A Sky Full of Blue

Chapter 17: Eggplant is the Color of the Bruise

"Yes these bruises are from fighting and I'm okay with that." ~Chuck Palahniuk

Theo's POV

I stare down at her, her closed eyes, the start of a blush on her cheeks. It makes me smile knowing that she may feel the same way. I'm not about to ruin that by taking things too fast. Slow and steady wins the race.

"Hazel?" Her eyes open, and in the dark they almost glow. She smiles, and this time, it looks real. I've noticed that she has a hard time with that.

I know that she has Asperger's.

It doesn't change anything at all. She's pretty normal to me.

Her long lashes are naturally curled and when she blinks they flutter gently against her eyelids. I hug her to me, feeling my heartbeat and hers. I kiss the top of her head, keep my hand on the small of her back. She's so little.

I can feel her fiddling with my tie.

"Are you okay?" I lift her chin and her eyes look at me uncertainly.

"You don't mind that I don't know how to kiss?" Her nose scrunches when I laugh. I gently curl my finger around a strand of her hair.

"No. Listen Hazel, I really like you and I-" Someone clears their throat behind me. Nathan.

"We had a deal man." Nathan doesn't move away from me, and in fact, gets closer. Hazel takes a step back.

"Come on Nate," I try, but he cuts me off.

"Don't come on Nate me. I told you and you ignored it completely." He takes another step; we're almost chin to chin. I look back to Hazel, but she is nowhere to be seen. Good, she should be somewhere safe. She doesn't need to see what's going to happen.

"I told you that I liked her and then you swoop in and take her away." His eyes are dark and he looks angry. His fists are closing and opening. He's looking for a fight.

"Nate I just asked her to the dance-" I don't want to tell him that when I get the chance I'm going to ask her out.

"And kissed her. Don't forget about that." At this point a crowd is gathering.

"Let's take this outside Nate. People are watching." I don't want Hazel or her overprotective brother to see this. I'll never get the chance if he sees this.

"No. Right here, right now." His palms are open and out, threatening me. Challenging me. I don't dare move forward. He makes the first move, swinging with all of his might. He misses, but not by much.

I'm trying to do anything that I can to get him to not punch me. I'm not the type of guy to fight.

"I don't want to fight you, man. I'm sorry that I made the move first." He grabs me by the shirt collar, his breath fanning over my face.

"You knew and you didn't care. What's she going to do when she finds out you're not her perfect little lover boy?" That one sparks anger in my chest. He has no say in what she thinks I'm like. After all, he's the one causing a scene at Homecoming.

"That's a low blow Nate. Quit while you still can." His eyes narrow. The song switches to something more upbeat, something that makes my heart race. I should be dancing this with Hazel now. I rub the back of my neck.

I take a step to Nathan, trying to stop this.

Nathan's fist connects with my eye and I'm blinded. The pain explodes over me, and I clutch at my eye, wanting nothing more than to hide. This brings back too many painful memories.