"It's OK, it's OK," Mark repeated over and over, his eyes on mine, his hands clamped around my wrists. I gazed back at him, wishing that he could be right, and knowing that he wasn't. I nodded, signalling the return of my control, and he released my wrists, and we turned to face the commotion that had evolved from my clash with Shanice.
She was on her feet now, still sobbing, while one of her friends patted her gingerly on the back. My maths teacher, Mr Townsend, was standing nearby with his hands on his hips, frowning. I watched him, but I could feel the horrified glances of the bystanders who had witnessed the encounter.
"What happened here, Shanice?" He asked the instigator first. I was annoyed, but it's always that way. The person who got hurt is assumed to be the victim, whether they started the whole mess or not.
"She hid be!" Shanice gestured towards me with her free hand. The other was still wrapped protectively around her squashed nose. Blood was oozing briskly from between her fingers. I held my breath, not wanting to get a whiff of that again.
"Rebecca?"
"She tried to hit me first." I felt I had to defend myself. Mr Townsend frowned again.
"Right. You two are both suspended for the rest of the day. I'll be telling Mr Parker about this, and I'm sure he will want to discuss this with both of you tomorrow." The threat was there, and as threats go, it was a pretty good one. Mr Parker, our headmaster transformed into a terrifying giant of a man with a legendary temper when he was annoyed. If I hadn't been so worried about my own craziness, I would have been suitably anxious about the idea of having to explain this fracas to him.
"Now go home and get cleaned up! Show's over!" He rounded on the spectators and they scattered.
I turned to Mark. "Thank you," I said, meaning it.
He smiled and nodded. "No worries, Sis. Go home now, have a shower, and go see Angus. The neighbours will just have to think what they want." He chuckled again. I had to smile.
"See you later," I said hopefully.
"Bet on it. I'll be there straight after school. Go now." He waved me off.
I walked home slowly, wondering how my fourteen year old brother had managed to grow up so quickly. I realised that he must have somehow sensed the danger in me, and he'd decided to protect me from myself. I was suddenly overwhelmed with gratitude and love and admiration for my brother. I owed him big.