The Return of the Hidden Luna

CHAPTER 3: THE MYSTERY MAN

Ariella's POV

I never thought my life could get any worse. But as I was dragged by my hair across the dusty playground, I realized just how wrong I was. Pain shot through my scalp, and tears stung my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. The last thing I needed was to show any weakness in front of Viola.

She stood in the center of the playground, flanked by some boys, a wicked smile playing on her lips. Her eyes bore into me with the kind of disdain you’d have for an insect. She was waiting for this moment, relishing in my suffering.

I was tossed hard at Viola's feet. I felt my hair for blood. Luckily, there was none. I kept my head down, not wanting to look Viola in the eye.

"Come on, boys, be gentle. We wouldn't want to break our little plaything now, would we? Well, at least not yet," Viola said with a dry laugh. The boys joined her, their laughter sounding like hyenas mocking their prey.

After their laughter quieted, Viola stepped toward me, kicking up dirt. I kept my head down, half hoping they would all just disappear. If only real life worked that way.

Viola stood just in front of me. I could see her black running shoes. "Oh, don't be like that, Ariella. We were just having a little fun, weren't we, boys?"

The boys let out yelps in agreement and shouted some obscene things I wished to forget. Animals, the lot of them.

When I still didn't look up, Viola squatted in front of me. She grabbed me by the hair and pulled my head up so we were at eye level. I thought I would be ready to face her. I was wrong. Looking into her eyes now, I felt the fear creep back into me. Viola wasn't just a school bully; she was a monster.

She stared at me for a while, her dark eyes setting off every primal instinct within me to run, but I couldn't as she tightened her grip on my hair.

"Now," she began, smiling. The fun begins, Ariella."

My heart skipped a beat. What did she mean by that? What exactly did they plan on doing to me? I struggled for a bit, trying to pry her fingers from my hair, but she held firm.

"Feisty," Viola said with a chuckle. "Okay, how about this: I'll let you go if you striptease in front of everyone here."

Immediately when the words left her mouth, the boys snickered and clambered to get closer, hoping for a better view.

I stared at Viola, horror-stricken. I couldn't do what she asked, but I knew refusing might make things even worse. The boys jeered, their voices blending into a cruel, taunting chorus.

Viola's grip tightened as she leaned in closer, her breath hot against my face. "Well, Ariella? What's it going to be?”

My heart pounded in my chest. I could feel their hungry eyes on me, waiting for my reaction. I straightened up. She let go of my hair, took a step back, and made a bow at me. "Carry on, dearie. Show us what you got." More shouts followed.

"No," I said firmly, my voice louder and steadier than expected. "I won’t do it."

Viola’s smirk widened into a cruel grin. "Oh, that's too bad," she turned to the boys. "You hear that, guys? Little Miss Ariella here says she doesn't want to."

They booed at me, calling me all sorts of degrading names. But I stood my ground. I'd find a way out of this; I had to.

Viola turned toward me. She stood so close that I could smell her perfume. She then leaned in and whispered in my ear, "I was hoping you'd say that." I felt a chill creep up my spine. She turned to the boys, her voice rising. "Take her to the classroom!"

Before I could react, I was yanked off my feet and dragged toward the school building. "Let me go! You big oafs!" I screamed as I jerked and kicked wildly, trying to break free from their grasp, but there were too many of them.

As I was dragged away, I heard Viola's voice call out from behind, "This is what you get, Ariella! This is what happens when you cross me!"

Her voice was soon drowned by the increasing laughter and jeers of my captives. I could only imagine the horrible things they would do to me when we got to the classroom. I felt a knot in my stomach, and It was made worse by the realization that no one was coming to save me.

Inside the classroom, the boys threw me onto a desk, pinning me down. Panic surged through me as I felt their hands tugging at my clothes. And at my privates. They were not gentle.

‘This can't be happening,’ I thought to myself. I struggled some more, but it was no use. I looked around the room, desperate for an escape.

As if by some miracle or sheer stroke of luck, the boy holding down one of my legs slipped. That was my window. With a burst of adrenaline, I kicked the boy right in the stomach, sending him stumbling backward.

The others were so stunned by my sudden movement that they loosened their grips just slightly. That was all I needed. With a hard twist, I broke free from their grasp and jumped off the table.

From the side of my vision, I caught Viola's enraged expression. "Get her!" she yelled at the bewildered boys.

I reached for the door, my fingers brushing the handle, but before I could turn it, I felt a hand on my shoulder, and immediately, I was dragged away from the door and thrown to the floor. I was so close. I felt the last bit of hope leave my body as the boys caught me again. This time, they were more careful. One of them found some rope, and in a moment, I was tied to the desk.

"You idiots! You almost let her escape." I could feel the anger in Viola's voice.

"Sorry, Viola," one of the boys muttered, rubbing his stomach where I kicked him. "She's stronger than she looks."

Viola rolled her eyes and walked over to me, her face inches from mine.

She had a displeased look on her face. "And you were so close."

She ran a finger across the side of my face. "Such a pretty face, a shame it's about to go to waste."

“Stop this, Viola! Please, stop this!” I yelled, tears streaming down my face. But my cries fell on deaf ears. Viola's eyes bore no sympathy for me; all I could see in them was cruelty. The boys began pulling at my clothes again, their hands all over my body.

They made short work of my clothes, leaving me almost completely nude, and I couldn't stop them. I was helpless, and the terror I felt was unlike anything I had ever experienced.

One of the boys who was stroking my inner thigh spoke up. "We should record this," he suggested, a vile grin spreading across his face. "It’ll be a valuable keepsake, plus we could sell the footage online."

Another boy nodded eagerly, pulling out his phone. “Yeah, let’s do it. This is going to be epic.”

My heart sank. Nobody should see me like this. I felt like throwing up. I couldn’t let this happen. I screamed and thrashed against my restraints, but it was no use.

They laughed, and I could barely make out the words they were saying. Some caressed my body, and another licked my toes, but I couldn't react. I felt the fight in me slowly fade away.

The boy with the camera adjusted it in the corner of the classroom, ensuring it captured my humiliation from every angle. ‘This is it,’ I thought to myself. ‘This is how it ends.’

I turned to the side and saw Viola’s soulless eyes fixed on me. She watched eagerly as the boys played with my exposed body. I held her gaze. I may be powerless to stop them, but I could at least hold on to some form of defiance.

I could tell she wasn’t happy with that. She turned to the boys, saying, "Enough goofing around. It’s time to give Ariella here a night she’ll never forget." The boys yelped like animals and closed in on me; some of them were already undoing their buttons.

“Bang!”

Suddenly, the classroom door burst open. The lights flickered and then went out, plunging the room into semi-darkness. A collective gasp echoed around the room.

“Who’s there?” Viola’s voice was sharp, cutting through the silence. “Get out, whoever you are!”

But the figure at the door didn’t leave. Instead, it walked slowly and deliberately toward me. I couldn’t make out the face in the darkness, but I could see the shape, moving with a calm confidence that was both reassuring and terrifying.

The boys around me hesitated for a moment before rushing at the intruder. What followed was a blur of motion and sound. There were screams, grunts, and the sound of fists meeting flesh. The boys were being taken down, but I couldn’t see how or by whom.

I could hear the distinct thud of bodies hitting the ground, followed by sharp gasps and yelps of pain. A desk was knocked over with a loud crash, adding to the chaos. The intruder moved with fluid grace, dodging punches and kicks effortlessly while delivering precise, decisive blows. It was like watching a shadow play.

I heard Viola screeching, her voice high-pitched and frantic. “Somebody do something!” she cried, but her voice was drowned out by the chaos. I saw her silhouette dart toward the back of the room, slipping out the door while everyone else was distracted.

I shut my eyes, hoping it would all be over soon. My body was trembling, and I felt utterly vulnerable. The sounds of the fight grew more distant until they finally ceased. The classroom was silent except for the sound of my ragged breathing.

I didn’t dare open my eyes. My heart was pounding in my chest, and I could feel sweat trickling down my back. Footsteps approached me, slow and measured. The lights flickered back on, and I squinted against the sudden brightness.

Standing before me was a man I did not recognize. He had a strikingly handsome face with dark, slightly tousled hair falling just above deep, piercing blue eyes framed by thick lashes. High, well-defined cheekbones and a strong, chiseled jawline gave his face a sculpted appearance, complemented by smooth, clear skin with a healthy glow. His straight, proportionate nose and full, well-shaped lips exuded a blend of rugged masculinity and refined elegance.

I couldn’t help but stare at him, my fear momentarily forgotten. His striking face left me breathless, and my mouth opened, but no words came out. The room seemed to hold its breath, the chaos replaced by a strange, electrifying calm. Everything else faded away in that moment, leaving just the two of us in a silent, intense connection.