Forbidden to Fall

Deception

Before his hands go any further, I push him as hard as I can. He steps forward again, I draw back my already clenched fist and swing.

Contact.

He is on the floor the moment my hand leaves his face, he didn't even see it coming. I walk away at a nomal pace. The rest of the boys run to aid him, except Pretty Boy, the only one I don't know by name. I know I broke his nose or knocked out a tooth or two because there's blood dripping down my hand, and it's not my blood. Whatever it was, I did some damage and now I'm the one who's amused. I can hear the boys arguing and fighting about how they should've handled the situation. Then there's an unfamiliar voice in the mix.

Pretty boy's voice. And I thought Trevor's voice was sexy...

"Good one guys. I can't say you didn't get what was coming." He laughs.

Why is he so perfect?

"We definitely fucked up."

"Damn she hits hard," Xavier says weakly.

"I don't regret anything,"

"She's one hell of a woman."

I glance over my shoulder and see Pretty boy. He isn't wasting time trying to help Xavier get on his feet like the others. He was following me. By the time I got to 4th block I found out why. He's in my Studio Art class. And better yet we have assigned seats; alphabetical order.

What comes after Rose? Cole Ryoma. Those pretty eyes have a name.

I can't focus at all while sitting next to him. Every time I glance in his direction he's staring back at me.

"You don't remeber me, do you?"

His question catches me off guard but I can't seem to remember him. I look at him and give a confused smile.

"I was in sixth grade. The science teacher- you know, the weird one with the crazy mustache? -He made me go up to the board. I was so confused and didn't understand anything. 

There were a couple of kids in the front making fun of me. Everyone laughed, except for one girl," he says in a low whisper.

He pauses and my brain starts working again. At my silence, he continues.

"And when I got back to my seat, that pretty girl handed-"

"You a note that said I would help you learn the material," I finish for him. Tre's smile was addicting but Cole's wins, hands down. He used to be loud and outgoing, but now he is totally different. His eyes weren't nearly as vibrant as they are now. He had moved at the end of 6th grade and I hadn't seen him since.

"I never got to thank you. I want to help you now," he says slowly.

"Help me with what?"

He lets out a short laugh and shakes his head and with a smile. It took me a minute to figure it out, then I remembered what happened before class.

"Oh, haha, very funny!"

He laughs again and for the last 10 minutes of class, explained the confrontation from earlier from his point of view.

"You looked so calm, unafraid, like all of it was normal for you. And you handled it like a badass..."

I didn't want to explain to him that I live with a drunken, abusive slob, of a dad.

Waiting for a response, he says with concern, " I remember one time you came in with a bruised cheek and wrist. You obviously lied about what happened."

Why does he care? His group of thugs just assaulted me and all he did was watch.

I look away, trying to hold back my emotions and the bell rings. I quickly stand up and rush to my locker. Suddenly, my back was once again forced against the wall.

Cole had his body pressed to mine, his hand cupping my cheek. I'm shocked at first, then I find my voice.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"You were the first person I've ever loved."

"You should stop."

"You are the only thing I care about."

Liar.

Before I can respond he kisses me. I want to push him away, I want to stop him. But I cling to him. It's like time stops. The world stops spinning just for us. I let him kiss me. When he pulls away, I know I'm red in the cheeks. Partly due to lack of oxygen and mainly due to the fact I'm embarrassed. People in the hallway stopped, some staring, some whispering, and all curious.

Cole puts his arm around my shoulders and starts to walk to the cafeteria. I don't do anything about it. It's like I can't control myself.

He doesn't talk, he is too busy staring down peering eyes.

"Who are you sitting with?" He asks as we get closer to the lunch room. I don't say anything. He smiles at my silence.

"Why don't you hang with me?"

"With you and the guys that harassed me earlier?"

He rubs the back of his head, "Sorry about that, I won't let it happen again..."

"Do I even have a choice?"

He shrugs and chuckles at the question.

God, I love that laugh...

"Fine."

His eyes light up, "good."

He escorts me to the table and I sit down. Right as I start to get comfortable, I hear a pig.