10: Alright, Kiss On The Cheek

Oliver Grey is punching someone. Yikes.

The fight must have been going on for a while because both of their shirts, Oliver and his victim's, were covered in blood. It wasn't a pretty sight and I hated that people were encouraging and recording what was happing. Someone could get badly hurt.

I yell again, "Get off, Oliver!"

He doesn't say anything, doesn't stop punching. He doesn't seem to have even heard me yelling at him, but I know he did. The punches got harder and faster once I'd spoken up.

I freak out at what's happening. The boy underneath Oliver is getting pummeled, blocking only some of the punches and never hitting one back.

Suddenly, the crowd parts as Grayson Adams makes his way toward the front of the crowd. He didn't have to push his way through the gaps in order to see. The crowd just parted like the sea. And he didn't even say abracadabra.

I look up to him, struggling to take my eyes off the fight. Grayson immediately lunges into the pit of death that is this fight and pulls Oliver off of the other boy. My eyes stay on Oliver, not interested in whoever he was attacking.

His eye is bruised and his lip is cut but other than that his face still looks perfect. His knuckles are bloody but I don't know whose blood is on them.

Oliver tried to resist agains Grayson but Grayson says something to him, something I don't hear, and he stops. His eyes scan the crowd and I know he sees me although there's no recognition in his eyes. He just gets up and walks away from the crowd.

Grayson gets up and helps the other boy up. Oh god, the other boy. I look away from where Oliver left and see as Tyler McFee rejects Grayson's hand and lifts himself up. He looks terrible. All bloody and bruised. I hiss at the pain he's gonna have once the adrenaline subdues.

I turn and walk away from the war zone. Levi was stuck in the back and I go up to him.

"So, what was it?"

"Oliver and Tyler were fighting."

"Oliver?"

I nod my head, subconsciously looking back to where Oliver had walked off too. His car was gone so I assumed he left before some girl applauded him for kicking Tyler's shit in.

"I gotta go get the twins."

I start making my way towards the elementary school and Levi runs to catch up with me, "I'll take you."

"You sure?"

He nods, "Practice is over, so you can't tell me I'm skipping out on anything."

I nod and walk with him to his car, jumping into the passenger seat. It smells fresh and minty in his car. I was so used to the smell of leather that filled air when I was in Oliver's car.

"Hey boy!" I yell as I see Braden and Ben running up to me.

"Hazel! We got on the team!" Ben smiles.

"Hey, I wanted to tell her!"

"Slow poke!" Ben yells back to Braden.

Braden looks up to me and smiles, "I made a goal."

I smile to the both of the and bring them in for a hug, "Well, I'm proud of both of you. Now, get in so we can get home and shower."

They both smile and run towards Levi's car. I walk behind them and get in. Ben and Braden are already telling Levi all the good news about them getting on the soccer team. It was always heartwarming to see them talking to people other than each other. Of course, it's great that they're friends, but I didn't want them to be social outcasts like their sister. Although, now I have a friend who's a cheerleader. Remembering that, I send Emma a text congratulating her. She sends one too many smiley faces back which I take as her being ultra excited.

"Welcome home, that'll be 10 dollars," Levi smiles.

I roll my eyes and laugh, "You get a hug."

"Not even a kiss on the cheek?"

I jump out the car and he does too as the twins run towards the front door. I watch as they go in and close the door behind them. I had given them a key recently to see how responsible they could be. For now, it had proved a successful parenting move on my part.

"Alright, kiss on the cheek."

I kiss his cheek quickly and give him a hug afterwards.

"Thanks, Levi."

"Always, Hazel. You know I love those little monsters."

I smile at him and wave goodbye as I make my way to the front door. Once I'm in I see no sign of Oliver. I sigh and go to the twins' room.

"Shower and I'll make dinner."

Cooking, I decide to make enough for four. Who knows when Oliver will be back, if he will be. I keep thinking of the fight. Wondering why he would do that. His dark eyes were scary and his determination to rearrange Tyler's face was both impressive and terrifying. Oliver lives in this house, I couldn't have him getting mad and punching things, people, whenever he felt like it.

Once I got the boys to bed I went to the kitchen and sat in the chair I always did. By 2am I was drifting to sleep but I heard the front door open. My eyes snapped to his and my jaw dropped

His face is stone cold as always, but everything else looked so broken. His shirt was still stained with blood. He had his jacket in his hand, not on. His eye was bruised. His lip was cut. His hands were still bloody. His hair was disheveled, although it still looked really soft.

Now is not the time, Hazel. Swoon over him later.

I stand up and walk up to him. He doesn't move at all, but his eyes stay zeroed in on me. When I'm close to him, right in front of him,

I break eye contact and look down to his hands. They have dried blood all over them but I don't mind as I grab one in both of mine.

I still feel his cold gaze on me. It's unnerving but I continue examining his hand. I look up into his eyes again and sigh. The hand I hadn't grabbed comes up to my face and moves a loose hair away from my face. His touch is still soft. I grab his hand and lead him to the bathroom, closing the door behind us.

"Sit," I tell him and point to the counter.

He does as he's told and keeps staring at me as I grab everything I need to clean up his wounds. Once I grab everything I look up at him again.

"He made me mad."

"Oliver," I sigh and his gaze that was on me feels more intense, "You can't hurt everyone that makes you mad."

"Why not?"

"Because people shouldn't hurt other people."