Chapter 19: I Will Follow You Wherever

~“Oh, I hope some day I’ll make it out of here. Even if it takes all night or a hundred years. Need a place to hide, but I can’t find one near. Wanna feel alive, outside I can’t fight my fear.” —Billie Eilish ft. Khalid.~

Chapter Theme Song: “Lovely” by Billie Eilish ft. Khalid.

HARMONY

I was drunk.

But I was still clear-headed. I knew what I was doing. I just didn’t know why I didn’t stop.

I’m smart enough to know that what happened should be between two people who care about each other. And Blaze hasn’t shown any signs that he feels that way about me.

He’s charming to everyone, as April says, and I’ve seen it myself. So, it’s not fair to assume that he kissed me and did everything else because he likes me.

And what about me? Do I like him? I’d rather not dig too deep for the answer. I know that unrequited feelings are the most painful, so I should just leave it alone.

He was drunk. I was drunk. We were laughing and having a good time. That can easily create a sexual tension when two people are alone in a room.

That’s all it was. We were just out of our minds.

I start to pull my hair up into a bun but wince when my finger brushes against the rough mark on my skin.

I push my hair to the side and grimace, looking at the stinging area on the side of my neck in the mirror. My face turns red again when I see the small, raw bruise there. Pink and swollen.

~Blaze. He did that.~

I swallow and cover it with my hair, deciding to leave it down today. I grab my backpack from the bed and head to my English class.

Honestly, I’ve never had any kind of sexual encounter with a guy before Saturday night, so I don’t know how to act afterward.

Blaze and I sit together in class, and I’m worried about getting through the session without becoming a nervous wreck.

When I get there, the room is quiet and empty. I walk to my usual seat and check the time on my watch.

7:30 a.m.

Class doesn’t start for another half hour, so I sit down and put my bag in the spot where Blaze usually sits.

I’m not trying to be clingy, I just know that Mr. Jones’s boring lectures are more bearable when Blaze is next to me.

I pull out my phone and put in my earbuds. I scroll through my playlist, select “Lovely” by Billie Eilish and Khalid, and put my phone on my lap.

I take out my notebook and start reviewing the notes from the last class until it’s time for today’s lecture.

A hand lands on my notebook, and I look up to see Mr. Jones standing over me. He’s dressed in a crisp, grey suit, holding his briefcase, and smiling down at me.

I quickly take out my earbuds. “Oh, I’m sorry, has class started?” I check my watch and see it’s only 7:45 a.m.

He shakes his head. “No, you’re quite early, Ms. Skye.” His smile gets wider and his hazel eyes crinkle under the fluorescent lights.

I notice that he only smiles like this when I’m not talking to Blaze, and I wonder why he dislikes him so much.

I know Blaze doesn’t always follow the rules and can be a bit rebellious, but Mr. Jones’s dislike for him seems to go deeper.

“Yeah, I try to be on time,” I reply, looking back down at my notebook.

“If you need any help, you can always come to my office,” he continues. “I don’t usually let students in, but I’ll make an exception for someone special like you.”

I stiffen. ~That doesn’t sound right.~

I look up at him and force a smile. “I’m pretty good at this subject, so I think I’ll be okay. But thanks for the offer, Mr. Jones.”

I look back down at my desk, remembering what Blaze said about him having affairs with his students.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see that he’s still standing there, even though I’ve clearly lost interest in his conversation. I shift uncomfortably, hoping he’ll leave soon.

“Uh, Harmony, I was wondering if we could—”

“Good morning!” A girl walks into the class, and I’ve never been so grateful.

She hurries to her seat, her eyes darting between us as she pops her gum. “Are we not having class today?”

Normally, gum popping would annoy me, but today I’m thankful for it.

“Yes, we’re about to start.” Mr. Jones forces a smile, but I can tell from his eyes that he’s annoyed by the interruption.

He walks to his podium, and I let out a sigh of relief as I start to prepare for class.

More students start to trickle in, and I keep glancing at the door, hoping to see Blaze. He told me he usually comes to class an hour late, so I’m not expecting him until probably 9:00 a.m.

***

I spend an hour and a half of Mr. Jones’s lecture alternating between looking at the door and my watch. It’s clear that Blaze isn’t coming to class today.

~And that’s...disappointing.~

I rest my head on my hand, deciding to stop looking for him and listen to Mr. Jones’s droning lecture instead.

His voice is like a lullaby, and my eyes start to get heavy. I’m about to fall asleep when a bag lands on the seat next to me.

“Excuse me, is this seat taken?”

“Yes,” I whisper, my eyes half-closed.

“By who?”

“By—” My gaze lifts to find Blaze grinning at me, and my heart skips a beat without my say-so.

Today, he’s sporting a gray tank top and navy shorts, his hair tousled but still looking good.

~By you.~

He pulls out a chair, and I’m suddenly wide awake, clutching my bag and placing it on my lap.

“Morning, green eyes.” His smile is radiant as he sits down, and I shiver at the pleasant scent of him. The girls were right. Where does he buy his grooming products?

I smile back. “Morning.”

I give myself a mental pat on the back for not tripping over my words while returning his greeting.

Just seeing him makes me jittery. I’m not sure I can talk to him properly after what happened in his room that night.

“Thanks for saving my seat,” he says, and I rub my hands on my dress, a nervous habit.

“Yeah, you’re welcome.”

“What did I miss in his snooze-fest of a lecture?” He hoists his bag from the floor, and I shrug.

“Um, not much...just some notes on verb agreements. He spent half the class talking about his favorite restaurants.”

Blaze laughs and rolls his eyes. “So typical of Mr. Jones.”

I chuckle and look forward, immediately locking eyes with a pair of icy ones.

The subject of our conversation is now glaring at us with a stern expression, and I squirm uncomfortably, turning back to Blaze as he sets his notebook on the desk.

“So, did you have fun Saturday night?” He glances at me, and my face flushes instantly.

~Is he talking about what happened in his room?~

“H-huh?”

He catches my flustered reaction and chuckles. “I mean the party. Did you enjoy the party?”

“Oh.” I press my lips together.

~Well, that was embarrassing.~

“Yeah, it was okay.”

His scent wraps around me as he leans in closer, a half-smile playing on his lips as his eyes flicker between mine. “What were you thinking about, Harmony?”

I blink nervously, and the closeness leaves no room to hide my blushing face. “When?”

“Just.” His eyes drop to my lips. “Now.” His gaze meets mine again. “What were you thinking about just now?”

“Nothing...,” I mumble.

He grins at my answer. “~Nothing~. I learned from Saturday night that ‘nothing’ usually means something.” He arches a perfect eyebrow, his smirk still in place as he confidently holds my gaze.

I chew on the inside of my cheek, dropping my gaze between us, and he grins and decides to let me off the hook, leaning back in his chair and opening his book. “You’re cute, Harmony.” He smiles at me.

My skin is now a deep shade of red as I look away from him and focus on my notebook, gripping my pen as I start to take notes.

Blaze’s presence is making my nerves go haywire, and Mr. Jones’s constant disapproving glare is just adding fuel to my anxiety fire. I think I want this lecture to end soon.

***

Class finally wraps up and Blaze and I exit the lecture hall to grab lunch. We navigate the bustling hallway filled with students rushing in every direction.

He shoves his hands in his pockets as we walk side by side, and I notice that every girl we pass is ogling him with admiration. He’s good-looking, that’s obvious, so I guess it’s to be expected.

It makes me a bit uncomfortable though, especially since after they feast their eyes on him, they shoot me resentful glares.

“You’re eating lunch with us in the caf today, right?” he asks me.

“Um, I guess.” I rub my arm.

“Cool, let’s go.” He’s about to head off in the opposite direction when I place a hand on his bicep. He turns to me and I point a finger behind me.

“I need to grab my sandwich and milk from the snack bar.”

He smiles gently, nodding. “Okay, no problem. I’ll text April and tell her to meet us at the caf.”

I nod as he pulls out his phone from his pocket. After texting his cousin, we head to the snack bar, and I order my usual lunch.

Blaze leans his elbow on the counter, watching me gather my food items, and when I catch the small smile on his face, I feel a bit self-conscious.

“What?”

He shakes his head. “Nothing. Let’s go.”

I frown slightly as I follow him to the cafeteria. As soon as we step into the crowded room, a few people call out to him, inviting him to join them for lunch or throwing out party invites.

He ignores most of them as we make our way over to where April and the girls are standing in line.

April turns away from the counter and spots us as we approach the group, her eyes narrowing disapprovingly as they flick between us. “Why are you with her, Blaze?”

“April, for God’s sake. We just had a class together,” he snaps, leaning over to kiss her forehead. It doesn’t erase her frown.

“Yeah, we have the same English class.” I offer a small smile.

She seems to prefer hearing the explanation from me because her gaze finally softens. I guess she feels like she can’t trust her cousin’s words. ~Can I even trust his words?~

“Pat, seriously! Bean stew again?” Blaze complains, moving to the front of the line and resting his elbows on the counter.

The middle-aged lady behind the counter shrugs as she continues to serve the people in front of us. “I don’t make the lunches.”

“This is why Harmony always gets her sandwiches.” James rolls his eyes. “I think I’m going to get diarrhea soon.” He rubs his stomach with a pained expression. “You guys are trying to kill me.”

“I’m driving off campus to McDonald’s.” April digs into her bag for her wallet, unzipping the sparkly pouch to check how much cash she has. “I can’t stand Homewood’s menu any longer.”

“Pat, I can’t believe you didn’t save me a burger. Damn.” Blaze pushes off the counter, and I can’t help but smile. He sure does love his burgers.

“You guys could try the tuna sandwich,” I suggest. “It’s not half bad.”

Yuna gives the sandwich in my hand a once-over. “Mm. Yeah, I think I’ll settle for a sandwich. Doesn’t look too shabby.”

Suddenly, a guy squeezes between me and Tia, grabbing April’s ass. I gasp as she whirls around, her face flushed with anger.

I stare at the guy, shocked. He doesn’t seem to feel any guilt for his actions, grinning at her with a cocky smirk. His brown curls are a mess on his head, and he’s wearing a yellow jersey and khaki pants.

I’ve never seen him around here before.

“Seriously, Leo?! What the hell!” April pushes him away, and James steps up, his eyes narrowed.

“Did you just touch—”

“Did you just touch my cousin’s ass, Leo?” Blaze pulls James back, taking his place with a furrowed brow.

Leo lifts his chin, a smug look on his face, but he’s no match for Blaze’s height.

“Yeah.” He shrugs. “You can fuck my girlfriend, but I can’t touch your cousin? Doesn’t work like that.”

April swallows hard and grabs Blaze’s arm, trying to pull him away. “Ignore him, Blaze.”

“Ignore?!” Blaze steps up to Leo, his eyes darkening. “How can I ~ignore~ him when the asshole is clearly asking for a beating?”

April looks worried, biting her lip. I can’t blame her. I’m feeling the same way.

The last time Blaze was this angry, he had a knife in his bag and was ready to stab his teacher. I know he won’t hesitate to do the same to a fellow student.

The look he gave Mr. Jones is back, and I put a hand on his arm, trying to calm him down.

“Blaze. Ignore him.”

He glares at Leo, his nostrils flaring. I tug on his arm. “Blaze?”

He lets out a breath and turns away from Leo, deciding to let it go.

I let out a sigh of relief, and I see April do the same.

But Leo isn’t done. He snorts and ruffles his hair. “Your cousin is just as slutty as your bitch of a mother!”

~Oh no.~

“What the fuck did you just say?” Blaze spins around. “Say that again, Leo!”

“Yeah, I’ll say it again! YOUR COUSIN IS JUST AS SLUTTY AS YOUR BITCH OF A MO—”

~BAM!~

Blaze’s fist connects with Leo’s nose, sending him sprawling. Everyone gasps, backing away as blood spurts from Leo’s nose.

He touches his nose, looking at the blood on his fingers, but before he can recover, Blaze grabs a metal lunch tray and smashes it into his face.

Pat screams, backing away as Blaze continues to hit Leo over and over.

“Oh my God, Blaze, stop it!” April tries to grab his arm, but he shakes her off and straddles Leo, hitting him with the tray again and again.

~Oh, God. He’s lost it.~ I stand there, frozen, as people scream and yell, but no one has the courage to stop him.

Leo curls up, trying to protect his face, crying out with each hit. James and April try to stop Blaze, but he keeps going, beating Leo mercilessly.

The tray is bent in half, and when Blaze realizes it’s no longer effective, he grabs a fork from a tray behind the counter.

Pat backs away, praying, as Blaze moves toward Leo.

People rush from their seats, crowding around the scene. April buries her hands in her hair, panicking. “Oh God, stop him, James! He’ll kill him!”

“I’m trying, April!” James tries to grab Blaze’s arm, but he shakes him off and straddles Leo, ready to stab him with the fork.

The look in his eyes is terrifying, and I know he might actually ~kill~ Leo. Right here, in the cafeteria.

“Blaze!” I scream. “Stop it! Please!”

He grabs Leo by the throat, squeezing as he raises the fork. ~I can’t let him do this~.

I run over and crouch down, putting my hand between Leo and the fork, hoping it’ll stop him.

“Blaze, don’t do this. Please stop.” Tears sting my eyes. “You’ll get in serious trouble. You’ll ruin your life if you do this.”

He’s seething, his eyes dark.

“Look at me, Blaze.”

I grab his face, turning it toward me, but he’s still looking at Leo, the fork still raised. I grab his wrist, trying to get his attention. “Stop. Please stop...”

A tear falls from my eye, landing on his arm, and he finally looks at me.

His brow furrows, and I plead with him silently, tears in my eyes.

He stares at me for a moment, as if he’s fighting with himself, then he throws the fork down and walks out of the cafeteria.

April buries her face in her hands. Tia and Yuna are in shock. I am too, but I force myself to snap out of it and run after him.

“Blaze, wait!”

Blaze doesn’t stop his stride as he storms across the parking lot, a palpable wave of hot, seething anger radiating from him.

“Blaze, wait!” I call out again.

Ignoring me, he yanks open his car door and climbs in. I can’t let him drive off in this state, so I make a split-second decision.

I sprint over and plant myself in front of his Mercedes. It’s a reckless move, but I can’t let him leave like this.

Through the windshield, I see him let out a frustrated sigh. He rolls down his window and leans out. “Move, Harmony. I swear I’ll run you over.”

I shake my head. “We need to talk.”

“About what? How I’m the bad guy again?”

I let out a sigh, and he rolls his eyes. “Move. I don’t want to talk.”

“No, Blaze—”

“Damn it, Harmony, move! Do you want to get run over?”

“You...wouldn’t.” I manage to choke out.

He wouldn’t, would he? But after seeing him nearly impale someone with a fork, I’m not so sure.

He told me at the party that he treats me differently, that he cares about my feelings. Clinging to that thought, I stand my ground.

He wouldn’t hit me. As unhinged as he is.

“Harmony, move.”

“No.”

He sighs and drops his head, looking frustrated. Then, in one swift motion, he’s out of the car. He slams the door so hard I flinch and step back as he stalks toward me.

I fight the urge to run as he approaches, my body trembling. When he’s standing over me, I look up at him, my eyes wide with fear.

“What the hell are you doing?”

I swallow hard.

“You trust me enough to stand in front of my car?” His voice is low, demanding, his eyebrows raised in a challenging stare.

I let out a sigh, dropping my hands to my sides.

“Yes...I trust you, Blaze. I know you won’t hurt me.”

His eyes soften at my words, and he looks at me quietly, hands on his hips.

“Why? Why do you think I won’t hurt you?”

I shrug. “I don’t know...”

~I really don’t. But something tells me he wouldn’t.~

He looks away, running a hand over his face before letting out a heavy sigh.

“Blaze, I trust you. I know you—”

He grabs my hand and pulls me toward his car. I stay silent as he opens the door and guides me into the passenger seat. He closes the door and walks around to his side.

I quietly fasten my seatbelt as he slides in next to me.

“You’re strange, you know that?” he mutters, starting the engine.

I look down at my lap. “I know...I know I am.”

“Even after you saw me smack someone with a lunch tray, you still want to ride with me?”

He glances at me and I meet his gaze, nodding. “Yes.”

He doesn’t say anything else, just looks forward, presses the gas, and speeds out of the lot.

~^”Way up high or down low. I’ll go wherever you will go.” —Charlene Soraia.^~