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Chapter Twenty: Beauty

Author: L. G. Ausmus
last update Last Updated: 2024-10-29 19:42:56

It 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
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    I 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

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    If 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

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    I felt my muscles tense as soon as I heard that voice flow into my ear and felt his breath fan over my neck. I cursed to myself as shivers ran down my spine, and I took a deep breath. I tried not to whip around and punch him in that shit-eating face. "Leave me alone, Zach," I snarled. "Oh, but why?" He taunted. "You didn't seem to want me to leave you alone, oh, how long has it been? Five years ago, did you?" I clenched my fists. He was fucking asking for it at this point. I whipped around and glared at him. "You better shut the fuck up right now before I make you." He widened his eyes in mock fear and puts his hands on his face. "Oh no!" He mocked. "What are you gonna do? Attack me with historical facts?" I narrowed my eyes. "What I'm going to do is punch you in your God damn face." He raised his eyebrows. "Ooh, you have me shaking in my boots. I think you'd cause more damage with your history facts." He leaned forward and whispered in my ear. "Besides, I think the on

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    I felt my whole gut sink down. My insides grew cold. My head went light. Jacob frowned. "Isn't that the guy that always shits on you?" I nodded absent-mindedly, but I barely even heard Jake's words. "Yeah..." He looked into my eyes as concern clouded over his own. "Do you want to go?" If there was one thing I could control, it was not letting this douchebag control whether or not I would stay at a fucking hockey game. Regardless if he was playing or not. I just shook my head. "No, it's okay. I'll be fine." He offered a half smile and nodded, facing forward. "So, are those other two guys from our school? Owen and Marcus?" I nodded. "Yeah. They're close friends of Zach's." Jake hummed in acknowledgment. "They going on the trip tomorrow?" "Yeah." He shook his head. "I wish you didn't have to go through the shit they put you through. I don't know why they do it." I tried not to wince. I hoped he never would find out why they did this to me. "Well," I hesitated. "

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    I 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

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    Zach looked up from his dufflebag, pausing his sifting for just long enough to throw me that mother-fucking grin. "My, my," he mused, standing upright and crossing his arms over his chest. "It must be kismet, how we keep bumping into each other like this." I only stood there, dumbfounded and incredulous. "You fucking planned this!"Zach raised a brow. "Oh, you think I planned this? Why the fuck would I plan for us to be in the same room?" I threw my hands up in frustration. "I don't know! How am I supposed to know how your twisted brain works?" He rolled his neck and let out an exaggerated sigh, feigning mock disappointment at not being able to rile me up a bit more. He finally managed to pry his gaze away for a few moments, glancing around at the room as he did. "So, do the councelors always put two people of the opposite gender sharing a room, or should I start feeling flattered?" He asked, turning his gaze towards me, a raised eyebrow, and that fucking grin ghosting his lips. "

  • Beauty and the Bastard    Chapter Fifteen: Beauty

    This drive was supposed to take over 24 hours. So obviously, we had to stay the night somewhere. Haylie had told me that we were supposed to stop at the Hilton Inn for the night, and then we would drive the last ten hours to the hotel where we were going to stay for the rest of the trip. But we had made up enough time to the point where we could just drive the whole way to the D.C hotel. The TSO had booked one hotel room for every two students. I really hoped I would be roomed with Haylie or Jake. If I was not, I was going to be throwing hands with someone. We still had around thirty minutes left until we got to the hotel, and it couldn't have been any longer. I needed to get off of the bus and as far away from Zach as possible, or else I was literally going to fucking strangle him. He had spent at least fifteen minutes whistling a random tune that he had made up, making the pitches alternate between long and slow and short and fast. It had annoyed the fucking shit out of me. And

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    *I ran through the woods, panting and gasping for air as beads of sweat formed along my forehead. I pushed my legs as hard as I could, running from something I couldn't name or see.**As I was running, my foot caught on a loose root, and I fell forward. I screamed and braced myself for the impact of my body on the ground, but it never came. I forced myself to open my eyes, confused, and saw the ground just inches below my face. When I looked up, I saw Jake holding me up by my shirt.**"Jake?" I asked, my brows plunging to the center of my forehead. My voice sounded like an echo, like I was in some sort of cave and not in the middle of the woods from the Exorcist.**His face held an expression of deep relief as he pulled me up and wrapped me in his arms. "Leia!" He whispered into my hair. "I've been looking for you everywhere. I've been so worried." His heavy breathing told me he'd been running as well. And his voice was laced with panic.**I matched his embrace, hugging him tightly. B

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