LAW OF ATTRACTION

CHAPTER 24 : KNOCKED OUT

Our stare doesn't last long though. It's broken when a fist hits Alex's face, making him fall down. My breath gets caught in my throat and my heart stops as if I had felt the punch in my chest.

The drunk pervert, who still stops me from moving, leans slightly on the side, blocking me the view. An incredible strength takes over me. I forget the paralyzing fear; it's replaced by the terrible fright for Alex. He's the only one in my thoughts, and in all my body, which is surely why I easily apply what he's taught me. I get out of the jerk's hold, twisting his wrist and kicking him hard in the stomach – even though I would have gladly kicked him in a more sensitive part, but I don't have time to aim correctly.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see him bent double as I'm already rushing to the center of the crowd, pushing everyone on my way.

First, I recognize Dylan crouched down, and quickly a lying figure comes into my sight, making my rush even more determined.

It's barely a few feet away, but I'm not breathing until I meet Alex's eyes. He's leaning on his elbows and straightens up a little when he sees me. I breathe again, a puff of relief coming to my lungs. I swoop down on him, throwing my arms around him and almost making him fall backward. But he immediately wraps his arms tight around me, engulfing me in warmth while my heart is still frozen in worry inside.

"Are you alright?" I pull away to check his bloody face, the beads of sweat mixed with the drops of blood running down.

He is holding a tissue over his left cheek, the white paper becoming redder and redder, and it makes me turn paler.

"Yeah, and you?" His hand grabs softly my chin, and I find back the worry and anger in his penetrating eyes as he observes me carefully.

"Yeah, don't worry! You're the one covered in–" I don't get to finish my sentence; Josh appears with an ice bag.

"Here the ice!" he announces, replacing the now red tissue with the ice bag on Alex's cheek, where I can catch sight of a big purple mark under his left eye that makes my throat tighten around a lump of worry.

"Hey! You came finally?!" Josh exclaims, noticing my presence.

"Yeah, and I would like to know why?!" Alex asks, his dark inquisitive look going back and forth between Josh and me.

HONK HONK

A foghorn resonates, and a big, bearded man comes up next to us. "Round three or you forfeit?"

"In your dreams!" Josh smirks.

"Give me two minutes," Alex adds, his eyes, dark with anger, glaring at the man who just silently nods before walking away.

"So, you two didn't answer my question?" Alex focuses back on Josh and me as he gets up slowly.

"We'll explain to you later. Now you have other things to worry about," I reply, glancing behind at his opponent, a tall bulky guy.

I look back at Alex, swallowing the throbbing lump in my throat.

"Are you sure you're okay?" My voice is wavering when he removes the ice bag from his cheeks, letting the swollen bruise appear clearly under his dark eyes, and I'm pleading him with mine to give up.

But he just offers me a wide smirk, which let me guess his over-confident answer. "Yeah, don't worry! I'm gonna knock this bastard out!"

He grabs my hand and leaves a feather peck on my lips, the sweetness soothing me more than any word.