Overprotective Thirteen

Overprotective
Thirteen


“I really don't need you to walk me to school, Garrett,” I said with a huff.  Despite my complaining, I rode on his shoulder as he strode towards campus in the early morning light.  The air still smelled like dew and I shuddered a bit from the cold.  Fall was coming to an end and the dreaded winter season was coming.  Giants never seemed to mind so much, but as humans... it was becoming more and more difficult.

“I didn't know that they moved Saturday detention to seven in the morning,” he said softly as he stepped over a morning jogger.

“The only teacher who could take the slot said it needed to be 7-12 instead of 8-1,” I huffed.  “It's not a big deal.”

“Hmmm... well... I feel better walking you to school this early in the morning.  It's still almost dark.”

“Well, Garrett, I'm not gonna fight with you,” I said.  “I can't believe how much the temperature has been changing the past week.  It's gone from summer to fall and already cruising into winter.”

“Are you chilly?” he asked, nudging me closer to his neck with a shrug.  “Stay close... oh!  Excuse me,” he said, nodding at a woman walking dangerously close to the giant sidewalk.  He watched her sniff with a horrified expression.  “This is why I want you on the human sidewalks,” he couldn't help muttering to himself.

“Oh it's fine,” I said.  “That woman was dumb.  I stick close to the walls.”

“Good girl,” he said, stopping a few feet from the campus gates.  He looked around.  “The door's open,” he said.  “Which teacher is giving the Saturday detention?”

“New guy,” I said.  “Mr. Broderick.  Theater teacher.”

“Theater?”  My dad pursed his lips.  “I forgot they hired someone knew to replace the human woman.”  He shook his head.  “Who else is serving with you?”

“I don't know.  Probably the idiot who pulled the fire alarm on Monday,” I said.  “People who showed up late to class.”  I shrugged.  “Shouldn't be so bad.  I can get some work done and depending on the teacher, we can usually talk quietly.  This is more of a time suck more than anything.”

“You want me to pick you up?” he asked.

“Nah.  Remember, I'm free?” I laughed a bit as Garrett's hand came to claim me.  Two or three humans shuffled past towards the building, giving us a strange look.  I guess we were an odd pair.  NO matter.  “I figured I'd go to the diner—”

“Alone?  I can come—”

“I'm just getting some take out,” I said.  “I actually want to stop at the store and get a new coat and scarf and maybe spend the day at the park.”  I remembered that I was meeting Ronan at four.  After a clipped conversation I let him know that detention times had been moved and we agreed to meet at three instead.  I was looking forward to I.

“Well... alright,” Garrett said as he set me on the ground and bent down to one knee.  “You'll call if there's any concerns?”

“Sure thing, dad,” I said.  God.  The way his face lit up when I called him that.  It was priceless.  I had to wonder why I didn't call him dad more often.  It was always such a mix.  I liked calling him Garrett though too.  I shrugged it off and pulled my backpack tighter over my shoulder.  “I'll see you later, okay?  I shouldn't be home too late.”  I knew this wasn't exactly true, but I could always make something up about running into Isabelle.

“Good luck, my little rebel,” he said with a smile as he straightened back up.  “I'll see you later.”

“See ya,” I said, giving a shy wave before turning towards the school.  The sun was just beginning to make itself known over the horizon.  I had checked the weather and it wasn't calling for rain.  It was just so dang chilly!  I shuddered openly and ran towards the giant entrance of the building, keeping true to my promise to Garrett and staying close to the walls.

“Room 103,” I said, looking at my detention card.  I walked down the empty halls, surprised to hear my little footsteps echo.  It was so strange to be in such a large building when it was empty.  I blinked, remembering the whole confrontation with Luke and Ronan and Evans.  Honestly it still gave me chills.  I tried not to think of that, or my behavior towards Ronan after the incident.  I was horrible to him.

But I planned to make it right.

“Good morning, and welcome to Saturday detention,” a voice said as soon as I entered the room.  The young theater teacher sat at the front desk.  He looked hungover and it was hard not to laugh as he motioned for me to take a seat.  “We'll be here from 7-12 and so long as you're quiet... you can talk.  Quietly.”  He narrowed his eyes.  “Take a seat close to the front, please.”

“Y-yes, sir,” I said, walking past his massive desk to find one of my own.  I noticed he must have moved all the human desks to the collection of giant ones towards the front of the room. I scrambled up a ladder and took a seat and sighed loudly.

“Good morning and welcome to Saturday detention,” his bored voice called several more times before the strike of seven.  He introduced himself and indeed, this was Mr. Broderick.  He was a giant, but he was young.  I wondered what school he went to to become a theater teacher.  Giants rarely moved on to college, but it was happening more and more.  It was hard not to smile.  Poor Garrett.  He was past the college age long before it became an option for his kind.

“Tardiness is annoying,” Mr. Broderick huffed as he straightened up from his chair to close the door as one last student filed in.

“Sorry,” the giant grumbled.  “Some girl's cat was stuck in a tree and—” the voice stopped suddenly and I lifted my head, eyes widening.

“Ronan,” I said softly, tilting my head.

He swallowed hard and looked away.  “Where do I sit?” he asked the teacher.

“Towards the front,” Mr. Broderick went on in a bored tone.  “You can talk, but quietly.”

“You... you can sit here,” I said, pointing to the large open chair next to me.  I searched his eyes for some sort of friendliness but I couldn't find any.  I slumped a bit in my seat.  “Or not.”

“It's... it's cool,” Ronan said.  He took a few long strides towards the desk and collapsed into the chair with a heavy sigh.  He set down a large cup of coffee on the desk next to him.

I couldn't help arching a brow.  “Cat in a tree?” I asked in a teasing voice.

The corner of his mouth quirked upward.  “Amongst other things,” he said softly.

“So here we are,” Mr. Broderick said one last time as he also collapsed into his chair.  “Saturday detention.  Times have been moves so we are, in fact, here only until twelve and not until one.  No violence. Two bathroom breaks.  No tablets.  You may work on your homework for other classes, you may read.  You may talk... QUIETLY.”  He narrowed his eyes around the room.  There were five of us.  Four humans and Ronan.  I couldn't help but smirk.  “Get to it,” Broderick said.  “The clock starts now.”

I turned my attention towards Ronan again, but he was already reaching for a book.

“Aren't you going to ask what I'm reading?” I said, still trying to tease him.  At least he was talking to me again.

“No.  I wasn't,” he said softly.  He set his large book on the table.  I tilted my head to read the spine.

“A Brief History of Time?” I asked drily.  “Are you serious?”

His dark eyes flickered to mine.  They were so cold.  It was hard not to lose a bit of my chill attitude when those eyes settled on mine.  I lowered my head.  “S-sorry,” I muttered.  I guess he wasn't kidding about not wanting to talk to me in school.  I suupposed I could wait.

“No,” Ronan said softly.  “I'm... I'm sorry.  I'm... ugh... I know I'm being a dick, but I just needed some time to think—”

“No, I get it,” I interrupted.  “I know what you said.  I remembered the conversation from earlier.  I just had to be patient.  “I didn't mean to push you.”

“You didn't?”  He glanced my way and his eyes looked a little surprised.

I shook my head.  “No... and like I said... what happened Monday... was a mess.”

“It was.”  His eyes warmed.  “I've been looking forward to seeing you, Maya Jones.”  His eyes crinkled a bit in the corner.  “All week.”

“Me too.”

“But like I said, I just needed some time to think.  You were so... it just wasn't what I was expecting.  But I get it now.  You don't want a white knight.  I get it.”

“We don't have to talk about it now,” I whispered.  “We can talk after detention, remember?”

“Afterwards?” he asked, tilting his head.

“At three?” I reminded him.  “In the park?  We're meeting up?”

“We are?”

I nodded, smiling widely.  I seriously couldn't wait.  “Yeah.  I hope you don't mind though.  I want to stop by the diner and pick up some lunch.  I'd ask you to come but then I have to head over the shoppe I like.  I need a new coat and scarf.  It may not be that cold for you guys, but it's freezing for me.”  I tried to smile. “So three?  At our spot in the park?”

“Three,” he breathed.  “Cool.  I look forward to it, Maya Jones.”

I blushed.  “Me too.”


***



My new peacoat felt like heaven after I strode out from the coat shoppe.  A nice new coat for the winter.  It was a bit bright – I didn't know how Garrett was going to feel about the Crayola yellow peacoat and hot pink scarf covered in black lace, but I didn't care.  The moment I put on the two together, I knew they were a perfect match.  Shame it took so long though!  Still... I checked my watch.  I was going to be early.  Good.

I broke out into a jog, sticking close to the walls of mammoth buildings as giants strode past.  Detention had been awkward with Ronan, but it was over now and he seemed like he was willing to speak to me again without a computer screen to block us.  Thank goodness!  My smile grew wider as the park came into sight and my eyes scanned the area.  He wasn't there yet.  I checked my watch.  Still had a half-hour until three.

As I neared the massive gates, I looked around.  Now that the temperature was dropping, less and less humans filled the park.  Only a few giants were scattered around... including one in particular who I most certainly didn't want to see.  I swallowed hard and thought about walking back to the diner as my eyes landed on his sandy blond hair and lazy posture.

Luke Walters.

As I started to turn his head jerked up, spotting me immediately and he rose up to his feet.

“Maya!” he called, waving at me.  “Over here!”

Was... was he actually talking to me?  And in such a friendly way?  How dare he!  I narrowed my eyes, but didn't turn away.

“Are you seriously talking to me?” I asked.  I pulled my new yellow peacoat even more tightly around my chest and tried to look up at him from the distance.  It was hard not to be scared of him.  All I could remember was him crouching down and dipping a finger under my chin... right until Ronan showed up and broke everything up.  I wished he was early.

“Of course I am,” Luke said, taking a small step forward.  “Come here.  I saved us a spot.”

“I'm... I'm not coming over there!”

He tilted his head.  “Why not?”

“B-because!  You're... you're an asshole!” I shouted.  I looked around.  Where was Ronan?  It was early, but he usually hung out by the park on Saturdays... to see me.  So why of all days did he have to be late?

“But,” Luke seemed a bit confused as he took another step forward.

“Stay away from me!” I screamed, backing towards the gates.  He froze in his spot.

“What... why are you acting like this?  I thought... I thought we were gonna talk.”

“I have nothing to say to you!” I screamed back.  “Seriously, leave me alone.”

“Come... come on, Maya,” he stammered.  His face looked confused.  “I thought we were gonna talk.”  He checked his watch.  “Three o' clock, right?  I know I'm a little early, but you said three.  I wanted to be here after your detention.”

My face dropped.  No.  It couldn't be.

“What did you say?” I asked with a dread dawning on my features.

“I thought we agreed to meet in the park at three?” He tried again.  “I'd take you somewhere we could talk...”

“Wait, wait,” I said.  I felt myself growing dizzy as my back collided with one of the massive iron gates.  Luke came towards me again with a worried expression.  “Y-you?” I croaked.  “I was talking to you?”

“What are you talking about?”

“You!” I screamed, jamming a finger up at him.  “Are you the one who I talked to on Skype the other day?  You're... you're LiesWiseRoCg?”

He nodded.  “I thought... I thought you knew that.  You didn't know that?”

“NO!  No, I didn't know that!  I thought!  I thought you were Ronan!”

His expression darkened.  “Why would you think that?”

I clutched my forehead.  It was getting spin-ny.  I felt sick.  “The initials,” I muttered.  “RoCg.”

“Oh,” he said.  “Uh... no.  That's something my dad makes us put at the end of our screen names.  It stands for Republic of Conservative Giants,” he said.  “Oh God.  You thought it meant Ronan O' Connor?”

“Yes!”  I tried to steady myself against the gate but the dizziness wouldn't stop.  Luke took another step closer and I felt myself getting bathed in his shadow.  “S-stop,” I muttered.  “Don't... don't come any closer.”

“You don't look so good,” he said, dropping to one knee.  “Are you okay?”

“No,” I said.  “I'm not.  I feel like I'm gonna throw up.”  My eyes trailed up nervously to his.  “You?  It was really you the whole time?  LiesWiseRoCg?”  I coughed loudly.  “LiesWise.  LW.”  I trembled.  “Luke Walters.  It was you.”

“You really didn't know?” he offered again.  I saw his hand coming towards me.

“Don't touch me!” I screamed, trying to mold into the fence.  “Don't you dare touch me!”

“Calm down,” he said, looking around him.  “You're making a scene.”

“You're damn right I am!  You're... you're dangerous!  Keep your mind games outta my head.”

“I'm not a pusher, Maya.  I can't do anything...”

“Just... don't touch me,” I said, wobbling harder.  Where the hell was Ronan?  I needed him.  “All that talk,” I muttered.  “You said you wanted to talk...”

“I do.”

“You said we have things in common...”

“And we do, Maya,” he said.  “That wasn't a lie.  I think you got the wrong idea about me.  But when I found out your dad was a giant...”

“Don't talk about Garrett,” I said weakly.  My vision grew clouded as something familiar finally started to appear over the horizon of the sidewalk.

Tall.  Dark.

“Ronan,” I said, blinking hard.  I was going to faint.  I could feel it.  It was too much to handle.  I tried to shout out for him, but something blocked my mouth.

“Come with me,” Luke whispered.  “I'll take you someplace we can talk.”

“What?” I squeaked.  “N-no!  I'm not going anywhere with you!  Ronan—”

My shout grew muffled as I flew into the air and was suddenly surrounded by warm fabric.  

“Just... try to relax, Maya,” Luke's voice said from all around.  “I'll take you someplace warm so we can talk.  I swear I'll explain everything.”

“But... Ronan,” I said weakly as my vision grew black.  I rocked hard against the surface all around me.  Luke's steps pounded below.  “He's looking for me.  I told him I'd be here...”

“I have to talk to you about this first,” Luke said softly.  “Please... just let me explain everything.  You don't know...”

“I don't want to go with you,” I whispered as nervous tears started to fall.

“Just hush,” he muttered.  “I'm not going to hurt you.  Not again.  Just... relax, Maya.  Relax until we get there... I'll explain everything.”

I felt my body give up.  My vision went completely black.

I heard Luke grunt something after walking for a few moments... and Ronan's voice grunt back a curt reply.

Dammit.