He instinctively jerked to his feet with a roguish glare which made her inch back.
"Get that out of my sight !" He yelled, hitting her hand off in the process which made her fall to the ground. "Who are you to meddle in my business " He snapped. Rubin who was then, passing by noticed what was going on.
"Isn't that Alixies?" He queried at Laura whose gaze was fixed ahead as she kept ranting on her words. Rubin stared at their direction with furrowed brow.
"Where?" Laura asked, her eyes travelled after his gaze. She instinctively snapped with squinted eyes; her jaw clenched as she jutted her chin, just when she noticed them.
"That bastard" She roared. " How dare him touch her–i'm so gonna kill him this time around." She spontaneously sped their direction.
"Hey, let me handle–" Rubin stuttered but before he could finish his words, she had distanced a few steps ahead of him. "Gosh " He cried, slapping his forehead in frustration. "And there she goes again – Such a temper she got; was she always like this when alive?" He mumbled to himself. Rubin swiftly rubbed the nape of his neck and slouched, racing after her.
Ben inched nearer to Alixies with his fist clenched, wrath spread over his face and the words of his father echoed in his subconscious mind.
"He'll never accept a mother who left him for another man." The voice came again and again. His chest rose and fell with rapid breath; his breathing became hard as a wolfish glare spread over his face. Without hesitation, he swiftly lifted his fist about to hit her– Alixies spontaneously shrunk, coiling herself up with her face buried down and her eyes closed.
Laura sharply lifted up a stone nearby with the flip of her hand, just when she closed up on them; about to hit Ben on the head but Rubin swiftly tapped her which made her calm as she glanced at him. He gesticulated with a nod and hastened to Alixies' aid.
Before Ben could know, a sudden punch sent him, tossing to the ground.
"Leave her alone !" a voice followed. Alixies jerked up with her face, staring up at her saviour. Her eyes instinctively flew wide while she held on her breath with darted gaze , on noticing who it was. Laura on the other hand, gasped with fixed gaze; her eyes involuntary blinked, astonished.
Ben laid face down– he let out a sudden scoff, tilting his head in the process as he slowly wiped off a line of blood at the end of his lips, her mouth slightly twisted.
He chuckled. " Gosh, how I hate intruders " He muttered and sharply swayed to his feet, punching him back in the process. Rubin wasn't expecting that as well– he spontaneously staggered to the ground with Laura and Alixies, rushing to his aid.
"Aish– you really gets on my nerves, Rubin" He muttered. Not withstanding his irritating character, Rubin swiftly loosed himself from Alixies' grip and pumped a fist again. Laura and Alixies, helplessly yelled out for them to stop as it escalated into another world war.
Fred and Patrick were coming from the library when their gazes flashed on the scene from a distance.
"Ben?" Patrick stuttered.
"What the hell is wrong with him?– why should he be in this fist at this point in time " He added, speeding after Patrick who was already a meter ahead of him.
"Hey–Hey, enough already !" Patrick roared while he tried setting them apart; Fred instinctively joined as he pushed off, Ben from Rubin.
Alixies held Rubin away, their faces were covered in bruises with stain of blood at a few spot. Ben hesitated as he shot himself loose from Fred and Patrick.
"Let go off me– " He barked. " Want to teach that brat how to mind his own business." He threw a tantrum but Fred blocked his way. Just then, Mr. Rowan walked in on them – Mr Rowan is the Sports master of the school and he's known for his strict character.
"What's going on here?" He queried, throwing quizzical gazes at them– they all remained mute like statues with sailed lips. Rubin gazed down with furrowed brow and Ben on the other hand, just scoffed with a sharp punch in the air while he gazed away. Fred and Patrick instinctively tapped his shoulders and he shrugged them off.
" What? " Rowan scoffed. "I'm I talking to rocks or what?– I said what's going on here!" He shouted which made Alixies jolt. Laura flinched, her eyes swiftly glanced up at him.
"Nothing, Sir " Rubin stuttered; Rowan instinctively titled his head, a faint mischievous smile spread on his face.
"Nothing– you said, Rubin? " He inched nearer to him which made him take an involuntary step back. "What's these bruises about?" He barked, tilting Rubin's chin upwards.
"Such a bad lier– " He slammed down his hand, glancing back at Ben who just wore an indifferent gaze. "The two of you, meet me in my office – The rest can move back to class."
He announced and trod off. Ben glared at him and stormed off; Patrick hastened after him with Fred, who just look fed up with all what's going on. Rubin let out an inaudible sigh, his gaze travelled from Laura to Alixies.
"Does it hurt?" Alixies asked, touching a cut over his eyebrows; he spontaneously winced, a faint groan escaped his lips. “Sorry–” She cried.
“Don't worry, Alixi; I'm fine– Is not that bad” He stated and Laura frowned.
“How is that not bad enough?” She mumbled undertone which was audible enough for him to hear. He glanced at her and let out a faint scoff, turning back at Alixies as he ignored her.
“ And you?– Are you okay?” He asked, while he inspected her hands. A faint smile dazzled on her face.
“No need to worry, Rubin– I'm fine” She replied. “Thanks for helping–” She sighed, her brows furrowed. “And I'm sorry for getting you into trouble” She cried.
“Don't say that– I'm just glad you're okay. Go ahead now; I'll head to Mr. Rowan's office now. Will see you after class.” He added with a smile and sauntered off. Laura glanced at Alixies, whose gaze was fixed at his back and smiled.
“I'm glad you got someone to defend you even when I'm not with you” She mumbled. Rubin gazed back from the distance and noticed Laura still with Alixies; her concentration centred on her.
“Hey, Laura–” He beckoned which made Alixies deftly turned to her right with a wide gaze. Laura swiftly turned towards Rubin's direction.
“Are you coming? –Let's go” She instinctively nodded, her lips curved in a smile.
“See you later, Alixi ” She exclaimed, as if she could actually hear her and stormed off. “I'm coming....”
Just when she closed up on him, he grabbed her hand and they trod off. He cheerfully ruffled his hand through her hair as their back faded away; Laura slouched.
“Stop messing my hair, Rubin” She cried.
Alixies stared at his back, a bit puzzled at his absurd behavior but understood it anywhere since she once saw Laura's spirit with him– She scoffed.
“Can't he keep this behavior low?– People may think he's actually crazy when they see him like this.” She chortled. “Who the hell will believe you see ghost especially Laura even if you explain”
She shrugged and hastened off.