The three of them are on me, punching, kicking, clawing. It hurts like fuck, my body growing bruises, but I don’t let up, just continue to jab my fist into their ugly fucking faces.
Blood covers my hands, my arms, my lips. I can taste it.
Copper. Metallic.
My fists are moving blindly now, knocking into them, pushing them. I’m in a rage. Those words. Their eyes. Maggie’s pale face.
I’m blind to it all. I’m feral.
And then I hear it.
A snap, a cry, and a thud.
Turning around, I see Maggie clutching his cheek, blood trickling down his face. His eyes are wide as he takes me in. Oh fuck, I must have hit him by accident.
He looks horrified.
I must look like a fucking monster.
I am a monster.
I inhale shakily as his brothers move in next to him. Max rests a hand possessively on Maggie’s shoulder.
“What the hell? You hit him, man. He’s half your size.” Max spits, his eye half swollen shut, and I step back, nearly tripping over my own feet.
Maggie shakes his brother off and moves toward me, but I stumble backward again. His pretty face is starting to swell and bruise because of me.
I fuckinghurthim.
“I’m…” I choke out. “I’m so sorry….”
“No,” Maggie whispers, his voice breaking. “It was an accident. This is not your fault. I shouldn’t have tried to grab you. I just wanted everyone to stop.”
I open my mouth to speak, but I can’t even breathe. My vision is going hazy. I’m gasping for breath and I’m going to fucking pass out.
Not in front of them.
Not here.
I force my legs to move, and I push past them all. Wrenching the apartment door open, I stumble outside. The air is hot, humid almost. The sun beats down on my skin, and I burn from it but my feet don’t stop moving.
I don’t even know how I make it home but I stumble inside and double over, my bruised hands clutched on my stomach.
They throb.
I gag violently, but nothing comes up. I’m empty inside.
Running a hand over my face with shaking fingers, I inhale deeply.
I don’t even know who I am anymore.
I hurt him.
I left him withthem.
I glance in the mirror and see my bloodstained face. I swipe at it with a trembling hand, and it smears across my skin.
I was never any good for him anyway.