Page 9 of Hidden Truths

Dante Peterson has only gotten better looking the older he gets. They all have if I’m being honest. However, Dante was always the quiet, brooding one of the group. He’s that guy who rarely says anything, but when he does say something, everyone around him stops to listen. This morning, Dante is wearing a pair of joggers which tell me he more than likely just came from hockey practice or some kind of training for it. As usual, he’s wearing a hoodie with the hood pulled up over his head. It’s tight on his upper body showcasing the muscles he sports from all the hours spent in the gym training. His light brown eyes still have that ring of green surrounding them, but they’re cold and hard. Dante does nothing but glare at everyone around him. I’m no exception to his rule of keeping everyone at arm’s length. This man is the definition of sexy in my mind and I know I can’t let him get close. He can’t ever find out my secrets for any reason. None of them can.

It takes longer than anticipated, but I finally manage to make it to my first class of the day. Math. I really hate my math class. Not just because of Karmen either. The professor is a dick and I don’t know why he hates me so much. Brock, for once, isn’t sitting with Karmen and her little band of followers. He’s sitting toward the back where I usually take up a seat because it keeps me out of the view of everyone else.

His eyes linger on me as I carefully make my way closer to him before taking the seat next to him. It kills me to open my bag and dig what I need out of it for this class. Including the homework I know we’ll go over. Karmen’s gaze lingers on me as she takes in my movements. I’m trying so hard to move normally so I don’t give her any more ammunition than she already has. If she even thinks for a second I’m injured, I’ll be in for a world of hurt at her hands. The girl is vicious and will do everything she can to make sure I’m in the maximum amount of pain.

Still, Brock doesn’t ask me anything about what happened or who beat the shit out of me. He remains silent at my side. Even when he slides a large cup of hot cocoa over to me, he doesn’t say a word. While we can’t eat in class, we can drink. Professor Rollins strolls into the lecture hall and slams his briefcase on top of his desk. Everyone snaps to attention with the exception of Karmen who continues her conversation with those around her. Professor Rollins glares around the room, stopping on me the longest. His lip curls in derision for the several seconds he glares at me.

“What the fuck is his problem?” Brock mutters, his voice barely above a whisper as he crouches down in his seat lower.

I don’t bother responding because there’s no point. Professor Rollins is still glaring at me and I don’t want him to call me out for any reason. He hasn’t even started class yet, but he’d call me out simply because he hates me with a passion for his own reasons. Instead, I take a sip of my drink and make sure I have everything out for the class so I’m not missing anything during the professor’s lecture. He’ll more than likely say I’m disrupting class and kick me out or something. That would just be my luck when it comes to this class and professor.

“Today we’re going to have a surprise quiz. Miss Moore, I suggest you move over three seats at least so Brock doesn’t have to worry about you cheating off his answers,” Professor Rollins declares, continuing to glare at me.

Without a word, I get up the best I can and move down several seats with only my pencil and nothing more than that. I won’t give this professor any reason to doubt me or be able to say I cheated. There is literally nothing on me or anything on the desk I’m now sitting in. Professor Rollins goes to the end of each row and hands out a stack of quizzes to be handed down the aisle. When he gets to me, he literally throws the papers at me as they float all over my desk and floor surrounding me. I have to crouch down and grit through the pain that radiates throughout my body. Professor Rollins and others laugh at me the entire time as tears fill my eyes. I don’t let them fall over as Brock tries to get up so he can help me. The professor doesn’t let him though, barking out for him to remain in his seat.

Fucking douche canoe!

After gathering up the papers, I hand them over to Brock after taking one for myself. My back is turned toward Professor Rollins where he still stands at my desk for a minute at most. When I turn back around, he’s making his way back toward the front of the room to sit at his desk. Looking down at the quiz in front of me, it’s not anything we’ve gone over in class. The work on the test in front of me is from the chapter we’ll be covering next. One I’ve already gone through and done all the homework problems to. Now it makes sense as to why he remained at my desk for a few minutes instead of tossing the papers my way and moving on as he typically does. It’s as if he’s in my presence for any length of time I’ll somehow taint him or something.

“Begin!” Professor Rollins bellows, his voice echoing in the lecture hall as I turn my focus to the quiz in front of me.

I don’t know how he can get away with giving me a quiz on work we haven’t gone over as a class yet, but he is. Professor Rollins is trying to catch me unaware and have a legitimate reason for failing me. At the same time, this is the perfect example why I can’t afford to miss a single day of class here. If I do, I’ll get behind and there will be no catching up for me. Not when I have to work, tutor, and most importantly take care of my baby brother.

It doesn’t take me very long to get through the quiz since there are only twenty questions on it. Setting my pencil down, I sit back in my chair for a minute while looking through the work and answers I’ve written down. When I’m sure I’m ready to turn it in, I look around to find Karmen sitting at her desk, looking at the nails on one hand while typing away with the other on her phone. She hasn’t even done the test. Or she already has the answers and wrote them down without showing any work. I don’t know what is going on, but it would make sense for the professor to hate me so much if Karmen has gotten to him. It wouldn’t surprise me in the least to know this is somehow connected to her.

“If you’re done, bring your papers forward and you can leave. For next class, I want you to read the next two chapters and do all of the questions in the back of each chapter,” Professor Rollins calls out suddenly.

Getting up, I grab my paper and take it to the front of the room. I’m the first one to set the quiz on his desk as Professor Rollins glares at me while starting to laugh out loud.

“I can’t wait to grade your quiz, Miss Moore,” he states as if he’s pulled a fast one and caught me unaware of how to do the problems I was given.

“I’m sure you can’t,” I return softly as I turn to make my way back to gather my belongings.

Karmen is standing right there as she shoulder checks me. I grunt out in pain with it taking everything in me not to scream out the way I truly want to. The pain is immediate and intense as I almost collapse on the floor. Brock grabbing my arm to hold me upright is the only reason I’m not in a pile at her feet. Karmen smirks at me, letting me know she has realized I’ve been beaten to hell and she plans on using it to her advantage. Exactly like I knew she would if she discovered my secret. Looks like the next few weeks will be a living hell at home and here on campus. Well, more than it already is considering the injuries I’ve got this time.

Brock turns in his quiz before helping me back up to the row we were sitting in today. He gathers up my belongings while leaving me in the aisle. With both of our bags and belongings in his hands, Brock makes his way back to me before helping me from the lecture hall. He walks at a slow pace so I’m not rushing and aggravating my injuries even more. Still, he doesn’t ask a single question about what happened or why I look as if I went more than a few rounds in a boxing ring. Instead, he leads me out of the building our math class is in and straight to the picnic table under one of the trees we usually sit at.

“You stay here. I’m gonna grab somethin’ to eat,” he states, setting down our things before disappearing toward the dining hall.

I open up my math book after pulling it back out again and start reading the chapter I left off on. I’m almost halfway through the book at this point. Still, I won’t slow down. For now, I’ll read the next two chapters and do all the problems before moving on to the next subject.

Brock comes back with two containers full of food and bottles of water for us. Too bad I was stuck on Fallon and the guys because Brock is amazing. He’s the kind of guy I should want to be dating and spending all of my time with. The one who I know would protect my secrets if I let him in and make sure the assholes my mother brought home didn’t use me as a punching bag or believe I’m going to let them get their hands on me to fuck any way they choose.

“I’m not gonna ask any questions, Arabella. I don’t want to hear whatever excuses you’ve already come up with in your mind. All I’m gonna say is I’m here if you need me. You’ve got my number and I know you don’t have a cell phone. Still can’t believe you don’t have one,” he says, shaking his head in disbelief. “You need me, I’m there. I don’t give a fuck about where you live, how you live, or anythin’ else. All that matters is you. That you’re okay and no one hurts you like this again. I’ll do everythin’ in my power to protect you, Bella. You just gotta say the word.”

“Thank you, Brock,” I whisper in response as my throat clogs up with emotion.

“I’ve seen how Karmen and her band of bitches treat you, Arabella. It’s not right. No one does a damn thing about it. Well, when I’m with you, that’s not gonna be the case any longer. Those idiots don’t deserve to breathe the same air as you. When we’re together, I’ll keep them away or shut their shit down immediately. I’m tired of seein’ you hurt on a daily basis. You’re too good and pure to go through what you do. I’m done watchin’ it happen. I’m sorry for waitin’ so long to step up and be a fuckin’ real friend to you, Arabella.”

“You are a friend, Brock. The best one I’ve ever had. I can’t expect you to go against everyone here. Just because you shut Karmen down doesn’t mean five others won’t pop right back up to take over where she left off,” I tell him honestly because it’s the same bullshit I’ve been dealing with my entire life. Well, since losing my dad.

“I’ve got all the time in the world to have your back and help you get through each day without havin’ to worry about who’s gonna come at you next. Or what they’re gonna do. Now, eat up and we’ll get some work done now since I know you gotta work tonight.”

We eat our lunch in silence as I continue working through the next two chapters for Professor Rollins class. Brock pulls out his own math book and starts working on the reading for our next class. He won’t need me until it comes to working through the problems. This is why Danny and Brock are having so many problems understanding the work we’re supposed to be doing. Professor Rollins barely teaches the lessons he’s supposed to. The man doesn’t deserve to be a professor here.

Heartache

Arabella

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