Chapter 27: Fighting Flora

Italics = Jaimie-mae

Bold = Fabian

___

"I think stupid people were put onto this earth to test my patience."

Jaimie-mae was sitting in a bathroom stall at her school, trembling. She could hardly hold her phone as she scrolled through her contacts, that's how shaky she was.

The silent tears ran down her face as she waited for Fabian to pick up.

"Hey Jaimie," Fabian whispered.

"H-hi F-"

"Are you crying? What's wrong?"

"I-i," she stopped to swallow back down a sob.

"Jaimie-baby i need you to hang up. I can't talk now out loud. I'll text you though. Okay?"

"No please don't go. I need you," she choked out.

"I know, i know," he sighed quietly. "Look, i'm at an interview right now, so the only way i can communicate is through text. I want you to hang up please."

"I am so sorry. I didn't know you had an int-"

"No. Stop apologizing. Just hang up please. I promise i'll text you right after you do. And then i'll call you back after my interview."

"Okay," she said reluctantly.

She hung up the phone and not even five seconds later a text popped up on her phone

Hi

Hi

Deep breaths please

What? Why?

I know your hyperventilating over there

No i'm not

Yeah, you are. I just got off the phone with u

Oh right.

Stop! You're going to make me laugh in my important interview

Oh, sorry

Didn't i just say stop apologizing

Yes

So why are you not listening?

Because

That's not a proper answer

So, you do that to me all the time

Yeah, and?

See you just did it again

Did what?

That!

I told you to stop making me laugh

I don't mean to

Quick change of subject. And I don't mean to make this awkward, but my dad found the blood sheets from last week

Oh my gosh. That's so embarrassing. What happened?

He thought i got in a fight again. He got super mad. You should have seen his face, it was so funny

You and i have totally different versions of funny. An angry parent is not funny. Wait... again?

Again?

You said you got into a fight 'again'

Its nothing

Don't do that

Sorry Jaimie. Gotta go. I think they caught me texting. Promise i'll talk to you later. Go to class.

Jaimie-mae huffed but threw her phone into her bag. Calling Fabian had calmed her down and she felt better now. But then she started worrying about ruining his interview. She immediately pushed it out of her mind and picked up her bag.

After she walked out of the stall, she splashed water over her face and dried it. She went to class with a new confidence.

***

Jaimie-mae was walking home from school when she heard a car pull up beside her through her earphones. The only reason she realized there was a car there was because it was blasting music over her own.

She took out her earphones right as a cold liquid was poured over her head.

Silently, she turned around and glared at the girl who stood taller than her as she wiped her hand down her face and flicked away the water.

"What are you doing Flora?" Jaimie-mae asked scarily calm.

"I'm getting payback for the salad, freak."

"Okay. You got it, now run along."

She began to walk again but she noticed the car hadn't drove past her yet. She turned back around with a sigh. "Yes? Why are you still standing there?"

"I want you to apologize?" Flora said it like it was obvious.

"No thanks."

Jaimie-mae shivered because the water was beginning to seep through her clothes and the cold air was burning her skin. She felt like her hair would freeze. Today just had to be extra cold.

Flora walked up to her so they were a rulers space away from each other. Jaimie-mae suddenly let out an unexpected sneeze and Flora screeched in disgust.

"Oops, sorry. Looks like i'm allergic to stupidity," Jaimie-mae said as she rolled her eyes and sniffled. She noticed a car slowing down further down the road but she ignored it as it turned the corner and went around.

Suddenly, Jaimie-mae's head snapped to the side so she put her hand up to touch her cheek and winced. To her and Flora's surprise she growled quietly.

"You know, I've had a rough day. And the chains on my mood swings just snapped. I suggest you run."

Flora looked at Jaimie-mae like she was crazy, so Jaimie-mae rolled her eyes and mumbled "I warned you" before she tackled Flora to the cobbled ground.

Normally, Jaimie-mae wasn't a violent person. Actually she never had been. It just looked like Flora was her breaking point.

Once Flora was on the ground, Jaimie-mae pinned her arms to the ground tightly but didn't make any other move of violence. Flora's eyes widened at the strength of the small girl who was pinning her down.

"Listen here. You smell like drama and a headache, so do me a favor and not come up to me again. Yeah?" Jaimie-mae said lowly, her voice sounding not so sweet anymore.

Despite Jaimie-mae's previous words, Flora continued to run her mouth. "Ha. Looks like the little girl isn't as weak as i thought."

Jaimie-mae glared at her then got up off of Flora and dusted herself off. "Don't bother me again. And leave Fabian alone, he doesn't want you texting him." She turned to walk away but then Flora's words stopped her.

"Oh yeah. Then why did he reply to me?"

"To tell you to flip off," Jaimie-mae shouted back as she walked off.

Flora wasn't worth the trouble, or the bruised knuckles. She also had never been in a fight before, so she didn't want to do anything stupid.

Jaimie-mae cried out as she felt Flora grab her by her hair and yank her back. She stumbled back as soon as Flora let go. She fell backwards onto the ground with an oomf and she winced when the air left her lungs.

Flora stood over her and 'tsked' before she came in for a punch. Jaimie-mae shielded her face and threw her leg up into Flora's stomach. It knocked her back for a second so Jaimie-mae lifted herself slowly off the ground. Before she could catch her bearings, Flora had sent two somewhat strong punches at her cheekbones.

Jaimie-mae stumbled backwards but quickly stood up straight and sent her own punches at Flora. Because she was shorter they landed a little lower and they had Flora looking like she wanted to break down into tears. However, Jaimie-mae didn't stop there. It was wrong, but it felt good for her to take her anger out on someone. She knew she was going to regret it later though.

Jaimie-mae once again had her tackled to the ground and she threw weaker punches on purpose. She wasn't really doing much damage but she knew that.

A boy Flora was with came and finally interrupted the fight. He picked Jaimie-mae up by the waist and held her off the ground as she flailed in the air.

The amount of adrenaline rushing through her had her eager to get back down from out of the strangers grip and throw a couple more punches at Flora.

A girl from the back of Flora's car rushed out to come help Flora off of the ground.

The boy continued to hold Jaimie-mae away from the ground under one arm. She struggled to get down and the boy just smacked her butt like she was a child. She glared at the random guys feet and started shouting at him to let her go. She punched at his legs and thighs then tried to kick the boys back by kicking her feet up into the air.

The boys grip across her waist tightened almost to the point where it hurt and he followed Flora and the girl helping her to the car.

Jaimie-mae suddenly felt like she couldn't breathe and she began shivering and her teeth chattered loudly.

In the background a cars tires squealed as it came speeding down the road and it came to a complete stop in front of Flora's car. The car didn't even stop running when the door was swung open and a tall dark haired boy hopped out angrily.

"Put her down!"

"Yo man chill," the boy said as he backed up with Jaimie-mae still locked under his arm.

Another boy came rushing out from the car that had slowed down and circled around earlier and rushed up to stand beside the dark haired boy.

Jaimie-mae continued to shiver as she watched the ground, just listening to the voices. She was getting tired of craning her neck to look around.

"I said put her down!"

All of a sudden, Jaimie-mae was dropped to the ground and she face planted into the patch of grass on the side walk. She winced when her body landed awkwardly across the pavement.

"Jaimie!" The boy practically growled. "That's not what i meant idiot!"

Jaimie-mae turned over on the ground and looked at the three figures towering over her. She shielded her eyes with her hand and waited for her eyes to adjust to the sunlight.

The boy who was holding her, quite painfully, was standing with his hands in a mock surrender. The other two boys were glaring at him dangerously. Jaimie-mae noticed the slightly shorter one as the brown skinned boy who asked for her number, Malakai. And then she looked over at Fabian, standing there in all his tall and slightly muscled glory. Jaimie-mae couldn't help the thought that crossed her mind when she zoned in on him more closely.

He looks freakin' hot.

He stood, seething with somehow handsome anger, his jaw clenched and sharp and his lips pulled into a thin line. He was wearing grey joggers, a long sleeved-thin navy blue shirt and socks and slides. His hair, which was slightly faded on the sides and fell curly and messily along his head at the top was slightly damp. He was definitely not dressed for an interview but that didn't matter.

He was there to save Jaimie-mae... again.