The Fighter that He Swore to Save

Chapter 12

Gunner

~*~*~*~*~*~

Wednesday morning, hump day.  The hardest day for me to roll out of bed in the morning, yet here I was.  Driving Vi-Vi and myself to school again.  Though, I was a little uneasy about today for reasons besides the fact that it was Friday.  Everett's comment yesterday made a little uneasy. 

"I don't know, but I got a feeling that today is just the calm before the storm." 

I wasn't sure what she meant but I knew that she did.  She knew something about today that I didn't, and I was a little anxious as we pulled into school.  As my sister and I walked down the school hall, I could already tell something was up.  Girls were in tight groups whispering and blushing, and there was a huge group of people by the lockers.

A new kid maybe?

I looked over to Everett's locker and saw that she was nowhere in sight.  Okay, something is really wrong.  She's always here before Vi-Vi and I show up.  I looked around the hall and couldn't see her anywhere else.

"Oh, dang."  Vi-Vi mumbled next to me and I looked down at her.  "Who's that?"  She points and I look at the subject of the massive group of people.  It is a new kid.  Vi-Vi walks off to stand by Tina and I go to follow her, but I noticed a hooded figure walk quickly across the hall.

"Um, catch you later, Vi-Vi."  I said and she waved me off and walked the opposite direction.  I walked over to Everett and started walking next to her.  "Hey, what's-"

"Everett Garvin."  Everett froze and I turned to see who had called her name and I was surprised to see the new kid had.  I took a half second to study him.  He was taller than me, probably more muscular too, with brown hair styled in a way my curly mess would never allow.

"Crap."  Everett said under her breath and I looked down at her and then at the new guy. 

Everyone in the hall went silent and watched.  I've been at this school long enough to know that someone calling Everett out like that is something that would make teachers stop what they were doing.  The guy walks over to us, smirking, and Everett reluctantly turns to face him.

"Were you trying to avoid me?"  He asked coolly, clearly already knowing her answer.

"You sound surprised."  She stated looking up at him.  She sounded so confident, I wasn't sure what to do.  The guy gave me a sideways glance and then looked back at Everett.

"This the guy you were blushing over last weekend?"

"I wasn't blushing."

"Well is this the guy?"  Everett was quiet a long moment before looking down at her shoes.

"Yes."  The guy smirked at her then looked at me and outstretched his hand.

"Well it is very nice to finally meet you, I'm Cutter."

"Gunner..."  I shook his hand, unsure exactly what to do.  Cutter nodded and looked back at Everett.  At this point, everyone in the hallway was gathered around us and watching intently.  Everett seemed to realize it to and she started to squirm a little in her spot, she really hated attention.

"Well."  Cutter said suddenly.  "I'll be seeing you later, flower."  He winked at Everett and then reached over to her.

"Hey."  She cried as Cutter pulled her hood off of her head. 

Her hair fell down around her shoulders and I never realized how long it was.  It was pulled back with a hair tie but it still reached waist.  I realized that this was the first time I had actually seen her without her hood on.  There were no shadows across her face and I suddenly realized exactly how pretty she was.

Her blond hair complimented her soft pale skin.  The deep, blue hoodie she wore really made her bright, blue eyes pop.  She had a few tiny freckled splattered across the bridge of her nose, which were super cute. 

I only got to really look at her for a half second before she hastily pulled her hood back up.  I could tell by her face that she was mortified and I suddenly felt awful for not realizing how uncomfortable she was.

"Cutter."  She called but he was already making his way down the hall. 

She stood there for a long time, and slowly the group around us broke away.  When they were all finally gone I turned and looked at her.  She had her head down.

"Are you okay?"  I asked cautiously and she laughed.  I was caught by surprise, why was she laughing?

"Oh, I hate him, I hate him so much."  She laughed and looked up at me.  "But I love him."

The warning bell rang and we quickly walked to science class.  The class passed quickly ad after it we went to English.  A minute after class started, Cutter walked in.  I felt a sense of resentment run through me as he took a seat a few rows over.

My eyes bounced between him and Everett the whole period.  What was going on with me?  I'm never hostile to anyone, especially when I barely know the person.  Why did Cutter bother me so much?

I noticed him looking at Everett and I wanted to hit him.  Hard.  What the heck is wrong with me?  After class, he came over and started talking to her casually.  I only heard parts of what they were saying, something about stage names.

They walked out of class together and I wasn't sure what to do.  I walked quietly down the hall in my thoughts to my next class.  I didn't like or trust him with Everett, which was weird.  She wasn't mine or anything, wait a minute... am I jealous?

"Hey, what's up with you?"  Vi-Vi walked up next to me.

"I... don't know."  I said.

"It's about Everett, right?  And the new kid, Cutter."  I nodded and she smiled at me.  I raised my eyebrow at her.

"What are you thinking?"  I asked a little terrified.

"Oh, nothing."  She paused.  "Just that they make a cute couple." 

"What?"

"Cutter and Everett, of course.  Don't you think they'd be cute together?  I mean, the way things are going they're going to end up together."  I knew what she was doing and it was working.  "As far as she knows no one else is interested in asking her out, so why wouldn't she say yes if Cutter were to ask?  I mean, he's pretty hot."

"I get it Vi-Vi."  I said annoyed.  She sighed and walked off leaving me alone again.  What did she want me to do anyways? 

I sighed and kept walking to class.  As I turned the corner I froze.  Cutter and Everett were walking down the hall together, laughing.  They were standing way too close to each other and I didn't like it at all.  Cutter looked back and smiled pointedly at me. 

Then, he reached and grabbed her hand in his and I lost it inside.  I didn't wait to see what her reaction was.  I stormed right over there and grabbed her shoulder.

"Sorry, we need a second."  I said plainly to a smirking Cutter before dragging Everett off to somewhere private.