The blunette steadied herself against the wall as she forced herself to hurry home. She didn't want her parents to worry, much less see her condition. Bridgette was only out for ten minutes, so it wouldn't too bad. Her parents were still working so all she had to do was sneak in through the back door.

She did exactly that and made her way up the stairs, grabbed a first aid kit, and rushed to her room. Then she immediately entered her bathroom.

Bridgette took her clothes off, leaving on her underwear, and examined the damage done to her body. She cringed at the purple and blue that was starting to form on her body. Her face was also swelling a bit.

Bridgette quickly applied ointment on and wrapped herself in bandages. Then she redressed herself in some long sleeved pajamas and pants and got some ice from the kitchen, also returning the first aid kit to its original place. Then she went back to her room and laid in her bed, keeping the ice to her cheek. She sighed as Tikki came up and laid on her sore back.

"Tikki, I don't know what I'm going to do," Bridgette confessed as she turned over and hugged the white cat to her chest.

"Felix is my friend and I don't want to stop being his friend, but if I don't stop, Lila and her "friends" will continue beating me. Should I choose my friend over myself or myself over my friend...?"

She buried her head into her pillow. "I just don't know what to do!"

Tikki pawed at Bridgette's arm and the blunette let the cat go. Tikki nuzzled her face into Bridgette's cheek. She sighed and pet the cat.

"I don't want to hurt Felix. Before I met him, he was cold and closed off," She rubbed her bruises lightly. "I don't want to see him go back to that... So I'll choose him over myself. I'll deal with it."

The look in her eyes were soft as she spoke. Tikki purred as Bridgette pet her fur. She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply.

"...I'll never leave his side... no matter what happens to me..."

———————————————

Felix thanked Gorilla as he got out of the car and started up the stairs. As he was walking, someone ran into him and fell. He looked down and saw a familiar pair of blue pigtails.

"Yowch!" Bridgette exclaimed as she fell on her butt.

"Are you alright?" Felix asked with a raised eyebrow.

Bridgette looked up with wide eyes. What happened to her the day before flashed in her mind and she quickly shook her head. Bridgette had told herself that she wouldn't leave him, despite the repressions she would face.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine," She said.

Felix stretched out a hand to help her up. Bridgette reached out to take it but hesitated. It didn't go unnoticed by the blonde.

"Dang it, Bridgette! You told yourself you wouldn't be like this!"

She bit down on her lip and forced her hand to take his. Felix hoisted her up.

"Sorry about that," Felix said.

Bridgette shook her head and scratched the back of her neck awkwardly. "Nah, I was the one who ran into you; I should be sorry."

"Then it's fine," Felix said. "Let's get to class." He started towards their class.

Bridgette nodded and took a step forward and cringed. Her bruises still hurt and were even a darker purple than before, but during the fall, she also seemed to twist her ankle and sprain it.

Felix looked back when he realized Bridgette wasn't following behind him. "Bridgette?" He asked.

Bridgette put on a quick smile. "Sorry." She started walking and ignored the pain.

"I'm not weak. I won't be weak. I'll endure it. I'll endure all they throw at me."

Bridgette glanced over at the tall blonde walking beside her and smiled.

"And I'll continue walking by his side."

And suddenly, a banana peel came out of nowhere and Bridgette stepped on it, slipping in the process.

"Ahh-!" And once again, she landed on her butt.

Felix spun around and quickly caught her before she made contact with the ground. Bridgette looked up into Felix's blue orbs and felt herself heat up under his gaze.

"You just love falling, don't you?" He asked as he steadied her upright.

"I- uh, t-thanks..." Bridgette muttered as she started walking again.

Her face was still warm and her heart was beating loudly in her chest.

"Why am I feeling like this?"

Felix watched her walk up the stairs with a confused expression. Then he realized something and felt his face flush. When she fell, the blonde had accidentally touched her butt as he brought his hand to catch her.

Sorry, I'm not very constant with updates, am I? Well, I'll try to keep updating, but you can't really expect them any time soon...

P.S. Thanks for 3k reads, too! Even though I don't update all too often heh...

~Crystal

Word Count: 844

12/10/18