"Yeah," I strangled out, breathing through my nose, as I clutched my side. "I'm fine."
"Jesus Christ," Johnny exclaimed, gaping down at me with a horrified expression. "Did she hit you?"
"What – no!" I spluttered, panicked.
His gaze darkened. "Is it her? Has she been giving you shit?" He reached up and touched my neck. "Was that her?"
I shook my head.
"Don’t lie to me, Shannon," he growled. "I fucking hate liars."
"I'm not lying to you!"
"Then tell me what's going on," he demanded, running a hand through his hair. Exhaling a frustrated growl, he added, "Please tell me before I lose my shit and crack up."
Oh, god.
Mortified, I waved for Johnny to come closer, and when he did, I leaned up on my tiptoes and whispered into his ear, "I'm after getting my period."
I closed my eyes when I said this, mentally kicking myself for telling him this.
"It's my first one," I quickly rambled on, watching his side profile carefully as I indulged him with my worst nightmare. "And I'm in some serious pain."
Rocking back down on my heels, I exhaled shakily and peeked up at his face, expecting him to turn and run for the hills.
Johnny certainly looked horrified, and his entire frame had frozen, but he didn’t run, and the hand he had on my elbow didn’t move either.
It tightened.
Rooted to the spot, I stared up at him in terror while he mirrored me.
"You coming, Kav?" one of his friends called out.
Johnny waved a hand, gesturing that he was busy.
"Johnny?"
"Fuck off, Feely," he growled. "I'm talking here."
"Alright, lad, but we're heading down town for lun–"
"I said I'm fucking talking here!" Johnny snarled. "Piss off."
"I probably shouldn’t have told you that," I quickly finished, stepping back, putting some space between us, cheeks burning an unflattering shade of scarlet. "Go on with your friend. I'm fine."
"That's what's wrong?" he asked, ignoring my words, blue eyes searching mine. "That's why you're crying?"
"Yeah," I whispered.
"You're in pain?"
I bit down on my lip and forced another small nod.
He blew out a breath. "I have some ibuprofen in my gear bag for my adductor." He looked at me with a hopeful expression. "Would those help?"
"God, yes," I sighed, feeling a wave of gratitude wash over me at the thought of pain relief.
"My bag's in the changing room in the P.E hall," he stated, gesturing towards the entrance. "Come with me."
I glanced uncertainly to where Bella was still watching me and debated my next move before deciding to go with Johnny.
I needed the medicine and he was throwing me a lifejacket by offering me a temporary escape.
Shame or pain, Shannon, shame or pain?
Shame, I decided, and fell into step with him.
"Slut!" Bella called out, loudly enough to garner everyone's attention.
I groaned internally.
"That's right," she hissed when my step faltered. "I'm talking about you, slut!"
"Don’t," I begged when I felt him stiffen beside me. "Johnny, please don’t do anythi–"
Johnny didn’t give me a chance to finish before he swung around and stormed over to where Bella was standing. "You're one to fucking talk!"
Frozen to the mortal spot, I watched their heated interaction, knowing this was my perfect opportunity to bolt, but unable to make my legs run.
I was exhausted from running away, and somewhere deep inside the back of my mind, I wondered if this boy was the one to anchor me.
It certainly seemed that way when I heard him roaring profanities right back at a screeching Bella.
A large crowd was gathering around to watch, and it didn’t seem to faze Johnny one bit.
"Leave her the fuck alone," he was barking. "She's not your business."
"You're my business," Bella screamed back at him.
Johnny threw his hands in the air. "You're delusional."
"I take it you were lying to me when you said nothing was going on?" she snarled.
"Take it whatever way you want, Bella. I couldn’t give a flying fuck what you think," he shot back loudly. "Just leave her out of your bullshit scheming."
He was defending me.
Not my brother.
Not Claire.
Not Lizzie.
Not a teacher.
No, this boy who made my heart jackknife in my chest at regular intervals and my common sense flatline, was standing in the middle of the school hallway, defending my honor.
He had rejected me last night, and today he was taking on my bullies.
My mind was spinning, I felt so confused.
"Her, Johnny?" Bella hissed, casting a scathing look at me. "Seriously?"
"Stay away from her," he warned in a menacing tone. "Push back on this and you won't like the results."
"Are you threatening me?" she hissed. "What do you think your coaches at The Academy will say about that?"
"Why don’t you call them and find out?" he spat before turning on his heels and stalking back to where I was.
His expression was so thunderous that I felt myself shrink away.
"Come on," Johnny ordered when he reached me. He placed a hand on my lower back and urged me to walk. "We're leaving."
Unsure, I let him guide me away from the staring crowd.
"Where are we going?" I whispered, hurrying to keep his pace.
"Away from here," he bit out, jaw clenching.
"Why?"
"Because if I stay here and she says something to you, I'll lose my shit. If you stay here and she says something to you, I'll lose my shit, " he explained in a tight tone. "Therefore, I need to go –" he paused to pull the glass door open and usher me outside, "and you need to come with me," he finished, leading me into the rain.
"I, uh, yeah, okay," I whispered as I hurried along beside him.
My emotions were whishing through me as he led me out through the courtyard.
"You lied to me, Shannon," Johnny stated quietly as he steered us towards the P.E hall. "She said something to you."
"I didn’t want to cause any trouble," I admitted.
"That wasn’t your call to make," he replied. "Did you lie about her hitting you, too? About why you're in pain?"
"No," I croaked out. "That part was true."
Regrettably.
"And your neck?"
"That wasn’t her," was all I replied.
Johnny was quiet for a long moment.
"Don’t ever lie to me again," he finally said in a quiet tone, as he cast me a sideways glance. "I can't take it."
"I won't," I told him, hating the lie as it fell from my lips.
We reached the P.E. hall and hurried inside, both glad to get out of the rain.
I shuffled behind him, this area of the school was more his forte than it was mine.
I kept my eyes trained on his back, walking after him.
I hesitated when he sauntered into the boys changing room, but then he held the door open for me and gestured me inside with an expectant look.
Like a skittish foal, I hurried inside only to jump in surprise when the heavy door slammed closed behind us.
The overpowering smell of teenage boy was the first thing that hit me.
The stench of sweat, deodorant, and bodily fluids was so strong I had to force back the urge to gag.
It wasn’t a smell I was unfamiliar with – Joey anyone? – but this particular stench was eye watering, intensified by the fact that forty or so from the opposite sex used this room at any given time.
Feeling completely out of place, and with my nostrils thoroughly violated, I watched Johnny stroll over to a bench on the right-hand side of the room.
He sank down on the bench, dragged a bag out from beneath his legs and quickly unzipped it.
"Come here," he ordered as he rummaged around inside of his bag, pulling out socks, cans of deodorant, and empty bottles of Lucozade sport. "Come here, Shannon," he repeated calmly.
So, I did.
I walked over to where he was.
Johnny elbowed a random schoolbag off the bench and gestured to the space he had made. "Sit down."
I eyed the bench warily.
Shaking his head, Johnny reached up and snagged my hand.
"Sit down," he coaxed, pulling me down on the bench beside him.
Our shoulders brushed and I skittered an inch or two away, before wrapping my arms around my stomach.
He was big and strong and intimidatingly beautiful.
I felt very small around him.
Very young.
Very uncertain.