Bad Timing

Ventitré

I was expecting to return to school Monday morning with a huge smile on my face once I saw Noah.

However, it was quite the opposite. When I saw Noah, my smile faltered. Everything in my body went ice cold when the scene in front of me unfolded before my very own eyes.

My mouth flew open in stun when I saw Callum and Noah swinging their fists at each other. Because it was still early, only a few students surrounded them as they fought. Cell phones recorded the fight, some kids were encouraging the fight, and Paige was desperately trying to pull Callum off of Noah without getting hurt.

“You fucking asshole!” Noah yelled at him, punching Callum in the face repeatedly.

Callum tried his best to regain dominance over this fight. “Fuck you.”

I felt like my eyes were deceiving me. I couldn’t believe that Noah and Callum – who were a lot like brothers – were going at each other in a fist fight. Whatever they were fighting about, I knew I had to stop it before one of them gets severely hurt.

I rushed over and pushed a few students out of the way. Grabbing onto Noah’s arm, I tried to pull him off of Callum. Callum accidently swung at me, punching me in the arm. I groaned in pain, causing Noah to get up and comply with my orders.

My eyes flew to the blood dripping from his nose and his disheveled hair and clothes. Noah looked enraged. Callum eventually stood up next to Paige. He looked at me apologetically, but never got the chance to voice his apology.

“Dude, what the fuck! You hurt Emma!” Noah yelled at him, pushing me behind him.

“Noah, it was an accident – “ I started.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you, Ems. I’m sorry,” Callum said to me before turning back to Noah with anger.

Noah shook his head vigorously. His whole body seemed to shake as he lost control of his anger. “Don’t fucking talk to her!”

I placed my hands on his shoulders. “Noah, calm down.”

“What? No! I won’t calm down! How can you choose his side?”

“I’m not choosing his side!” I cried. “I don’t even know what the hell is going on!”

“He’s a backstabbing bitch who fucking lied to me!” Noah shouted, sounding as if he was about to cry. His hands tugged at his hair angrily.

“What is going on here?” a school authority bellowed as he ran down the hallway towards us. A few of the scared students coward away. The school authority eyed us in annoyance and took Noah and Callum by the collar. “Let’s go. All of you! Even you two, girls! Everybody, get to class or you will all be given detention for skipping!”

The school authority led us to the office. Principal Leroy was in a meeting with a few parents who were concerned over the weird meat served at lunch yesterday that was more green than the moss on a tree. Callum and Noah sat as far away as possible from each other, refusing to look or talk to each other.