Secret Valentine

And that’s when I went for it.

I went straight for his nose, and it shifted. I winced at it, because it felt funny under my fist.

“What the fuck Jess that was my nose!” Hunter screamed.

“You want it come and get it.” My eyes narrowed with the threat. By now the guys and Maggie had surrounded the situation. Mr. Clementine was also watching us fight, or I should say watch as I beat Hunter up…

Hunter came at me, and I neatly dodged his attack. As I turned to face Hunter, I saw Travis’s face; it left a negative impression on my heart. The main message I got was that I wasn’t doing a good thing. Hunter came at me again, I dodged again, but this time I hopped onto his back. He fell flat to the floor.

“Take it back,” I said through my teeth, as I shoved his face onto the tiled floor.

“No,” he grunted as he tried to get me off of him.

“Take it back.”

“NO!”

I grabbed Hunter’s hair and started to pull it towards the floor. He screamed in pain, and by then his nose was pouring a fountain of blood. “TAKE IT FUCKING BACK!” I Yelled.

Hunter’s hand’s came down onto the floor. “OKAY! LET GO OF ME!”

“TAKE IT BACK!” I screamed at the top of my lungs.

“I’m sorry! You’re not a bitch, I just can’t stand to see you with him! You don't deserve him! —You’re not a bitch Jess I love you!”

And that was when I decided I had had enough. I started to get up from Hunter’s back, but he grabbed my leg and pulled me down to him. He sat up quickly, and forcefully brought his lips to mine. I tried to push him back, but I couldn’t, so I just lightly flicked his nose, he backed up.

“I don’t like you that way.” I said as I got up from him.

Hunter flopped down to the ground. Maggie took a few steps up to him. “YOU BASTARD!” She shouted, as she kicked Hunter in the groin.

“FFFUUUCCCKKK!”

“Don’t call me emo!” Maggie shouted.

“You fucking bitch!” Hunter screamed still holding his crotch.

“I’m sorry, what did you just call her?!” I asked and in the same instant Maggie asked in a high pitched voice. “I’m sorry, what did you just call ME?!?!”

“You heard me you bitches!” Hunter exclaimed.

“That’s it,” and once more I plunged to beat my boyfriends best friend up.

“JESSICA DIANE SYKES!” My dad shouted after the second battle started between me and Hunter.

Most of my friends had now gathered around to watch. Jackie had tried to pull me off of Hunter, and so had Travis; who was going to try again.

“Travis, if you want to keep your balls you better stay back!” I huffed. With the slightest distraction that Travis had provided Hunter he took advantage of it.

I was spun abruptly over onto my back. I saw my father’s face in the blur of faces. I was going to be in big shit from all of my parents. Definitely from two of them for sure, possibly three with Andy; if he decided to get involved, with his personality, he most likely would.

I punched Hunter in the nose again, this time his nose shifted, and cracked into more pieces with a satisfying crunch.

“Okay everyone go to your — get out of the school, or else you’ll all get detention!” Mr. Sykes threatened the surrounding crowd.

The mob of people started to clear, but Jackie, Tanya, Maggie, Travis, Danny, and Drew stayed behind; and obviously me and Hunter.

“Come on you guys back up.” My dad insisted. “Richard, you can go, I’ve got this handled.” The glare from Mr. Clementine’s shoes left almost instantly. “Travis get a hold of my daughter.”

Hunter then threw another punch at my face, I successfully dodged it. I was surprised with the amount of force that he used; I guess he must’ve really wanted to hurt me. His hand pulled back, covered in blood now. He barred his teeth, as he went to punch me in the face again. This time… He got me in the eye.

I gritted my teeth, and kneed him in the stomach, and then suddenly his weight was taken off of me. I felt someone grip their hands around my arms, and lift me up.

“LEMME AT ‘IM!” I screamed, as I attempted to defy the restraint around my arms. “LET ME FUCKING AT HIM!” My voice hitched, “Lemme at him.” My voice cracked and hitched. “Let me at him.” By then I was crying, and Hunter’s face turned into a blood blur. I stopped tugging away from Travis, instead I turned into him for a hug.

“Hunter are you okay?” My dad asked.

“I’m going,” was all he said, from the corner of my blurry tear filled eyes I saw him leave.

“Jessica, shh it’s okay.” Travis soothed.

I pulled back from him. “No it’s not!” I slapped him gently on the chest, and then my father’s large hands gripped the top of my shoulders and ripped me away from him. “Daddy let me go!”

“No Jess,” he turned me around.

“Ah just fucking suspend me dad, it’s the best.” I said in a broken sob.

“Who started—,”

“I did, — I already told you!”

“Jess, I’m not going to suspend you.” His eyes were filled deep with concern for me his only child (so far…).

“Do it Dad, — it’s for the best.”

Then randomly Maggie started to hum Whoa... I glared at her. “What! — Those were basically the lyrics!”

I rolled my eyes, and diverted my attention to my father, who still was torn up. “Dad, if I were someone else and not your daughter… You would suspend me, no doubt.”

He nodded. “Okay, but just to make me feel better… In school suspension,”

“Dad, like come on!” My eyes narrowed.

“Hunter is getting it too, and you’ll both talk to Ms. Donovan.”

“Oh come on!” Ms. Donovan spelt like mint, and cats. She was the guidance counsellor.

Jackie stared me down. “I think she should be suspended.”

I smiled at her, she was one of my best friends, and I knew she absolutely loved Hunter. “Join the club Jackie!”

She rolled her eyes and attempted to keep a straight face, but she failed. Her face fell and she walked over to Danny and rested her chin on his shoulder.

I struggled against my father’s restraint when I realized that I wanted Travis to hold me. He let me go after the third tug. I ran into Travis, and started to cry again. I felt Travis’s lips kiss the top of my head.

“Okay, you might as well all go home now.” My Dad stated and then left for his office; and that’s when I burst.

“You guys I’m soo sorry!” I managed to choke through my heart-wrenched sobs. Travis’s arms gripped around me tighter, and he started to rock me back and forth.

“Let’s go Juliet,” He started to walk away with me still in his arms.

“Wait,” I shrieked, and Travis let go of me. “Drew I’m soo sorry!” I threw my arms around him.

“It’s okay Juliet, — he deserved it.” I whimpered in an attempt to argue.

Maggie piped up then. “He so did! Like COME ON!”

“I totally disagree!” Jackie butted in.

“Yea well, did he forcefully plant his lips on yours?” I left Drew and decided to get up in Jackie’s face.

“Well I wouldn’t mind it if he did!”

“See you guys later.” Tanya said quietly and snuck off.

“You know what Jackie!” I said through my teeth. “Me and Travis are together, does that make sense now?”

Her face fell. “Oh,”

“Yea, now how would you feel?” Travis lightly tugged on my hand, pulling me closer to him.

“Let’s go home Jess.” Travis started leading me away from everyone.

“Okay,” I whispered. I started to walk with him to my locker. “Do you hate me? — Are you mad at me?” I asked too fast to leave him an opportunity to answer.

“Jess,” he grabbed my shoulders and turned him towards me, as I was facing into my locker. “I could never hate you.” He stroked my hair back from my face. Fresh tears were produced in my eyes. He instantly pulled me into his arms. “Shh, it’s okay.” His pulse quickened, as he released his arms from around me and cupped my face. I knew what was going on, and the tears welled up in my eyes; a tear fell from my eye, and he kissed it to wipe it from my face; and his lips traveled over to my ear. “I love you Jessica.”

More tears; I slung my arms around his neck. “Awh Travis,” I choked out. “I love you.”

And that’s when he kissed me.