Second Chance : A Rare Opportunity

Chapter 12

Sophia

My heart relaxed instantly as soon as he came into view. I never felt this secure in anyone’s presence except my father.

But now this dangerous man who I met just few days ago is making me feel the same sense of security.

His eyes were stuck on me and his body was radiating the anger he was feeling. He strode towards us. One guy who was holding me left me and strode in his direction.

But before he could even throw a single punch, Daniel smacked his head with the broken chair in his hand with full force.

Few screams were heard in the room from the audience upon seeing the impact of the hit. The guy fell on the floor with a loud thud. His head started bleeding.

Daniel glanced once in his direction and again his eyes focused on me. The other guys who were holding Sarah, Steve and Mark also made their way towards him.

Daniel threw the broken chair he was holding in his hand and started fighting with them. But soon Steve and Mark joined him and took care of them.

When he was just almost ten steps away the other guy who was holding me handed me over to Landon and started walking in Daniel’s direction.

Daniel picked the baseball bat that was placed near a table where baseball team of the college was having their lunch.

He swung the bat, hitting the head of the same guy almost breaking his skull.

My eyes widened upon seeing the look in his eyes. He is ready to kill anyone at this moment. He is not in a mood to hold back.

Seeing this scene Landon’s grip loosened on my body. It means even he didn’t expected this reaction out of him. My eyes went to his friends and even they were shocked to see him like this.

It means it is the most angry he has ever been and no one knows what he is capable of doing in this situation.

Landon pushed me away and tried to run but Daniel held him by his collar and hit him with the bat twice. He groaned in pain falling down on the floor.

Daniel again glanced in my direction. By then Sarah came near me and covered my body with her scarf.

He again turned around and his eyes fell on trembling Jack. Daniel snatched the phone from his hand and threw it on the ground breaking in into pieces.

Jack also tried to run but Daniel was not letting anyone go. He swung the bat again hitting him on his arms, legs and stomach.

In three hits he was on the ground. Steve said, “It’s enough Daniel”. He looked in Steve’s direction taking deep breaths to control himself.

He looked at me and his eyes softened. He walked towards me and stood right in front of me looking at my face with concern.

He put the bat on the table beside me and cupped my face in his palms gently. He caressed my cheek where Landon slapped me earlier. It must have left the bruise.

He asked slowly, “Are you okay?”

I nodded my head in yes. “I am sorry, I was late this time” he said apologetically.

I shook my head and tears started flowing from my eyes which I was trying to hold back earlier. It’s shocking that I am showing him my vulnerable side.

But right at this moment I don’t care about anything. I am just glad he is here right in front of my eyes.

He pulled me into a hug burying his face in the crook of my neck. I clutched his shirt in my fists tightly.

He caressed my head lightly and rubbed my back with his palm. After few minutes he pulled away and wiped my tears with his thumbs.

Suddenly his eyes fell on my neck and all softness vanished in a second. He pushed my hairs away from my neck to take a better look.

I was confused thinking what is it that he is seeing and realization hit me, it’s bite mark on my neck.

Before he could even ask who did it my eyes fell on Landon who was sitting on the floor clutching his left arm in another.

Daniel looked at my face and asked, “He did it right?”

I stared into his eyes scared to answer his question. I don’t know how he is going to react. And the look in his eyes is telling me he is not going to let it slide.

“Answer me” he again asked but this time a little loudly making me flinch at his tone. My eyes again fell on Landon.

In a blink of an eye he picked the bat from the table and strode towards him. He started beating him with it not caring where he is hitting him.

He was repeating only one thing, “How dare you touch her with these filthy hands and mouth of yours?”

He was outraged. I covered my mouth with my palm seeing him like this. Few people gasped in shock and few covered their mouths to stop their screams.

Everyone was looking at him in terror. He was not looking like a human being right now. He was like a beast who is out to destroy everything.

Steve and Mark tried to stop him but the look he gave, made them gulp in fear. Sarah squeezed my shoulder and when I looked at her face, she was terrified too.

Each and every person who came with Landon was looking scared of this beast.

Landon’s whole body was now covered in blood but Daniel was not stopping at all.

He was about to hit his head when I screamed at the top of my lungs gathering all the courage, “Daniel……”.

He stopped. He turned around to look at my face and when he noticed my terrified expressions he threw the bat away.

My eyes fell on Landon’s lifeless body. Jack was just sitting in the corner with wide eyes. He didn’t even had the courage to check on Landon.

I told Sarah to call ambulance and she did.

Daniel took one step in my direction but I took one step back. Right now even I am feeling scared of his anger. He is not himself right now because anger has taken over him.

I saw hurt flashing in his eyes when I took a step back but he didn’t stop and came closer. I didn’t move away again. His features again softened.

He held my hand and whispered, “I am sorry. I didn’t want to make you scared.”

He turned around and said, “This is the last time I am saying this so everyone listen well. This girl standing here right now, belongs to me.” Saying this he pulled me into himself.

“And I will not think twice before killing the person who tries to lay a single finger on her. Engrave my words into your head if you don’t want to end up like him, stay away from her” he said pointing towards Landon.

“I hope everyone present here understood but if not let me show you all, to whom she belongs”.

Saying this he turned around to look at my face.

It felt familiar. His hold on me, his breath fanning my face, only an inch distance between our lips, his intense gaze, this all feels familiar as if I have been in this same position with him before.

But when?

He didn’t give much time for me to think about it and smashed his lips onto mine. He was kissing me passionately but gently.

I didn’t push him away or struggled to free myself. I didn’t feel scared anymore or felt disgusted with his touch.

All I felt was my heart beating loudly as if some one was playing drums in my chest.

His hands were rested on my waist and I clutched his collars in my palms letting him devour my mouth.

It is first time I am letting a man kiss myself. I let all my guards down. My knees lost all strength and he noticed that as his hold became tighter on my waist keeping me in my place.

He pulled away from the kiss. He took few deep breaths and then said, “Steve, Mark take care of them”.

He picked me up in his arms. He started walking out of the place and I am glad because I know I will not be able to walk by myself.

He entered into the medical room and made me sit on the bed. He looked at me for few seconds then stood straight.

He again stared at my face for a while as if he wanted to say something but was trying to stop himself. I was also staring at his face not understanding how to start a conversation.

He took his shirt off which he was wearing over a t shirt. He handed the shirt to me and said, “Wear it”.

Saying this he turned around to give me my privacy. I stared at his back for a while when he said without turning back “You can stare at me all you want but later. Now first wear the shirt”.

I wore the shirt and told him when I was done. He sat beside me and tucked some strands of hair behind my ear.

He took the ointment and started applying it on my bruised cheeks. I was staring at his face but he was not looking into my eyes.

To break the silence I asked, “Are you angry with me?”

“No I am not” he said without any emotions in his voice. I felt hurt hearing him talk in this tone with me. He has talked angrily to me but he has never talked coldly with me.

“Your tone is saying, you are. And if you are not then why aren’t you saying anything to me” I asked looking down.

His hands stopped and he said, “Yes I am angry. You told me to stay away from you. You hurt me.”

I looked up to see him complaining like a child. “And what should I say? Do you ever listen to me? I told you to stay away from him but still you were talking to him on that day” he said.

“I didn’t have any plans with him…..” I was saying but he cut me off.

“I know you didn’t. You just said that to save him from me. But see what he did to you. That is the reason why I wanted to take care of him on that day itself so that he stays away from you” he said trying to explain his point.

“I thought you will beat him” I said slowly.

“Yes I would have but not like how I did today” he replied.

Silence fell over us for a while. We kept staring into each other’s eyes for a while and I was the one to break the eye contact looking down at my hands placed on my lap.

“Did you tell your friends to spread the rumour of you being in the college everyday?” I asked.

“Yes I did” he replied.

“Why?”

“Because I was not here to protect you at the time and I knew those bastards will try to take advantage of my absence. So I just wanted them to feel that I am just around and I will be right by your side if they try to bully you” he replied.

I nodded my head still looking down. He placed his fingers under my chin and made me look into his eyes, “What is it?” he asked.

“I was really scared earlier. I thought you will not come to save me. My eyes were looking for you even when I knew you were not here” I said honestly.

His eyes softened and he said, “How could I not come? But I am sorry I was a little late.”

“I thought you were so angry with me and your words that you will not cross paths with me ever again kept repeating in my mind” I said trying to keep my tears at bay. I am again showing him my vulnerable side.

“How can I stay away from you? I just said those words in anger, I didn’t mean them” he said.

“It didn’t seem like you were just saying those words” I replied.

“Honestly speaking I thought I will be able to do that but I couldn’t. During whole trip only your thoughts were in my mind” he said.

He rubbed my cheek lightly with his thumbs and kept staring at my face for a while. I asked him what’s the matter.

“I am sorry, I made you terrified out there right? I could not control myself” he said.

“It’s okay. But I was really scared to see you like that.” I said honestly. I can’t believe I am having a normal conversation with him without screaming, shouting and arguing with each other.

Is it considered normal? you are talking about flights, my mind asked.

“Even I was scared of myself out there for a second” he said grabbing my attention. He was scared?

“I lost control on myself. If you didn’t scream my name like that, I don’t know what I would have done to him” he said staring into my eyes.

I just kept staring into his eyes not understanding how to respond.

“Please listen to me next time. I know we didn’t started off on a good note but I really do care about you. And I think you should be aware about it by now” he said hopefully.

I nodded my head and whispered, “I know. And I will listen to your advice.”

“And I will try to take care of myself” I added thinking that if I take care of myself then he won’t have to interfere unnecessarily into my stupid fights.

But his next words made my heart skip two three beats at once, “You don’t have to because I am here to take care of you and protect you."