The evening was approaching and most of the learners at Rosemary had already gone home, except for the few clubs that went on until late. The setting sun peered through the grey skies and its rays landed on the eyes of the dark-haired beauty in the nurse's office. She fluttered her eyes open and slowly began to rouse from her slumber.
The nurse's office. She deduced, seeing the textured white ceiling. Her eyes still burned with exhaustion. Sitting herself up, Maze winced in pain as a repetitive pattern of throbs ached in her head.
"You had a panic attack earlier, it's quite the mess you've gotten yourself into. The whole board is trying to figure out what to do with you." The nurse explained as she walked towards her. Maze was dazed, but she understood everything she had said. Her face was plain as she stared at the white blanket on her lower half. Her gaze was soon stolen by the gauze on her hand. The red stains on her knuckles were a harsh reminder of what she had done, and the memory was quickly followed by a sick sensation in her gut.
"That pink haired friend of yours left a little while back, I treated her bruises with blue cream so she should be fine, physically that is." Maze followed her gaze and saw another bed that was unmade.
"Did she say anything?" Maze asked half-heartedly. Knowing whatever words Tiffany left behind could only hold resentment. The nurse chuckled.
"She said, goodbye." Maze gripped the blanket, feeling the burn of her wounded knuckles. "I know everything is in shit now, but you shouldn't give up." Maze looked at the nurse curiously, wondering what could have prompted her statement.
"It is because of you that the bullying between students stopped. You united the entire school under one banner and because of that you made me enjoy my job a little more." The nurse placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and gave her a warm smile. "You're a good kid, Mazekien." Maze struggled to lift her head as the dead look on her face felt natural. Although she had just woken up, she felt tired, tired of everything.
"Thank you, ma'am." Maze's voice was but a whisper of its former peppiness, but she retained the determined look in her eyes. Mostly to reassure the nurse that she would be fine, despite knowing the truth behind her smile. The smile itself felt heavy on her lips, wondering if she still needed to put up the rose armor of thorns to appear strong in front of her.
"It's Jenny, and don't think too much of it sweetheart." Nurse Jenny walked to the window and lit herself a cigarette.
"A few people came in while you were out cold. First it was that news club member, I never liked that kid, so I sent him out immediately." She swung her fist animatedly as a chuckle followed. "Then it was that genius boy or whatever, Chris. The kid seemed worried about you, so I let him stay for a bit, he even left a few flowers. There was also Mitchell who faked a damn nosebleed just to check on you. If I didn't know you, I would've thought you were dating all of them at once." She laughed at her own joke. Jenny turned and looked to the floor as her gaze turned distant. "Then lastly it was this little girl, Cindy. Such a fragile little thing, she came in thinking that I was gonna bite her head off or something. I swear she's too sweet for her own good." She finished her rant and threw out her cigarette.
Maze was lost in thought, wondering why each of those people came to visit her, what did they want to say to her, why Mitchell out of all people? She was convinced that he hated her. Of course, everyone hates me now, so I guess it doesn't matter. Maze sighed at the thought. It didn't even hurt as much as it did the first time she thought of it, but she would be lying if she said the pain was completely gone. She was alone now, and she just had to accept that.
"Y'know, I was married pretty early when I was growing up, it was to an older man who seemed to pray on younger girls like me and you, I called him out for it for all my 30 years married to him and it became a running joke that even my kids hopped on to." She chuckled. "The bastard died a few years back, heart disease. I regret a lot of things in my life, but I never will regret hearing his goofy ass laugh every morning." She turned to Maze who looked at her curiously.
"Mr. Fry said I should tell you to go see him once you wake up, he should be in his class." Maze's head shot up and as if a switched flipped in her head, all that energy she lacked came back to her. How could she forget about him at a time like this. No, she didn't forget. She just thought that he abandoned her, just like everyone else, but of course, he wasn't like everyone else, he accepted her. With a smile slowly forming on her lips she began to remove herself from the bed.
The nurse chuckled, witnessing Maze's peppiness slowly return to her. She walked over to help Maze up. Once Maze got up, she took her shoes, but didn't wear them as she walked as fast as she could outside the door. She was still dizzy from getting out of bed but pushed on regardless.
"Thank you." Maze said, waving back at Nurse Jenny, her smile having finally returned. On her way there, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched but ignored it for most of the way. Her mind was too occupied with what she was going to say to him.
Because of me, Hunter lost his job and is at risk of going to jail if Vander plays foul. He can still get a job if he walks scot-free, but there's no doubt that things will be harder for him. There's only one way I can repay him for everything he's done for me. One way I can help.
For once in that long day of school she felt a rush of excitement bubbling up in her stomach. By law I remain a minor to Mr. Fry, but there is a way I can bypass that law, a way I can live happily with him, away from my life here at Rosemary. A flash of Marcus's smile came to her, but she shoved the thought to the back of her mind.
I'm sorry Marcus, but I'm done chasing your shadow. She stood in front of Mr. Fry's class, staring intently at the door. I'm done feeling sorry for myself. From now on the only dream I'll be chasing is my own, everyone else be damned. She put her hand on the handle. And right now, she twisted the handle and pushed it to enter. My dream is to live a happy life with Hunter and repay him for everything he has done for me. And how will I achieve this dream? By marrying Hunter Fry.
She expected Mr. Fry to be nose deep in a book on his desk, but instead he stood by the window. The orange hue of the setting sun bouncing off his fair skin and brown hair, the wind brushed his curly brown hair, making it wave majestically.
"Oh, Maze, I didn't see you there." He lied as Maze had long since made her presence known. He turned to her with a warm smile, his glasses reflecting the sun's rays which made it hard to see his hazel eyes.
"Do you feel any better?" he asked with a softer tone. Maze threw her shoes to the side and ran straight to him with a diving hug. Mr. Fry chuckled as he held her.
"That's good, I can't have my best student passing out on me." He said with a quirky smile.
"Thank you." Maze relaxed her grip on him to look into his eyes. The sun's light still obscured her from seeing them.
"Oh, come on I didn't do anything. The one you should be thanking is the nurse. She's one of the best in Newark y'know." He scratched his head awkwardly.
"No, I mean thank you for being there. I-I don't know what I would've done if you weren't... My mom and dad they..." She trailed off as a few tears began leaking out. Mr. Fry used his thumb to wipe away the tears and then let her rest on his chest.
"We've been through a lot together haven't we, y'know ever since my wife left me and all, we pretty much have only had each other." He said, his voice sounding soft and distant.
"You've been coming to my class for a few years now, and each time you had a new issue to annoy me with." He heard Maze giggle in his chest which made him smile.
"Do you remember the first time when you were splashed with water while you were crying in the bathroom? After you left, I had to mop my entire floor because of you." She giggled yet again and then looked up at him.
"It's your fault for chasing me around." Mr. Fry chuckled, her heart warmed hearing it. I can't wait to ask him. She thought.
"You got me there; I just didn't know what to do with you. You were like a scared little puppy back then. Two years later and that same puppy became Head Girl, now isn't that shocking? Like a full 180 out of nowhere." Maze giggled as she began to reminisce about those days.
"I wanted to show you that I wasn't just some bratty crybaby." Her cheeks flushed as she admitted to part of the reason she became Head Girl in the first place. Other than chasing her brother's image, other than wanting to crush those who opposed her, he was what inspired her to shoot so high.
"You could've at least joined the student council and that would've been enough. You certainly over did it with that whole Head Girl thing." The two laughed, but it went silent after a while.
I need to tell him, I've got to tell him, come on Mazekien you've got this. Say you want to marry him.
"Mr. Fry I---"
"Call me Hunter." Hunter cupped her chin with his fingers before planting a warm kiss on her lips. Maze's eyes grew open in shock. Wh-What's happening? Is he… Her thoughts trailed off as she got absorbed into the kiss, her eyes closed as her heartbeat rushed in her chest. The butterflies played a beautiful symphony in her stomach, despite how abrupt the kiss was.
He pulled back to see her reaction, but she just pulled him back to continue the kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss they shared. Hunter snaked his arms around her waist before bringing them down to her thighs and lifting her to be on his level.
She could see it, the dream she had for them was right in her hands. All she had to do was tell him.
The kiss continued until Hunter placed her on his desk. The two gasped for air before Hunter came back in for the kiss. His hands snuck under her skirt, brushing her thighs ever so gently.
"Hunter..." She moaned. He reached her panties and slowly began removing them.
"Hunter wait..." She moaned as he began planting kisses on her neck.
"Hunter!" She managed to push him off, leaving Hunter confused.
"We- We shouldn't...t-there's something I want to..." Maze trailed off as she tried to catch her breath. Hunter's eyebrows narrowed as his expression soured.
"Oh, I see how it is." He turned away, his face being obscured in the shadow cast by what was left of the light outside. Something was off.
"Hunter?" She called. When he turned, she caught a flash of the look in his eyes and felt a chill run down her spine.
"He got to you first. That bastard... He got to you first, didn't he?" Maze's eyes grew wide at the question.
"He did. He did, didn't he? That's why this is a mistake to you." His laugh made her hairs stand on her back, sounding hostile and yet empty.
"It's not---"
"It's not what Mazekien!? You knew I felt this way about you and yet you still... you still decided to screw around with that damn imbecile!" He shouted. Maze was confused, everything was moving too rapidly for her to keep up.
"How do you think I felt watching you chase after someone who I knew wouldn't respect you? Someone I knew that was going to break your heart!? But I stood back and watched as you hopelessly pursued him! I watched knowing full well that he'd deflower my precious student and leave once he was done with you! Men like Bastien do not deserve your love and yet you give it to him so willingly." Something was off. This wasn't her Hunter.
"But I---"
"I was the one who cared for you. I was the one who listened to you talk on and on about your troubles with Duncan. I was the one who mended your heart only for you to give it to Bastien! All of it was sickening, but I stayed. Unlike Duncan I stayed! Unlike Bastien I stayed!!" Maze sat on the desk petrified. Every word he spat felt like poison to her heart. Her voice caught in her throat and her body trembled as she tried to pull her thoughts together. No. She thought as the image she had of their future began to crumble. Don't do this Hunter. Don't leave me.
Hunter walked up to Maze who flinched when he raised his hand. She opened her eyes to see his face a few inches away. His hand gently caressing her cheek. That look in his eyes was one she had never seen before. One that made her feel like insects crawled under her skin. It was disgusting.
"I love you, Maze." His lips landed on hers, forcefully catching her in an unwanted kiss. She was still petrified, all the comfort she once felt in his lips now completely gone. His hands slid under her skirt yet again, this time proving successful in removing her underwear. It snuck its way in between her thighs causing her to whimper.
No no no no no no no, stop please, Hunter. Don't do this. Her thoughts screamed as she struggled to voice it out. Tears streamed down the sides of her face as the strength left her body.
"Hunter, wait." She said in between huffs. She didn't want this, not like this.
He unzipped his pants while biting hard enough to draw blood.
"Stop." She whimpered, but it fell upon deaf ears. Her arms felt like noodles against his iron wall of a chest as she tried her hardest to push him off
Hunter readied himself, placing his member right on her entrance. Jolts of electricity passed her nerves, and her heart raced as she could sense the inevitable. Yet her mind couldn't accept it, this was not her Hunter.
Not here... Not like this... She thought as her mind began slipping. The dream she had, her last sanctum of peace, her only refuge, burned in front of her eyes as she looked at the crazed look in the grey eyes of Hunter Fry.
"Help!" She shouted with the last bit of resistance she had.