Carefully I brush my thumb over my cheek in order to apply foundation to hide the ugly mark. The various shades of purple demand attention while the mustard on the edges camouflages with the foundation.

Makeup isn't going to save me from looking like hell.

If the bruise isn't a good enough indication of how tired I am, the bags and dullness of my brown eyes would be the second giveaway. For those who know me well enough would recognize the third check on the list.

Normally I make an effort to straighten my dark hair but it's been tossed up into a bun with a few loose strands that I hope will make it look intentionally messy. Although, I don't think I pull the look off. I look as run down as I feel and all because of one bruise.

It's been almost forty-eight hours since the bruise appeared and thankfully the swellings gone down. I would hope so considering I've had an ice pack or a pack of peas pressed to it ever since it happened.

After the students cleared out of the hall and I tuned back into reality I was helped to the office by the two teachers that instructed the boys to go to the principal's office. According to Blair, Brian was suspended for a week for inflicting harm as well as bullying.

On top of that news has spread fast about him hitting a girl - not the fact he openly beat someone up over his sexuality - which has given him quite the negative reputation with everyone. I exhale, sinking back against the car seat while trying to find the courage to enter the school.

From what I've been told, the fight is the talk of the school and has been for a while. I'm not entirely sure because the football team is always beating other students up, I don't get why this is so different.

He's the first one to hit a girl, that's the difference.

An abrupt knock on the window scares me out of my thoughts. I look to see Taylor standing outside with a smile on her signature red lips. There's not a day where she doesn't wear the red paint, even if she's hanging around her house in sweatpants.

"Are you coming in or what?" I reach across for my bag, opening the door once she steps back. Slinging my bag on my shoulder, I close the door while keeping my head down. "I bought you a hot chocolate considering we have English with probably the most chilled teacher in the world, she understands the struggles of high school life."

I take the warm brown cup from her hands once I've locked the car. The liquid inside warms up my hand instantly and I take a sip feeling the chocolatey warmth soothe my nerves. Taylor's dark eyes flicker to my cheek giving a soft smile before spinning and making her way to the concrete path.

"Does it really look that bad?" I ask, following closely behind. "I tried to cover it up the best I could but I'm not great with makeup."

Taylor winces slightly with a nod. "On the upside you have a makeup expert to help you fix it, I can make it look less obvious if we hurry to English."

"Lucky me." I joke sarcastically, slipping in as she holds the door open for me.

My grip on my drink tightens at the attention being directed my way and leaving an unnerving feeling in my gut. I don't like attention. Especially when it's over something as negative as being the girl that got punched by a jock.

Even then I could imagine the twisted lies and rumors circulating because I got their beloved player suspended. I don't regret getting in the middle when the fight was over something like sexuality but I do regret not moving quick enough to avoid getting hit.

By the time I've reached my locker I can feel my nerves getting the better of me. While Taylor leans on the adjacent locker she's too engrossed in her phone to notice the shake of my hand. I keep my breaths steady having to stop for a minute when the shakes feel like if I twist the lock my fingers will break.

"We've got nine minutes before-" She stops and puts her phone in the pocket of her jeans. "What's wrong?" I can feel my heart racing and the paranoid feeling of a thousand eyes burning into me.

"It feels like everyone is looking at me."

From my peripheral vision I notice Taylor look around before moving her hand to my lock. I move out of the way holding my hand out to see the tremble become more noticeable by the second.

Stop it. Nobody's staring.

I take a drink from my coffee in hopes that it's just the cold weather but I know better than that. One of the first signs - other than the suffocating pressure on your chest and throat - of a panic attack is shaking limbs.

Whether that be in the form of jelly legs, buckling knees or trembling fingers. It's not a pleasant feeling to experience, one that I've been lucky to avoid for almost seven months. But that doesn't mean I don't get scares like this one.

If my hands start to tremble along with the erratic pounding of my heart I need to slow down or stop depending on the situation. In this case there's not much I can do other than just tune out and focus on something else, like the ring around my finger.

"Alright. Let's go," Taylor closes my locker, linking our arms and pulling me along with her. "I thought you said you had this under control." Her words are spoken softly and without judgement.

One of Taylor's best personality traits is the fact you could do pretty much anything without being judged, she tries her hardest to understand and remain optimistic. But when her best friends are a daredevil and a ball of anxiety, some things you need to have an open mind to.

I nodded hesitantly. "I do, I did at least. It's nothing major anymore, it's just the attention."

"Nobody is staring at you . . .''she trails off, looking around before leaning back in close. "Sure people are looking but they'll get over themselves eventually. I don't think they expected you back at school in all honesty."

"Why?" I ask, fiddling with the bumps on the coffee cup as we walk up the stairs to the second level. When she doesn't answer me I pull our linked arms slightly. "Taylor, what's going on?" Taylor breaks the link of our arms when we reach the second level, handing me my textbooks.

"Because everyone thinks Brian will lose his shit at you. When he gets back he can't play two games from his return because of the suspension."

"Oh that's just fantastic," I muttered sarcastically at the realization. "And he comes back in a week where he's most likely to make my life hell. I didn't think this would be a repercussion of defending someone."

Taylor snorts, walking into the classroom first where notes are already written on the board. I follow her to the back row, taking a seat in the middle of the three seats. She sits down getting out her makeup bag and instructing me to face her.

"Now I need to wipe off what you've put on so I can make it look even and not just blobby," She gently grasps my chin and turns my head to the side in order to rid the clump of makeup. "Why did you get involved by the way? From what I've heard you sort of just jumped in between."

I cringe at the contact of the wipe. "Brian was going to beat him to a pulp over something completely uncalled for. I didn't want to witness that especially considering the kid had no idea who he was . . . I don't think so at least."

"You know that's pretty crazy to put yourself between two guys," She uses a brush to gently put the foundation over the bruising. "I would expect that from Blair considering her fearless attitude."

"Are you trying to say I'm a coward?"

"No I just know what it takes for you to forget about your own safety," She deadpans, finishing applying the cover up around my cheek. "Do you want to talk about why you were angry?"

The classroom door squeaks open and I almost fell off my chair at the sudden intrusion. However, to my surprise, it's the boy that I essentially took the hit for. His green eyes widened before he makes his way up the back towards us.

"You're here today!" He leans on the desk and Taylor withdraws her hand. "I wanted to thank you for what you did, I'm Nate by the way."

He holds out his hand and I hesitantly shake it. "Um. I'm-"

"You're Kira," I pulled my hand back rather abruptly in confusion. He gives a tight lipped smile catching onto the slight weirdness of his statement. "My brother's in this class, it's how I knew who you were." I nod slowly although I'm still in a mild state of confusion and shock.

He wanted to track me down in order to thank me which seems kind of weird in all honesty. Isn't that a bit much considering I only did a common courtesy act? Unless he's very well aware of what's to come for me.

"It's fine. Just be careful with who you pick a fight with," I nod continuously before letting out a nervous chuckle. "A good rule to learn by is if they're bigger than you, it's best to walk away."

He raises an eyebrow. "I can fight I just didn't think it was a good start on my first day."

"Neither was her getting punched in the face," Taylor steps in, her once playful mood vanished. "Sorry to sound rude but you've unknowingly just caused a lot of unnecessary drama for her. Once Brian comes back he's most likely to go after her - maybe even you - just giving you the heads up now. "

"Taylor!" I exclaim with wide eyes.

She looks to me with a look that's rarely on her face. "You're not the one with a scary older brother to protect you. He on the other hand, does."

"I'm sorry." I apologize to Nate whose smile is wiped completely from his face.

Nate shakes his head. "Is he seriously going to go after you?"

"No," I lie, subtly kicking Taylor to keep her mouth shut. "He wouldn't risk a further suspension..."

Nate doesn't seem convinced but nods."Well... thank you anyways. I hope you feel better soon."

I force a smile onto my lips waiting until he exist before turning to Taylor who reaches forward to put a powder on. "You didn't have to tell him that."

"Yes I did. Because while you were gone his brother sent a message out to anyone that dares to mess with Nate, deals with him," I furrow my eyebrows together as she continues. "As fierce as Blair - let's face it, I'm useless in these sorts of situations- can be we can't protect you all hours of the day. Especially from him, it's a precaution that we're taking."

With one more swipe of the powder brush she retracts just as the classroom starts to fill up. I sink back into my seat, dropping my focus to the caffeine treasure warming up my hands from the cold. People spare me a few glances but I don't look up knowing that if I do it'll only confirm my suspicions that everyone is staring.

Of course they are, I'm practically a dead woman walking.

I run my tongue over my teeth, finally looking up when the bell rings. With a few sculls of my drink I manage to empty its contents, making a move to the front of the room to discard the cup. I dropped it into the trash can with a sigh, spinning around and almost crashing into someone.

"Sorry." I squeak, holding my hands up flat before the collision was made.

When he looks at me I feel a lump rising in my throat. Rhys Adams, otherwise known as the guy that scares anyone with just one look. But those looks work because of the fight he got into during sophomore year where he beat a junior to a state of unconsciousness.

After that most people in the school steered clear to avoid being the next person an ambulance is called for. I'm not sure of the reasoning behind the fight but I do know it wasn't pretty and he was lucky to still attend here. Despite that incident he's kept his reputation as a bad boy through a few pranks to anyone who has gotten on his bad side.

"How bad is the bruise by the way?"

He steps closer and I instinctively take one back. If attention wasn't on me before it certainly is now. Swallowing, I awkwardly side step wondering how or why he cares about the bruise on my cheek. He shakes his head while chuckling at the ground before looking up.

"You're not so brave now, are you?"

I try to find words to speak but my mouth feels like it's filled with sand. Instead of answering I just move quickly back to my seat, avoiding making eye contact with anyone. When I sit down I follow his path to the seat diagonally in front of me, leaning back Taylor nudges me.

"You see why I got so defensive," I blink furiously, looking at her with confusion. "Nate, as in Nathaniel Adams. Rhys is his older brother."

At the mention of his name Rhys looks over his shoulder at us where I turn my body to face Taylor. I widen my eyes mouthing 'what?' to get a slow nod from her. I had no idea Rhys even had a brother - it explains why he said he didn't want a bad start- but Nate doesn't seem as rough or as rude as his brother. In fact he seems like the opposite.

"I don't," I stop myself, turning my body to the front of the classroom. But spare a glance to Rhys who is still looking at us. "Can I borrow your notes tomorrow?" I ask Taylor, forcing myself to look away from Rhys.

Taylor hums while I focus back on the lesson at hand and try to keep my eyes straight ahead. But I'd be lying if they didn't slip to the boy sitting diagonally from me on occasion.