Cheap Shots

00:24

UNEDITED

24.

Fury.

Red blinded my vision along with undeniable anger, while my hands were clenched tightly into fists that prevented my fingers from shaking with rage.

I walked quickly into school Tuesday morning, searching the narrow halls for a sign of Georgia. Not stopping for Lauren's call, I stormed past her, directing myself towards Georgia's usual pre-school post up spot on one of the railings.

I finally spotted her, her soccer shirt and sweatpants, leaning against a railing and talking to a girl in her clique.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" I snapped angrily, as I got closer.

She looked up and abruptly stopped talking as she raised an eyebrow in my direction. Her eyes were glittering with mischief as she smiled slyly at me. "I have no idea what you're talking about," she said, her voice high and innocent.

I didn't ask any more questions, my fury overpowering me as I brought my fist back and hit her right in the cheekbone.

She cried out in pain as her head whipped back, and she quickly stood to face me as she realized that I just hit her.

"You bitch!"

I smirked. "Did that hurt?" I taunted her, frowning a little in fake sympathy.

Her hand whipped out and slapped me in the face, the slight stinging probably nothing compared to the swelling already happening on her cheek. "That all you got?" I taunted again.

As she reached out, I quickly tried to side step her hit, but her fingers grazed the top of my head.

I felt eyes on me as I tried to hit her again, my fist only half coming in contact with her face.

She screeched again and quickly kicked my fractured foot, and I bit my tongue hard to stop the cry from coming out.

I felt the metallic taste of blood in my mouth as my tongue and foot throbbed, and she let out a satisfied noise as she saw my wince. I tried to punch her again, but she moved out of the way, and I ended up hitting the cement wall behind her.

"Orion, what are you doing?" I heard a female voice yell from off to my right as I tried to swing at Georgia again.

I didn't answer. I wouldn't be able too, even if I wanted, I was too obsessed with the idea of hurting Georgia the way she hurt me.

I wanted revenge.

Georgia got another hit at my side, near my bruised rib, and this time I couldn't stop the gasp from escaping my lips. I shoved her back with both my hands, and she stumbled into the railing, her back bending over slightly.

I landed a hit on her face again, using the fact that she was off-balanced to my advantage, and I was about to go in for another when I felt strong arms around my arms and holding me at the waist.

"Get off me," I said as Georgia quickly scampered away from my wrath.

"You're only hurting yourself," Beckett said from behind me. "You did get a few nice hits in, though," he told me quietly. "But you need to stop. Now."

"You don't know what she did to me!" I protested, even angrier now that Georgia wasn't anywhere to be seen.

"Sean told me! Okay, Orion, he told me." Beckett said quickly, "I didn't want to listen but he told me anyway, and I know."

I stopped struggling in his arms as a monitor started yelling at the crowd to disperse, pushing through the mob of teenagers to get to Beckett and I.

"Orion Smith!" A voice yelled loudly, and I snapped my head up to come face to face with our principal. "My office. Now."

I wasn't going to bother trying to defend myself against the accusations that were no doubt going to be thrown my way. Why would I defend myself against something that I had no regret doing?

"You do realize why you're here," the principal said to me as I took a seat across from her.

"I do." I said plainly, my eyes wandering around the spacious room.

"Why are you causing problems lately? Do you know how many incidents I've heard your name in these past few weeks, Orion? What's going on?"

She sighed, running her hands through her hair and circling her temples briefly before looking at me expectantly.

"Quite a few, I'm guessing."

"More than a few! Orion, you were in an accident, assaulted, made a girl cry in the hallway, caused a ruckus in your first period class that same day, and now you're instigating fights with other students! Why would you ever lay a hand on another student? That's not how we go about our difficulties at this school.

"This is not acceptable behavior by any means, and I have no choice but to suspend you."

I couldn't think of a response for that. All of it was true.

I wasn't going to offer up the information and say my reasoning for attacking the bitch; she probably wouldn't believe me anyway.

"How long will my suspension be?" I asked her instead.

"Five day long suspension for your offenses. I'll be calling your guardian to pick you up, sit in that chair until I return."

I nodded, leaning back in said chair and closing my eyes.

I knew I got five-day suspension, but punching her felt so good. I should take up boxing.

***
"What were you thinking?" My mother questioned me, her eyes wide, anger striking her face.

"I wasn't. What were you thinking when you picked up Matt?" I challenged bitterly.

A heavy sigh escaped her lips and her shoulders slumped in defeat. "I never did," she told me quietly, her sad eyes meeting mine. "On the drive over I realized how right you were, and that I shouldn't have acted like everything was okay, because it really wasn't. It's not. I'm just sorry it took me so long to figure that out, Orion."

"Really?"

"Yeah," she said, glassy eyed, "Really."

I swallowed back the lump in my throat, taking a tentative step closer to my mother and wrapping my arms around her small shoulders tightly. "I'm so sorry, too. I shouldn't have acted like such a bitch."

She sniffled and let out a small choking sound, her back shaking as she cried onto my shoulder. "I shouldn't have iced you out like that," she wept. "I'm your mother, I love you, I'm sorry."

"I love you too, mom." I told her, finally letting my wall crumble, my emotions pour out.

I cried.

Orion, the tough girl who liked to stand up for herself, who was ashamed to look weak in front of people, cried.

And the scary part was that I wasn't the least bit upset about it.

If I was proud of myself for beating up Georgia, I couldn't have been prouder of myself now. For letting go of a grudge, for letting my walls slowly break in front of my mother, putting my heart out there in a way only unconditional love could.

You were too strong for too long.

"Everything will be alright." She soothed, no longer crying herself, but rubbing my back in comforting circles as I did.

I just sobbed harder, my heart speaking where my mouth couldn't.