Her Cowboy (Book One Of The Brave Series)

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter 21

A.

I couldn't breathe. I felt like the world had just fallen on top of me and crushed me. She sounded so hurt, and her admitting to trusting me and me breaking that...it tore me up inside. I couldn't figure out how to fix the damage that had been done. I hadn't meant for this to happen. Of course, I hadn't. I couldn't care less for Chloe anymore and the fact that she was still screwing with my life was pissing me off. I hung my head. What was I going to do? I jumped at the hand I felt on my shoulder and turned to find Anna standing there.

"We'll figure it out. I think I've got a plan." Anna said. I nodded but didn't take my eyes of Madeline. She was in line by herself, head down, arms tucked into her jacket. I knew she was cold, and she still had my jacket, but she left it with her suitcase at the house. I sighed as I watched her.

"Love sick puppies...gross." Anna pretended to puke, and I grabbed her head noogied her.

"Ow, ow, owwww!" she cried but Axel's mutter 'oh crap' made me freeze and look up at him.

"What?" he nodded towards the cafeteria and that's when I saw him. Stewart. He had walked up to Madeline and was talking to her. He was so close to her. Too close to her. I watched as he leaned into her and started moving towards them. But I was stopped. Axel grabbed my shoulder and when I looked back to him he just shook his head and nodded towards her.

"Just watch." He said.

So, I did. I watched as Stewart looked her up and down, then put his hand out to touch her hair. She slapped his hand away and walked away, storming out of the cafeteria.

"That's my girl." I said with a smile, but that smile faded when I watched four girls follow her, and the leader up front, was Chloe.

M.

"You're so beautiful, I just had to meet the new girl that all the buzz was about. Your hair looks so soft-" his hand reached out, but my reflexes were faster, and I slapped it away.

"Don't touch me." I said as I walked away. How many times am I going to run away from the line for food? I swear I'm going to become a demon if I keep missing out on my meals! That guy gave me the creeps so bad I still felt the shiver on my spine as I slammed my way outside towards my locker. I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts and irritation when a hard shove knocked me to the ground.

My face landed in the snow and I felt a blast of harsh kicks and hits to my vulnerable body. Pain exploded through me as I listened to the footsteps of numerous people and the crowd as they watched and recorded everything that was happening. The kicks stopped for a moment and then pain exploded in my head as I felt a sneaker come into contact with the back of my head.

"Stupid girl! Stay away from my boyfriend." My eyes shot open as I realized whose voice that was.

Chloe.

My jaw tightened as I felt anger burst through my chest. Did she think this would be the answer to keep her boyfriend? Did she think I was stealing him and that this was the solution? I didn't like fighting. If I could keep the peace with words that would be how I solved things. So that's what I tried now. Even as they kicked me.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" I yelled.

"Your lying!" she said as she kicked harder. I felt at the sharp pain as a solid kick landed in my ribs causing me to gasp sharply.

"I'm not! I didn't know anything about you, and I never tried anything with him!"

"Shut up you are lying!" she yelled, though I felt her foot pause for just a moment.

"It's true, I-"

"Madeline!" The kicking stopped, and I looked up to see Anna pushing through the crowd. The boys were behind her, but the crowd wouldn't let them through. I watched with blurry vision as Anna finally landed inside the circle and started her way towards me. But one girl pulled her back and held her back. Chloe laughed and walked towards Anna.

"What are you going to do, country girl? Sweet talk me to death? God I never liked you anyways. Always so fake and cheerful, so annoying."
"You're the annoying one you fake blonde coward! Now get away from my friend!" Anna struggled, and I tried to get up, but the other two girls were standing on me and I was still fuzzy from the beating they had delivered together.

"Aww, aren't you so protective of your friend. Wasn't I your friend at one point too?"

"I was only nice to you because you dated my brother, you were always fake and sneaky. I never trusted you and I never liked you. And with good reason too huh, you loose little sl-"the slap was loud and made me freeze. I watched as Chloe grabbed Anna's face and spit on her. I felt something in me crack.

"Watch your words, you pathetic weakling." Anna stifled a sob. Snap. "I can easily make your life a living h-"

I kicked my leg out and around knocking both girls over and into the snow. The girl holding Anna was my focus. Twisting around I slammed my knee into her back, effectively knocking the wind out of her as she fell to the ground.

"Ow!" Anna's voice made my head snap towards her. Chloe had wrapped her hand in Anna's hair and held her in front of her like she was a hostage. Anna was crying now and that I didn't like.

"What the hell? What are you?" Chloe asked in horror and I rolled my eyes at her, watching as hers widened in fear. Over dramatics.

"Let her go." I nearly snarled as I stepped towards them. Chloe just tightened her hold making Anna whimper in pain. I felt something twitch in me.

"No, you're going to hurt me."

"I'll hurt you more if I have to take her from you." I replied. I looked at Anna and jerked my head towards the ground. She jerked her head up and down stiffly.

Anna pulled her head down against the hand that was in it as I lifted my leg and solidly planted it into the side of Chloe's head, making sure not to put too much force into it. She fell to the ground as Anna pulled away.

Walking to Chloe I knelt next to her and she pulled her head back, eyes wide. I leaned into her ear to make sure nobody else heard.

"Hurt my friend again, and I will make you fear every step, every blink, every single breath you ever take again. Do you understand me?"

"Y-y-yes."

"Good girl." I said as I patted her on the head. I stood and turned back to Anna. She stood there with her head down. I grabbed her chin and pulled it up, wiping her face with the sleeve to my thin and now wet and cold jacket.

"Why are you crying Belle?" I asked, "No more okay? I don't like that." she looked at me and smiled while nodding.

"Come on, country girl, I'm done with school for the day."

"Okay." she said. We made our way through the dispersing crowd and finally made it to the parking lot.

"Anna!" we turned to find the boys running towards us, Daniel and Asher faster than the other two.

"Are you okay honey?"

"Sis, are you okay? The crowd wouldn't let us through."

"I'm fine." Anna replied as Riley came bounding up and jumped on me sending rivers of sharp pain through my body.

"Oh my God Madeline how'd you do that ninja stuff? It was crazy! Why didn't you do that from the start?" he rushed out. Everyone looked at me with the same question in their eyes. I looked at them.

"I don't like violence, I never did, never will. I will use my words to make peace the most I can, but there are times that doesn't work. People think numbers make them safer. But to someone whose been a black belt since they were six, numbers make more practice dummies." There was a pause.

Then in unison.

"Black belt?!?!"

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EDITED VERSION

J. Vas