Catch Me

Chapter Thirty-Five: When I Kiss You

Chapter Thirty-Five: When I Kiss You

Justin straddled Zander's body as his fist collided with Zander's face over and over again. Zander tried his best to block each punch, but Justin was strong, and Zander was quickly losing consciousness.

Haleigh cried as she pushed herself up off the ground. She couldn't bear to watch this anymore. She screamed as she threw her body onto Justin's back, her fingernails dug forcefully into the sides of his face. Justin staggered backward freeing Zander as he attempted to pry Haleigh off of his back. Haleigh was soon thrown to the ground once more, but she had successfully distracted Justin long enough for Zander to regain some strength and get to his feet. Without thinking, Zander threw all of his strength into this punch, his fist collided with Justin's face once again. Justin stumbled to the ground, dazed. Angry, Zander kicked Justin's stomach which caused Justin to empty the contents of his stomach onto the sidewalk.

Zander knelt down, getting close to Justin's face, he had the collar of Justin's jacket bunched up in his shaking, split, bloody fist.

"Go near her again and I'll make you wish you'd never been born." Zander spat at Justin. Zander released his grip from Justin's collar. Beneath the cuts, bruises, and blood Haleigh could still see the angry expression that occupied Zander's face. "Got it?" Justin nodded before he managed to get to his feet. He walked slowly out of view and Haleigh let out a sigh of relief.

"Are you okay?" Zander walked over to Haleigh and offered her his hand. She took it and he helped her to her feet. She limped slightly. She wasn't sure how but she had somehow managed to twist her ankle when she had been shoved to the ground.

"Come on, let's get you upstairs."

"Zander, this doesn't change anything." Haleigh winced as she tried to walk.

"I know." He agreed, though he wanted nothing more than to bring her upstairs and hold her all night long. He wanted to tell her over and over again that he loved her. Mostly he wanted her to forgive him for everything that had happened tonight.

"It's late, and we should call campus security." Zander tried to reason with her. She finally agreed and the pair walked together toward Zander's apartment. Haleigh limped as they walked.

Haleigh sat comfortably on Zander's unmade bed. She watched as Zander was on the phone with campus security. He was sitting in his desk chair while he told the security guard what had just happened.

"Yeah, his name is Justin Cromwell." He rolled his eyes, obviously frustrated with the person he was talking to. "He attacked my gir-." He stopped himself quickly. "He attacked my friend... yeah... okay." With that Zander hung up his phone.

"They are going to need to see us first thing in the morning." Zander explained. He placed his phone on his desk as he looked Haleigh in the eyes. Her bright blue eyes were so intense he had to look away.

"Thank you." Haleigh let out a sigh, and her whole body seemed to relax. Zander shrugged as he made his way over to his bed, he lay down on the opposite side from where Haleigh sat, allowing her to have plenty of space. "You're always saving me."

Silence filled the air and Haleigh leaned back on the pillows, she tilted her head to the right so that she was face to face with Zander. He looked awful. His left eye was almost completely swollen shut. It was so discolored it looked as if he had purple eyeshadow on. Cuts covered a majority of his face from where the knuckles of Justin had pierced his skin.

"You look awful." Haleigh pointed out. 

"You look beautiful." Zander countered. "You always look beautiful."