Natasha

“Sometimes, Apollo teaches football to the young kids!” Nicole said. “Oh shit!” she cried. “He is coming this way. Run and hide!” 

I managed to look behind and saw that Apollo was coming this way. The crowd parted for him as it fell into a stunning silence. 

“Run Lisa!” she urged. “

I ran as fast as I could, but I was slower. Apollo came to us soon enough and blocked us from running. He stood right in front of me and my eyes zeroed in on his yummy cleft. He stared at me with cold eyes and the moment my gaze shifted to his eyes, I was terrified. My mind goaded me to run away from him. I had to hide. I couldn’t afford to expose myself. 

With his eyes fixed on me and without looking at Nicole, he hissed an order to her. “Leave.” 

Nicole’s blood drained from her face. She lowered her head as her body trembled like a leaf and she walked away. I too wanted to follow but before I could do that, his hand came around my throat and gripped me hard. He pushed me against a door as I grabbed his wrist with both my hands. He looked so aggressive and murderous that I was petrified. He released his aura and I winced. Tears trickled down my eyes as I stared at his face. The same face that I had admired last night was so cruel right now. I should have known that he was someone I shouldn't have never ventured out with. And now everyone at school was watching us. 

“What are you doing?” I spluttered. 

He leaned over my ear and growled, “I am going to ruin you so badly that you won't ever recover!” 

Stunned at his words, I didn’t know what crime I committed that he sealed my fate this way. His grip was tightening around my throat as his fangs descended. Suddenly, a hand tapped over his shoulder. 

“Apollo,” a soft voice came from behind him. “She is nobody. Leave her.” 

I spluttered and coughed when he left my neck after a few moments. Beside him, I saw a tall, slender girl with light brown curls with sharp features. She was looking down upon me. She tugged Apollo’s sleeves and pulled him away. I leaned my back against the door as I watched the two walk away hand in hand. Apollo glanced over his shoulder to glare menacingly at me. I sucked in a sharp breath as I returned the glare. I just couldn’t understand his complete reversal of attitude. He was absolutely, utterly, bitterly crazy! 

When I rose on my wobbly knees, I saw people trying to get away from me as far as possible. Nicole came running to me from somewhere. She grabbed my hand and dragged me to the class. “I am so sorry!” she said in a breathy voice. “We shouldn’t have gone to the football field.” I was unable to comment after the whole incident. 

When we reached our class, I took a deep sigh of relief. “It wasn’t your fault. You can't do anything about bullies.” But the moment I took another step inside, I bumped into a frozen Nicole. I followed her line of vision and saw that she was staring at Artemis, Duncan and Gilbert. Gathered at the back of the classroom, they were joking with… Apollo. He was sitting over a table like a king, with the girl who removed her from me, her elbow resting on his shoulder possessively. 

Stunned, I too froze for a moment. Then I caught Nicole’s upper arm and said, “Don’t you let them get you, okay?” Even though I was reduced to smithereens, I pulled myself up and we walked in the classroom to the only two remaining seats in the last. 

As I walked, I couldn’t help glancing at him and found him staring at me with a dark gaze. Why was he here when he wasn’t a student? The girl with him appeared to be his girlfriend. Then why was he alone last night with me? Nothing looked simple. We were just two rows behind them.  

“Ignore them, Lisa,” Nicole whispered, leaning towards me. “If you react, they will come at you.” So, I focused on my bag and tables. 

“Some girls just try too hard to grab attention,” smirked his girlfriend. 

Duncan laughed. “Come on Rita. You don’t have any competition. Besides, Lisa is new and not as beautiful as you.” 

Rita’s two friends giggled at Duncan's remark. Artemis snorted while Gilbert appeared least interested. 

Apollo’s eyes narrowed. “Who is Lisa?” he asked. 

Duncan pointed with his thumb over his shoulder. “The new girl. She’s here only for a year.”

My heart stuttered to a stop, knowing that Apollo would bust my identity. I cursed myself on the inside for letting myself slip that one time. My gaze snapped to Apollo. He was least interested in the conversation and was watching me like a hawk. Bring it on, bastard. I had his dirty little secret too. If he revealed my real name, I would talk about his shenanigans to his girlfriend. 

For a long time, as our gazes met, the world around us faded. I didn’t realize when he came right in front of my table. He leaned over and pressed his palms over the table. With his biceps bulging, he said, “Liar.”

I seethed. “Two-timer.” 

A muscle feathered in his jaw and his hand grabbed my jaws so tightly that they pained. “You and I have unfinished business!” 

Nicole got up from the side. “Please Apollo, leave her. I will make sure that she doesn’t come in front of you ever again.” 

“Mr. Apollo de Vries,” a steady voice came from somewhere. 

He snarled, and I could see his fangs lengthening. 

“You need to leave so that we may start the class,” said Mr. Adam, our class teacher. 

He shoved my jaws back and left in a huff leaving me shaking like a dry leaf in the summer breeze. He was a bloody dark bastard with a devil's soul. 

His girlfriend, Rita, gave me a withering glance before settling down with her minions beside her. Why was it that luck was not on my side ever since I was born? Artemis sat right in front of me along with Duncan and Gilbert. And I knew that the remaining days of my high school were screwed.