Set in Stone: Alex's POV~
In one swift movement I shifted the weak injured boy into my arms. "honeymoon style" I slightly joked to myself under my breath. "Great, blood on my blazer, mom's gonna 'loove' that.." I mutter sarcastically then head in the direction of where I assume the nurses office should be. Heading down the hallway I soon noticed that Damon had fainted in my arms. Luckily I was headed in the right direction because I found the nurses office just shortly after.
At the Nurses Office
"um. Excuse me? Anyone here?" Alex said out loud. I get No response from anyone... Until a sudden burst of laughter comes from the room. The door slowly opens. A woman is dressed in a white lab coat with a grey shirt that said "can't save'em if they're already dead", along with a pair of dark grey jeans. She had short raven black hair, it had a hint of purple. Her eyes were sharp and fierce. Shrouded with a tint of honey brown. She wore a dark red lipstick. Her skin was the color of wheat. She stood at least 3 inches over me. She was with a blonde haired boy. Who had to have been around my age.
"Can I help... " She began to speak until her eyes fell on Damon.
"come in now!" I quickly put Damon onto a bed and watched her go to work. She was quick, precise, and did not hesitate to get into action. I tried to ask to help but she kicked me out. I was going to go wait next to her desk.Wondering what was taking place behind the screen silhouette. I heard a sudden voice coming from behind me.
"You must be the new kid?" I turn around and find a blonde haired boy with blue eyes. He had a cheeky smile, but it felt as if it was only for show. He wore blue jeans that were slightly worn with a sports jacket.
"So what if I am?" I responded. Something tells me, I should watch out for this one.
"You shouldn't have gotten yourself involved. The Serpents are a nasty bunch.. You could say they're pretty sick sons of bitches. To top this off. you and Damon..." he paused just for a moment to wince.
"Terumi's favorite toy being Snatched away. Jeez, that's snatch' n steal. And you just rattled the nest." He started to spin in the chair he was sitting on. But who's to say what's to come afterwards. Terumi's a prick anyway. Bout time someone showed him up." Stated the blonde haired boy, as he smiled with glee. "You sure like to talk a lot.." I started, "And wait did you say Serpents?" I said with my arms crossed.
He started to chuckle.
" Ah man!! Don't tell me you didn't know? Hahaha!! you're funny Alex. By the way, I'm Roy, I'm a sophomore like you". I must have looked confused about how he knew my name because he immediately began to explain.
"You must be wondering why I know your name? Well everyone knows someone and you're new so who won't know you. Word travels fast here," he waved his cellphone.
"Plus people are talking about how you and Damon are dating now. And must I say, you got guts, I'll give you that. Terumi is a prick, its about time someone knocked him down for once". He smiled at me.
I pinch the bridge of my nose and slight disbelief crosses my face.
"this school..."
Just then a sudden girlish scream comes from behind a curtain. We both turned our heads towards the direction. It was followed by a sharp "you could have told me you were gonna pour alcohol there!" and the nurse apologizing, soothing the patient.
bell rings
"Ah, schools out. You're good to go home, new kid" Said Roy.
Something about Damon rubbed me the wrong way though. I couldn't figure out how. I had to knock it out of my mind. I walked behind the curtains. Something was gnawing at my mind. I can't believe how soft he was. I couldn't take it. There is a fine line to acting pathetic, and continuing to be nice might just put me right back in this predicament, as well as him. I had to say something. For my sake, and for his, no one else seems to want to.
"Nurse leave!" I demanded.
"You can't just tell me to leave. This is my job." She raised an eye brow at me.
"Twenty minutes. That's all I ask." I responded to her, when suddenly Roy came in and grabbed her by the arm beginning to drag her away,
"Jeez, lovers quarrel?" he teased then followed up quickly with, "come on, May. Give them some space" he shot her a certain persuasive look.
"Fine," May began reluctantly. "Don't make me regret this," she shot me a warning look then proceeded to allow Roy to drag her out of the room.
I look forward to Damon. He started to speak.
"Thanks for saving me.. I appreciate it" he brushed his messy hair back. Damon had broken eye contact. Pathetic.
"I was hoping to get to know you..."
I cut him off.
"How long are you going to beg and cry for help? It's just sad." I continued to lay into him "are you just going to keep doing this your whole life..? It's pretty lame if you ask me. Stand up for yourself. What if I wasn't here?"
I wasn't intentionally trying to look intimidating, but I did want Damon to know I was serious. And I really did not want to see this keep happening. "Haven't you thought of learning to box? or, or something. That's a part of being born as a male life sucks... How are you supposed to be a protector if you cant even protect yourself?"
"I tried.. "
Damon tries to speak again. I simply cut him off.
"What kinda man are you?"
I said, cutting through him with my eyes.
"I'm not sure..."
I keep talking.
At this point. I'm not sure if he even responded,
"Not sure? ha."
"I can clearly see that they have been doing this for a long time now. They beat you up till you collapse. It's only been 3 months since school started. Pathetic!!! You let them OWN you, man!! Can I even call you that?? You're acting like a little boy, I'm trying to help you in the long run. Since none of your so-called friends will say it,"
"Listen. to.."
I can clearly see Damon quivering up, the tears are pouring now.
"Still not going to speak up!?" I gesture towards his bruises.
"What kind of a man lets this keep going on and on. You're not even trying. You even called out to a girl to save you! Really?"
"please.." he said in a sobbing voice, pausing, formulating words. "I did try, it's just that.."
I scoffed.
"You tried? well try harder. You can't call yourself a man. You wouldn't know a man if he stood in front of you."
Damon's anger boils over.
"listen to me!! Stop talking over me!!
"I tried standing up for myself. They just kept on kicking me and punching me!! Pulling on my clothes.. Pulling my hair.. I decided to dress up like this..You are nothing but an outsider. You can't talk for me. You haven't been in my shoes! How do you know what I've been through or what I've seen. huh?"
I cut in.
"but you're a guy? This is the world we live in. Wanna tell me what you're not understanding?"
Shaking his head Damon screams out,
"No no! no no! no no! I'm not. I'm not a man Alex. I'm a girl. female, I'm not a man!!" As Damon's voice breaks. He takes off what I thought was his hair. But now it turns out to be a black wig. Long black curly hair comes out. Which appears to be a bit butchered.
"I've still tried so hard. It was a girl who jumped me in the beginning. Now it's boys and I'm no match. I've tried...It's always someone new, lately and it's not meant to be fair. I wish sometimes I wasn't..Maybe then.."
My fists slowly released at my side as I took in what was said, I didn't really know what to say, "...I didn't know.." After a pause she continued as my voice went low and anger fled my face.
"Of course you didn't.." she snapped bitterly through sobs, "I dress like this because it's just how I am. The wig is so they don't cut my hair again... The name I just use when I look this way.. It's become more familiar to me than my real name" Damon was gripping the bed sheets. I stand there puzzled; shocked. It makes sense now.
"I..I had no idea..I really couldn't tell." I started to apologize, my voice softer but I stuttered over my words.
'What does that even mean?' I ask myself. I have so many questions but all I can do is simply say I'm sorry, I feel like I made an ass of myself, to which she agreed. A deep painful ache filled my chest. A beaten and bloodied woman I just forced to explain herself meets my gaze, I hesitantly and gently place my hand on hers as the silence stretched between us, it felt almost binding.
I stare out the window.
"My heart aches.
I will never forget this moment, that is now set in stone"
Chapter 4.5 - lime green
Outside the nurses Office
As Alex and Damon talk in the room. Roy and May stand outside of the room waiting for the 20 minutes like promised. She impatiently broke the silence.
"Roy, your new friend is an ass!" May was still angry with Alex's statement. Roy was trying to calm May down.
"May please, he's just worried about him?"
May was pacing back and forth.
"He better not hurt her…I mean him. I promised myself that I'd help, she has a terrible taste.. Daemon's clothes look beat to shreds. I don't know why she wouldn't take the spare girls uniform I had. Those khakis were bound to tear. They were donated from a young man SO many years ago. She'll have no choice but to wear the girls uniform I have while I repair it." her mind drifted to when she first met Hermione. AKA Daemon. Her expression said it all.
"May?...May?....May? Stop staring into space. Gender is fluid these days you know. it doesn't go that deep. So stop thinking so hard into it" Roy looked concerned.
"Sorry Roy... I didn't mean to scare you." Roy leaned over to her face and playfully poked her face.
"You're gonna ruin your beautiful face if you keep frowning," he responded with a smile. Roy looked her in her eyes, she had a slight rose blush around her cheeks.
"Roy Leo Valentine, you're a sweetheart really. But I'm 23 and you're 15. I am a grown woman. knock it off!!" May attempted to distance herself from him with age.
"You said my full name?? I'm actually flattered, really. But I don't care, I'll have you eventually. So you can do whatever you like till then." He was stubborn and hard to get out of the office. So she spent plenty of time tolerating him and putting up boundaries but she grew to enjoy his company. He was a good kid. As he walks away, Alex and Damon come out of the office room.
"Damon," she called out "are you okay?" Damon was fully dressed up as a male again, the wig she wore took time to install, and was attention to detail.
"Yeah.. actually, I'm fine." she had a lovely smile on her face. Despite her puffy red eyes from crying. May took her by the hand and led her to the office. "give us a second," they went into the office for 10-15 minutes until.. finally coming back out.
"You don't need to be walking around in those ripped up clothes, Plus no one will be looking for you dressed like this." Said May Damon was dressed up with a jean jacket and a black T-shirt with black jeans and black boots, hair let down.
"How do I look?" she said fidgeting while looking at Alex.
"You look great! Damon" he said reassuringly, causing Damon to smile slightly.
They appeared to have had a serious bonding moment from the conversation that they had. They walked away together like friends who knew each other for a while. She seemed like she felt safe.
May thought to herself
"I don't really like his attitude, but I do care for you. Please take care of her...'
Chapter end