Loving All Over Again | ✓

Chapter Twenty-Nine: You Don't Need To Be A Boy To Be A Savior

Aliana's POV

"No. No, no, no," I whispered. The smaller boy gave Ashton a look before nudging the tall one.

"Punch him already, Nick," he sneered. I shook my head to myself. I couldn't let this happen.

"Alright, Bo. You're right," the tall one said. Ashton tried to pull away from his grasp, but Nick only held his shirt tighter.

"Finish him!" the short one boomed. I took a deep breath and stepped out from behind the wall. I gritted my teeth. That was enough to push me over the edge.

You don't need to be a boy to be a savior.

"Not on my watch!" I yelled, my voice echoing through the alley. Both boys looked towards me with shock. I didn't even give them a chance to get a good look at me, I just made my move.

"If you're gonna fight him, you have to fight me first!" I snarled before I ran at top speed towards them. 

"You really think you can fight us, little lady?" the little one mused. I sent him a glare.

"Just watch," I said before I kicked him right in the stomach. He doubled over in pain, his cry piercing through the quiet alley. 

One year of karate lessons really paid off!

Ashton whipped his head towards me, his blue eyes filled with amusement. "Ali? What the hell are you doing here?" he asked. I stared at him for a second before replying.

I shrugged. "Just taking a stroll." His eyes gleamed with humor, his mouth opened like he was going to say something, but the tall boy spoke first.

"Get out of here before you get severely injured, sugar," he said in a sweet yet annoyed tone. 

I narrowed my eyes at him. "You really think I'm just going to leave my best friend with two insanely scary guys without a fight?"

The boy chuckled deeply. "You're a girl. You can't save your little boyfriend from us for your life, duh."

I clenched my fists in anger. "Are you kidding me?" I growled.

My problem is that everyone thinks that girls can't fight. They think we can't take a punch or give someone a terrible bloody nose. But they're all wrong, because we can. We can fight as hard as a boy can fight any day, if we try.

The tall boy laughed loudly. "No, I'm not, baby."

I took a threatening step towards him. "Enough with those sickening names," I said before pulling my arm back and punching him straight in the nose.  There was a small crunch, and I grinned in satisfaction, trying to ignore the pain traveling through my hand. The boy stumbled back, holding his nose.

"My god, Alibear. You've got quite a punch!" Ashton exclaimed, pulling out of the boy's weak grasp. Before I could reply, the boy lunged forwards and sent a punch my way. I ducked my head and dodged it by a millimeter, thankful that I stuck with those karate classes.

"Run," I ordered Ashton. He didn't move. I gave him a look of panic.

"No, I'm not leaving without you," he insisted. I stared at him for a second before spinning in the air and sending a flying kick in the tall boy's face. He fell backwards from the force, and I walked over to the short one and stomped on his hand, hard.

He gasped, but didn't get up. And the tall one was still groaning on the ground. I whirled around and grabbed Ashton's hand, pulling him down the alleyway. We raced down the sidewalk until we came to the cafe. The same cafe we went to just last week.

I pulled him over to a table and we sat down, breathing heavily from the run over there.

Once Ashton caught his breath, he spoke. "Alibear, that was...That was amazing."

I grinned at him. "Thanks."

"Where did you even learn to do that? That last kick was amazing."

I shrugged. "One year of karate lessons, really."

His mouth dropped open. "Seriously? Just one year?" I blushed at his surprised statement and nodded. "Wow, Alibear." He slid his hand over the table and took my hand. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. And who were those guys, anyways? Do you know them?" I asked him.

He shook his head and said in a gruff voice, "No, I don't. They were just some stupid teenagers that decided to hide out in an alley, waiting for someone to come along that they could pick on since they had nothing better to do."

I rolled my eyes. "Idiots. I'm just glad you're okay."

He looked into my eyes. "I'm glad you're okay. You were amazing back there, Alibear. I was too scared to even punch the guy. But you came in there like a war horse and kicked his ass."

I shrugged a shoulder. "It was nothing," I said modestly. "But-" I paused. "Why did you feel so scared today? You're usually such a strong person. Do you remember the day you punched Elijah in the face?"

He looked at me sadly. "I do. But, after your phone call, I've just been broken and I haven't known what to do with myself. So when those guys showed up, I thought I could take them down, show them who's boss, but I just couldn't..." His voice broke at the last word, and my heart broke for him because I was the one that made him weak and broken.

I swallowed before speaking. "I'm so sorry, Ashton. But I want you to know that I was just trying to help myself, I wanted to feel sheltered again. I felt exposed, and vulnerable. I didn't want that." I stared into his ocean blue eyes and said the most honest thing I had said in my life. "But I'm ready to let you in."

He didn't say anything for a second, his piercing eyes still staring into mine, before a grin spread across his face, the grin that I missed so much. He didn't need to say anything, all he needed to do was act.

There was no warning, but we both felt it coming.

He leaned forward and our lips met in a soft kiss. A kiss that left me breathless and wanting to do it again. When he pulled away, he grinned at me. I grinned back.

"I've wanted to do that again since the other day," he breathed.

I ran my fingers over his knuckles. "Me too." My eyes dropped to his lips and he answered. Our lips met again, feeling just like the time before, but better in a way. Kissing Ashton was nothing like kissing all of my other boyfriends.

"Does this mean you'll go on a date with me?" he asked against my lips. I froze and pulled away.

"What?" I asked cluelessly, dazed from the kiss we had just shared.

"Will you go on a date with me?" he repeated.

I was quiet for a second, debating on what to say. I knew in my mind that I needed to just let go and let Ashton in. So I agreed to the thing I didn't think I would agree to ever again.

"Okay." Ashton grinned before pressing his lips on mine for the third time. He pulled away for a second and replied.

"I'll pick you up tomorrow at noon. Your house." I nodded.

"Okay."

"Great. And wear a pretty dress." He winked. I grinned at him. We both stood up.

"Bye, Ash," I said. He kissed my forehead.

"Bye, Alibear," he said. We grinned at each other as we pulled away, and went separate directions.

And as I walked home in the falling snow, I realized that maybe this was a good thing.