Sleeping with a bully ov.., p.69
Sleeping with a Bully (Overachieving Only Wanted to be Happy), page 69
Sophia Gideon.
Who was she?
They were too far away for us to hear their conversation. The next thing I knew, Sophia had fainted in Leon's arms. Everyone in the cafeteria screamed.
"Oh my God! What happened to her?"
"Is she dead?"
"Should we call a teacher? The police?"
It was like my whole world tilted.
To where everything was unfamiliar and dangerous.
Hannah stood up and I grabbed her arm to stop her from leaving. She glanced at me, biting her lip and I shook my head at her. Together, we helplessly watched Leon lift the unconscious girl up in his arms and carry her away.
The murmur of the cafeteria returned but much louder this time. Several students began picking their trays up and exiting the cafeteria in fear that Leon would come back. I was still frozen in my seat, my mind consumed with thoughts of what Sophia's relationship with Leon was. My gaze went to where John was standing but he had already disappeared. My heart sank.
What were they both up to?
"What do we do, Terry?" Hannah sat down and shook my arm. "Sophia. We have to find her."
"No, we won't," I said as firmly as I could.
She gaped at me. "Didn't you see what just happened?"
"I did."
"Then why are you so calm about this?" she burst out, throwing her hands in the air."You should do something! You're our class president and the year rep, for God's sake."
"She'll be fine," I insisted weakly.
"How are you sure? She fainted, didn't you see that? What if he's threatening her? What if he's going to hurt her?"
"Nonsense. The school won't allow it."
"The school?" she scoffed. "The school even allowed someone as dangerous as Leon to study here."
"Look," I sighed. "We don't know what truly happened so let's not think negative." I eyed everyone in the cafeteria. "Let's not speculate until we know the truth."
"But—"
I didn't let her continue. I stood up and lifted my tray. It was Sophia' problem and she should solve it herself. I didn't need the added stress.
"Class is starting in a few minutes," I told the perplexed girl."Let's leave."
Before she could argue, I turned and walked towards the rubbish bin. I was acutely aware of the people around me, deep in their own conversations. The amount of drama in this school was endless. And as I stared at them, I knew the rumor mill was beginning to turn and soon, speculation was going to become fact.
Sophia Gideon was now done for.
Heaving a deep sigh, I dumped my tray and its half-eaten contents into the bin and headed towards the doors to the cafeteria.
One thing was certain to me, however.
Sophia was definitely not going to be invited to lunch anymore.
~*****~
Leon was sitting on his couch, watching an action film on his television when John angrily swung the door opened. For a moment, John stared at him, still wondering what the fuck was going into his head to make such a rash decision like that.
Finally, he burst out, "What the fuck?"
Leon glanced over his shoulder. His expression smoothed over when he saw him.
"That wasn't part of the plan, Leon," John went on."Fuck, that wasn't even the plan!"
John grew even more pissed when Leon rolled his eyes skyward and proceeded to ignore him. Leon turned the volume up on the television and letting out a frustrated sigh, John marched towards it and pulled the plug to cut off the noise of guns firing and people screaming.
"So I guess you heard?" he heard Leon ask him languidly.
He whirled around. "Of course, I fucking heard," he spat at him. "Hell, Leon. I was supposed to be the one, remember? We fucking talked about this."
Leon was unfazed as he took a cigarette from his pack."You were taking your fucking time."
"I was going to do it after class!"
"You were being a pussy and you know it," Leon returned. "We don't have time to wait for you to man up."
"Fuck you, Leon!" John snapped.
Did they really expect that approaching a girl he had never met before was easy as fucking pie? Sophia didn't know him and he didn't want to scare her away. She may be a loner but she knew the rumors about him. About them. But of course, Leon had to fucking ruin his carefully laid plans on how to introduce himself to her.
Leon glowered at him. "Are you seriously arguing with me about this? Are you in love with that girl or something?"
"Hell, no."
"Then what the fuck is your problem? So I strayed from the plan. It changes nothing. The plan is still on."
Was he fucking kidding him right now?
This was going to change everything. John could feel it in his bones. He had been close enough to hear Sophia and Leon's conversation and although it amused him how Sophia was so scared of his best friend, the same amusement dissipated when he heard Leon tell her that she was his. He probably looked as horrified as her.
Leon taking Sophia Gideon as his girl friend was not something he could just let by.
Sure this was a better plan, getting someone to pose as Sophia's boyfriend. It was going to be easier to acquire information, to guard her, to shoot down the threat when it presented itself. But hell, he just couldn't imagine Leon being someone's boyfriend.
His best friend never even had a girlfriend before!
"I'm worried about you," John blurted out.
Leon inhaled sharply and narrowed his gaze at him. "What the fuck did you say?"
There was more John wanted to say, more to make Leon change his mind about this plan of John didn't have the capacity anymore when his best friend's face turned dark. Weary all of a sudden, he ran a hand over his head and sat on the couch beside him. He took the unlit cigarette from Leon and put in his lips.
"Nothing," he mumbled. Hell, even his voice sounded exhausted."Forget I said anything."
"So?"
"Fine. I give up," he grumbled. He lit up the end of the cigarette and gave Leon a look. "But you owe me," he continued in an amused tone in an effort to diffuse the tension between them.
"I don't owe you shit," Leon disagreed."At least you won't be held down by some chick and you'd still be fucking every easy lay in the city."
John's brows furrowed. "So are you telling me you'll go celibate while the plan is going on?"
"Are you fucking kidding, John? I have a girlfriend."
The sudden grin on Leon's face surprised John so much he almost dropped the cigarette from his mouth. Clearing his throat, he took the cigarette out and scowled at him.
"You have a fucked-up sense of humor," he grumbled.
"Who said I was kidding?"
His head jerked back, stunned by the cheery disposition his best friend seemed to be displaying out of the blue. Leon didn't give him a chance to reply. He left him, on the couch, still stunned, and walked into his room.
What the hell was going on with him?
~*****~
"What the hell is going on with Leon?" Rohan yelled as he paced the floor of Skull's house. "You're mine? Is he crazy?"
"Love at first sight maybe?" Skull offered. He was sitting on the chair, watching him pace with amusement.
Rohan stilled, his head turned to look at him, his eyes flaring with annoyance. "Dude, no. Just... no."
Skull shrugged. "It could happen. Not even the great Leon Gage is immune to the emotion."
"Fuck you. He is not in love with her."
"I told him she was cute." Skull began laughing. "He probably thought the same when he saw her."
"Cute, my ass. She's ugly as fuck!"
"Stop pissing off Rohan, Skull," John muttered. He was leaning against the edge of the foosball table, quietly gathering his thoughts. "You know he's allergic to the word love."
John had called this emergency meeting after he left Leon's house. He needed their input about this new change of plans. He was still pissed, pissed at Leon but he couldn't do anything about it anymore because his best friend wouldn't let him. John's hands were fucking tied and they both knew it.
"You. You should have stopped him."
Surprised, John glanced at Rohan. Rohan was glaring at him. He lifted his brows.
"Stop him from what?" he asked, incredulous."I didn't even know he was going to do that."
"You should have known! You're his best friend!"
"I'm not fucking psychic, Rohan."
"You should have tackled him."
"And get my ass kicked in front of everyone?"John asked in disbelief. "Hell, no."
"I'm jealous," Skull mumbled unhappily. "I want a girlfriend too."
Rohan threw him a disgusted glance. "Why don't you get married too, you dumbass?"
John exhaled impatiently. This wasn't what he imagined the meeting would be. They were arguing like morons about love and girlfriends, of all things.
"This is your entire fault, John," Rohan growled at him.
John felt his mouth get tight as did the rest of his body. His blood ran hot. A roar began in his ears and fog clouded his vision. He tried to contain it. Tried to subdue it. But his anger continued to mount, grain by grain. It boiled inside him, deep and consuming.
"If you hadn't piss him off last night this wouldn't have fucking happened."
And then it erupted.
"What the fuck did you just tell me?" John murmured in a cold, lethal tone.
Rohan's angry expression fell as he stared at him. He flinched and opened his mouth to speak but John didn't let him. Grabbing his collar, John jerked him hard towards him, making him turn pale.
"You don't know what I went through with him," he enunciated clearly and slowly to Rohan's face, trying to control the rage swirling inside him at the same time. "So don't go mouthing off things you fucking don't know."
To his credit, Rohan stood his ground. "It's because you won't tell me," he said heatedly."We've been friends for almost two years and you still won't tell me!"
"Alright." Skull appeared beside them and brought his fists down on their heads. Hard. "Break it up, kids."
The blow made the roar in John's ears fade and his vision cleared. The fog receded. But his heart still pounded in an abnormally thundering pace and the disturbing emotions continued to linger inside heavily.
John looked at Skull and with a way he did that most people would cringe. But Skull just held his gaze. Then he shook his head once.
John's mouth got tight again. Taking a deep breath, he let go of Rohan and stepped back. Though he was grateful for Skull for containing the whole situation before it got worse, for making him come back to his senses, the blow still fucking hurt.
"What the hell are your hands made of?" he muttered, rubbing the top of his head. "Granite?"
Skull smirked and crossed his arms. "Go to opposite corners and reflect on what you kids just did. I won't have you fighting in my house again."
Rohan threw him a dirty look. Color was returning to his face again. "The way he talks it's like he's playing teacher."
"He can't be a teacher," John stated flatly."He'll make all the kids cry or make them run screaming."
Skull was not amused. "Opposite corners. Now."
John rolled his eyes and stormed to the kitchen. Taking out a water bottle from the fridge, he let out a long sigh. His confrontation with Rohan had left him restless, thirsty.
And ashamed.
Shit, but the kid didn't deserve that. He should have been patient with him. It made him sick to his to hurt him. Wanting to make him feel shouldn't have lost it like that. But the stress of these past few days had caught up with him. It was his only excuse, fucking up like that.
"I'm sorry."
John's eyes cut to the doorway. Rohan stood there, his hands deep in his pockets, staring at him with somber eyes.
"I'm sorry I said those things. I was just worried about Leon."
"I know," he muttered. "I'm sorry too for—."
Rohan shook his head and cut him off, "Don't apologize. I honestly don't blame you. I was acting like a... like a kid. But it was kind of unnerving to see you like that," he ended with an awkward chuckle.
John pressed his lips together, feeling even more ashamed for losing it.
"I think of him as a brother, you know," Rohan confessed, sliding his gaze away.
Fuck it, but could Rohan make him feel even more shittier?
"I know, Rohan," he whispered.
Rohan nodded. "Cool. Hey, Skull's turning on the Xbox. Come and play with us."
"Just give me a sec," John replied, lifting the water bottle up.
Rohan grinned at him before he left him alone. John pulled in breath and drained the water bottle. Then he hurried back to his friends.
Still feeling like shit.
Chapter 10
Like We Used To
A crowd had gathered in the middle of the classroom when I walked in. I didn't even hesitate, I went directly for my seat. It was obvious what today's juicy topic was and I didn't want to be part of it. But I had barely sat down on my chair when Hannah began calling for me. She was smack dab in the middle of the group. She could never resist a good gossip.
"Terry! Terry, come here!"
I shook my head. I wasn't in the mood for conversation, especially if it was going to be about yesterday's events. My head was also hurting from lack of sleep because I had to stay up very late to answer a call from my grandfather who was in Japan.
"Did you hear?" Hannah sat down beside me, and jounced in her chair excitedly. "Terry, did you hear the news?"
"Can you keep it down, Hannah?" I asked quietly. "I have a headache."
Her mouth closed and she stopped bouncing in her seat.
"Is it bad?" she asked, worried. "Did you already take something for it?"
"It's bearable. Just don't shout in my ear."
She pursed her lips. "I'm sorry."
I gave her a tentative smile and took my books and pens out of my bag. Then I set them on my table meticulously. Hannah was silent as she watched me. I glanced at her and noted she looked about to ready to burst.
With a sigh, I asked, "Okay. What's this news I didn't hear about?"
Hannah took in a deep breath and said in strained voice. "She's his girlfriend."
I blinked. "Excuse me?"
"Sophia is Leon Gage's girlfriend."
My heart started to race.
"What?" I whispered in disbelief.
She was about to answer me when her eyes slid to the door and stayed there. Her eyes widened. I followed her gaze. Then my body jerked.
Sophia and Leon were outside our classroom.
My eyes slid down.
And they were holding hands.
"It's really true," Hannah murmured as everyone scrambled to their seats and in utterance, I heard both awe and dread. "She's really his girlfriend."
I was quick to regain control of my shock. My thoughts weren't controlled, though. They raced with questions.
Was she really his girlfriend?
My eyes narrowed on Sophia. Her expression was one of fear.
Or did he just force her into a relationship with him?
Suddenly, Leon's gaze shot to the room, his eyes moving ever so slow along the visible length of the classroom, taking everyone and everything in a glance. Everyone flinched and looked away. His eyes met mine for a brief period before he turned and left.
Sophia looked uncomfortable as she stepped into the room. With her head down, she hurried into her seat, aware of everyone's eyes on her. No one moved. No one even seemed to be breathing. Everyone was watching her with expressions of horror and shock. I was about to blank everyone out and lean down to take my books out for first period when Hannah clutched at my arm.
"We have got to do something," she muttered at me, her eyes not leaving Sophia's form.
"No, we don't," I instantly responded.
"But Terry. She's in danger."
My eyebrows climbed up. "Hardly."
She turned her gaze to me and whispered furiously, "She's going to be eaten alive by him!"
"Is that another of your stupid sex jokes?" I asked with a frown.
"I'm not talking about sex," she denied. Then her expression turned thoughtful. "But I do wonder. She's like... a bunny while he's a wolf. A big bad wolf."
I curled my lip. "Don't be gross."
"Oh, my gosh, we have to do something, Terry," Hannah pleaded. "I don't know what happened but she can't be his girlfriend. She might share the same fate as Mr. Snuffles."
"For the last time, your rabbit didn't get eaten by a wolf," I hissed, losing patience. "It escaped because you forgot to lock the stupid cage."
"But I saw blood!"
"That was just jelly!"
At that moment, someone suddenly burst into tears and I saw Sophia winced. The teacher came in soon after and called for everyone's attention. Hannah had a stubborn expression on her face as she faced front and I immediately knew she was going to do something outrageous again.
The girl sitting beside Sophia started to cry and I exhaled, rubbing my temples.
This was going to be a long day.
~*****~
John wasn't in a good mood today.
His body still itched from hiding behind the bushes bordering the cafeteria.
Skull knew he didn't like dirt. Didn't like sitting on dirt. Didn't like having his ass slathered in dirt and didn't like being covered with leaves and twigs that scratched his skin and made him itch.
But the asshole wanted to spy on Leon and Sophia while they had their first lunch together. As interested as John was to see how his best friend and his girlfriend were together, he wasn't that interested to sit on fucking dirt.
John exhaled in annoyance and removed the earphones from his ears as he approached Leon. His best friend was waiting for him at the back of the school building, smoking a cigarette. Leon scowled at him and he couldn't prevent the smile on his face. His best friend was also in a pissy mood.
"Any news?" Leon asked as he stubbed his cigarette with his boot on the ground.
"No," he answered.
"Then why the fuck did you make me come here?"
John's grin widened. Leon sounded like a petulant kid. "I needed to smoke."
