Colliding Hearts

Chapter 6 | Dead Men Walking

𝐍 𝐎 𝐀 𝐇 ' 𝐒   𝐏 𝐎 𝐕

Tense silence hangs over the air. The crack of my fist meeting Brooks' face is the last sound that surrounds the kitchen before the entire place falls silent. Brooks stumbles back, clutching his nose. His grimy hands finally off Ava, and as soon as she realizes she rushes towards me and I wrap my arms around her. Tucking her into my side while asking her if she's okay. My eyes travel over her and I see red finger marks on her shoulder, which is now bruising from his tight grip on her. I clench my jaw at the sight, before glaring at Brooks, who holds his bleeding nose and glares back at me.

People have stopped what they're doing and turn towards us, having heard and seen the punch I threw. The music has now stopped, and I turn my head, seeing the football team and hockey team pushing through the crowd to get to where we are, most likely having been told. Their eyes land on me and Ava before turning to Brooks and Aiden pushes to the front.

"Do we have a problem here?" Aiden asks, crossing his arms as Hannah and Sierra stand near him, their worried eyes on Ava. I look at Aiden before nodding down to Ava's shoulder, where his gaze lands on the finger marks. Understanding takes over his features. "Nose job suits you."

The smirk on Aiden's face annoys Brooks more. "Stay out of it, Mitchell. I wanted to get to know your journalist here."

Brooks once again reaches for Ava and before I can even pull her away, Aiden launches at him. Throwing a fist into his face, knowing him down on the ground. Aiden lands on top of him, both of them pummeling each other. Chaos breaks out as the hockey team tackles Aiden off Brooks to defend their captain, and that's all it takes for the football team to join in to defend Aiden. Cheers and shouts fill the space, as the surrounding people have now taken their phones out to record the brawl and cheer the fight on.

Moving my eyes off the chaos and to Ava. I motion for the girls to come get Ava, in which they immediately round the side of the counter that is safe and take her into their arms. Once Ava is safe, I jump into the fight. Hell, if one goes down, we all do. Punches are thrown, blood is spilled and guys from both sides lay down on the floor knocked out and injured. Mostly the drunker ones.

"BREAK IT UP NOW!"

A horn is blown and all of us are pulled off each other. Campus security rushes into the football house grabbing the players and keeping them detained. Escaping the grasps of campus security as they tend to the people still fighting, and the more banged up players I head over to Aiden who looks a little worse for wear as Sierra checks him over.

"EVERYONE WHO WASN'T IN THE FIGHT OR DOESN'T LIVE HERE HOME NOW!"

Everyone complains about the broken-up fight before people leave. Hearing the noise of more campus cars pull up, with more campus security. I check on some of the guys as I head over to Aiden and pat his shoulder. "You good man?"

"Yeah, I'm good. Go check on Ava. She left with Hannah and Sebastian."

"She left when the fight started, but you might catch up with her still," Sierra clarifies, and I nod gratefully. Pushing past the crowd of people making their way out of the football house. I head to the front and look both ways before taking off jogging in the direction of the football stadium parking lot. Rushing past the students that are hanging around, it doesn't take me long to catch up as Ava, Hannah and Sebastian come into view.

"Ava," I shout, and all three heads turn around as I slow down, reaching them. Ava says something to Hannah and Seb before they carry on walking leaving Ava and I. "Hey are you ok?" I ask, stopping in front of her resting my arm over my ribs.

"Am I okay? Noah, you look like crap," Ava's eyes widen, scanning my bloody face. I know I have a busted lip and a bruise forming, blood over my face, and my ribs are killing. Her hands reach up to my face, turning it to the side to see the damage.