Him.

Chapter 26: What's his problem?

Braden's P.O.V.

"Please!!! Just go! I'll be ok!!!" Claire yells. Then she lets out a deep breath and closes her beautiful blue eyes. What did Max do to her? I swear he is so going to get it. But wait. Claire was telling me to run, is he trying to hurt me? I know Claire wouldn't want me to fight Max. I place my hand on Claire's shoulder.

"Claire!!!" I yell. No response. "Claire!!!" No response.

I slip my arm under her knees and the other against her shoulder blades. I stand up with Claire limp in my arms. Her head is dangling over my arm, and her left arm is also dangling down. I re position her so I am supporting her neck and her arm is still dangling. I can't put her arm on her stomach, that would hurt her even more.

I run in through Claire's back door and run her up to her room. I gently set her down. I set her legs on her bed, and then I use both hands, one on her back and one on her head, and set the rest of her down. She didn't respond to one thing that just happened. No facial expressions, no movement, nothing. I look out her window cautiously and don't see Max in my room. My parents don't know that Max and I are no longer friends, so they'll probably let him in.

I look back over at Claire. Her eyes are still closed and her lips are parted. I go over to her and hold her hand.

"Claire." I say. Nothing.

"Claire." Nothing.

"Claire!" I begin to say louder.

"Claire!!!" I'm yelling now. Nothing.

"Oh god, Claire, please!" I say putting my forehead on the edge of her bed.

I look back out the window and don't see Max. I look back at Claire, nothing.

"Claire." I say softly.

She moves. She moves!!!

"Claire." I say in a normal tone. Her eyes open.

"Thank god!" I say letting out a sigh of relief at the same time.

She looks confused and scared. I place my hand on her hand and look into her eyes. She's in pain.

"What happened?" she asks.

"I don't know. You called me and told me to run from Max. I came outside and saw you on the ground. About two seconds later you passed out." I say worried.

She reaches up and rubs her head.

"Oh my god. Braden, why didn't you run?" she asks with fury in her voice. How is she mad?

"What was I supposed to do? Leave you?" I ask.

"Yes. That's exactly what you were supposed to do! I told you I was fine! You should have left me!" she says.

"I couldn't just leave you! And you obviously weren't fine! Claire, you passed out. I couldn't leave you, and anyway Max hasn't found me yet." I say. I don't know how she just expects me to leave her, she was hurt and needed me.

My phone rings. It's my mom.

"Hello?"

"Where are you? Max is here and you're not in your room." She says.

"Yes I am." I say.

"No you're not." She says.

"Yes I am. I'll be downstairs in a minute." And I hang up.

"Who was that?" Claire asks.

"My mom. Max is there and he can't find me. I have to go." I say.