Beauty and the Bastard
Leia Roschèr had been waiting for this field trip ever since she had heard about it at the beginning of the year at her high school.
The sophomore-senior Washington D.C. trip has been the only thing on Leia's mind.
The museums, the memorials, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. She couldn't be more excited about anything else.
Leia was known to most of the school in one of the worst ways possible, ever since her reputation had plummeted. The reputation she had gained all thanks to the number one most hated person on her list: Senior boy, Zachary Bentley Turploy. The worst person ever known to exist in her life.
Zach, the hockey star team captain and self-made billionaire, was known to always tease Leia; mocking her, pranking her, and intentionally misplacing her things.
The whole campus knew of their rivalry.
The moment they arrived at their hotel for the trip, Leia realized that what once was her dream has just as easily become her worst nightmare.
And Zachary Turploy had just been cast to Star as the main character.
Read
Chapter: Author's NoteIf you made it this far into Zach and Leia's story, then it is safe to say you have reached the end. I have had so much fun writing this book, and being able to share it with all of you has been such an honor. I am so happy that we finished this together, and I'm so thankful for all of you who got to go with Zach, Leia, and the rest of the BATB family. I would like to add some dedications, as well. To my best friends, Josie and Natalie, you guys supported me through this book and I am forever greatful. I love you both so, so much. My parents, who supported my dreams to work on and finish this book. You two are such important figures in my life, and I am forever thankful for you. And to all of my readers, who kept me going. I love you all so much
Last Updated: 2024-10-04
Chapter: Chapter Twenty-One: The BastardI could only stand there as Leia stormed away, in absolute shock as I tried to process what had just happened. Shock that soon developed into frustration. Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. I looked down at what she had slammed into my chest. A helmet. I traced the design with my finger, creating an invisible outline along the lightning bolt on the side. Shit. This had to have cost a fortune for her. I looked up to where Leia had disappeared, and something snapped within me. Before I knew what I was doing, I threw the helmet onto the couch without a second glance before running out the door and into the freezing cold weather. "Leia!" I called out to her retreating form. All she was wearing was a thin long-sleeve top and a skirt with nothing else to cover her bare legs and arms. She had to be freezing to the bone by now.She turned at the sound of her name, but her expression turned colder than the snow beneath my feet once she saw who had called it. She turned back around and continu
Last Updated: 2024-10-04
Chapter: Chapter Twenty: BeautyIt was now December 18th. It had been one month and twenty days since I had broken up with Jacob. Seven weeks and one day since I'd found out he was cheating on me. Fifty days since Zach had beat him up until he was bloody and bruised. Fourteen weekends since my heart had been ripped out of my chest. For a month I had sat in my room, on my bed. It was where I had stayed most of the time. I'd skipped caroling, the baking tradition I shared with my mom, and even most of my family's Christmas shopping and gift-wrapping, my two favorite things about the holidays. I hadn't spoken to Zach since that night. I'd been too mad. Too hurt. No, not hurt. "Hurt" was too small of a word, almost cute sounding. "Aw, did that hurt?" No. It obliterated, demolished, destroyed me. Demoralized, maybe. But no, it didn't hurt me. It didn't "hurt" me at all. Zach had pretended nothing happened. He never talked about it. In fact, he hadn't talked to me at all. Not a single taunt or tease. No pulling my hai
Last Updated: 2024-10-02
Chapter: Chapter Nineteen: The Bastard My focus rotated between my phone and Leia as she paced the room while waiting for her asshole of a boyfriend to pick up the Goddamn phone. I had been this close to saying he had been talking to some chick at the party, just to make the situation worse for him. But, I knew that would've hurt Leia more than she needed to be hurt. The click of the line connecting seemed to echo throughout the room, followed by the disgusting sound of Jake's voice. "Hello?" Leia took a deep breath before speaking. "Hey, Jake," she said. Her tone held no warmth, but it wasn't ice cold either. "How are you?" I don't think Leia realized that her phone was on speaker. Unless she knew and wanted me to hear the exchange between the two of them. "I'm alright, just tired. How're you, baby?" I cringed internally. Baby? Give me a fucking break. He was already cringey enough with his sappy bullshit. The nicknames didn't need to be included in the package. "I'm fine." She kept her tone neutral. It wasn't
Last Updated: 2024-09-23
Chapter: Chapter Eighteen: BeautyI woke up the next morning with the worst headache I had ever felt pounding in my temples like a drilling machine. I groaned and sat up, holding my hand to my head. The last thing I remembered was going to the party last night, Zach talking to me and walking away, and... that was it. No snippets of anything from last night, no fragments, nothing. I looked around my surroundings to make sure I wasn't in some other guy's room. Thankfully, I was in my own room. The one that I shared with... Zach. My eyes widened, and I quickly checked myself under the covers. I was still in my skirt and blouse from last night. The only things removed from my body were my shoes. Zach hadn't touched me. Zach Turploy, who had fucked nearly half of the girls at our school and flirted with the rest, had the perfect opportunity to take me. And he hadn't. I sat up slowly, not wanting my head to literally explode from the pressure of my headache, and swung my legs over the side of my bed. I walked over to m
Last Updated: 2024-09-17
Chapter: Chapter Seventeen: The Bastard I shouldn't have snapped like that. It's not Leia's fault, and she didn't know anything. She didn't know my history with that scene in that fucking drawing. I sighed and rubbed my face as I walked down the hall, away from the door that I had walked out of after yelling at Leia. The sound of the slamming impact of the door echoed throughout my head as I made my way to the elevator, replaying not only the sound but the events that had happened before. The guilt made me feel like three tons of lead were sitting in my stomach, and it stuck with me as I pressed the button to send the elevator to the first floor and stepped out into the main lobby. I felt a buzz in my pocket and pulled my phone out to see the notification.Marcus: Yo, there's a party in the pool house rn. Get your ass over here. I heavily sighed as I read the text. I really didn't feel like going out. Especially not after what had just happened with Leia. But maybe I needed a distraction, some action, fun. And Marcus
Last Updated: 2024-09-13