Alexandreta knew something was wrong the moment Be took her wrist. He was a jerk, and mean to her often, but he had never once actually touched her. Hit the locker above her shoulder yes, but even brush against a lock of her hair? No. She had actually caught sight of him slamming one of his friends into a cement wall after an event where she had been snatched by her waist and yanked back out of the classroom to be playfully - as the friend claimed - harassed into giving up her homework for copies.
He was a bully, but something was just so wrong about this entire situation of him practically dragging her into the dark gap between the gym and the main school building.
"U-uhm," she stammered, "B.. Baldwin?"
"Your boyfriend's just down here," he replied, but his hand was shaking even in its tight grip. "Said he needed you."
"Karate? But-"
"Look," Be said, shaking his head furiously, "he's my cousin so I do stuff for him."
Alexandreta felt the heel of her boot catch on crack in the pavement, and she fell forward and down, punctuated by a startled yelp. Be's arm wrapped under her stomach, his hand splayed against her back to keep her from having an unpleasant meeting with the cement. His entire arm was trembling from the tension his muscles were in, and his fingers began to dig into her back uncomfortably. She heard him let out a deep breath before he hefted her up, ignoring the shriek she gave, and pinned her to the brick wall of the gym.
"Bal-" Alexdreta's screech was quickly muffled under his hand. She closed her eyes tight, pushing her fists into his shoulders as hard as she could even though he didn't budge. She kicked, but he had her legs pinned apart, and one hand curled under her knee to lift it higher.
Alexandreta's brain ceased to function properly, it only broadcast to every nerve in her body to commence fight-flight reflexes. When her struggle failed to work, instead it activated a panic attack, seizing her breath and making her head ache. Her muscles tensed and shook as she felt Be place his head against her neck, his lips hovering just over the soft skin of her neck. His breath felt painfully hot.
"You fucking bastard!"
Alexandreta's ass hit the ground as all of her senses reeled back into alignment, her chest heaving as she forced away the tears and shock. That had been Karate's voice, and now she saw him holding Be's shirt clenched tightly in his hand, the other balled into a fist.
Be said nothing.
"Huh? What did you say!" Karate bellowed, throwing his fist forward and landing a solid right hook on Be's cheekbone.
Be crumbled back against the wall and blocked the next punch, barely, before kneeing Karate in the ribs and then kicking him away.
Alexandreta jumped to her feet in a rush of adrenaline and waving her hands.
"Stop it!" she yelled, trying to push Karate away from Be and shoo Be away.
Karate shoved her to the ground and sent an upper cut right into Be's jaw, knocking him back into the wall where he sank down against it, his head bowed.
"Alexi, are you okay?" Karate asked, in a tender voice that made Alexandreta flinch. It wasn't right, it was... razor edged. "Come on let's get you some place safe." He grabbed her wrist and yanked her to her feet, then surrounded her waist with his arm and pushed her toward the exit of the alley.
Alexandreta felt her stomach trying to rebel against the natural flow of digestion, wanting to evacuate her lunch in the fastest method possible. There was a hollow sensation in her throat that she dreaded, and a burning sensation in her eyes that spoke of tears and shame. Although -
She whipped her head back to look over her shoulder at Be, who was still seated at the base of the wall where he fell. His hand was cradling his face, his nose buried in his palm and finger tips tracing his hairline. A splatter of blood hit his hand when he coughed, slipping between fingers and over the side of his hand. He was still shaking.
"You're so lucky I got to you in time," Karate was saying, squeezing her closer. "What were you thinking--"
"Be!" Alexandreta jerked away from Karate, and was only half startled when she broke away with ease. He must not have been expecting her to resist, and she raced back to the fallen bully, her heels scraping against the ground and she almost tripped on the same crack again. Instead she fell into a kneeling position and lifted both her hands, touching either side of Be's square jaw with just the edges of her index fingers. "Be... I don't understand..."
He jumped visibly, pulling his hand away to show trails of blood at the corners of his lips, and his eye was already swelling viciously. He stared at her, his amber eyes wide, and he looked lost. Alexandreta felt her chest tighten at that expression on his face, it scared her more than his glare.
"Alexa..." he coughed behind another spill of blood. He reached up but pain slowed his arm, and he was too late to intercept the hand that fell on Alexandreta's shoulder and wrenched her back, slamming her into the opposite wall. "Bastard!"
"What the fuck do you think you're doing, Ally-bunny?" asked Karate, his voice having lost all pretense of affection.
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