Fallen

Chapter 28. Time to leave [Caleb]

To say seeing the blonde girl kiss M ruined my night might be an exaggeration. Instead, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. But the thing that follows after the kiss, well, that sure did ruin my night.

Everything happens so quickly. Giving me no time to react, to point it out.

Suddenly there's an angry scowl, red face, and nostrils flaring. Then comes the fist, flying through the air, and it connects directly to M's face.

The girl cries out in shock. Her hands go up to cover her mouth and the surprised look on her face.

I rush over to M's side as he tips back from the force of the blow. I do my best to support his weight so that he doesn't fall on his back.

"What was that for?" I spit out at the offender angrily.

He's almost the same size as M. Although he looks nothing alike with his blonde hair and sportsman's jacket. He's bigger, broodier, and someone I usually keep myself far away from at school.

"No one touches my girlfriend!" The guy screams out, pointing accusingly at M.

There's a crowd forming around us. Some people start encouraging a fight to break out.

I don't know what comes over me, but the fear that I'd 'normally' feel from standing up to someone like him is gone. Instead, I walk up to him. Chest puffed out, trying to look as intimidating as possible. Which is not a lot considering my lack of height compared to him.

"Now, move your scrawny ass so he can get what's coming for him," The guy pokes me in the chest with his finger.

I raise my chin, ready to talk back. To be the barrier between him and M and probably the next punching bag. But M beats me to it.

"I did not touch your lover," He says, cradling his probably very sore jaw. "She came onto me."

The guy chuckles evilly.

"Am I supposed to believe that?" He grits his teeth, knuckles turning white. "I have eyes, you know."

"Maybe you should use them," M says. I have no idea where all of this is coming from. It might be all the alcohol finally reaching his brain. Muddling his decisions, making poor ones for him.

I see the deadly glare switch on in the guy's eyes. He pushes me back, and I lose my footing, tumbling to the ground and landing flat on my butt.

Everything happens almost in slow motion after that, straight out of the movies.

The guy stomps over to M. Boots, almost indenting the grass beneath his feet. He's preparing to strike again. But before he can do so, the blonde girl interrupts with her hands up in the air to stop him.

"James, please," She begs, standing between the guy and M. "Let's just go."

The guy, James, shakes his head. Refusing to stomp down.

"Not before I kick his ass," He spits out.

"You promised you wouldn't create any trouble," She says. "You promised your dad, remember?"

That seems to reach something inside this 'James' guy. He backs down. The girl sighs in relief and takes the guy by the hand. Leading them out of the circle of people and disappearing inside the house again.

When I look around, everyone is staring at us.

"The entertainment is done for tonight," I say, waving the strangers off. "Nothing to see here any more."

I go over to M.

"What was that all about?" I huff out angrily, dragging him away from intruding eyes. "And where the hell is your shirt?"

We stop a bit further away from prying eyes in the corner of the garden.

When I look at M, there's a small trail of blood on his bottom lip. He licks it away with his tongue as he stares down at me with droopy eyes and a sly smirk. He shrugs.

"It got warm," He replies. "Julie helped me take it off."

"You know where it is?" I ask him, resting my face in my palms.

When I look up, M shakes his head at me with an apologetic look on his face. I don't know how to feel. In a way, I'm happy that nothing 'seriously bad happened to M, but blood is still pumping wildly through my veins. And it's only now that my heartbeat is slowing down.

He can't just disappear like that. We already had this fight before.

"Julie is the blonde girl?" I ask. "The one who had her tongue down your throat." There's a hint of jealousy in my voice. I ignore it.

M nods.

"That's it," I say. "We're going home."

M doesn't resist. He just follows me as I huffing and puffingly leave the house. Trying to keep up with my brisk pace.

When I reach the curb, M follows in line with me. His shoulder bumps into mine.

"I'm sorry," He breaks the silence. I roll my eyes. I feel like I'm at least allowed to be a little mad at him.

"I thought I told you to wait for me," I reply.

"Yes, you did," He starts. "But Julie came over to me, and she introduced me to her friends and asked me to join them in this game of pong."

I start to walk faster, not replying to M. I really just want to get home and sleep. Sleep fixes all my problems. At least it sometimes feels like it.

The park comes into view, a familiar place. Soon I will be home. Laying in my comfortably soft bed. And M will get to sleep on the couch.

"Caleb, wait up," M is a bit further behind, struggling to keep up. But I keep walking. I'm in a grim mood.

"Caleb, I don't feel well," He says.

I proceed to ignore him until I hear a loud thud. I turn around to see M. He lies on the tall grass of the park. Wings spread out beneath him.

I hurry to his side, falling down on my knees and cradling his face in my hands. "M, you okay?" I ask frantically.

He's not replying, so I smack his cheek a few times, lightly.

Guilt finally takes hold of me. It consumes me. It's my fault M's here in the first place. He doesn't deserve to be treated like this just because I'm in a mood. Throwing a fit because of my stupid jealousy. Jealousy I can't explain, or that I might just not want to accept.

I should have never taken him to the stupid party. I can see how the mark on his cheek is turning from an ugly red to a dark purple. He got hurt because of me. What is all this talk about protecting me if I can't even be there to protect him?

M groans awake, and I fall back. A relieved breath makes its way out of my lungs.

"You're okay," I brush the hair matted to his forehead away. "You're fine." It's more a confirmation than a question.

"I feel so much better now," He says out of breath.

"Can you walk?" I ask him, helping him stand up.

"I think I might need to sit down again," M points over at a nearby bench.

I nod my head. Throwing his arm around my shoulder to support him as we slowly walk over to the bench. I'm already preparing for a long night.