Protect Me

A friend

I sit in the step for a while. Realizing and admitting to myself that I'm an idiot. It would've been easy to forgive him, he was drunk, but he has done this many times.

I sigh and my mom walks out and sits next to me.

"Give it time." she rubs my back.

"It'll just get worse, I did so much damage."

"It's not all your fault. Why don't you go to the college offices and look around at their library. Yeah?"

"Yeah, I need to get out." We both stand up and I grab my purse and keys, dragging my tank behind me.

I push it into the car, which is kinda hard, and start to the college library.

When I step inside, my nose is filled the aroma of books, books on big shelves, tiny shelves, all kinds of shelves.

I go to the floor with the adult books and start looking for a novel.

"Hi," I turn and see a blue eyes boy with blonde hair.

"Uh hi,"

"Do you know where I can find books about English artists? I'm new here."

"Oh, this is my first time here too, I'm Parker." I stick my hand out to shake it.

"Ben."

"Why don't we look together then?" he asks.

"Sure."

We both start roaming the halls of the library, looking for English artist books, when I bump into someone.

"Zayn?" I ask

"Parker?"

"Hi..." I mumble, suddenly I'm embarrassed of my oxygen tank and tubes around him, but not around Ben, maybe because Ben wasn't staring...

"Why aren't you at college?"

"I came back...I'm taking classes here now... because...this." I point to my tank and his eyes fill with worry.

"What happened?"

"Thyroid cancer, but lets not talk about it." I look away, "I'll see you around, right?" he asks.

"Yup."

"Ok, feel better."

He walks away and I go back to Ben who's nose is stuffed in an art book.

"I'm guessing you're an art major?" I sit next to him on the floor.

"Yeah, you?"

"English."

"Ah, the art of words."

"I guess."

"Wanna go out side? It's a beautiful day, we can walk around the park or something...?"

I smile, "that sounds fun."

We go out and start walking down the sidewalk, many cars pass, but one, black one, stops when it sees us.

Harry.

"Parker?" he gets out of his expensive car and jogs over to us.

"Hi Harry.."

"This is why you dumped me?" he points to Ben.

"No Harry-"

"You're an asshole you know that?!" he says to Ben and knocks the book out of his hand.

"Harry stop!" I shout and he looks at me.

"He's just a friend, I met him like half an hour ago."

Harry's eyes flare with anger.

"Ben I'm sorry about him-"

"Parker, can we please talk?"

Harry's green eyes plead to be paid attention to.

I look at Ben apologetically, he nods and smiles.

"See yah round." he walks off.

When he's gone I sigh.

"What." I say through clenched teeth.

"I'm sorry about the bar, I was drunk,"

I start walking away, but he grabs my wrist, "get off me!"

"Parker!"

"Hey get off her!" Ben is sprinting back towards us and swings at Harry's jaw,

Harry's hand releasing my wrist.

Harry swings back at Ben's nose.

"Harry stop!" I scream and slap him as hard as I can manage.

"Why do you need him to rescue you from me, Parker?!"