She turned around and faced me and Carmen. “That doesn’t look too bad…” Carmen said and shrugged.

“Oh just stop… I know I look freaking ridiculous…” She said. I saw Carmen holding her hand to her mouth, trying hard not to make any laughter noise. Carmen held her hands up in defeat, couldn’t take it anymore… she walked out of the bathroom.

Alice looked like she was ready to battle with me, even with her broken and tampon stuffed nose. “Hey… you should’ve said hello or something…” I mentioned.

She rolled her eyes walked out of the bathroom; I managed to stop her grabbing her shoulder. I heard Carmen making loud noises downstairs. 

“Hey, hey…. Come on…. I didn’t mean to hurt you Alice, it was my… you know natural feeling action…” I shrugged, as if it’s all good.

“Oh, to break someone’s nose??” She asked me.

“Well, if I knew it was you… I wouldn’t have done anything…” I said. “I was only protecting my self…” I said.

Alice stopped moving and turned around to me again. “Protecting your self?? Just your self… Shane??” She asked. I wasn’t sure where she’s getting at. “What about Carmen… what if some bad ass was trying to hunt you down and got her instead of you, ever thought of that??” She asked me. How dare she speak to me like that? I stood quiet, embarrassed at my selfish self.

She made her move and I stopped her again. “Hey, I wouldn’t let anything… harm her…” I said to her. My eyes serious and fierce and I felt the fear appearing in her.

“Yeah, okay Shane….” She said in that tone that I couldn’t take.

“Hey, Hey… listen to me…. I wouldn’t let anything or anyone hurt her, Alice…” I said seriously. I don’t know what it was, I mean usually I wouldn’t care less if she believed me or not. But this, about Carmen… her safety, her life… I wanted Alice to know, that I’d do everything in my power to keep her safe.

“Okay…” She said.

I let my hand off of her. We stood awkwardly and quietly for a moment until she said something else to me. “You know you’re putting her life in danger just by being with you… right?” She said, her eyes scared and concerned.

I didn’t have an answer to that, for it is the truth.

TBC… whaddaya think??