ROSE

25. Fight

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As I placed my books in the locker and took what I needed for my next class, I decided that it was a better idea if I just went to the library and studied for my next exam instead of going to class and listening to the teacher that keeps talking and talking and talking.

Maybe it was also a better idea than sitting in class and only thinking about things that will get me nowhere. It's a good idea. I took the books and notes I needed and left to go study in the library.

I was happy to finish a lot of what we had to learn and was almost already ready for the exam so I decided to think about the article that I will have to give to Clifford this Saturday. I was so have to have this internship so I knew that I was going to do the most to have the best job that I could have.

If Anthony was around right now, he would have helped me with a topic that I could talk about in my article right now but apparently, I was a little too hard to be trusted for him to tell me his secrets.

I sighed and locked my locker. I didn't know if I should leave or find him but when I heard yelling and loud voices behind me, my thoughts were cut. I groaned and looked to see what's happening and what I saw took my breath away. It was Anthony and Dylan, fighting. Fist fighting.

Anthony held Dylan by his collar, pushed him against the wall and yelled so close to his face.

"You better stay away."

"You can't control her." Dylan punched Anthony in his chest, breaking his hold from his collar then punched him in the nose. I gasped. I wanted to move, run and stop them but I didn't know what to do. I was paralyzed. I couldn't move.

Anthony put his hand on his nose and when he realized that he was bleeding, his anger doubled. He recovered fast, held Dylan and punched him in the face, not once but twice and pushed him down, making me him fall on his back then started kicking him with his feet.

That's when I found myself running towards him, not caring about anything else other than saving Dylan.

"Anthony!" I yelled then held his arm to pull him away but he only pushed me back. He grabbed a good hold of Dylan's shirt and brought him to his feet then gave him another punch that made him take a few steps back. "Stop," I screamed louder. "Stop!" I yelled. "Let him go." Pulling Anthony off Dylan was hard for me but I was thankful of how he was cooperating. I took one single step to the way to see if Dylan was okay but Anthony's hand caught my wrist. His grip was so tight that I couldn't even move my arm away.

"You're coming with me." He said through his teeth as he clenched his jaw. I looked at him and shook my head then tried to free my wrist from his hold and go to Dylan but his grip only tightened around me. "You. Are. Coming. With. Me. Right now, Rose."

After what he just said, I knew that I had to leave with him if I wanted him to stay away from Dylan and not hurt him again. If I went with Dylan, I won't be able to guaranty anything, not even for Dylan to be seen tomorrow in his classes or not get sent to the hospital by tonight. So I decided to leave with Anthony. I looked at Dylan and mouthed a small I'm sorry then looked at Anthony and nodded to leave with him.

He dragged me away from the huge crowd that was watching the scene and I had to yell at him to let me go. We were standing at the back door of the college, in the middle of the evening but luckily, the sun was down, the weather was bad and it was freezing.

"Enough!" I pushed him away but it was a huge mistake I made.

"You're defending him?" He screamed, only furiousness appeared into his dark eyes. "You're on his side now?" He paused and kept swinging left to right, left to right, trying to stay calm. I could tell how angry he was. "You're seeing him now as the poor guy that just got beat up." He yelled even louder. "And I ended up being the bad guy!" He pointed at his chest, looking straight into my eyes. I saw the anger in his eyes and it was the first time for me to see him that angry. I was afraid to even respond to him, not trusting his next move or his next step. I wasn't scared of him, I was scared of what he mind to. I knew he wouldn't hurt me but I can't say that I was sure of him not hurting anyone else after I saw him on top of Dylan. "I'm the bad guy that beats up people just because they piss him off, right?"

I shook my head. It was maybe understandable if I said that his tone was making me feel bad for him. But that didn't change anything, I was still silent.

"Obviously! Obviously, you know nothing about people like me." He breathed loudly but I refused to stop him from letting it out. "You're the good girl that gets As in every class and loves to write and work for her own good!" He pointed at me. "And I am the bad guy that knows nothing about how to be good, I was never taught to be good! I was thought to always get what I want without even asking for it!" He yelled but I could see clearly how to hurt he was. "Of course you'd rather be with someone like yourself, someone like him, someone that could help you get better not someone who could...who could bring you down. Someone as good as you, not someone that is way worst than who you deserve." His voice cracked and his eyes watered but he blinked them away quickly.

I shook my head and took a step closer. "Anthony, that is not true. You are not a bad person and of course, he isn't better than you. And even if, I do not want him, Anthony. I am not calling him every night like I do to you. I don't enjoy his company like I do with you. He doesn't make me laugh like you do." I explained myself. "Anthony, I wasn't with him yesterday night. I was doing an interview for my internship." When he looked down, I took this chance to step closer to him and hold his two hands in mine and as soon as I did so, he looked back up into my eyes. "I only want your company, Anthony. What can I do more to prove it to you?"

"You were standing so close to him. Way too close and smiling and laughing when I was gone." The voice that was used to yell way louder was now so low, so broken and I hated it. I'd rather hear him yell than see him this weak.

"What are you talking about?"

"Cameron showed me a picture...you two were standing next to your locker as he leaned in and you laughing." He explained. "Tell me that that didn't happen." He begged.

I frowned. What was he talking about?

I remember! Cameron was watching us from far, one of the days when Anthony was gone and when he saw that I saw him, he only smirked at me.

"Cameron is lying, Anthony. This day Dylan and I were just walking to my locker because we both had the same class so we were talking as we walked. That's it. And yesterday I told you I was dressing nicely because I had an interview." I explained. "I don't want him Anthony, can't you see? I only want—"

Before I could finish what I had to say, he pressed his lips against mine. I was surprised by his action but I didn't pull away. I couldn't put away, I couldn't stop it. I can't resist something I've been wanting. His hands traveled all the way up to hold my face and title his head to the side to kiss me deeply. He pulled away but our faces were still so close. I opened my eyes to see that his own were still closed. He rested his forehead on mine and was emitting heavy breaths that were creating a hallow of smoke that reminded me of the coldness of the night that I don't feel anymore. His hands were still on my cheeks then he leaned in to take one more kiss before opening his eyes.

"I know you want everything slow, but damn it, I can't." He softly said as his forehead rested against mine.

We stared into each other's eyes for a couple of minutes, acting like nothing else matters. It was only us in the world at that point.

I didn't know how to react or what to say. This was my first kiss ever and obviously not his first. I gulped down the thought that kept repeating itself in my head that I became just like each girl he has known. I let him in just like they all, I want him just like they all do. He liked it being different from all of them. I'm not different anymore. He smiled softly and caressed my cheek but the more he does, the more this thought finds itself to the surface of my brain.

I'm not different anymore. I'm just like every other girl.

He took his hands off and wrapped his arms around my back, hugging me close to him, maybe scared of me leaving or maybe showing me how he enjoyed kissing me.

I sighed and pulled away gently and gave him a small smile before making my way away from him. I wanted to go home without him saying anything. Maybe I was scared or surprised but I didn't want to face his comments. I feared it and that's why I ran away.

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