'Great!' Claire responds, her excitement jolting me from my thoughts of Nina. 'I was also hoping you would come to the party as... my date?' She ventures, her voice betraying a hint of anxiety.
I find myself pondering the proposition. With her stunning red hair and piercing green eyes, Claire is undeniably one of the school's most beautiful girls. I notice guys are always admiring her and asking her out, but she doesn’t seem to last long with them in relationships, but that doesn’t mean she is the problem. I know most of the guys around here are laughable.
My gaze momentarily shifts back to Nina, who possesses a different kind of beauty—her long, brown hair cascading like a river, deep brown eyes, and delicate figure. She's a vision I could easily encircle with my arms or lift with a single hand. I'm suddenly consumed by thoughts I shouldn't be entertaining—what does her hair smell like? Does her skin feel as smooth as it appears?
I shake my head, snapping out of my reverie. Why am I thinking of Nina this way? I deliberately cut her out of my life years ago for a reason, so why does curiosity about her still gnaw at my thoughts? The more I contemplate it, the more frustrated I become—realizing that, to my chagrin, not a single day has passed in the last seven years without her crossing my mind. Tensions escalate at our table as May, clearly incensed by Claire's advances, decides to intervene. Her voice quivers with anger as she addresses Claire, 'Um, excuse me, you can't just ask him out when he is already claimed,' she growls, her possessiveness on full display.
Claire's expression shifts from surprise to defiance as she responds, 'Magnus is single, May. You two aren't dating, and just because you think you are his mate doesn't mean you will be.'
The atmosphere grows increasingly charged, and I sense this confrontation won't end well. Sensing the impending chaos, Zak and Flint wisely distance themselves from the brewing storm, slipping away from the table just in time.
Before anyone can react, May lunges toward Claire, and a brawl ignites between them. The cafeteria erupts into chaos as onlookers gather, chanting, 'Fight, fight, fight!'
Nina, who had been a distant observer until now, rushes towards the crowd. Her eyes widen with concern as she witnesses Claire gaining the upper hand, straddling May and delivering punches. May retaliates by grabbing Claire's hair and scratching her face. May disengages from Claire with a determined shove and springs back onto her feet, both locked in a fighting stance and circling each other.
I'm about to step in, hoping to defuse the situation, when Nina suddenly jumps in front of May, acting as a barrier to protect her. Just as Claire moves in for another punch, May shouts, 'Nina, what are you doing?' She angrily shouts as she touches her throbbing, swollen cheek.
Claire stops and looks Nina up and down, annoyed at her intervention.
Nina looks over her shoulder, ignoring Claire. 'I'm stopping you from getting seriously hurt,' she states with a quiet determination.
May stares at Nina with disbelief and frustration. She retorts, her voice laced with defiance, 'I don't need a freak like you to protect me.'
A sudden hush descends upon the cafeteria, and all eyes turn to Nina. In that fleeting moment, I detect a flicker of deep sadness in Nina's eyes, a vulnerability she quickly masks beneath a veneer of stoicism.
Nina responds bravely to May with rare courage. ‘Claire is beating the crap out of you with ease, and no one else seems to want to save your ass,’ Nina says and flashes a glare at me.
Annoyed and conflicted, I instinctively avoid eye contact with Nina, even though part of me yearns to lock eyes with her again. But May isn't one to back down. 'Yeah, well, I bet I could beat the crap out of you with ease,' she declares defiantly. In her rage, she lunges towards Nina, and I act on instinct, wrapping my arms around her waist and pulling her back into the protective circle of my chest before she can harm Nina further.
'That's enough, all of you!' I assert with fierce authority, my growl resonating throughout the cafeteria.
The collective crowd falls into submission, heads bowed in acknowledgment of my command. I exchange glances with Josie, who stands nearby, and issue my next directive. 'Take May to the nurse's office to get her wounds checked and cleaned up.'
May's response is a smile, and she leans back against me, her gaze upturned as if she has just fallen head over heels in love with me. It's a sentiment I care about, but not in the way she hopes for. May has always been a friend and will never be more than a friend. Right now, my primary concern is getting her away from Nina before she can unleash more harm.
'Everyone, get back to lunch!' I order, my authoritative tone resonating as the onlookers disperse, returning to their respective tables. The cafeteria slowly regains normalcy, the chaotic scene gradually dissipating. However, Nina remains an exception, standing there, her gaze fixed on me. I choose to ignore her, focusing instead on finishing my lunch.
Nina's voice trembles with emotion, a vulnerability she desperately tries to conceal. Her words cut through the air with sorrow and gratitude. 'I know you don't want to hear my voice or have anything to do with me and that you probably aren't even listening to me right now,' she begins, her sincerity shining through, 'but I just want to thank you for stopping May. As much as she hates me, she is still my sister, and I still love her. I could never forgive myself if I ever hurt her.'
Against my will, my eyes instantly connect with Nina's. They hold an innocence that reminds me of a fawn about to be ensnared by a wolf. My gaze trails down her smooth skin, past her delicate nose, and to her lips, drawing me into a surge of conflicting emotions.