The day had just started, and it was already horrible. I woke up covered in blood and already in the worst mood imaginable. I dreaded my period, due to all the training I've done and all the strain that's been put on my body since I was little, whenever I get my period, it always hurts.

It feels like a deep, twisting ache coils in my lower abdomen, like a fist clenching my insides and refusing to let go. The pain pulses—sometimes a dull, dragging weight, other times a sharp, stabbing sensation that makes me want to double over. It radiates down my thighs, a constant throbbing that makes every step feel heavier. My lower back aches like I’ve been carrying something too heavy for too long, and a deep, nauseating pressure sits low in my stomach. Even breathing feels like it tugs at something sore and raw inside me. I grit my teeth, willing my body to stop waging war on itself, but the cramps don’t listen.

I was trained to handle pain. In a fight, injuries happen all the time, but that doesn't mean you get to stop. So I've been on multiple missions while on my period. It wasn't pretty. Missions were never pretty, the collision of the pain f.

I didn't want to go school. I wanted to stay home and lie in my own filth, but that's not how world works. So I dragged my body out of bed and took a bath. Then I braided my hair into two cornrows and packed my bag, making sure to grab a ton of pads. After preparing my lunch, I got driven to school.

Class was going well, aside from the fact that blood was coming out of me. I was also doing a good job of avoiding everyone at school—with the exception of Kyle. We had too many classes together and he wasn't in the cafeteria when the chaos went down.

I had one more class before lunch—art, thankfully. I couldn't sit through another lecture or deal with anyone's voice in my ears; I just needed the silence that painting brought, even if I sucked at it.

I don't think I could stomach the cafeteria right now. So, for the first time, I decided to eat outside. Blankets were spread out across the lawn, while some people occupied picnic tables. I spotted an empty table beneath a tree, its shade offering some relief. The peace and quiet were a welcome change.

I unpacked my lunch slowly, too lazy to take out my bowl of salad. Sitting by myself while eating felt like the old days, it felt normal. A feeling that soon faded when I saw Kyle walking towards me.

"You do know that you walked up to me of your own free will, right?" I asked. He rolled his eyes before sitting.

"You just looked so pitiful sitting there all alone."

"I'm sure you know the feeling" I replied. I looked at Kyle tray with fries and pizza, that looked fleshly bake, with steam coming out of it and everything. Suddenly my veggie salad looked very bland.

I pushed my salad away and reached for his food. His eyes track my movement, but he didn't say anything. We ate in comfortable silence, joking around every now and then. Kyle ended up eating my salad cause I didn't want to carry it back home.

The day went by in a flash and I was more than happy to make my way home when the last bell rang. I was walking out the gates with Kyle when Jayden appeared. It's like he was waiting for me, which annoyed me to no end.

Kyle was going in the opposite direction, and we said our goodbyes—Jayden watched quietly. I tried walking past him, but he seemed to expect it and stepped in front of me.

"Please excuse me" I said causing him to raise a brow.

"Are you avoiding me?" He asked. I could see people stopping to listen.

"You're causing another scene" I said, rolling my eyes and trying to pass him again.

He grabbed my arm and pulled me towards his car, I didn't fight him, I've fought enough battles to know a loosing one and I'm tired of people eyes on me. I'm just tired in general, my legs ached.

He opened the door for me and gently push me in before slamming it shut and getting in.

"Where do you live?" He ask as he started the engine.

"Nope" I turned my head. "I'm not giving you my address."

"Fair enough." He said driving.

"Where are we going?" I asked
"Are you avoiding me?" We both said at the same time.

He didn't wait, he didn't ask me to go first, he repeated his question "Are you avoiding me?"

"We don't have any class together on Wednesday and I don't think we're friends enough for me to avoid you" I said turning to looked out.

"Ouch." I didn't look to see his expression, I don't care that he sounded genuinely hurt.

"Where are we going?" I asked again still looking outside.

"No where" he said stoping the car and parking on the side of no-fucking-where.

"Huh?" I turned towards him.

"We're not going anywhere, get out."

Wait. Didn't he grabbed me and force ME into his car? Why is he acting like I begged him for a ride or something.

"Wait... are you seriously kicking me out of your car?" My voice lace heavy with confusion, I hadn't fully processed what I just heard.

"Yup, we're not friends and I don't give strangers rides." He said not turning to look in my direction.

Of all the things I expected, this was not one of them. First, he dragged me in, and now he's throwing me out.

"Are you crazy? I'm not getting out of the car." I practically scream.

"And why not? You really shouldn't be getting into strangers cars, it's not safe." His constant use of the word 'stranger' was starting to piss me off.

"Are you joking right now?" I question in disbelief.

"We're both clearly not laughing" he answered.

"Whatever" I said opening the door and throwing my bag over my shoulder.

I've walked before, in fact I've walked home everyday, but of course it wasn't that easy, cause I was hit with the most painful cramp ever. I curled over, clutching my stomach as the pain stabbed through me again, sharp and relentless. I had handled broken bones before, but this? This was its own kind of torture. You would think the pills I was taking would actually help. Jayden who haven't driven away got out of the car and walked over to me.

"Are you ok?" He asked kinda smug.

"Just peachy" I grunted.

I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to breathe through the pain. For a moment, Jayden just stood there, watching me. Then, with a sigh—more exasperated than anything—he bent down and scooped me up, his hands warm against my skin. A spark shot through me, chasing the pain away for just a second replaced by something warmer, something I couldn’t quite name.

“I’m sorry for kicking you out of the car. That was childish,” he said softly, carefully securing my seatbelt.

“You’re right, it was childish,” I replied, my voice a little quieter as he slid back into the car.

“Okay, your turn,” he added, a playful glint in his eyes.

I raised an eyebrow in question. “My turn to do what?”

“Apologize, duh,” he said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“For?”

“For saying we’re not friends.”

“Hmm, last I checked, I don’t really have any friends,” I answered, my gaze avoiding his, unsure of what I was feeling.

“Rose would be very hurt to hear that,” he said, his tone softening. His eyes met mine then, searching for something. I swallowed, looking away, but I could still feel the weight of his gaze on me.

"Are you hungry?" Jayden asked.

"Nope."

"Well, I am." He pulled into a place called Tusk and Tallow and parked.

I slumped in my seat, not moving. "Why can’t you just go home? You know, where the food is free?"

"Because I’m not taking you home."

He got out, walked around, and opened my door.

I rolled my eyes. "You’re so friggin’ petty," I muttered. "And it’s not cute."

He paused for a second. Then, instead of answering, he leaned in—just close enough to make my breath hitch.

I instinctively backed up, but there was nowhere to go. His body heat, his scent, the quiet confidence in his movements—it all pressed in at once.

My pulse jumped. I hated that.

He stayed there, letting the silence stretch, then finally murmured, "That’s because I’m not cute."

Then he pulled back, smirking.

"Now get out."