"She's not innocent! She-"
"She's just a normal girl who came to the bathroom for privacy!God,Chelsea! I don't even know you anymore!"
That cuts her. The triumph drains from her face, replaced by terror as she realizes her plan has backfired.
The excitement from the fight has worn off, and tears sting my eyes. I'm trembling, and beads of cold sweat form on my forehead and chest. I'm reminded of my state of undress and I shiver.
Sam's accusing eyes reluctantly stray from Chelsea to worry for me. He releases me long enough to shrug off the button down shirt he's wearing over his tee, and holds it open for me to slip my arms through the sleeves. I blink and try to focus my racing thoughts. I have my gym tee. It's in the bathroom stall.
"I-"
"Just put on the damn shirt, Rory!" Sam demands, cutting me off.
I swallow nervously at his intensity as a tear slides down my cheek, but I obey, still mortified from the events of the day. I remember that we're not friends anymore. That I made it so. And I wonder why he even came to my defense, yet again, when I've done nothing but spit in his face. I wonder if his anger is for me or for Chelsea, and decide it's probably both.
Wherever it's aimed, Sam is seething mad. He glares at Chelsea as he pulls the shirt closed in front of me, until I take over, hugging it tightly around myself since there's no way I have the dexterity to work buttons right now. He glances down at me and his scowl falters. His arms wrap back around me, and he pulls me to his chest, this time facing him. I take comfort in his protection, however fleeting, and clutch the front of his tee shirt as I pathetically weep into it.
"Cap..." Chelsea's voice is unsure and pleading.
"Why? You need to start explaining, Chelsea, because right now it looks like you harassed and assaulted Rory for no Goddamn reason, and I don't give a fuck how long we've been friends-"
"She had ababy, Cap," she says hesitantly. "She's manipulating you! Can't you see? She's the one who attacked me! I mean, you saw!"
"Just because she won the fight doesn't mean she started it, Chelsea."
"She didn't-"
"You're a stupid, stupid girl," I growl, turning my head to the side, unable to let them continue to talk about me like I'm not even here.
"Excuse me?" Chelsea snarls, her voice no longer hesitant now that she's addressing me and not herCap.
"I willnotexcuse you! Thereisno excuse! You're a stupid girl and the sad part is, you're wastin' your time! If he doesn't want you it has nothin' to do with me!"
Her anxiety is palpable as she realizes where I'm going with this - that I've known her motivation all along.
"What are you talking about, Ror?" Sam asks.
I turn to meet his gaze. "She's in love with you. She's in love with you and she came after me because she's convinced I'm the reason you don't want her." I turn back to Chelsea's mortified face. "But guess what... he doesn't want me either! We've never been anything more than friends, we'll neverbeanything more than friends! If he doesn't want you, then it has nothing to do with me!"
Sam's arms loosen, but he doesn't let me go. He's stunned, it's written all over his face. He had no idea how Chelsea felt about him.
Her emotions are clear too. For a moment, it looks like she might deny it, but then her eyes skate over me in Sam's embrace, and they narrow. "It doesn't look like you're just friends.God,Cap, I was just trying to protect you. I knew she was hiding something and I was right!" she accuses, pointing again to my hip, now covered by his shirt.
Sam startles. He takes a step forward, and as he moves, I think he'll release me to prove to Chelsea there's really nothing between us, but instead he just shifts me so he's holding me to his side with one arm. "So it's true? You fucking attacked an innocent girl because you have a stupidcrush?!"
Chelsea winces, but then rallies for her own accusation. "So it's true you're falling for this damsel in distress act? Isshelying or are you really just friends?"
Sam's jaw clenches, and I feel his muscles tense. "We are nothing more than friends," he says carefully. "Which is more than I can say for you and me."
"Cap!" Chelsea pleads.
"Just get the fuck out of here," he says with a look of disgust. She doesn't move. "Now!" he barks, releasing me to point toward the exit.
Chelsea huffs and saunters indignantly out of the bathroom, leaving Sam raking his hair in frustration, and me hugging his shirt around me, trying in vain to keep a dam on my tears.
"You okay?" he asks softly.
I nod, keeping my gaze averted.I'm so not okay.
