Rhythm of Love

Nora’s Point of View

I hadn’t bothered to leave my spot on the grass after Damien had driven off in a fit of rage. Instead, I’d sat down and let fresh salty tears slide down my cheeks. My skin felt like it had a layer of filth over it, and caused me to feel even worse than I already was. Maybe I should have run after him, chased him as he sped away even though such an act would have been in vain. Maybe I should have not told him, but I know he would have found out somehow. He would have tortured me for the information that he sought. As I thought about this, my body fell backwards and I closed my eyes as the breeze brushed my knotted hair. Moments later, a screeching sound woke me from my rest and I sat erect in fear as a car zoomed up next to me. On closer inspection, the first person to come into view was Eli smiling and seeing him made me start crying all over again. Not because he was hurt (and he wasn’t – he was totally fine) but because I remembered what Alex was yelling at me about. His grin morphed into a pained frown as he jumped out of the vehicle, revealing Xavier and his black eye. I screeched in shock and scurried away from the car, in hopes of escaping them. My eyes fell on Ivan, as he watched me sternly and I backed away further. Soon, Eli was directly next to me and Ivan and Xavier were exiting the car.

“Nora!” he shouted in shock, pushing through my disgusting blonde hair. “Are you okay? What happened – you look like someone through you in mud or something!” My eyes lowered to my mud-stained pants and torn shirt. Gulping down sobs, I rubbed at my eyes, which were probably at this point red and puffy. Eli grabbed my hands away just as Ivan and Xavier reached us and asked, “Nora, what’s going on? Why are you –”

“What the hell does Damien want with Alex?” I froze as the words left Ivan’s mouth. “He fricken barged into Conner’s house demanding to see him and when he didn’t, he gave Xavier a fucking black eye! And now, his chasing Alex to who-knows-where and I’ve been instructed to take you and Eli to the park but I have no idea why the hell I’m doing this!” He was seething with anger, while I cowered in fear beneath him. Words could not form on my lips, and those that could came out as incoherent mumbles. Frustration escalating, Ivan shouted, “Answer me, damn it!”

“I’m sorry!” I cried out, flopping to his feet. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Please don’t hurt me! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” To tell the truth, I wasn’t sure why I was apologizing. It was my reaction to anger, as if saying “I’m sorry” will solve every situation. My body curled as I sobbed at his feet and silence hung from the males around me.

God, I was such a mess.

After a minute or so passed, I fell silent under him besides my shaky breaths. Above me, I heard the two figures bend down and sit in front of me. They stared long and hard at my eyes, as if they were looking for an answer in them. As Ivan opened his mouth to say something, Xavier beat him to it.

“What did Alex do.”

It wasn’t a question, nor did he try to say it in the form of one. He knew something was up, whether Damien himself had said so or not. As he watched me, I blocked out the other two because at that moment, I felt I could trust him the most. He was in a weakened state like myself, confused and looking for answers. He continued to cup his left eye in pain as he watched me and I felt myself saying, “It’s…my fault.

“It’s because of me,” I continued, looking Xavier in the eye, “that Alex was kicked out of his house. That’s what he told me, at least. He said that I’m a curse to him and his family. That I never should have come back from France.” I gulped, lowering my eyes to the ground and shutting them. “That it’s all my fault.”



They let my change from my dirty clothing and put my hair in a bun before forcing my in the passenger seat of their car. None of them told me what the reason was, but I could only guess that it had to do with Damien and Alex. The car was filled with silence the whole ride there, for the combination of people was more than a bit unusual. Sure, Xavier and Ivan were friends, but separating them was their other friend’s younger brother and a troubled girl who at the moment was prone to sobbing uncontrollably. Not exactly a happy mixture. Not only that, but to avoid speaking with each other, Ivan put in the radio and I swear that very decision made my blood run cold. The first song to come on was, of course, How to Save a Life.

Please, God, please no deaths!

The direction we were headed in slowly became more and more familiar as time passed. Finally, my breath hitched and I founded myself wailing and begging to go home. “You don’t get it!” I cried out desperately. “This is where we were yesterday! I don’t want to go back!” However, the look on Ivan’s face said ‘too bad’ so I pursed my lips and sat back down with my arms crossed. Somehow, this gesture was going to keep me from letting fear and sadness reach my face.

When we reached the park, the first thing I noticed was the group of kids and their parents huddled on the side of the park we could see. Soon, Alex’s truck came into view, as did Conner and Beech. And…Cyn? “Oh my god, why does Conner have Cyn?!” I screeched. That was the straw that broke the camels back. Flinging the door open, I leapt out of the car with the males shouting after me and I ran straight for Cyn. She didn’t notice me until my arms were wrapped around her tiny waist. She stared at me for a moment before grinning. “Nora!”

“Cynthia, what are you doing here sweetie?” I glared up at Conner, who was eyeing the two of us before looking behind him. However, before she could answer, I heard another gasp in fear and saw Beech with wide eyes.

“Lex!” she screamed out, before darting in the direction opposite to where the other kids and their parents were. Before I could see where she was running, Cyn broke free from me and began running after her friend, also yelling.

Then I saw them.

And the blood.

Holy Jesus Christ, blood.

My eyes landed on the blood dripping down from Damien’s nose and then to the fresh blood spewing from Alex’s nose. Damien had a fist ready, position behind his head, to smash it into Alex’s nose for a second time. My mind reeled at the scene and, unconsciously, I felt myself scream out Damien’s name before he punched Alex again. They both turned their heads simultaneously to look at me, just as I was in a sprint, flying passed Cyn and Beech. Without thinking, I rammed myself into Damien and knocked the two of us over onto the grass. I squealed as my body erupted in pain, being the cushion to break Damien’s fall.

He stared at me, his anger and bloodlust still boiling, and was ready to ask me something but I stopped him. “Please…” I begged, resting my cheek on the cool earth. “Please stop, Damien.”