Page 77 of Science Project

“Well, it’s not.”

Fuck, I hate being rude. Especially to him.

“Nicole,” he said softly, taking my wrist.

Pain shot up my arm from the bruise that I had covered up underneath my long-sleeved shirt. I winced and snatched my hand back, biting back the pain and not looking at him once. I didn’t want him to know or even think that anything had happened.

A moment of silence passed.

“You’re hurt.” Akio pushed some hair off my cheek. “You’re covering up bruises.”

I twirled around to face him, pissed. “Can you leave me alone?”

“Who did this to you?” he pushed.

“Akio,” I snapped, “drop it.”

He widened his pretty brown eyes, brows knitting together like a puppy dog. All I wanted to do was grab his face and tell him that I took it all back, that this wasn’t how I felt, that I was trying to protect him.

If Dad found me with Akio anymore, Dad would kill him.

“Tell me who did this to you.”

This time, it wasn’t a question. He wanted answers.

“I don’t have to tell you anything,” I growled, hating to hurt him. “Leave me alone.”

While I hurried down the hall, getting away from anyone else, Akio followed after me. I jogged a bit more, my heels making it extremely hard to run any faster. When I looked over my shoulder, Akio was still following me. So, I slipped into the girls’ restroom.

“Nicole, just tell me,” he said, shutting the door behind him.

“Why do you want to know so badly?!” I exclaimed, throwing up my arms.

“Because I love you too.”

My eyes widened slightly, and a warm yet terrifying feeling spread through my chest. I opened and closed my mouth a handful of times, then … tears burst from my eyes, and I choked on a sob. He grabbed my hands, but I pulled them away.

“Why’d you have to say that?” I asked.

“Because it’s true.”

“It only makes this all harder,” I whispered. “I wish you hated me.”

Then, I wouldn’t feel bad about bullying him, about ignoring him like he meant nothing to me, just like he hadn’t before this stupid science project. I wouldn’t care about what he thought about me or trying to protect him.

“Why?” he asked, his voice filled with pain. “Why do you wish I hated you?”

I turned my head to the side. “It doesn’t matter.”

“It does to me,” Akio said. “You matter to me.”

“Stop talking, Akio. I don’t matter to anyone.”

It was easier that way to protect him. Hell, I didn’t care anymore about what Dad did to me as long as he didn’t touch a hair on Akio’s head. If I had to hurt Akio myself, then I would do that to protect him from being murdered.

“Tell me who hurt you.”

After pressing my quivering lips together, I dropped my gaze to the ground. “I can’t.”

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