***
“Ouch,” I hiss.
“Shit, sorry.” Blake apologizes as he cleans and bandages my cut up knuckles. “All done.” He lifts my hands and presses a kiss on each one.
“Awe, my angry kitten has a soft spot for me. I feel so special.”
He rolls his eyes, but I see the corner of his lips kick up. “We better get going.”
The car ride to the school is tense. My mind races, coming up with all the worst case scenarios. Still, I don’t have any regrets.
Blake on the other hand, I can tell this is eating at him.
“Hey.” I take his hand in mine once we park. “You need to stop blaming yourself.”
“But it’s my fault.” He looks up at me with frustrated, sad eyes. “If I wasn’t such a weak, pathetic person, he wouldn’t keep coming for me.”
“He would because he’s a bully. And bullies don’t care who they hurt, as long as they feel good about it. He’s bigger, richer and I have no doubt he’d use that power if his size and strength wasn’t intimidating enough.”
“Still. This is all because of me.”
“Hey.” I grip his chin. “Look at me, Blake. Stop blaming yourself. I’m a big boy, I made my own choices. Choices I’d make again and again.” Leaning in, I place a soft kiss on his lips. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
“Remember that, okay? I choose you. I’ll always choose you.”
When I pull back, his eyes are shiny with tears. “I’ll always choose you, too.”
We walk hand in hand to the dean's office. “I want to talk to him for a second, okay?” Blake asks me once we get there.
“Okay.” I nod. Not sure what he’s going to tell him, but I’m not going to try and stop him.
Theo appears in his office doorway, a pitying look on his face that has a wave of dread drop in the pit of my stomach. That’s not a good look at all. This isn’t going to end well for me, is it? Fuck.
“Mr. Munro. Could I speak to you for a moment please?”
Theo looks over at Blake and nods his head. “Of course, come in.”
Blake gives me a nervous smile before following Theo into his office. When the door shuts, I sit in one of the chairs. I’m a nervous wreck, leg bouncing as I wait.
What feels like hours pass, when really it was maybe five minutes before the door opens and Blake walks out, Theo behind him.
“You okay?” I jump to my feet.
“I’m okay.” He smiles softly at me. “I’ll wait for you here, okay?”
“Okay.” I lean in for a kiss. “I love you.”
“I love you more.”
“Never.” I smile against his lips, give him another quick peck and walk towards Theo, following him inside.
“I’m sure you know why you’re here,” Theo says, sitting down.
“Unfortunately, yes.” I sigh, sitting back.
“Mickey’s parents have already called the school demanding you to not only be kicked off the team, but expelled from school as well.”
