05- Consent

Hiraeth

Finally, lunch is here so we get up, I say bye to Arcane and find Mia and Kai outside the class, they both go to their lockers whereas I go to mine, the corridors are empty by now since everyone is in the cafeteria, I put my books inside and feel a hand gripping my waist.

I snap my head around to see who it is, and it's Dave. This asshole always tries to touch me, I don't like it and I've told him that.

"Get your hand off me before I break it" I snarl at him.

I hear him chuckle, it makes my blood boil, "You? break my hand? as if," he says as he shoves me into the now-closed locker, my hand against the lockers, his chest to my back.

Youtube did NOT prepare me for this

"Get off me you perv" I scream at my loudest, he twirls me around, now facing me, he grabs my chin with one hand while his other is grabbing my waist, quite roughly

I feel like puking, I want to cry.

"Don't fucking scream" he says as his grips tighten on my waist and chin my tears are threatening to leak when I hear footsteps,

"You know I love you, but you won't even give me a chance, you snobby bitch" He continues

I hope they're my friends

I try to kick him in his groin, but he grabs my leg between his knees, my hands are on his chest trying to push him

"Fuck off Dave" I yell again, his grip tightens for a second before the weight of his body disappears.

I open my eyes to find him on the floor with Arcane on top of him, I shiver as I see Arcane land punches back to back on Dave's face, I want to stop him but I don't because Dave deserves this, I fall to my knees, the adrenaline now disappearing, still shivering.

I should report him, I really should but I don't want my mom to get worried, she already works too hard, and the fact that Dave comes from an influential family doesn't help either.

Arcane's eyes switches from Dave's face to mine, he gets up and kicks Dave once, before moving towards me, we hear another set of footsteps coming our way, this time its James, his friend.

Where are my friends when I need them

I continue to shake as Arcane moves his gaze to James and nods towards Dave, he immediately understands and moves towards him, grabbing him by his collar and pulling him to a different corridor, I shift my gaze to Arcane only to find him looking at me already.

He comes and sits in front of me, he moves his hand towards my head and I flinch, I look at his face and see him clench his jaw,

"sorry" I mutter lightly, he looks at me

"What are you sorry for," he asks roughly,

"That you had to see that, I tried to stop him,I swear" I mutter in a small voice as tears start flowing down my face.

Why am I apologising to a stranger ?

"You have nothing to be sorry about, it's clearly his fault that he touched a person without consent, regardless of who it is, consent is very important" I nod and sniffle.

I slowly get up from the floor and he gets up with me,

"Thanks for helping me," I say slowly,

"Nothing to be thanked for," he says as my eyes find him, he looks so cold and dead, I nod my head and lean on the locker behind me and I sigh, I stand up straight, give him a small smile.

"If something like that happens again, tell me, okay?" He says

"I will" I nod

I won't

"Good, come on let's go and eat something," he says, his voice coming out soft and slow,

And we move to the cafeteria together.

As we enter the cafeteria all the eyes are on us, girls are giving me weird looks and I'm pretty scared, so I slowly get behind Arcane as he notices the crowd too, he glares them which works pretty well.

We move to the seat where Mia and Kai are sitting and talking, smiling. They don't owe me anything but I feel betrayed.

I feel anger course through my veins, I was getting assaulted while they didn't even come to check why their friend took so long.

As we move to them, they look up as their smiles die down,

"What took you so long," Mia asks with a smirk indicating something

Kai looks between Arcane and Me and gives a weird look, of disapproval.

"Oh nothing much, was just busy getting assaulted hoping one of my friends would have my back, but alas," I say, sarcasm dripping from every word.

I know they don't owe me anything, but my anger just flows out. I'm rude.

As soon as the words leave my mouth, I see the expressions change on their face and I feel Arcane stiffen next to me.

"I'll leave you guys to it, okay?" He looks at me and starts moving away when I lightly grab his hand,

"Thanks again, really it means a lot" I thank him again

"Nothing to be thanked for, stay safe Hiraeth," he said before moving towards the table where his friends were.

I explain the entire situation to Mia and Kai and to say they were sorry would be an understatement, I obviously forgave them, and my anger is long gone now.

It calmed down with time, I might have some minor anger issues teehee

Lunch ends, but my anxiety is still at it's peak, making me have trouble breathing.

Mia and Kai were enraged when they got to know and I had to keep them down otherwise they just might have become murderers.

I come out of my thoughts as Mia starts talking again, we are currently sitting outside on a bench because we have a free period while Kai is in class.

" Cain will be back on Monday, it's been so long since we saw him," Mia says

Today is Friday

"Please we saw him last week" I state laughing

Cain is our friend, My closest friend. he's a bitch, but he's MY bitch.

"I won't be able to drop you off today, I have to go somewhere directly after school, sorry"

"And Kai has some after school thingy so he is useless too" she finishes and I sigh

"I'll just walk, it's not an issue," I say with a small smile.

after school ends I start my long walk home, I was 5 minutes into my walk, which felt like years let me tell ya when I hear a car honk next to me, I flinch and look at the car, it's Arcane.

"Get in, I'll drop you off," he says with a stern tone

"No it's alright, I'll walk, thanks" I reply and start walking again

"I don't bite Hiraeth, come on now," he says, his tone now softer than before.

I think about not having to walk and get in.

He leans towards me and raises his hand which causes me to flinch again.

Sigh, I'm a mEsS, I'm a lOsEr

He stops his actions mid-way for a second then leans more and pulls the seatbelt over, as I realize I shrink back into the seat, embarrassed.

"Do I scare you?" he asks, his tone rough

"No"

I don't even know you boy

"Don't lie Hiraeth, I've seen how you flinch every time I raise my hand" he says a bit frustrated running his hand through his hair.

"I'm not scared of you, I'm just scared of every person I come across" I state truthfully, my gaze fixed on my shoes.

He doesn't drag the topic for which I'm grateful as he nods slightly, I give him the address and he drops me off, I unbuckle my seat belt when I hear him say,

"I know it must be hard to believe, but I would never hurt you," he says lightly.

I don't believe him

I nod." Thanks for the ride " as I get out of the car and into my home.