Chasing Hearts

Six

After getting to know Ying a little more, I headed back toward class but stopped when I passed by the window that overlooked the soccer field and spotted Reign. I watched him and the others for a few minutes, unaware of Bianca heading right toward me.

Before I could say anything or even react, she marched over to me and slapped me across the face. My cheek stung so bad I closed my eyes against the pain.

"You really need to start remembering your place, or that slap isn't going to be the only thing you get. I will make your life a living hell for thinking you had any place in my life or my family." She spat at me then stormed off.

I stood there and listened to my own heart hammer against my chest, wondering what in the world I had done to deserve this treatment. I tried to stay out of her way, but she kept seeking me out, so I finally stood up to her, and this was what I got.

I could hear the echoing footsteps of someone running toward me and I didn't need to look up to know who it was. Reign's large, calloused hand lifted up to gingerly touch my face, his eyes wide and frantic.

"I'm going to rip her to shreds," he muttered, then turned to chase after Bianca.

I grabbed his arm to stop him. "Don't bother, she isn't worth it."

"You can't just let her treat you like this!"

"It's fine, Reign. Just let it go." I pushed past him and speedwalked back to class.

Back in the classroom, I put my head down and waited for Reign to show up and hoped he would just let it go when he did. I heard the door open and his footsteps beside me as the chair scraped.

Thankfully, he said nothing, but when I snuck a glance at him, I was confused to see he had a small smirk on his face. I was about to ask what had him so happy when a shriek sounded from the hallway.

Everyone rushed out into the hall to see what happened, and I nearly pissed myself with I witnessed Bianca in front of her locker, completely covered in what looked like shaving cream that was also pouring out of her locker.

I heard snickering behind me and look back to see that Reign was the only one who hadn't rushed to see what happened, which meant he was quite obviously the culprit.

Did he do this...for me? I smiled gratefully as I returned to my seat but chose not to say anything in case someone overheard and got him in trouble.

That put me in a good mood for the rest of the day and I didn't see or hear from Bianca either, though I did see her briefly during lunch and she had changed her clothes thankfully.

After school I start the walk home from the main gates, this time not waiting for Bianca in case she blamed everything on me.

"Hey, Maia, wait up!" I heard Reign call out behind me.

His voice drew the attention of a few people nearby and they were shocked to see us walking together. I guess he really had made a reputation for himself as the school's 'bad boy'. To me, he reminded me of a bulldog.

"What's up?" I asked.

"Is it cool if I walk home with you? I was a little worried Bianca might give you trouble on the way home."

I smiled, a little touched by his gesture and how we were thinking the same thing.

"Sure, it's not that far from the store. I'm sure I'll hear all about what happened today when I get home."

"Make sure to tell me how it goes," Reign joked.

"I would need your number for that." The words popped out of my mouth before I could stop them, and I realized how cliché it sounded only after.

But Reign stopped and pulled out his phone, then brought up a new contact before he handed it to me. My fingers trembled as I punched my phone number and name into his phone, then handed it back.

He punched a few things into his phone, then mine soon went off with a message.

"There, now you have it."

We resumed walking home, but there was a slight awkward tension I felt between us, from the emotionless look on his face, I seemed to be the only one who felt it.

~*~

I could hear Bianca's shrill voice before I even stepped into the apartment. I stopped outside the door and contemplated going in, then last minute turned around and walked back out of the building and toward the convenience store I went to last time.

This time I had hoped no one would bother me so I could get my after-work snack and relax in peace after the day I had.

To my luck, I heard a deep rumble in the sky, and it soon started to rain. I didn't bring an umbrella and the store was still a little ways away, there was no point in trying to cover myself. I ran as much as I could until I got to a bus stop and paused briefly to try and dry off a bit.

I was just about to get going again when the smallest sound caught my attention outside of the bus stop. I looked around the side and waited to hear the sound again, but there was nothing. I almost gave up until I heard it again and searched the bushes behind the bus shelter.

It was there hidden in the grass and camouflaged by the night, I saw the smallest, cutest little thing.

A tiny black cat.

It was huddled into a ball, soaking wet from the rain and shivering all over. I felt so bad for it, I didn't know what to do but still scooped the little thing up and put it in my messenger bag where hopefully it was a little warmer.

The little thing settled down in the bag, thankful for the protection from the rain, and fit enough that you could barely tell it was there under my jacket. I made my way to the convenience store where no one was inside my luck.

I grabbed some stuffed cakes, noodles and a can of wet cat food. I knew I wasn't going to be able to feed him inside the store, but there had to be somewhere close where it was sheltered, and she could feed the little thing and figure out what to do with it.

Just as I was done paying for everything, I turned around to see Reign standing there, dripping and drenched.

"What are you doing here and not at home?" he asked.

The little thing popped its head out before I could answer, and Reign looked puzzled before he walked over to pet it. It meowed slightly when he touched it.

"Where did you find this guy?"

"Behind a bus shelter, he was just laying there in the cold."

Reign looked down and saw the cat food in my hand.

"Come with me, we can go back to the shop."

He grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the store without an answer.