Just a Scratch

"Hey, Issy! Did you know that Crush had a crush on you?" Mia teased as they sat in the bustling college cafeteria, the lively chatter of students surrounding them.

Issy chuckled, glancing over at Crush who was discreetly stealing glances in their direction. "Na, I don't want him," she replied, downplaying any interest.

Mia raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Really? Then what's your preference?"

Issy, with a carefree grin, let out a playful chuckle. "I don't know! I've never fallen in love."

Mia, leaning in with a mischievous glint in her eyes, teasingly responded, "Ohhh! Really?"

Issy raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What about you?" she asked, genuinely curious about Mia's romantic escapades.

Mia, between bites of her meal, casually shared, "Me? I dated plenty of guys, but all of them were assholes." Her nonchalant tone carried a hint of disdain for her past choices.

With a sly smile, Issy decided to stir the pot a bit. "What about my brother?"

"Alex?" Mia pondered, feigning indifference. "Nah, he's older and not my type." As Mia looked into Issy's eyes, she noticed a subtle shift in Issy's expression.

"Really?" Issy responded, her protective instincts kicking in as her tone carried a hint of frustration. The bond with her brother, Alex, was strong, and any suggestion of him not being 'good looking' sparked a defensive reaction.

Mia attempted to diffuse the situation with a playful tone. "I'm just kidding!"

As the conversation continued, a tall and handsome guy approached them with a confident greeting. "Hello, ladies!" he said, his charisma is evident.

"Oh, it's Ethan!" Issy remarked as she recognized him.

"Let's go, Issy, we've got class now!" Mia quickly decided, urging her friend to leave the cafeteria.

As they got up to leave, Ethan attempted to approach Mia. "What?" Mia snapped at him.

"Please, listen to me! Let's get back together," Ethan pleaded.

"Together? With you?" Mia scoffed, her tone filled with disbelief. "I've never seen a bigger red flag than you, and I won't let you control me. I can't be with you!" With that, she left the cafeteria, leaving Ethan behind in frustration.

As they settled into their classroom, Issy couldn't help but notice the weight on Mia's shoulders. With a concerned look, she turned to her friend and inquired, "What happened between you and Ethan?"

"Yeah, you know I dated him once, right?" Mia acknowledged.

Issy nodded, prompting Mia to share her thoughts. "He turned out to be a complete jerk. Everything seemed fine at the beginning, but after a month, he started trying to control every aspect of my life," Mia confessed, her expression reflecting the disappointment of the past.

Issy offered a supportive nod. "I think you made the right decision," she said, expressing solidarity with Mia's choice to end the relationship. "You deserve someone who respects your freedom and makes you happy."

After the class ends, Mia is ready to return home with Issable.

Come one issy, lets go to cafe on way to home! She excited.

Sorry Mia! But I had job Today. Isabelle apologised.

Oh! It's ok! Will go tomorrow. Mia disappointed.

As Mia made her way home, little did she know that Ethan had been following her, lurking in the shadows with malicious intent. Unaware of the impending danger, she continued down the quiet streets.

Suddenly, Ethan emerged from the darkness, confronting Mia with hostility. "You can't just walk away from me, Mia!" he yelled, his aggressive tone echoing through the empty streets.

As the tension heightened, Mia fought back against Ethan's aggressive advances, pushing him away in a desperate attempt to break free. In the midst of the struggle, a hand touched Ethan's shoulder, causing him to turn around.

"Who's that?" he demanded, irritation evident in his voice. To his surprise, he found himself face to face with Alex and Mr. Thompson.

"Who are you?" Ethan questioned.

"I'm Alex," came the calm reply. Mia, recognizing Alex, called out his name with relief.

"I don't know who you are! Can you leave her?" Alex responded with a confident smirk.

"What if I don't? Will you stop me?" Ethan challenged.

In the aftermath of the confrontation, a tense silence hung in the air. Alex, with a determined smile, swiftly took control of the situation by grabbing Ethan's hand—the very hand that had menacingly grabbed Mia just moments ago. This firm move compelled Ethan to release Mia, allowing her to find refuge beside Mr. Thompson.

"Thank you," Alex calmly expressed, maintaining the same composed demeanor. As he turned around to address Mia, the atmosphere remained charged with the residue of the altercation.

"Alex!" Mia's sudden shout disrupted the relative calm, signaling an unexpected turn of events. Without warning, Ethan launched an attack with a pocket knife. Alex's quick reflexes allowed him to evade the full impact of the attack, but he wasn't completely unscathed. A wound on his hand bore witness to the danger he had narrowly escaped.

Ethan, seizing the opportunity, made a swift escape from the scene, leaving behind a trail of uncertainty.

Concern etched on their faces, Thompson and Mia rushed to Alex's side. "Is everything alright?" Mr. Thompson inquired, his gaze penetrating the facade of composure.

Downplaying the severity of the injury, Alex nonchalantly remarked, "It's just a small scratch," attempting to brush off the gravity of the situation.

However, Mia, with evident concern in her urgent plea, countered, "No, we need to treat it fast. Let's go to the hospital." With a shared sense of urgency, Thompson and Mia swiftly took the wounded Alex to the hospital for prompt medical attention.