THAT KIND OF LOVE

CHAPTER SEVEN: THE WEIGHT OF THREE DAYS AND THE FIGHT THAT FOLLOWS

MAYA

The school gate was a warzone at 3:12pm. Heat pressed down like a hand. Students spilled out, uniforms rumpled, voices loud.

I walked fast, eyes on the pavement. Three days. Three days since Alex’s fist went through the drywall and his voice cracked on my name.

Three days since i stooped picking his calls , deleted his voicemails, and lied to myself that silence was safer than answers.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. Again. Alex. I didn’t look.

Then I felt an arm come around my shoulders. Warm. Easy. Wrong. Unfamiliar.

“First time seeing you alone without your shadow or should I say bodyguard”

Mark said pulling me into a side hug but I quickly pushed him away gently.

“Must be a cold day on hell today” he grinned.

I stiffened. “Mark, not today. I’m not in a very good mood and I don’t appreciate you…”

Too late.

I got Alex eyes he is already across the courtyard. Shirt untucked. Jaw locked.

His eyes looked that looked like he hadn’t slept in 72 hours fixed on Mark’s.

The air went thin. In a few stride he was already standing in front of Mark.

“You again,” Alex said, voice low enough that only they heard. “You must really not like yourself” he growled.

Mark didn’t backdown. He smiled, slow and deliberate.

“She is my friend, Alex. That means something. Sometimes let her breathe in the same space with her friends.”

“Breathe?” Alex laughed, but there was no humor in it. Just rust and rage.

“I am the very air she breaths” his voice laced with arrogant and pride “Stay away from her Maxwell.”

Maya stepped between them, hands up. “Stop. Both of you. This is school, not—”

Mark’s fingers held my hands before I could finish my statement.

The first punch came fast. Alex’s knuckles cracked against Mark’s jaw.

Mark stumbled, then came back swinging. Someone screamed.

I was yanked back by a classmate before a fist could catch my temple.

My chest caved in. Not from fear. From the sound Mark made when Alex elbow split his lip. A guttural, broken sound.

“Enough!” A security voice cut through. Whistles. Hands pulling them apart.

Mark spat blood onto the tiled floor. And Alex Didn’t take his eyes off me.

The range in them was drowning me.

“You won’t even pick up my call. But you let him hug you?”

His voice was low. Low enough to cause goosebumps on my frightened body.

My throat closed. “Not here Alex. Everyone is watching.”

I tried my best to voice out without breaking down totally.

Alex fisted his fists hard that I fear he would hurt himself.

“All those involved go into the deans office now!” The security shouted.

The deans office became a cage. One hour of statements, threats, parents called.

I sat on the bench outside, arms wrapped around myself, watching Alex through the glass.

He didn’t look at me once. Not after the he strode into the deans office in excruciating anger.

That hurt more than the silence.

When they finally released them, Alex came out first.

“You’re going home with me” Alex said. Not a question.

I want to say no. Want to call a cab, disappear.

I looked forward Mark was watching from the door his lip split but I just couldn’t bring myself to go close to him.

Alex would do worse .

Ironically, three days of silence had carved a hole in my chest. I really missed my Alex.

“I’m sorry Mark” I said without really looking at him.

So I walked.

Alex and I didn’t speak as we walked to his car.

Only the sound of our shoes, and the way Alex kept his hands in his pockets like he was afraid of what they’d do.

Finally, seated in the car together and Alex driving in a silence so loud, “Why Alex?”

He turned to me. Really looked at me. The anger was gone.

What was left was worse. Exhaustion. Fear.

“Because he touched what belongs to me. My most precious treasure ,” he said.

My breath hitched “I am not your property Alex. I am not an object” tears trailed down my face.

“You’re right. You’re more. You’re mine. You’re my world.”

I wanted to reach for him, but I dropped my hand.

“You can’t do that. You can’t put all of you on me. That’s toxic. That’s weight.”

“I know,” he whispered.

“I’m trying to be lighter. But three days without your voice… I thought I’d lose my mind.”

I believed him. And that terrified me.

Because belief meant staying. And staying meant risking the next bed side lamp, the next punch, the next time his fear turned into something i couldn’t fix.

“I need time,” I said. “Real time. Time where you don’t try to stifle me—“

My voice was shaky and broken.

Alex nodded. Slow. Like it cost him. “Okay. Time. But don’t shut the door all the way, Maya. Please.”

I didn’t answer. I just closed my eyes even thou it was heavy with tears and emotions.

He respected my silence.

The roller coaster hit then — anger, guilt, longing, fear, all at once, twisting in my stomach.

I wanted to hit him. Hug him. Run. Stay.

I hated that he could make me feel all of it with one look.

At our street corner, “please take me to my parents.”

He nodded then reversed but I could see the pain in his face.

An hour later we got to my parents.

I didn’t get down immediately I want to enjoy his presence for a few seconds.

“Can I call you tomorrow? Just one call. Not to converse just to hear your voice, I promise.”

I looked at him for a long time. The boy i love.

“I don’t know,” I said honestly. Then opened the car door and walked out without another glance.

ALEX

I didn’t move. I just watched until her porch light came on.

The light went off.

I stayed in their driveway for minutes.

Then I pulled my phone from my pocket. 47 missed calls. 23 texts.

From my parents. All unread. I scrolled past them and opened a new contact.

A number I had saved months ago and never used.

I pressed call.

A woman’s voice answered, tired and bored. “Yeah?”

“I need someone tonight,” i said. My voice was flat. Empty. “How much?”

There was a pause. Then: “I can be there in 20. Location?”

I gave an address that wasn’t mine. I looked up at Maya’s dark window one last time.

And the line went dead.