5 CHAPTER 5

"Shit!" Cora grunted as another punch landed on her abdomen

"Didn't I tell you that I don't want you anywhere near Wyatt?" Kai spitted out "Didn't I tell you? You are only mine,"

"K-Kai please...," Cora pleaded as Kai pushed her against a wall "It wasn't my fault. I didn't do anything"

"I warned you right?" Kai gritted out as his hands held Cora's wrist harshly

"Please...Kai...your hurting m-me," Cora gasped "I...d-didn't do an-anything,"

"And it better stay that way," Kai warned

Before anyone of them could say anything, someone had entered the meeting room and Cora quickly composed herself before anybody could see them. The first to enter was Wyatt himself and he stopped right in his tracks when he saw them. Cora who just moved away from Kai had the questioning eyes of Wyatt as she fixed her clothes making it seem like they were doing something else other than fighting and screaming at each other, which she felt was even worse especially in front of Wyatt

"Was I interrupting anything?" Wyatt questioned

"N-nothing," Cora shook her head and kept it low not meeting the dark eyes

"Just playing around," Kai excused himself as he didn't spare a glance at Cora

Before the duo could continue their first conversation in three years, the other students had started coming in. If it's any constellation Wyatt had seen when Kai had pushed Cora against the wall however he didn't hear their conversation nor saw Kai punch her. Since he could see that Cora was trying to push him off, Wyatt knew that she was in trouble. Although he said that Cora now meant nothing to him, he couldn't stand someone getting hurt like that, he had to interrupt for his own sake. Though what was bothering Wyatt was what does he have to do anything with them both. But Wyatt had found the answer already

"Please take your seats," Wyatt pointed to the big rectangle table as he set up a presentation

Kai lingered his hatred gaze on Cora and was smirking when he saw Cora wince in pain when she took a seat. Since the only vacant seat was beside Mia but Wyatt was also there on the left but Cora had no choice so she just sat down. Beside her, Wyatt heard her pain grunts but made himself think that he didn't care what happened. He knew that his mind wouldn't let the matter go. Now that he finally be able to see Cora he wasn't going to miss the chance of seeing what was going on and he also knew that can't directly talk to Cora so the only option was to get Matt or Mia.

"Are you okay?" Mia nudged Cora as she whispered

"I am fine," Cora grunted, making no room for the other to ask further questions

Everyone was there for around two hours as Wyatt explained to them everything about his changes to the company's new chain. He had explained every detail to the youngsters mostly keeping his eye contact with everyone except Cora who from time to time had her head hanging marking that she was more than tried. The few times they actually did make eye contact, her eyes were red from the lack of proper sleep and Wyatt could see that. Just for Cora's sake, Wyatt had decided to end the lecture early which was also surprising for himself

"There will be individual interviews held on Friday so please come prepared," Wyatt instructed

Before everyone could leave, Wyatt had turned his laptop and told everyone to fill in their contact details for when he has to contact them for their separate interviews. As suspected the girls were first to reach Wyatt's laptop, typing their numbers in though what they didn't know is that he just wanted a specific girl's contact number. When Cora got up from the chair, she winced again lightly and Wyatt was meaning to ask her if she was okay this time but the girl left after telling Mia to enter her information as well. Wyatt dismissed everyone, bidding a farewell and went out, he saw his opportunity to find out more stuff when he saw Cora and Mia parting after a hug. Waiting for Cora to leave Mia completely is when Wyatt made his move and approached Mia

"Mia!" Wyatt directed her from behind

"Wyatt!" Mia was surprised "What do you need?" Mia nodded her head

"I have to talk to you," Wyatt decided not to beat around the bush "I will just take ten minutes of your time,"

"Is it about Cora?" Mia wrapped her arms around her chest in a sassy way when Wyatt nodded his head

"Cor-" Mia stopped mid-sentence when she saw a figure behind the building area, it was Kai and there was no way Mia was going to talk with him around eavesdropping

"Not here," Mia instructed

Taking hold of Wyatt's wrist she directed them towards her car in the parking lot. Mia unlocked his car and the two got in once Wyatt instructed his guards to keep a lookout. Mia turned the ac on and then relaxed a little

"What do you want to ask?" Mia asked

"Have you noticed any changes in Cora lately?" Wyatt asked "I mean of course you have but I am just asking you have seen them too right? It's not only me?"

"A break up can do a number on you," Mia eyed him

"Not that type of change," Wyatt rolled his eyes "Plus she was the one who broke up with me,"

"I got what you meant," Mia turned her head towards the window staring into nothing "I don't know what is wrong, honestly. She hasn't been her usual self lately, she is always looking behind her back, always so cautious like someone is going to something out of the blue. Sometimes she thinks she is being watched. It's been like what a year now since I have noticed that she gets scared or stiffens all of a sudden,"

Wyatt was silent for a while taking this in

"Have you talked to her about it?" He asked

"I tried to, just a few days back but she just shrugs it off and says it's nothing," Mia replied shaking his head "I have been asking constantly but she just hides everything. That dumbass"

Wyatt decided to ignore the younger's use of words and started thinking more on this issue. '

'Why are you so work up?' Wyatt thought to himself though

Right then one other thing crossed his mind, the scene which he witnessed this morning along with Cora wincing in pain, holding her abdomen

"Mia?" Wyatt got her attention "Do you think Cora is getting bullied in some way?"

Mia thought for a while. All those times she had seen Cora wincing in pain from time to time and once she saw her with a black eye. Cora had told her that she had gotten into a fight with someone but she knew that Cora wasn't the type of person who would go pick fights. Sure she was blunt and irrational sometimes but she never picked fights for no serious reason and especially not on campus

"Maybe," Mia considered "But then with what alternative motive? Why would someone want to hurt Cora? Plus because Matt is close friends with Travis, people keep away from us. She barely makes new friends except for us,"

"It's defiantly not friendship they're after," Wyatt sighed "Have you noticed anything else out of the ordinary?"

"There is this one guy who I see Cora with sometimes but they always seem like..." Mia couldn't find the right words

"Like they are dating?" Wyatt asked and didn't question what he felt in his body right now

"No!" Mia burst out "They always seem to be arguing or tense, you know,"

"Who is this guy?" Wyatt breathed out heavily not knowing he was holding it in "I saw him in the meeting room as well, he shoved Cora against the wall but I stepped in seconds later,"

"What the heck?," Mia sounded furious yet bluntly "All I have heard is that he is not a person someone should mess with for fun,"

"It's not like I can take him out of this programme now," Wyatt rubbed his forehead in frustration

"Why not?" Mia was confused "Just tell him to leave my best friend the fuck alone,"

"It is not that simple," Wyatt sighed "By tomorrow you guys would be all over the news,"

Mia nodded understandably and the two got lost in their own world, both worried about the same person. Though one of them thinking what has gotten into him and what the fuck was he getting himself into. He had promised himself not to care about her anymore, then why does he have a strong urge to protect her from whatever was troubling her. Before he could think more, his phone rang out in the silence, making both jump a little from the sudden break in silence

"Hello?" Wyatt answered it "Have you checked it out? Alright, I am on my way,"

"Everything good?" Mia asked

"Just some problem at the office," Wyatt replied as he nodded "Well, I must be going. Thank you Mia for talking with me,"

The two shook hands but before Wyatt could leave the car, Mia put a hand on Wyatt's shoulder holding him back

"Can I ask you a question?" Mia was serious Wyatt gave her a nod "Why do you care? Why after all these years? Why after she broke up with you?"

Wyatt thought to himself whether to answer the question truthfully or this time take the option of beating around the bush

"Mia," Wyatt sighed "If I am being honest I don't really know. I promised my self I was not going to care for anyone like that again but I can't help it. The more I think about what she might be going through the more I want to help. The more my urge to help her grows. And I came to one conclusion, that I agree that we were dating and now we broke up. But before all of that, she was my friend,"

"Friends look out for each other," Wyatt added "No matter what,"

"I will keep you updated if something happens," Mia smiled "Thank you, Wyatt,"

"One thing Mia" Wyatt requested "This conversation is only between us,"

When Mia nodded in agreement Wyatt gave her a light smile before bidding farewell and leaving with his guards towards his own car. Wyatt had even surprised himself when he came clean to Mia like that, he didn't even know that he was gonna say that but he now that he was thinking. He was going to stay with his word

'Cora and I might have dated but before everything got fucked up in our lives, we were friends and if our love died out' Mew thought

'I am not letting our friendship die out as well'