VIOLET'S POV
Even if he doesn't respond, I'll tell him I'm sorry and tell him how I feel about him. I don't think I'd ever see him again after today so I have to say it. I have to say it now.
I have written nine impossible wishes, this is the only thing that I'm capable of doing.
I clutch the clipboard tighter to my chest as I walk to him. Even with a hoodie on, it's visible he's ripped. He has the most beautiful hair I've ever seen, I wish to touch it and smell it. I have never seen him smile. Even as a kid, I never did see a smile on his face.
No one here knows his father used to be the richest man in California. He used to have a dad but no one knows what happened to him.
" Hi." Is the only word that comes out of my mouth.
Ethan continues rummaging through his locker.
" I'm sorry for touching you earlier…I'm Violet Griffin."
He doesn't stop to acknowledge me and I'm a bit annoyed. I grab his locker door and shut it; luckily, he removes his hand in time.
He isn't looking at me and I don't understand why.
" Let go of my locker." He says in a small, groggy voice, and my cheeks suddenly begin to overheat.
I don't think I've ever heard him speak. I want him to talk again. I want to hear his voice.
I don't let go of his locker.
" You are Ethan Reed; you used to live in California, right? I saw you at the hospital in Beverly Hills once." I say and his body becomes firm again.
Why is he always alert?
His eyes meet mine for the first time and I am floating in space. He is looking at me. I'm looking into his faded green eyes. For an infinitesimal second, I can see his hollowness and suffering before he looks away.
He wants to leave, and I don't know what got over me when I grabbed his shoulder. He pushes my hand away so quickly that I fall to the ground.
" For f**k sake!" I hear Jacob shout. In a second, he is trying to help me up and I make no effort to move.
His eyes. His eyes.
Jacob wraps his hand around my waist so I won't fall. Ethan is still standing by his locker staring at me expressionlessly.
" You piece of shit! How dare you push her that way?" Jacob is shouting.
I push myself off him. He has no right to touch me. " Don't shout at him."
" He pushed you and I won't let him get away with it."
Jacob marches to him and stops a foot away from him. " Stop acting like you are dumb and say something."
I walk to Jacob, grab his arm, and make him look at me. " Stop it, you are causing a scene."
Jacob's nose flares. " I am trying to stand up for you—"
" Did I ask you too? I know this is just an act to draw attention to yourself—"
" Watch the way you speak to me."
" How am I speaking to you? The truth hurts, doesn't it? You can quit pretending like you care about me and go find attention somewhere else."
Jacob's eyes twitch. His fists clenched and unclenched. He scowls at me for a while before bursting into laughter.
" Oh, really Violet Griffin? Do you want to know the truth because I'll tell you?"
My heart is racing so quickly because I know what he wants to say. People are looking at me, and I want to tell him not to say anything, but my pride seals my mouth shut.
" I didn't sleep with Chloe because she drugged me. I slept with her because you are so stingy with your body, and I'm a f**king guy without needs, for crying out loud! " His voice raises. " I was your boyfriend and you had no right to hide your body from me. I'm supposed to touch you when I wanted and you had no freaking right to say no to me."
" You should have been grateful I wanted to touch you. It's not every guy that would stand by a girl with robotic legs."
I am three million feet below the ground. I can't breathe. I think I'm going to die soon. I will be due soon. I must die soon. Am I dead already?
Jacob grabs my hand and draws me to his body. He wraps his hands around my waist and kisses my neck.
I want to vomit on his ugly face.
" You know I say mean things when I'm angry. Forgive me."
I am about to push him away and slap him in the face but someone pulls him away from me.
Ethan throws him to the lockers. The lockers make a loud noise from Jacob's impact on it. I resist the urge to kick Jacob in the balls.
Ethan is breathing loudly. He seems angrier than I am.
Jacob scowls at him, he clutches the side of his stomach as he regains his composure. " Did you just bloody put your hands on me?"
Ethan is mute. He keeps on staring at me and my stomach turns into spaghetti.
" Why don't you f**king say something to me? I know you want to!" Jacob barks. " Don't be a coward, Ethan. If you want a fight, I'll give it to you."
My eyes are wide. He just called Ethan a coward. Everyone watching us gasps. My heart is racing. I don't want Ethan to get into trouble because of me.
" You are not a coward," I say to him. He is not a coward.
" Stop lying to him; everyone knows he's a coward; if he isn't, he would say what he wants to say without hiding it. Your sister can attest to that, can't she?"
Ethan's body goes still like he'd touched electricity. His eyes are dark and I can see goosebumps on his skin. He is no longer looking at me; he is looking at Jacob, who is grinning now.
" Surprised? Your sister has told me a lot about you. Don't worry, I won't disclose her identity, but I must say, you are a really bad brother." Jacob laughs. " And yes, your sister has the prettiest a** I've ever seen—"
I felt a gush of wind hit me as Ethan charged for Jacob. He grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and slammed him against the lockers.
" Did you touch her?"
Ethan sounded scared and mortified.
Jacob licked his lips and grinned. " She tastes divine."
Swiftly, Ethan threw Jacob to the floor. Jacob tries to stand up but Ethan slams his leg in his stomach. He does it continuously and I'm afraid he'd kill Jacob. Jacob manages to hold Ethan's leg but Ethan kicks it away with his other leg. He kneels by Jacob's side and sends multiple punches to his face.
I can see red. I can smell something metallic. Blood, blood, blood. Jacob is bleeding. I can see blood and Jacob is bleeding more.
" Someone stop him. He'll kill Jacob!" Someone screams.
" Call a teacher!"
" Principal Michaels is coming!'
Jacob had stopped trying to save himself. He is rolling his eyeballs. He looks like he is ready to pass out but Ethan doesn't stop. Principal Michaels tears through the crowd, his eyes widen when he sees both of them.
He quickly tears Ethan from Jacob.
Then and there was when Ethan came back to his senses. He stared at the blood in his hands for a while before his eyes moved to me. I'm still unable to breathe.
Ethan, What have you done?