Loving the Fighter

112

Carter's POV

Too many things rushed into my head as I pushed Jax back onto the couch.

The most important thing that I realized was the fact that this was officially our last strike. If I fought back I would for sure go to jail. At least if I just laid here I could argue the fact that I wasn't the violent one.

With that in mind, I lay there on the dirty cafeteria floor, while at least three people began kicking me.

My back seemed to the main target. Every kick touched a scar; making the whole thing about five times worse.

I vaguely saw a few people holding Callum and Liam back but I don't know where Ryder had gone off to.

Everything in me screamed to fight back. I wanted to protect the body but the best way to do that now was to let them go.

I curled up into a ball as a crowd forms. People are yelling but I can't tell if they are yelling at us to keep going or to make us stop. My hands dig into my ears just so I have something to hang onto; it did little to keep the yelling from reaching me.

Callum is yelling at me to fight back as he tries to pull away from at least two guys. Liam is doing the same thing while also trying to convince someone to help.

I force myself to bite back the pained sounds that threatened to spill out of my mouth by biting my lip until I'm sure my lip is bleeding.

It was too loud in here. There was too much pain. There was too much fighting. I didn't want to be here anymore.

My mind slows down as the pain eventually becomes less and less. Flashes of Jax's dad beating me went through my mind.

Jax's dad with a knife, Jax's dad with a well-placed fist, Jax's dad letting his friends have a turn.

I try to keep us grounded but the flashes make it almost impossible. I'm only thankful that Jax doesn't try to fight me for the body, I'm not sure I could handle fighting both him and the other guys off at the same time.

"Carter," an all too familiar voice said. The voice drifted through the daze just enough for me to realize that I was no longer being kicked. I force myself to look up from my ball just enough to see what was happening.

Liam, Callum, and Ryder stood around me while Patrick was leaning in front of my face. A frown covering all of their faces as they looked down at me with pity.

The other guys were long gone now, which was all I needed to force myself out of the ball, choosing to lay flat on my back. I try not to wince too bad when my bruised shoulders dig into the floor.

"How are you feeling," he asked a bit too gently for my liking.

"Like I was just kicked a lot."

Liam huffed out a sigh while the Ryder and Callum looked like they couldn't decide if they should be relived or worried.

"Does this mean I have to go to jail now," I asked with a small frown. Patrick scowled at my words, his head already shaking.

"No. You did good. Do you want to stand up?"

"Not really," I admitted as but force myself off the ground anyway. Callum was by my side in an instant, helping me up with one hand while his other hand rested on my back.

'You doing okay back there?' I asked Jax when I realized I couldn't feel him. When he doesn't answer I can't help but fight back a groan.

"I want to go to the cabin now," I say but before anyone could answer I'm already limping away.