Moments Before

Noah

She enters the room and sinks against the door like it's her sole comfort. Her chest is moving up and down faster than it should and dirty blond hair cascades around her face. I kind of didn't want to disturb her, especially since she had was just punched in the face and slammed against the lockers by a guy who probably weighs twice whatever she does.

Still it seems creepy to sit here and continue to stare at her. I'm kind of not sure what to say though. The girl isn't holding her face like she's in pain or shaking like she's afraid. She just looks, hopeless. As if something terrible is about to occur and she can't fix it. The red streak in her hair catches the light as she tries to take another steadying breath.

"You okay?" The sound of my voice makes her jump and her panicked eyes flicker towards mine. the girls eyes are so dark blue that they seem purple. I never noticed the scar through her right eyebrow before today but I can't help but wonder what happened.

"I'm fine. You startled me." Her voice sounds quiet and I'm reminded of how my mom talks when she gets migraines. Maybe Ashton has a headache. She did hit her head pretty hard. Just thinking about it makes my blood run cold and Ashton and I aren't even close. She isn't really my problem but thinking about him slamming her pixie body against the locker makes me murderous. The bruise on her jaw is swelling and it looks slightly misaligned. If he broke her jaw, I'll crucify him.

"You should ice your jaw." That's true. It'll help the swelling go down and prevent pain down the road. "And you should probably go to the hospital." She gives me a bewildered look. "You could have a concussion from your head hitting the lockers. I'll drive you after we finish talking to Doherty." I make the offer for a few reasons even though there's a voice insisting that this girl isn't my problem. I have a car and am planning to ditch the rest of the school day anyway. It was also my fight that she got in the middle of, I didn't hit her but I should help her out. I've only spent a few seconds with this girl but apparently she reads like an open book. She's surprised that I care but I don't offer any comment because I'm as surprised as she is.

She nods her delicate head and exhales. The silence builds until it becomes uncomfortable. She still hasn't gotten off of the floor and continues to barricade the door.

"So... How's your first day going?" Her voice is tentative as if she expects me to be annoyed that she's talking to me. Instead a laugh erupts from the centre of my chest and she is, once again, startled. Eventually a smile expands across her face and causes her to giggle. She's kind of a badass so I wasn't expecting a laugh that sounds like fairies and silver bells.

She relaxes and moves into the seat next to me. "Good. Or, it was anyway." I answer her after the laughter dies down.

"Yeah. Blake an asshole." She answers. I nod, she's sitting close enough that I can smell her perfume. She smells like sour watermelon candies.

"Actually I was talking about this girl. See she got in the middle of this fight I was having. Totally screwed up my day." Her head swung to face me before dropping it to look at the ceiling chuckling. "Just kidding. How's your first day going?" I inquire. I'm appreciating a conversation with someone who isn't drooling over me. Even thought this conversation is stupid and pointless I'm enjoying it.

"Good I guess. Or it was... until this guy came along." She answers. Chuckling again. She shrugs and I struggle to come up with something else to say. Instead I reach out to rest my arm over her shoulders.

I've never seen someone flinch away so quickly. Before my hand even touched her shoulder she had evaporated and transported across the room.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to like, make you feel forced? Or whatever. We were chatting like friends that's all. My bad." I put my hands up in surrender and than drop them into my lap.

"No, it wasn't you. I just don't like to be touched. Ever. That's all, I know it's weird but... yeah." She answers and looks at me with wide eyes expecting ridicule.

"Ok. I'm not really sure what else to say but I don't like her standing so far away and acting so skittish.

To my relief Mr. Doherty walked in with a stern look on his face. Doherty is chill, he gets a bad rap. He's a nice guy but he's short, bald and overweight making him an easy target.

"Noah. I thought we talked about you talking to me before fists start to swing. And Ms. Moore please take a seat." She does but avoids shaking his extended hand. "From Noah, we expect these issues. But we've never had a problem with you before. I do hope this won't make you a frequent flyer in this office."

"No sir. I'm sorry. I didn't start the fight though I-" She cut herself off and stared at me for a few uncomfortable seconds. "Sir I just- Can you not call my parents. We won't be giving the school or Blake any issues and honestly I don't want to bother them. I promise I'll tell them when I get home.

"An indesiferable look crosses Doherty's face but he nods anyway. "Please Ms. Moore call me Doherty. Sir sounds stuffy." He turns to me with a prolonged sigh. Now what are we going to do with you Noah?"

"Blake deserved it." It's the only defence I have.

"Hmm. And what did he do to deserve it?" Doherty sounds pondering but he knows that I've never lied to him before so whatever I say next is true.

"Over the summer Blake roofied these girls. He didn't do anything to them but he did take compromising photo's and threatened to post them online. They didn't know what to do so they came to me for help. I said I would deal with it. And I did." The whole time I'm talking Ashton's eyes widen more and more.

"Oh. I see. Than Blake will be dealt with on that motion. And as principal in regards to you two I'm deciding against taking any punitive measures." Doherty announces. I chat with him for a few more minutes but Ashton stays silent as a church mouse.

"I'm going to take Ashton to see a doctor. Someone should look at her head. And her jaw I think. We won't be in our classes." I announce. Doherty reminds me that our parents have to sign us out. That doesn't impact me but Ashton asks him to sign her out. He agreed after some persistence from her. I exited the office and she bounded after me.

"Noah, you don't have to take me. One of the guys can. Or I'll wait." Talking me out of it isn't going to happen so I just shake my head while she trails me. She taps my arm to get my attention and asks me to wait a minute. Ashton looks even smaller next to her friends. I don't really know much about them since I don't know a lot about anyone at my school. Cole is on the football team with me. Logan looks like a stereotypical beach bum minus the weed, from what I do know about him he's a crazy good swimmer and he got first in a surfing competition last year. Max I know the least about, never even had a conversation with him.

They all turn their heads to look at me and I crank one eyebrow up and meet their gaze head on. More hushed words are exchanged before she comes back over to me and says she's ready to go. We're both leaving the school when I start to regret my decision. I have more important things to do than babysit and chauffeur some girl from school. Still I can't back out now. She already offered me an out and I'm the one who suggested I do this in the first place.