Don't Get Angry

30- Otis: Cut Lip

I sat in the cafeteria with Todd staring at my watch. The bell was going to ring in a few minutes and Dalta hadn't gotten to school yet. Todd was staring at his phone.

"So," he squinted his eyes, "I've been staring at my phone for the past ten minutes trying to decipher what this text from Dalta means."

I looked at him. "Let me see it."

He handed me his phone.

Dalta: I'm being changed!!!! HELP

I furrowed my brows. "What?" I chuckled.

"Exactly."

"Wait a minute." I looked around.

Penny was sitting with her friends.

I looked at Todd. "Who's picking Dalta up today?"

Todd shrugged. "She said she wanted to walk."

"That's an hour walk. Why would she do that?"

Todd's eyes landed on something. They suddenly grew.

I turned around to see what he was looking at. Dalta had walked into the cafeteria covered in bruises. Her hair was a mess and her sweater was torn, but those things weren't the oddest parts; her face. The look on her face was nothing like the Dalta I knew. Dalta had gotten angry before. I'd seen her get angry. But she'd pout all weird and her eyes would well up as if she was about to cry. This time...this angry face was nothing like the laughable, adorable, disney princess one she always had. This one was cold.

She stood and scanned the cafeteria like a hunter looking for a deer. Her eyes ran over me as if we'd never met, so I knew I wasn't the person she was looking for. Her eyes suddenly stopped on someone. I followed her stare. It was Taylor. She was staring at Taylor. Taylor was smiling and talking to her friends. I looked at Dalta again. She was heading towards her with clenched fists.

I quickly stood. "Oh no." I rushed over to Taylor before she could.

Taylor looked up at me with a smile. "What's up?"

"Uh-"

"Taylor!" Dalta stood beside me, nudging me aside.

Taylor looked Dalta up and down with wide eyes. "What happened to you? You look-"

"Like I was almost HIT BY A CAR?"

The cafeteria grew silent.

Taylor's eyes grew. She looked at me.

I furrowed my brows. "Is that...true? Did you try to hit her with your car-"

"I didn't drive here this morning." Taylor tried to convince me, holding her chest. "You know that." She looked at Dalta. "It wasn't me. I swear."

Dalta's lip twitched. She pulled her bag off her shoulder and threw it on the floor. "Get up."

"What?" Taylor snickered.

Dalta cracked her neck, tilting her head side to side. "I'm tired of this crap! I'm tired of crying and quitting and letting people use me." Her eyes fluttered from tears. "I don't fight, but if that's what you want, I'll do it."

I froze. "D-"

"Dalta," Taylor said before I could. Her friends giggled with her. "You're tiny. I'm not about to fight you."

Dalta nodded. "Okay. Then send this message to your brother for me."

Taylor shrugged. "Sure. Whatever. What is it-"

Dalta suddenly grabbed Taylor's shirt and launched her fist back, nearly hitting me in the face with her elbow. She pursed her lips and lifted a brow, her eyes squinted, calculating what area of Taylor's face would get the worst impact from a blow. She yanked Taylor toward her and with a brisk punch, jammed her knuckles into Taylor's nose.

My hands automatically lifted to cover my mouth. The cafeteria erupted with noise. Dalta stepped back shaking off her hand. She held it and leaned over, with a look of grimace on her face. Taylor sat in shock covering her nose. She broke down crying. My jaw dropped and I felt like I should comfort her or something, but for some reason I couldn't move. I was shocked by Dalta's violence. I turned to Dalta. "Seriously?"

Dalta stared at me with the blank look on her face again, these slightly glaring eyes. I immediately shut up.

"Let me see." One of Taylor's friends pried her hand away from her face. We all cringed. Her nose was bloody...like, smeared all over her cheeks, bloody.

She looked at me. "Is it bad?"

I tried to smile but my eyes were too wide. I stared at the blood running down her lip and shrugged trying not to faint. "No?"

Taylor groaned then suddenly stood staring at Dalta. "You messed up my face!"

Dalta lifted her chin proudly.

Taylor suddenly pushed her on the floor.

Dalta hit the floor like a doll. She stood up, but was quickly pushed down again.

I stepped in front of Taylor. "Okay!" I grabbed her shoulders. "Stop!"

Taylor's eyes grew crazier than Dalta's usually was. She suddenly snapped at me. "So, you can defend her when I push her, but just stand there when she PUNCHES ME IN THE FACE!"

I stuttered. I didn't know what to say.

Taylor pushed my hands off and pushed me aside.

Dalta suddenly threw herself at Taylor, grabbing her by her waist and knocking her off her feet. They both hit the floor. I put my hands on my head and watched them wrestle on the floor. The cafeteria began to run towards the fight. I knew that I should do something, but I wanted Taylor to get a good beating. I thought she deserved it for trying to hit Dalta with her car. What I forgot was Dalta couldn't fight a handicapped old lady in a wheelchair. Before I could do anything, Taylor was on top of her punching her in the face. I tried to get to them, but the crowd just pushed me back. Dalta laid unconscious and my heart hit the floor. "Move!" I tried to get to the front again, but I was too short and it wasn't helping. I quickly stood on one of the tables.

Dalta grabbed Taylor by her head and slammed her forehead into Taylor's nose. The crowd groaned and cringed. I groaned and cringed...and probably nearly fainted. Taylor held her nose. Penny suddenly appeared in the circle and grabbed Taylor by her waist, lifting her off of Dalta. Her pushed Taylor on the floor then lifted Dalta to her feet. The Principal rushed into the cafeteria and everyone began run. Taylor sat on the bench, put her elbows up on the table and wiped the blood off her lip with the palm of her hand.

I walked over to Dalta and put my hands on her cheeks. Her nose was cut and her lip was bloody. She could barely keep her head up. A smile spread across her face. She snickered, blood covering her smile. There were tears in her eyes. "So, I'm never leaving my room again."