The fight ended as soon as it started. Fight? Yeah, let's call it that—though it felt more like watching a drunken father stumble home to discipline his unruly kids, all one-sided fury and no real resistance.
Maxwell tossed the pipe onto the ground with a casual flick, then pulled a napkin from his pocket to wipe his wrists, where specks of blood had splattered like errant paint. He strode out of the alley, heading straight toward where I was hiding and where the girl from earlier stood watching. Suddenly, she bolted forward as fast as her legs could carry her.
WHAM!
She dove headfirst into his embrace, clinging tight while fighting back her tears . "Thank... you," she whispered, her voice breaking.
To be honest, I was pissed—seething, really. I'd risked my neck trying to save her, but okay, Where the hell was my hug?
Though, given I didn't really do much.But it was the thought that counts right? . Still, I had to admit: it played out like a scene from a princess movie,
The kind where the brooding hero rescues the damsel and they ride off into a happily-ever-after sunset. Maxwell, caught off guard, stood frozen for a beat, not yet returning the hug.
"I didn't do anything special, you know," he murmured. "Sometimes scum just needs to be dealt with. It's like an infection—you beat the crap out of it until it can't grow back."
She squeezed him tighter. "Thank you so much... but why? Why did you do that?"
"Uh?" Maxwell blinked in surprise—me and him both
What the hell did she just say? I thought
"You think if I wanted saving, I wouldn't have called the police? Or the teachers? Why wait for some tall blonde guy to save me? I wasn't even complaining, you know?"
" Most girls will be happy when this sort of things happens to them" he said smiling
" I won't praise you for doing something you weren't asked to do" she retorted
Maxwell cracked a smile. "Then why the hell are you hugging me?"
"Because... I don't know. But it felt good, what you did to them."
"What kind of lame-ass reason is that?" he chuckled,
She pulled back at last, sniffling as she wiped her tears and adjusted her glasses. Then she walked toward my hiding spot, with Maxwell leading the way.
"Yo, Fred—did you catch that? How cool was I? Bam, bam, bam—they didn't even see it coming. Like a vigilante, preferably the Dark Knight himself."
I just stared at him. Did he really find this funny? Looking back, though, I get it—he was just trying to lighten the mood, make me feel less like a bystander. He nodded, stepping aside.
"Meet Emily."
The moment those words left his mouth
Immediately, her face changed, it was.... utter embarrassment,if she'd known I was watching the whole thing unfold, she would have probably held back her emotions. I bet she wished she could open the ground and just become one with mother Earth.
Back in class, my first impression of her was those girls who get mocked for being nerds but don't really care what other think about her the regal air that surrounds her must have been the catalyst of why I fell so quickly for her.
But the truth was...I never blamed her for doing what she did, I just wished she knew that.
It was either her dignity or moms life ,very uneven trades if u ask me, humans hold on dearly to things they call
reputation,money and power, and yet all this was given to them by other people just like them.
The so called reputation can be shattered faster than u can imagine,by just a few negative words
My favourite super hero, the dark knight, said something in a series I watched while I was a little younger:
"Do u know what the world loves more than to see a hero rise?,is to see one fall".)
"Emily, this is Fred."
"Nice to meet you," I said, extending a hand. "But it's actually Frederick."
She shook it firmly. "You were the one who tripped the Baron in class and almost got yourself hospitalized."she said her slightly flushed face be coming normal again.
Ouch—that's a harsh way to put it, I thought, but I forced a laugh. "Yeah, I know. Stupid move."
"Yes, it was," she agreed bluntly, "but thank you for the gesture."
She turned to leave, then paused and glanced back. "But don't be a hero—people like us aren't cut out for it." Her smile returned, there it was again, that face with so much pain, that smile wreathed in agony, it looked more painful upfront.
Then she was gone.
"People like us" .
That word kept ringing in my ears..
(Back to reality)
"So... she fell for the hot blonde guy," Peter said with a smirk. "Women—typical."
"Of course she should," Mia shot back. "Frederick only stepped in because she was cute and he was all mixed up emotionally. Maxwell? He was clear headed when he did all that.
"Just because Frederick couldn't pull off what Maxwell did, he's not fit to have her?"
"'Have her'? She's not some prize, Peter."
"You know what I mean, Mia," he grumbled.
"Whatever. I hope she does fall for Maxwell."
Suddenly, the door to their room swung open.
"Peter, Mia—what the hell are you two doing? I've been calling you for ages!"
Their mom stood in the doorway, barely stepping inside, her face flushed with mild irritation.