46: I'll fight for you
1797 Words
As promised, you all know that story of a scorpion and a frog. Forgive my fuzzy memory but in that story, a river was full and the scorpion couldn't cross it yet the frog could. The only way for the scorpion to cross was on the frogs back. While the frog was well aware of the scorpions sting he was still willing to help him hoping that since he was helping the scorpion, he was wasn't going to sting him. Well, when they got in the middle of the river the scorpion stung the frog to death and guess what? They both drowned.
Probably not the same story you read but you know, literature with translation and stuff. Anyway, in this story you can already guess who Tina is and who Audrey is.
"Take some painkillers, and be careful don't fall hard next time" the school nurse directed.
"Thank you"
"I'll watch her, don't worry" Assured Audrey smiling through the lie, it had all of a sudden become more comfortable for her to lie without feeling like throwing up.
The two friends left the infirmary for class, you couldn't tell they were fighting minutes back and I know I might have told you something about Tina f*****g up but it was amazing to see them together, you shouldn't trust me anyway what do I know? Turns out not even a fight could separate them that easily, at least not then, after all it was their first fight and that friend who walks away from your friendship after a minor misunderstanding was never a friend in the first place. That my friend, was an enemy pretending to be a friend. So, what was Tina? A scorpion or a friend.
"Thank you for back there, I said a lot of things..."
Audrey interrupted, "You didn't mean to say them. Neither did I but we need to..."
"You're not going to let this go, aren't you?" Tina didn't hesitate to return the favor with her own interruption.
"No?"
"Why does it matter to you so much. You just met him the other day"
"I don't have to know you for years to actually care about you, just make it right. We both know you can"
"I'm not going to dig up snakes we can't kill..."
Audrey exhaled lazily, a sign that she had given up already. Tina looked at her sadly, they were a block away from her class, shame was waiting for her right behind the classroom door. Why couldn't they be on the same page? Her face lit up a little, Audrey raised her brow.
"What?"
"Nothing" she frowned again, "Let me go to class, handle whoever is coming right behind you"
She turned to confirm, it was Mason. When she turned back to face Tina she was gone already disappeared in thin air like she wasn't there. From that ex-con comment about Rose and the fact that they couldn't reach a common ground with Tina now she has to deal with her bottled up emotions towards the high school heartthrob who probably didn't care much about her.
"She went to class, how are you? You've been a naughty girl"
"Hi Mason, I'll get to naughty later, what are you doing here?"
"Looking for you"
"Seriously?" Was it even believable that he was going to miss class just to find her?
"Yeah, what happened in the girl’s washroom? Everyone is talking about you, they hate you even more"
"Including you?"
"No, their hate makes you look more appealing to me" Audrey blushed, "I'm sure you were standing up for the right thing as always, can we get somewhere to seat and talk"
"It's class time"
"The teachers are actually in a term break meeting so we have time"
"I should be studying then, how comes I don't believe you"
"Look around if you can see a teacher"
She did look around the school, there was no sign of teachers. What she witnessed was an equivalent of a polite student unrest, they were in coteries talking and laughing happily. It was hard to concentrate knowing the next day and a few more whole days they were not going to be in school.
"Okay, we can go to the library"
"Fine though I don't have any books on me and your brother told me something about you being a great tutor"
"Lucas said that about me?" Her eyes had bulged out in surprise almost knocking the glasses off her cute chubby face.
"Yeah, is it that surprising?"
"Let's just say he tops the list of people who hate me for no particular reason. That aside, you're buddies now? Why?"
"Boys thing you don't have to know"
"What can I do, I'm sure you have a price" she teased rolling her eyes.
Mason laughed so hard that she felt embarrassed for doing that. It wasn't her fault that she lost control of her muscles and rationality every time she inhaled his pheromones.
"That was hilarious, you are terrible at flirting. Don't do that again"
"At least I tried. Can we get going or that's all you wanted to say?"
"The deal is still on the table"
"What deal"
"You doing anything to know why Lucas and I are friends"
"I'm not interested, not anymore" she walked away with her bag pack, Mason followed her struggling to match her pace with that walking aid and a bandaged leg.
"Come on, can you slowdown"
"You know where am headed no need to catch up"
She kept walking away briskly, mason couldn't keep up. Not with a bad leg that was sending ripples of pain throughout his entire body. Audrey stopping for a moment to check on him was the cutest thing he had seen that day... really, not about the bet here and now welcome to Mason's conundrum. The lines were getting a little blurred.
"Come on, let's walk together" she helped him up, " I don't want to get more hate from everyone, they are already looking at me funny for exacerbating your injury"
"Is that the only reason you came back for me?"
"Yes" that was a strong yes right there, succinct.
"I think there's something else, you can't live without me"
"That’s the best pickup line you could come up with? You're overrated hotshot"
"ouch that heart" mason pretended to have a heartache and leaned on Audrey for support, that made her chuckle.
"You're such a big baby"
"I'm your baby"
"Not a chance"
"Give it to me"
"Enough jokes can we get going"
"Audrey, this is not a joke. I don’t regret anything about that kiss and for me that's a sign enough"
"Are those the pain meds talking, they must have given you an overdose"
"It's me. What can I do to prove it?"
Now, you can tell more about a person who wants to prove a point all the time instead of letting the involuntary actions do the talking. Audrey could too, while sober that is. At that moment she was confused and couldn't think straight while looking at his puppy eyes, they were so close to the library where there were not so many students but a few who were passing by could see everything.
"Don't do that to me"
"Do what?"
"Make me feel like we're in the same class, we have a chance and am a normal girl...,"
"You're a normal girl"
"Look at me Mason. I'm fat and ugly wearing terrible clothes, I don't know how to make my hair and nails or wear makeup and short dresses, I know nothing about s*x positions and fancy restaurants. You deserve better!"
"Then let me be your guide through that"
"I'm okay thanks"
"You're just comfortable, the fact that you know and say that out loud means you can be the best version of yourself and it's just yourself holding you back"
"Now you know everything about me huh?"
"Yes, I know you liked that kiss but you're pretending, because you're scared of what it means putting yourself out here" he held her arms and looked in her eyes, Audrey was already crying, everything was happening so fast and she thought she was sleeping. It was all a dream, the next minute she was going to wake up and prepare for school.
"No, this is not right. I shouldn't be feeling like this..."
"Let it go" he mumbled looking at her in the eyes, one would have thought he was an original vampire compelling a normal one in French quarter, "all the fear, all the what ifs and that terrible idea that you don't deserve the best because am the best there is for you out here and I'll fight for you till my last breath. I'll not be easy to push away"
Then in an act she didn't see coming, Mason got rid of her glasses, she was frozen right there as though her feet were cemented on the ground. He licked the tears of her face and she had never felt that kind of sensation that made goosebumps sprout all over her body after a tinkling sensation sent her skin into a crawling epileptic shock and muscle spasms.
"You don't have to say anything right now, take your time to think. And while you're at it, don't consider my past, that chapter is behind me now and I want to start a new one with you" he cupped her face and kissed her forehead, he didn't care who was watching. They took photos, others were left jaw-draped at that sight and he walked among them, limping really. Leaving a still frozen Audrey with fresh tears, she didn't know how to react until Ivy came to her rescue.
"What happened? What did he say to you?"
No answer. She turned to Mason.
"Hey asshole! Stop right there!"
Mason stopped. Ivy marched towards her aggressively.
"What the f**k did you do to her?" She grabbed him by the collar, Mason just stood there helpless, the crowd grew bigger.
"It shouldn't worry you"
"Well, it does. She is my friend"
"Ivy, let him be" Audrey finally found her feet. She wiped her tears with the sleeve of her beige sweater, "he hasn't done anything to me"
"But you're crying"
She smiled. That was weird, "Tears of joy, see you some other time...Mason"
Ivy looked at Mason, he winked and then at Audrey, she smiled. Confusing. But she believed Audrey and set him free. Readjusted his collar and flashed a friendly smile.
"You're lucky, false alarm"
"It's okay, I need a friend like you"
"When you're hers you're automatically mine" she winked, "good day handsome, next time let the sight of you be accompanied with a smile on her face"
"I'm trying"
"Try harder, let's go dear"
- Writer
