

But against his pale skin, I see a large purple and green bruise the size of a baseball on the right side of his ribs.

I touch it softly and without warning, Mystery wraps his arms around me and pulls me against him, making both of my hands fly out in front of me and land on his bare chest.

"Um, Mystery, what are you doing?" I ask hesitantly and pray that he's not going to turn out like Jared.

"Listen to my heart beat." He says warmly. So I do.

I listen to the steady beat of his heart for what feels like 5 minutes. Then I ask, "why?"

"Despite all that we've both been through, our hearts are still beating. Announcing to the world that we're both still alive and that's saying a lot. Many people don't make it this far. So I'm proud of you." he wraps his arms tighter around me and we stay there, holding each other, until the last bell rang.