The Way In Which Things Work

Chapter Three: Water Bills

Danny was dazed, but not knocked down completely. It was something he definitely wasn't expecting and neither was anybody else. That didn't mean Daniel wasn't going to be able to take it either, he could hold his own perfectly fine. That's exactly the reason why after he was hit in the nose he threw his arm back and sent it forward right into Axel's jaw.

I'd seen him like this before, this type of rage that completely took him over and no one would be able to stop him. No one but me. His body was on top of Axel as he threw fist after fist crushing his face and I knew something had to be done. I stared at Blake with my arms up, angry he and the others weren't even trying. He gave me a look that said there was nothing he could do, Daniel could turn on him just as quick.

The noise around me was jumbled all together so perfectly to create the loudest white noise I've ever heard. A crowd of the entire cafeteria was gathered around and watched, I stayed in my spot, shocked until I heard someone yell, "He's gonna kill him!" My trance was cured in a second when I realized whoever had said that was right. I had to stop him. A few tears fell from my face as I moved into the middle of the circle cautiously.

"Danny! Danny! You have to stop!" I yelled out. Someone pushed me even further into the two boys that were too focused on fighting the other to notice anything else around them. I make a move and reach out to grab his arm as he reaches back. It's quick when I grab his elbow and pull him backwards, luckily he doesn't make any moves to fend me off. I let him know who it is that's pulling him backwards, "It's me, it's me, it's Jacki." His tense arms deflate and he lets me pull him backwards to the ground and we land gently on the white tiled floor of the cafeteria. By this time some teachers had finally bothered to show up but they were too late, they missed all the action.

I pull him up off the floor and focus all my attention towards my bleeding boyfriend. His lip is cut and bleeding down his chin, holding his face still with my hands I examine him more in depth. My eyes meet his and I can tell with the intensity he's staring at me with that he isn't thinking about the fight, he's thinking about why I was at Axel's apartment. "We're talking later." I wondered if we were still going to go out tonight, I would understand if he wouldn't be in the mood.

Tears continue to lightly fall from my face, seeing Danny so angry and so disturbed makes my heart pull in two directions. His anger subsides slowly during the time that I pull him away from prying eyes and towards an empty classroom at the end of the hallway. I close the door behind us and turn to face him once more, "I don't like it when you cry," he tells me. He gently brings his calloused thumb underneath my eye and swipes the remaining wet tears away, the others have dried on my cheeks. I'm sure they're stained black from the mascara that was painted on my eyelashes.

"I don't like it when you fight," I say back to him, not in a mean or mocking way but in a genuinely concerned way. I know he didn't start it this time but it doesn't make me like it any more. Now he's going to get suspended and the school days will last even longer then they feel all because the level of testosterone got too high. He nods silently, closing his eyes without flinching. I wrap my arms around his torso and hold him as he reciprocates my action. We stand that way for several minutes, his scent of mint and slight smoke fills my nose as I breathe in the cloth of his shirt my face rests on.

The quiet moment of peace was disturbed when the door was swung open and our school police officer walked in right in front of our principal. I rolled my eyes, they didn't do anything to try and stop the fight that took place mere minutes ago. It's not like they cared anyways, I know they don't, they just have to punish him because if they don't people will try to get away with anything. "There his he is," I hear our principal tell the officer, well no shit we're the only two in here, I wanted to say.