Page 30 of Bullied By The Bad Boy

“She’s at the clinic,” I reply.

Guilt hits me from right, left, center, and everywhere. Though Tessa is so annoying, and Asher keeps saying nice stuff about her, I didn’t mean to hit her. I only used that exit to ambush Noah, expecting the idiot to come out for a smoke. That’s what the school’s backdoors are for, to escape classes without any teacher noticing. Then she gave me those sad eyes like she believed I was an asshole, and it just… I blink, and those silly thoughts withdraw to the back of my mind. Ms. Ola is staring. With my shoulders drawn, I recline on my seat and try to flash a cocky smile.

“Will you apologize to her later?”

“No?” I clear my throat and give a more confident reply. “No, I won’t.”

Her green eyes lock with my blues. She drops her notepad and pen, then crosses her legs at the ankles. “I do hope you reconsider.” I will not. I’ll rather face the principal. She must have heard my thoughts because she lets out a soft sigh. “Have you been doing the exercises I gave you?”

“Nope,” I lie.

“What is going on, Ben?”

“Everything is fine, Ms. Ola.”

“Is it?” She cocks her head. There is a full minute of her inspecting my face. “What do you need?”

A hug? Someone to worry about me like her best friend does. Someone to listen.

I need to forget.

My back goes rigid, and my spine is as stiff as a pencil. “I need to get out of here.”

“Okay,” she answers. What? She chuckles at my obvious shock. “You can leave, Benjamin.”

Five seconds later, Ms. Ola still stares at me like she means it. Wait—she does mean it. I snatch my backpack at my feet and start for the door. She doesn’t stop me. I walk out and slam the door shut.

Nineteen

My eyes flutter open,and I squint at the bright lights pouring into my face. A sharp pain pierces my skull, and Maria’s face hovers over mine. I hold my hands to my head and blink to clear the dots in my vision. The headache eventually subsides, and I send Maria a small smile to alleviate her worries. With her help, I sit up and scan the room. There are only two beds, and the other one is empty. Maria sits on a small bench beside my bed with my palm clutched protectively between hers.

Light filters in from the high windows, and I stare at the white walls until it clicks.

We are at the school clinic. I whimper when I try to sit up. My lower belly hurts like someone beat me badly in a fight. That’s right; Ben punched me. That wicked asshole punched me in an unfair fight. I guess this is why Mom insisted I eat breakfast after skipping dinner last night.

Maria must have read my thoughts. She turns my face to one side while stroking my cheek, and I am reminded of Ben’s fingers cutting into my soft skin. She passes me a hand mirror. I flinch at the visible fingerprints on my cheeks. The marks will fade, and makeup will hide the scratch, but it stings. He also left imprints on my neck when he almost strangled me. My throat closes up at the vivid memory. I cough, and she shoves a glass of water into my hand. I down it in one gulp.

The school’s nurse, Mae, walks in with a notepad and a pen tucked behind her ear. Her brown skin glistens under the bright, fluorescent lights, and her warm smile brings a tiny one to my lips. Maria slides to the end of the bench for Mae to get more access to me. She hooks a finger under my jaw to inspect my cheek and neck. I chew on my lips to stop from wincing. I want to go home.

Nurse Mae’s eyes lower to my stomach. “Theresa Mower. How do you feel?”

Those eyes are like lasers piercing through the fabric covering my stomach. “Better.”

“Very good.” I shake my head when she tries to lift the hem of my shirt. Maria can’t see my belly. Granted, she has seen it before, but some of my belly bruises didn’t come from Ben. They are from fighting in the ring. They will fade and blend with my skin as they always do, but for now, they are visible. Nurse Mae smiles kindly at me. I relax when she straightens up to fold her hands behind her. “Thankfully, it was nothing serious, so we didn’t have to call your parents.”

My parents. I inhale shakily and expel the air through my mouth. They would have lost their mind if they saw me in here. Mom would bombard me with questions, cry and cling to Dad, who would take charge of the situation. My head jerks in a nod. I am fine. I am completely alright.

“Does that mean I am free to go?” I throw one leg over the bed. Pain scorches my inside, but I put on a bold front. I’m okay. I need to leave before she decides to call my parents. “I feel okay.”

“Sure?” She holds up a finger and pulls out a bottle of pain relief from her large pocket. The pills clatter when she shakes the bottle. “This will help. If you feel any sort of way, please come back.”

The smile I give her is polite. There is no way I am coming back here, even if it hurts. We fall silent when Nurse Mae leaves the room, and Maria takes my hands to massage them. I don’t remember who brought me here, but it couldn’t have been her. A mild throbbing in my stomach has me popping a pill into my mouth, but Maria snatches the bottle before I can take another.

“Did he really do this?” she whispers.

I am not sure what she means bythis.I don’t look so bad, except for the scratches on my cheeks.

“Who?” I pick at the loose thread on the knee area of my ripped jeans, and she flicks a finger on my forehead. “Don’t do that again,” I spit out. Who told her I was here? That stupid boy will pay.

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