I Spy

Chapter 20

"What the hell?" I screamed, falling backwards and clutching my aching face.  I looked from Ant to Ryan, both of their expressions completely shocked.  

"Marley, I'm so sorry," Ant said, his voice catching twice.  He took a step closer to me, but I pulled away.  

"Don't you dare touch me!" I yelled.  The crowd around us had been shocked into silence, all of their faces blank and staring at Ryan and Ant.  

"Marley, I-"  

"I'll take you to see the nurse," Ryan cut Ant off, shooting daggers in his direction.  

"Thank you," I sniffed, allowing him to put his arms around me and lead me out of the silent cafeteria.  Behind me, Ant cursed loudly followed by a crash.  

"Are you okay?" Ryan whispered in my ear.  

"No," I replied.  My head was spinning, I felt dizzy and my stomach felt queasy.  Why was it that Ant could punch me harder than then I had ever been hit before.  "Are you?"  

"I'm fine," he said.  

I looked up at him and stopped walking.  An old cut he had above his eye had been split open again, casing a steady stream of blood to run down the side of his face.  Along with that,  his other eye was swelling, his cheek was bleeding and his knuckles had split open.  He looked like a wreck.  

"No you aren't," I mumbled, taking my unhurt hand and gently brushing my fingers over his bruised eye, his bloody cut and along his broad jaw line, fighting the urge I had to stand up on my toes and kiss him.  

"I'll be alright," he said, resting his hand over mind and giving me a gentle look with his beautiful brown eyes.  "I'm used to it."  

He brushed his fingers gently over my cheek, as soft as a butterfly kiss.  

"I thought you were taking her to the nurse, Mr Higgins," I turned and saw Mr Tata strolling down the passage towards us with Ant by his side, his expression looked like he could kill someone.  Ryan ripped his hands away from me and took a step backwards. 

“Marley, I’m sure you can find the nurse on your own,” Mr Tate carried on.  “I have to take these two to Mr Grey.” 

“Okay,” I mumbled.  Ant walked past me, following Mr Tate, without acknowledging me, while Ryan shot me an apologetic look before following the two. 

I sighed and made my way to the nurse.  When I arrived, Nurse Martin looked at me with complete shock, but she didn’t question me, which made me feel slightly better.  She gave me ice to put on my cheek and told me to sleep after she had asked me a whole lot of questions. 

When I woke up, I heard voices next to my room.  Deciding to listen to them, I kept my eyes shut. 

“She’s going to be so pissed off with you,” I heard someone laugh, it sounded like Ryan.  Ant cursed loudly at him, causing Ryan to laugh louder. 

“Shut up, you’ll wake her up,” Ant said. 

“She’s fine,” Ryan said.  “She’s still asleep.” 

“No she’s not,” Ant sighed.  “Marley.” 

“Hi,” I mumbled, opening my eyes and sitting up. 

“How are you?” Ant asked softly, coming to stand next to my side.  Ryan stood on the other side of the bed. 

“Fine,” I mumbled.  “What did Mr Grey say to you?” 

“He said we have to stop being so stupid and immature and that we need to realise that you won’t like either of us if we fight over you,” Ryan recited.  Ant shot him a look that said ‘what is your problem?’. 

“Alright,” I mumbled.  “Is that all?” 

“He also gave us five hours of detention for starting a fight,” Ant told me. 

“Shame,” I shrugged.  To be honest, I couldn’t care less that they had a detention.  They deserved it. 

“But we deserve it, so whatever,” Ant said.  Ah, Anthony, the voice of reason. 

“Yes, you do,” I agreed, sitting up and swinging my legs off the bed.  “What time is it?” 

“Lunch time,” Ryan said. 

“Come, let’s go eat,” Ant said, taking my hand.  I yanked it out, earning a laugh from Ryan which was silenced when I threw a death stare at him. 

“I am going to go and eat alone,” I said, jumping off the bed.  “See you guys whenever.” 

For the next week, I tried my best to avoid Ryan and Ant.  It wasn’t that I didn’t want to see them, it was that I was afraid I would do something stupid if I did happen to see them.  If I saw Ryan I would be too tempted to kiss him and if I saw Ant I would be too tempted to punch him back.  So I left them alone and after three days, they got the message and left me alone too. 

It was exactly a week after their fight when I gave in.  I missed Ant way too much to keep avoiding him, so I wondered down to his room after lunch.  I found him lying in bed asleep, a book open on his chest.  He looked so peaceful in that moment that I felt bad for having to wake him up.  But I didn’t feel bad enough because I walked up to his bed and sat down, shaking his arm. 

“Ant,” I sang.  “Wake up.” 

“What?” he sat up, looking around in confusion.  Then his eyes settled on me and a huge, sleepy smile broke out onto his face. 

“Hi,” I said, smiling too. 

“I’m so happy to see you,” he said, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me down on top of him.  I let out a surprised yelp before laughing. 

“I’m really sorry, Ant,” I said once I had stopped laughing and lying on the bed facing him.  “For everything.  I’m sorry about Ryan and I’m sorry I got so mad with you and I’m sorry I’ve been avoiding you.” 

“You have no reason to be sorry,” he said.  Never before had I felt such respect for someone.  I didn’t understand how Ant could be so forgiving and understanding all the time. 

“I do,” I mumbled.  He cupped my face tenderly with his hand. 

“No, you don’t,” he whispered.  “Ryan told me what happened, how you fell and he was helping you while you were on the ground and then he just kissed you.  And I totally understand why you were angry with me; I mean I punch you in the face for crying out loud!  And as for avoiding me, well I’m just glad that you aren’t here to break up with me.” 

Wait, Ryan told Ant that story?  Why the hell would he want Ant to think that I didn’t kiss him?  Why would he want Ant to not be mad with me? 

“Marley?” Ant asked, rubbing his thumb along my cheek. 

“Sorry,” I said.  I realised I had just sat there in silence for a minute or so.  “I’m sorry, and no I’m not here to break up with you.” 

He smiled and leaned forward to kiss me.  Man, I had missed kissing Ant in the last week.  I pulled myself closer to him by gripping onto his neck.  Soon we were as we had been the week before, making out on his bed, both with no shirts on.  And it felt completely right for me to be back there.