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Hated By The Bully King 98
CoraI haven't yet come up with an excuse I'll give Principal Hipskind why I want to leave Royal Elite. I just don't have the energy to wrack my brain. As I play around with my breakfast Monday morning, it occurs to me that only two months ago, I was sitting in the same seat entertaining the exact same idea. But that was a different situation, because back then I wanted to leave due to the bullying. And now? Actually, when I think about it, I'm sitting here for the exact same reason. I'm being bullied again. Not by a student, though. Someone far worse. Mr. Beckham is probably the biggest bully I've ever met.Colt enters the cafeteria and immediately searches for me. I continue playing with my food, avoiding his eyes. I hoped he wouldn't show up for breakfast this morning—I can't bear to see him or Ethan. Firstly because of my guilt, but mostly because I'll miss them like crazy."Hey," he says as he sits down at my table with a muffin. "How are you doing?"I shrug. "I'm okay. You?"He
Last Updated : 2024-12-22Hated By The Bully King 99
CoraThings have gotten back to normal. Well, sort of. Alessandro and I get along okay, but he seems...distant. We don't joke around or argue like we did in the past, and whenever I text him, he keeps his responses short and to the point. He doesn't even react when I send him a picture of Rosie.I tell myself that whatever he's going through has nothing to do with me—please, as if I'm the center of his world. His relationship with his dad is probably very shaky right now and he's trying to deal. Still, two weeks ago he opened up and told me what was going on in his life. Now he's shutting me out. I tell myself to be patient, that Alessandro will come to me if and when he's ready.Luckily, I'm so swamped with school that it keeps me distracted. But then the weekend rolls around and I find myself alone in my room, with nothing but my thoughts. Which basically revolve around the Royal Elite Princes, specifically Alessandro. Specifically the hot kiss we shared on Baryard campus.My phone
Last Updated : 2024-12-22Hated By The Bully King 100
CoraA part of me suspects I'll meet two boys at the Tunnel instead of three, but nope, Ethan's there, too. And he's not looking at his phone. The four of us pass through the Tunnel and into the school parking lot, where we settle in Colt's expensive sports car, with me riding shotgun. Then we're off to Misty's party. It takes about twenty-five minutes before we pull up to yet another mansion. I gape at it through my window, still trying to process that people actually live like this, when someone opens my door and holds out his hand. "M'lady?" Colt says.I place my hand in his and let him pull me out. "Thank you, my good sir."He tucks my hand into his arm and leads me into the mansion, which is bursting with such loud music you can hear it miles away. Only students from Royal Elite have been invited to the party, so it's not as crowded as the last one.Most of the girls and some guys are super excited at the arrival of all three Princes, though when their eyes land on me...not so mu
Last Updated : 2024-12-22Hated By The Bully King 101
CoraAfter completing my homework on Sunday afternoon, I sit on my bed with my phone and video chat my parents. I haven't spoken to them in forever.Dad answers the call, dressed in an apron, his whole face and body covered in flour. "Dad?" I ask. "What happened to you?""Cora! Hello, sweetheart! Lori! Cora's on the phone."A few seconds later, Mom sticks her head in the screen, she, too, covered in head to toe with flour. "Mom, are you trying to see how you'll look when you're eighty?" I laugh. "Your hair is all white.""You can blame your father for that." She frowns at him.But he just nuzzles his nose with hers, eliciting giggles from her. Then she pushes him away. "Stop, Marcus. Cora's watching.""Seriously, did an angry mob of flour zombies attack the house?"Dad chuckles. "You know our neighbor Mrs. Norris is marrying off her daughter next weekend? She asked your mother to bake the wedding cake.""I've never baked a wedding cake before!" Mom says. "I decided to practice today a
Last Updated : 2024-12-22Hated By The Bully King 102
CoraI arrive to art class very early Tuesday afternoon and set myself up with my canvas and easel. I'm in the middle of painting the Great Wall of China. Or trying to.More kids file into the room, but I don't really pay them any attention, too focused on my painting."Can I sit here?"I look up and find Ethan standing there with his canvas."Hi. Sure."He always works on his paintings alone and quietly, always in the zone. My lips lift in a smile as he sets his canvas on an easel and prepares his paint"Your painting of the Alps looks amazing," I say."Thanks. So does your Great Wall of China.""You can tell what it is! I'm not totally hopeless."That gets me a small smile.Everyone else has settled down by now, and Mr. Peterson makes his rounds, encouraging students and complimenting their paintings. Most of the kids look like they'd rather gauge out there eyeballs with scissors than be in this class.Ethan and I sit in silence as we continue working. I steal a peek at him every so
Last Updated : 2024-12-22Hated By The Bully King 103
CoraI'm distracted the whole week with homework. Midterms and final projects are coming up, so it's an understatement to say I'm swamped. It's a good thing I'm distracted, so I don't have to think about the Princes. Alessandro's still standoffish, Ethan spends a lot of his time locked in his room and Colt...well, let's just say Colt likes to have fun with his girls. But he at least texts me. I hardly hear from the other two.I'm almost sad when the weekend arrives. Almost. Because I know I'll have to face Alessandro and Ethan. It's kind of become routine for the four of us to meet in the Princes' private game room. I wish things were back to normal.Knowing my phone will blow up with texts from Colt if I don't show up, I make my way over there. Colt jumps to his feet. "Finally, she's here! Let's go.""Where are we going?" I ask."Bowling."I look from one guy to the next. Colt seems excited, Ethan looks distracted, and Alessandro...well, I have no idea what the hell he's thinking. I
Last Updated : 2024-12-22Hated By The Bully King 104
CoraThe rest of the gameplay is...well, not exactly fun. Alessandro sits there with his arms folded most of the time and Ethan doesn't seem to be here. Colt's cheering and whooping goes a little overboard, like he senses the ship is sinking and he doesn't know how to save it.As Alessandro bowls, I sit near Ethan. He doesn't seem to know I'm here, still engrossed in his work."How about being a kid?" I ask.His eyes lift. "What?""How about being a normal kid and letting someone else deal with that?" I nod to his phone.I don't think my words even enter his brain. He's back to scrutinizing his phone, a slight panic on his face."Ethan, is something wrong?" I ask.He stands up. "I have to go.""What?""I need to go to a meeting ASAP." He makes way to the door."Ethan!" Colt calls after him. "What the hell is going on?""I'll text you later." He flies out the door.Colt, Alessandro, and I exchange glances. With a shrug, Colt picks up a ball and continues to play. He and I are almost ne
Last Updated : 2024-12-22Hated By The Bully King 105
ColtI knock on Alessandro's door. Takes about forty seconds for him to get his lazy ass up to let me in.He looks surprised to see me. "What do you want?"I stride past him and study the area. His laptop is on his bed, paused on a business documentary. I turn around to face him. "This is the important place you had to be? Locked in your room watching TV?"With a scowl, Alessandro sweeps the laptop off the bed and stashes it on the desk."You ditched us," I say.He doesn't respond, just stares at the paused video. I march over to him. "What the hell is wrong with you?"He glares at me. "Nothing's wrong with me.""Then why the hell are you treating Cora like shit?"His eyes flash. "I'm not."I slam my arms across my chest. "Then why was she crying half an hour ago?"His face falls. "She was crying?""But what the fuck do you care?"His hands fist. "I do care.""She put herself in danger rescuing you from that shithole Baryard. She was the one who would have been in deep shit if we got
Last Updated : 2024-12-22
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Hated By The Bully King 130
CoraFour years laterAlessandro, Ethan, Colt and I stare at the mansion that sits before us, our jaws practically hitting the ground.Colt whistles. "That's a little bigger than our last house."I throw him an incredulous look. "Major understatement of the year. This isn't a mansion—it's a palace."He throws an arm around me and grins. "A palace fit for the most beautiful queen in the world. Our queen." He brushes his lips across my cheek.I playfully swat him away. "You know I don't like when you guys call me your queen.""Too bad. Because you are our queen. Just get used to it, Cora. The guys and I want to spoil you rotten. You gotta learn to accept it."I smile and shake my head. "Never."Ethan slides his hand into mine. "Ready to see our new home?""I'm more than ready."The four of us march up the stairs, where staff members scurry around to help us with our bags and welcome us in. I'm still trying to get used to the whole staff thing. The guys insisted we have them at our old h
Hated By The Bully King 129
CoraBeckham watches his son for a very long time, the fury seeming to grow even more intense. Then he finally sits forward, placing his palms on his desk. "What a little boy you are," he hisses. "You think you're in a damn romance movie? This is real life, Alessandro. In real life, you don't get to live in fantasy worlds. You don't get to decide what happens. You do what it takes to jump over everyone else, or else they will be the ones on top and they will step on you. So stop with this childhood nonsense. You'll marry a girl whom I see fit, someone who will help you advance in your life and career."Alessandro folds his arms over his chest, his fury a match for his father's. "Someone like Heather Mclauren?""Yes. Heather Mclauren is the perfect match for you.""Match," Colt mutters under his breath. "Who the hell gets matched up these days?"Alessandro lowers his hands on the desk, leaning close to stare his dad down. "You sent her after me, didn't you?""Of course I did! Someone h
Hated By The Bully King 128
CoraThe limo stops before the Beckham Mansion. I stare up at it from the window, once again marveling at how stunning it is. I can't believe just four months ago, I came here for the first time working at Alessandro's party. I remember that day as though it happened yesterday: how there were so many people, but Alessandro was still alone. How I saved his life, which led me down the path that would become my dream future. It's funny how one small act can change your life forever."Cora?"Ethan is holding out his hand for me. Colt and Alessandro have already climbed out of the car, Alessandro looking a little anxious. He's not trying to hide his emotions anymore—none of the guys are. The three handsome young men who stand before me are the true souls I have come to love with every fiber of my being.I accept Ethan's hand and let him help me out of the car. Colt puts his hand on my shoulder while Alessandro slides his hand into mine and gives it a reassuring squeeze. "Whatever happens,
Hated By The Bully King 127
CoraEthan's just as happy to see me at his door as Alessandro was. There's a change in his face, and as I make my way inside, I try to figure out what it is. He seems...happier, maybe? No, it's more than that. It's like—"What?" he asks with a laugh as he sits down at his desk and motions for me to come over."Sorry, was I staring?" I head over to him, where he pulls me onto his lap, my back pressed tightly to his chest, and his arms wrapped around my stomach. "I don't mean to. There's just something different about you.""There is?"I stretch my neck to scrutinize his mesmerizing emerald eyes. "You look alive.""Alive?" A soft chuckle reverberates through his chest. "Yeah, I think I'm breathing.""You're laughing, Ethan. A real one. I can't remember the last time I saw you like this."He tucks some hair behind my ear. "I'm happy, Cora. I think for the first time since my family died, I feel genuinely happy. It's like up until today, I was just trudging through life, going through th
Hated By The Bully King 126
CoraAlessandro's eyes fill with surprise when he opens the door. "Cora, hi.""Hi. Can I come in?""Sure." He widens the door.His desk is cluttered with papers—business documents. "Am I bothering you?""You never bother me," he says with a smile, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes.I take his hand and lead him to the bed, where we sit side by side. "Sandro, what's going on?""What?""I know something's bothering you. And I have a feeling it's not the three boyfriends thing."His cheeks puff up. "You know me really well, don't you?" He shakes his head. "It doesn't matter. I'm okay.""If we're going to be together, you need to be open and honest with me. You don't have to worry about protecting me. I want to be here for you. I want you to pour your heart out to me. I want to feel as close to you as I can.""I want that, too." He caresses my cheek, gazing at me with raw emotions. "I want that really badly."I press my lips to his palm. "Tell me what's going on."He turns away from me,
Hated By The Bully King 125
CoraThe four of us are quiet.Colt looks at Alessandro. "I'm sorry for being selfish. I guess I was a little jealous of how close you and Cora were getting. I've wanted something like that for a really long time. It was never my intention to steal her from you or anything. I want you to be happy, Sandro, really I do. But the more time I spent with you, Cora, the more I liked you. I didn't ask you to come to New York City for some romantic getaway. I wanted to escape my life for a few days, and I knew you would be the one to make me feel better. But it was never my intention to kiss you. It kind of just happened. I'm sorry for being so selfish, Sandro."Alessandro's quiet for a few seconds before shaking his head. "I'm the selfish one. A part of me suspected you and Ethan might like Cora, too. But I wanted her all to myself. We should have talked about it.""Like we're doing now?" Colt says with a wry smile. Then he faces me. "All I want is for the two of you to be happy. So if you an
Hated By The Bully King 124
CoraAnother week passes with Alessandro and Colt not speaking."That's it," I mutter Saturday morning. "It's time I take matters into my own hands."I'm sick of feeling confused and guilty. I'm sick of seeing three former best friends hardly saying a thing to each other.I send Ethan and Colt a text, telling them to meet me in the bowling alley in half an hour. Then I head over to Alessandro's room. I could send him a text, too, but I know he won't meet up with us. It's harder to refuse someone when they stand right in your face. Well, that's what I'm counting on, anyway.I knock a few times on his door, hoping he didn't go away for the weekend. A few seconds later, footsteps approach."Who is it?" his voice calls."Cora."I hold my breath. There's a good chance he'll ignore me.The air slowly leaves my mouth when I hear him turn the handle. He stands before me with an unreadable expression on his face. I look at him closely, making out the hint of emotion hiding behind his blank mas
Hated By The Bully King 123
CoraI try texting Ethan the rest of the night. He answers a few, usually one worded answers, assuring me he's okay, but that's about it. Colt and I text, too, talking about the silliest things in the world. I guess neither of us wants to broach the kiss, Alessandro, or even Ethan.Alessandro doesn't answer any of my texts. It's been a week already. Is he ever going to forgive me? Or at least talk to me?Somehow, I fall asleep. I wake up the next morning way too early, and the first thing to enter my mind is Ethan. I reach for my phone and send him a text.Me: Are you feeling better?He responds almost immediately.Ethan: A little.Me: I hate that you were alone yesterday.Ethan: I wouldn't have been the best company.Me: I don't care about that. I just didn't want you to feel so alone.He's quiet for a bit before he responds.Ethan: I am alone. The only one left in my family.That causes tears to prick my eyes.Me: Can I take you out today? I want to take your mind off things.Ethan:
Hated By The Bully King 122
CoraColt's talking to me, which is such a relief. Though he doesn't mention anything about New York or what happened right after. He, Ethan and I sit together during lunch, but Alessandro is nowhere to be found. I don't think he even eats lunch. And I can't voice my concerns with the guys because I don't want to cause any more drama.The fact that Alessandro and Colt are still not talking to each other is like a stab in the heart. I never meant to ruin their friendship. I don't think Alessandro talks to Ethan, either. He must feel so lonely.Friday morning, I'm woken up by a text from Alessandro. I'm so shocked and thrilled that I drop my phone. After quickly sweeping it off the floor, I read the text.Alessandro: Hard day for Ethan. You should make sure he's okay.My fingers fly across my phone screen.Me: What do you mean? Why is it a hard day?He looks at the text right away, but he doesn't respond.Me: Alessandro, why is today hard for Ethan?Finally, he responds.Alessandro: His
