WHAT HAPPENED LAST SUMMER?

The warning

Theodore’s POV

I ignored him completely and focused on the class. That sort of annoyed him because he hissed right after. The entire lecture was hell. I struggled to concentrate because I was seated right beside the almighty Alex, someone I used to crush on and hate at the same time. But his friends wouldn’t stop throwing dirt at me the entire period, and I couldn’t say anything. I dared not say a word that would implicate them while the lecture was on, unless I was ready to be bullied after school.

Why do I have to be so unlucky?

The usual Alexander would have girls fighting to sit beside him daily. I was a bit shocked to see that no one sat beside him, and that could only mean one thing. He probably left the seat on purpose so he could bully me when he was bored. He’d been doing that for a while, and each time I reported him, I ended up taking the fall for it.

For a moment, I couldn’t stop perceiving his cologne, and it always reminded me of the day I saw him jerking himself. Each time I tried to get it out of my mind, it just seemed to rush right back, stronger, like it was haunting me.

Soon, the class was over, and everyone was out of the classroom except for three girls whom I was sure were pretty mad because I sat beside Alex. They walked up to me and stood beside me, watching me pack my books. Their silence was deafening until someone eventually spoke.

“Hey, b***h,” she said, and pulled my hair from behind.

I had packed it in a ponytail that morning, and the sting of pain that ran through me was unbearable. I winced as I fell to the ground. My books scattered across the floor.

I glared at her for a few seconds but ignored her. My dad was no longer taking care of me, and I had tried to avoid trouble at all costs so I didn’t have to face any consequences. I had to take on all the bullies, even though I knew who I was and what I could do to these annoying ants.

I knelt down to pack my books, and one of the girls, particularly the one who always thought she was a badass, leaned towards me.

“That’s right. That is exactly where you belong, on the ground and not by Alex’s side because you are a nobody,” she said, and the other two girls behind her laughed. One of them sounded like she was mocking me.

I knew it!

I almost screamed it out of my lungs, but it remained stuck in my throat. Then I let out a heavy sigh.

“Trust me, I didn’t want to be by his side. That was the only seat left. I had no choice.” I paused, not because I had no words, but because that girl raised her hand and landed a striking slap on my face.

I winced and breathed heavily.

Her hand sank into my hair as she raised my head to her gaze. Her face burned with more rage, like she was about to consume the whole class.

“Next time, leave the class or get your sorry ass seated on the f*****g floor where you belong,” she yelled and pushed me away.

I fell and bruised my left arm.

Just when she was about to come closer again, the door suddenly flung open, and Audrey walked in with her pair, breaking the tension a little bit.

She paused at the door, glaring at the girls.

“What the hell is going on here?” Her voice was soft but carried venom in it.

The three girls scrambled off like scared chickens, finally exposing me to the light. But I knew Audrey being there was like another episode of trouble arising.

I tried to get my books and stand up before Audrey got closer, but my books decided it was the perfect time to start slipping out of my hands. Or maybe I picked them up with trembling hands, but by the time I picked up the last piece, she was already in front of me.

“s**t,” I whispered.

“Hmm, look who we have here,” she said, pushing me harder against the floor.

I could already feel my knees giving out from kneeling for too long. My knees rubbed tightly against the sand particles, sending a sharp pain straight to my spine.

“Audrey, I don’t want any trouble, please. Just let me go,” I protested, and she laughed.

“Well, new rules, darling,” she said, lifting my head up to her face with her index finger. “You don’t get to tell me when you want trouble before I deliver it to you, is that clear? You servant. Speaking of servant, a lowly one that you are.”

She paused and collected a cup of coffee from one of her followers.

“Tara, Mia, hold her in place,” she said to her two girls.

She snapped her fingers. The loud sound sent thrills to my belly. One of the first three girls moved closer to her like she was being controlled.

“Quick, make a video of me while I pour this on her head. I need something to keep me entertained after school. It’s boring in my mansion,” she added and smirked.

“No, Audrey, that f*****g hot. Are you insane?” I asked, but she responded with a wicked laugh as she started to pour the coffee on my head.

The steam burned my face down to my neck, and I winced in pain.

“Audrey, stop! You witch!” I snapped.

“You should be grateful I’m kind enough to give you a proper shower. Ugh. Ungrateful b***h,” she said.

Tears rolled down my eyes, ones I had held back so hard until I couldn’t anymore.

She leaned closer to me before speaking.

“Aww, don’t cry. You know the principal must not see this mess you made, right? So stick your tongue out and lick it clean,” she ordered.

“You must be insane to think I’ll do that,” I answered, and she glared back at me.

“How dare you?” she snapped and raised her hand as if she were about to slap me.

I struggled to release myself, but her two girls gripped me harder. I shut my eyes tightly and started to confess like a captured witch.

“If this is because I sat beside your brother, Audrey, I promise I never intended to. It was the last seat left. I never wanted to sit beside him. I hate him, okay!” I screamed.

And everywhere went silent when the door flung open for the third time.

“Oh, thank God,” I whispered.

Relief washed through me. My spiked nerves suddenly relaxed until I heard a familiar voice.

“What the hell is happening here?”

It was Alex’s voice.

My shoulders dropped, and my stomach twisted. I thought I was going to s**t my pants. When will this whole thing end?

Just when I thought it was over, their king walked in with his set of puppets too.

Why me? I questioned myself.

Every other girl present screamed like they had just seen a god, except for Audrey and me.

In all the chaos, all I could see were his pointed, hard n*****s poking through his wet sports jersey like they were begging to be touched.

I swallowed hard, ignoring the ladies’ screams as my heart started to race harder when he began walking closer to me.

“Alex,” Audrey called, but he ignored everyone, including her. His eyes remained glued to me.

“From now henceforth, no one is allowed to lay a finger on her except me. Do I make myself clear?” he snapped, his voice thunderous, like he had been offended.

For the first time, I saw a different Alex, one I never thought I would ever see.

Everyone, including his puppets, gasped in shock, and my lips fell apart.