The man turned just as Kevin approached him, just before Kevin swung a fist, punching him hard right in the face.
The man stumbled back, falling to the ground caught by surprise.
He took a few seconds to register what had happened, turning back to Kevin in anger.
‘You son of a bitch!’
Kevin kicked him again while he was down, not giving him a chance to rise to his feet. He grabbed the man then, turning his face towards Jessica, who was standing there horrified, hands clapped over her mouth.
‘You’ve been making her life hell’ Kevin growled maliciously, speaking directly into his ear, still holding his head, ‘and I’ll make you fucking regret it.’
The man grabbed him suddenly, hands around Kevin’s head, clawing at his face. He rose swiftly, throwing Kevin off him and facing him, his stance rigid and shoulders hunched.
People had stopped to stare at the spectacle, some even drifting closer to get a better look.
‘You’ll fucking pay for that’ the man hissed at Kevin.
‘Bring it on’ Kevin snarled, riled up now. ‘You hurt someone you gotta pay the price.’
The man gritted his teeth, charging towards Kevin without a second pause, barrelling into Kevin.
They began to fight.
People in the distant began to shout, and a crowd began to gather around them, it was only a matter of time before the teachers showed up.
Kevin was thrown to the floor, smacking his face on the ground, the hot sensation of pain instantly erupting from where he had landed. He tasted blood, coughing as he breathed dust from the ground into his lungs.
The man grabbed him again, hauling him to his feet. In one swift move Kevin spun around, punching the man in the side. The man grabbed him, holding Kevin in place. Kevin groaned in pain, straining to free himself from the man’s grasp. Kevin punched the man in the face once, twice, Kevin was suddenly struck across the cheek with the bone of the man’s elbow, striking him hard enough to make Kevin see stars.
The man stumbled forwards suddenly, hit from behind. Kevin glanced up in time to see Christiana attacking the man, her foot shot out as she kicked him hard above the knee with her heeled shoes, before reaching forwards and clawing him across the face. Kevin lunged for him, grabbing him before he had the chance to attack Christiana.
‘You stay away from Jessica’ Kevin hissed into the man’s ear, holding onto him from behind. ‘Make her cry again and I won’t hesitate to find you and hurt you…...’
Someone grabbed Kevin from behind suddenly, pulling him off the man as another teacher grabbed onto the man, holding him back.
Christina slipped from view, disappearing into the now heavy crowd before the teachers had a chance to catch her. She was long gone, and Kevin and the man were dragged to the head teacher’s office, and the crowd slowly dispersed, disappointment heavy in the air.
As Kevin was taken away, he spared one last glance back at Jessica who stood there looking shocked and a little frightened. He smiled at her encouragingly, and she after a few moments, smiled weakly back at him.
*
Kevin was suspended from school and told to go home that day. He left the school grounds, instead wandering through the town, heading in no particular direction. Eventually he came to a park, sitting in a secluded area upon a bench. He put his bag down on the bench beside him, leaning back with a heavy sigh.
He thought for a moment that he could visit his parents, as he had not seen them in a few days, but decided against it. They wouldn’t want to see me in this state anyway Kevin smiled to himself. He touched his own face tentatively, rasping sharply then. It was very tender, his face was bruised and swollen, he had been scratched and cut, and the blood that flecked his face had dried now. I must look a mess he thought lowering his hand. Still…it was worth it.
He craned his head back, looking up at the clouds. He felt content. In pain, but happy.
Guess I have a lot of free time now Kevin realised. I wonder what I should do…
He stayed there on the park bench for quite some time, it must have been several hours. He just sat there resting, thinking about all sorts of things, until someone abruptly broke his thoughts.
‘Hey Kevin, I thought I might find you here…’
Kevin gave a start, staring back at Christina a little alarmed.
‘Wow you look rough’ she beamed back as Kevin sat up, rising to his feet hastily.
‘W-what are you doing here?’
‘I came to find you of course’ Christina spoke merrily.
Behind Christina was another figure, it was Jessica.
‘Hey’ Kevin said breathlessly then, speaking to Jessica, ‘are you alright?’
‘I wanted to thank you for what you did’ she said to him a little shy. ‘It was very kind of you to stand up for me like that, although…I didn’t know you would go so far…I thought you were just going to talk to him…’
‘Oh, come on’ Kevin smirked. ‘I had to get the message across. I'm not just going to stand around and do nothing while the strong pick on the weak.’
‘Always an agent of justice’ Christina winked at him, lifting her chin and folding her arms.
Jessica turned away then, scratching her head awkwardly. ‘You sound like some sort of hero’ she mumbled shyly.
‘Do I?’ Kevin raised an eyebrow. ‘I don’t mean to.’
‘So, what are you going to do now?’ Christina asked him. ‘I guess you’ve probably been suspended from school?’
‘For two weeks at least’ Kevin sighed.
‘Oh no now I feel really bad’ Jessica worried.
‘Oh no don’t worry about me’ Kevin said hastily, waving at her with an encouraging smile. ‘I knew this was going to happen…I wanted this…I swear…’
Jessica remained unconvinced.
‘So, I guess you’ll have a lot of time on your hands from now on’ Christiana said. ‘Got any plans?’
‘Nah…’ Kevin replied carelessly. ‘Not really.’
‘Why don’t you go on a date with Anastasia?’ Christina suggested sweetly, holding her hands behind her back and resting on her heels, leaning fords and tilting her head playfully at him.
‘Are you trying to hook us up or something?’ Kevin frowned at her unimpressed.
‘Well why not?’ Christina said, ‘a handsome guy like you being single? It’s a waste.’
‘Well gee thanks’ Kevin replied flatly.
Jessica glanced from each of them a little nervously, wondering at that moment what was between the two. It was clear that they were very close.
‘You could stay with me if you like’ Christiana offered. ‘You know you’re always welcome at my place.’
‘Thanks’ Kevin said in another flat voice, ‘but I already got a place.’
‘Well it was worth a try’ Christina grinned.
‘I think I'm going home now’ Kevin said, taking his bag and walking away. ‘I’ll see you two around…’
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