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twenty-six.
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2024-11-13 14:33:32
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Hated By The Bully King twenty-seven.
CoraSeveral hours later, after being stuck in my room for who knows how long, I throw my book aside and slide out of bed. It’s nine PM, kind of early on a Friday night, but the campus is pretty quiet. As far as I know, there are no parties tonight, so either the students have gone home or are in their dorms.I open the window and stick my head out. The weather’s pretty chilly tonight, but it feels soothing on my skin. I stand here for a few minutes, gazing out at the woods behind the school building. I can’t really see much since it’s pitch black, but the full moon provides some light. It’s peaceful, standing here and watching nature, hearing the distant sound of animals and the rustling of leaves.But it also forces my mind to wander to things, like certain boys I’ve been trying to push away. First there’s Ethan who saved my life and then hardly spoke to me. I know he’s not the most social person out there, but it would have been nice for us to be friends. I guess he’s content with
Last Updated : 2024-11-18Hated By The Bully King twenty-eight.
CoraWe walk in silence toward campus. I didn’t realize how far we are. Did I really pursue that deer all the way out here? If not for Alessandro, I would get lost. Speaking of which, how does he know his way around so well? It’s so dark I can barely see my own shoes.My hand accidentally knocks into his. I nearly gasp when an eclectic current passes through my body. Alessandro snatches his hand away so fast it’s like he got burned. Then he storms ahead of me, but not far enough that we’ll get separated.“You’re going too fast,” I complain. “And my feet hurt.”“Stop whining.”“Excuse me? I’ll whine as much as I want.”“Poor people,” he mutters under his breath. “Can’t stand them.”“Oh, really? Well all of you rich, spoiled assholes are really grating on my nerves. You guys have everything and still complain. You don’t know what it’s like…” My voice cracks. “Whatever.”“What? To lose a job? What are you complaining about now? My dad gave your dad a very good job, one he’s totally unqua
Last Updated : 2024-11-18Hated By The Bully King twenty-nine.
CoraAfter jumping for who knows how long, my lungs are on fire. I grab onto the wall of the pit, my chest rising and falling so fast I look like a malfunctioning android. “It’s useless,” I heave. “I think we have no choice but to call campus sec—”Alessandro drops into the pit.“Are you insane?” I shrill. “What the hell did you just do?”He curses as he rubs his ankle. “Deeper than I thought.”“You think?!”He kneels. “Get on my shoulders.”“What?”“I’m taller than you. I’ll hoist you up and then you can use the branch to get me out.”I look up at the opening. Then my gaze returns to his. “I can’t believe you jumped into the pit. Now we both might be stuck.”“Just get on my shoulders.” He takes hold of my hand and pulls me behind him.I swallow. Um…climbing onto Alessandro Beckham’s shoulders?“What are you waiting for?” he snaps. “Sunrise?”“No.”Whatever, it’s just a guy’s shoulders. No big deal.He dips his head, allowing me to climb on. Thank goodness I’m wearing jeans and not my
Last Updated : 2024-11-18Hated By The Bully King thirty.
CoraAlessandro and I pass through the Tunnel and emerge into the girls’ dorm. I have no idea what time it is, but it must be pretty late because all the lights are shut and it’s so quiet. I don’t even see the staff member perched in her seat near the entrance to the dorm.“Looks like the coast is clear,” I say.If a guy is found in the girls’ dorm after ten PM and vice versa, it’s immediate expulsion. I hope Alessandro can sneak out of the building and to the guys’ dorm without being caught. Not that I care if he gets expelled.He makes a move to leave, when I say, “Thanks for getting me out of the pit.”He continues on, not saying a thing. A moment later, I hear a crash.“Son of a—!”“Shh!” I flick the small light on and find soda cans littering the floor.“What the hell are these doing near the door?” he says.I fold my arms. “Maybe because the princesses can’t bother themselves to throw them out in the garbage?”“Doesn’t the staff clean up after this place?”“Um, it’s the weekend?
Last Updated : 2024-11-18Hated By The Bully King thirty-one.
CoraI find Beckett hanging out with his buddies in the courtyard Monday afternoon. His eyes widen in surprise when I stand before him. "Can I speak to you?" I ask."Screw off, Peasant Girl," one of his friends says. "Don't you have your own friends to hang out with? Oh wait."The other guys holler."Guys, shut up," Beckett says. "Yeah, Cora. Let's talk."I follow him to a tree and we sit under the shade. "What's up?" he asks.I've never sat under the trees in the courtyard like this. I guess this area has always been off-limits to me because of the bullying."You swear you're not messing with me, right?" I demand. "You're really interested in me."His face washes with joy. "Yes! I swear I'm really into you."I bite my lower lip. I still feel uneasy about trusting the guy. But I guess...I don't know. I guess it would be nice to shed my fears and worries and have fun with a guy.Blue eyes and russet hair invade my mind. No, no, no, no. I refuse to think about him. I spent the whole Satu
Last Updated : 2024-11-18Hated By The Bully King thirty-two.
Cora"A pretty rose for a pretty girl." Beckett whips out a white rose and bows before me."Thanks. It's beautiful."He tucks it behind my ear, his touch soft and featherlike.Beckett looks so good in a crisp hunter green dress shirt and black jeans, his hair slick and smooth, bangs tickling his brows. He eyes me just as I eye him, his lips lifting into a broader grin. "You look beautiful."My cheeks heat up. "Thanks. You look beautiful, too. I mean—not beautiful. Handsome."He chuckles softly before taking a step closer to me. "It's okay," he says in a gentle tone. "No need to be nervous.""Sorry. It's just that...with everything that happened...you know, since the start of the year, I guess..."He puts his finger on his lips. "We don't have to talk about the past. Let's focus on the present." He holds out his arm for me.I smile. "That sounds perfect."He guides me to the Tunnel and off campus, using the woods as cover as we make our way to his car. I whistle when I take it in. I ha
Last Updated : 2024-11-18Hated By The Bully King thirty-three.
Cora"You didn't have to do that," I say as he greets people on the way. "Clearly I'm not wanted here.""Don't sweat it, Cee. You're a Royal Elite and you're welcome here. If anyone has a problem with that, they can take it up with me."I kind of like the protection vibe I'm getting from him. Obviously I don't want to be some damsel who needs a guy to take care of her, but it feels so good to have someone stick up for me for a change."Thanks," I tell him when we reach the immaculate room with all the other kids, who are either dancing to the track the DJ is playing, making out in every nook and cranny, or drinking themselves into oblivion."Don't mention it. Want a drink?" He sweeps two red cups off the table and hands one to me. "Cheers." He clinks his cup to mine before throwing his head back and guzzling the whole thing down.I stare down at my cup which is obviously filled with beer. I've drank at parties before, but I don't want to let my guard down completely. As comfortable as
Last Updated : 2024-11-18Hated By The Bully King thirty-four.
Cora"Beckett?" I ask as I shield my eyes from the lights. "What's going on?"A wicked laugh fills the area. "How pathetic are you, Peasant Bitch," the familiar voice of Heather snarls. "Did you actually think Beckett liked you? As if anyone would like a poor loser like you."Even though the flashlights are still shining in my eyes, I can make out forms all around me. Heather, Jayson, their friends, and a handful of others. And then Beckett standing near Heather, his lips curled into a sneer. Not the sweet smile he showered me with all night.Every cell in my body pricks with betrayal and disappointment. I knew it. I knew it was too good to be true.With a scowl, I rise to my feet. "What do you want, Heather?" I demand.She storms over and gets in my face. "Do you have any idea how much trouble I'm still in because of that shit you pulled at my party? My parents cut me off for an entire month. I'm forced to wear the same outfits twice!"I fold my arms across my chest. "Boo hoo?""I to
Last Updated : 2024-11-18
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Hated By The Bully King sixty.
CoraOnce Alessandro finished eating, I take his bag and lead him to my room. It's not much, less than half the size of my room at Royal Elite, but the character makes up for it. Years and years of things gathered since I was a baby, and a lot of pink because I had a stage when I was five and was obsessed with the color. I wanted to fix it up, but then Dad lost his job and it didn't seem like a worthy expense."It looks...""Pink," I finish with a laugh. "Thanks to my five-year-old self.""I was going to say like you had a happy childhood."Oh.He takes the suitcase and places it on the bed, unzipping it and taking out his clothes."I'll just remove some of my clothes from the drawers and make room in my closet," I say.I'm not sure if I should leave him to his own devices or offer to help. But when I see he's got a handle on things, I tell him I'll be back later and head into the kitchen, where my parents are sitting at the table, their heads bent, whispering."What's the big secret,
Hated By The Bully King fifty-nine.
CoraAs soon as the driver finishes helping us bring the bags to the front door, it bursts open. "Cora!" Mom flings her arms around me and squeezes me so tight I might pop. "I've missed you so much. So, so much! Let me have a look at you." She steps back and studies me from head to toe. Her eyes shine with love and pride. "Oh, honey. You're so beautiful.""Mom," I hiss, my face flushing. My eyes slide to Alessandro."Oh, Alessandro! What an honor to have you in our home!" She throws her arms around him and squeezes him, too. "Welcome, welcome. You and your father are always welcome in our home."Alessandro stands as still as a statue in Mom's arms. Totally stunned. Like he's not used to getting hugs.Dad grabs me in for a hug, and then I'm back in Mom's arms, and then Dad wraps his arms around the two of us. I might have been embarrassed if I didn't relish this as much as them."Come in," Mom says as she takes Alessandro's hand and leads him into the house. "We prepared some refreshme
Hated By The Bully King fifty-eight.
CoraFinally after a long week, Friday evening rolls around. I'm so excited to go home and celebrate Mom's birthday. It's been so long since I've seen my parents—since the pool incident.Once all my bags are packed, I ask a staff member to help me carry them outside and call for a car. I send off a text to the guys, reminding them that I'm going home this weekend. Colt and Ethan have already said their goodbyes during lunch, but Alessandro wasn't around. He hasn't responded to my texts, either.The staff member carries out the large present I bought for Mom. I know she's going to love it."The car will be here any moment, Miss Williams," he tells me."Thanks so much."I catch sight of Alessandro walking with Henry Miles. They say a few more things to each other before Mr. Miles pats his back and climbs into a waiting limo. When Alessandro notices me, he heads over, his eyes dipping to my bags."You're leaving?" he asks."Going home for the weekend, remember? I texted you twice.""Oh,
Hated By The Bully King fifty-seven.
CoraI'm so wiped when we get back to campus that I collapse on my bed. My head hits something soft. The narwhal. I reach for it and hold it in my arms, smiling as I relive the moment Alessandro tossed it to me. I hug it close to my chest. "The guy who won you is the most puzzling person in the world. Will I ever understand him?"Digging my phone out of my pocket, I tap out a text to Alessandro.Me: I never thanked you for the narwhal. So thank you.Alessandro: Was easy to beat Colt.Me: Ha.Alessandro: He thinks he can beat me, but I win every time.Me: Don't you ever get sick of being the best at everything?I add a laughing emoji to show him I'm just teasing.Alessandro: The only way to be successful in life is to win.Me: It's okay to lose sometimes. It gives you character. Makes you humble. Makes you want to try even harder the next time.He doesn't answer. I stare at my phone, waiting for the text to come. But it doesn't.I fling my phone away and hug my new friend. "I think I p
Hated By The Bully King fifty-six.
CoraEthan climbs onto the bar surrounding the queue line. I hop up next to him. We wait a short while before the guy opens the car door for us. Four seats make up a row. Alessandro is at my right while Ethan is on my left, and Colt is near Ethan."Enjoy!" the guy calls as he starts the ride.We make a turn to the left and then begin our ascent. I clutch onto the handles, kicking my dangling legs, every part of me wound up with thrill. Ethan's wearing a small smile on his lips, his face tilted toward the sun, his hair pushed back from his face.Colt's whooping."Cut that out," Alessandro mutters, his voice...strange. When I glance at him, I find him clutching the handles so tightly his knuckles are white. His eyes are squeezed shut."Alessandro, are you okay?" I ask.Colt chuckles. "He's good. Just a little—""I'm fine," he stresses. But from the way he grips the handles and squeezes his eyes even tighter, I know that's a lie.Ethan's head leans toward me. "Sandro's scared of heights.
Hated By The Bully King fifty-five.
CoraThe rest of the week passes by uneventfully. I've gotten used to the Princes walking me to class, and yes, the mini fridge is still in my room. I've fallen in love with the thing.I'm doing better in my classes, thanks to Ethan, I even nearly got a perfect score on our latest pre-calculus quiz. My lunches and dinners are spent with the Princes and I train every other day with Colt.After an extremely brutal session with Colt Friday night, I roll into bed and plan to sleep until noon Saturday.But someone pounds on my door at nine o'clock in the morning."Go away," I moan.The pounding grows louder and then a voice calls, "Get up, Super Cee!"One of my eyes pops open. Colt? With a groan, I drag myself out of bed and pad to the door, covering my mouth as I yawn. When I pull the door open, I find Colt, Ethan, and Alessandro."Morning, sleepyhead." Colt flashes me a grin.I groan again and march into my room, disappearing under my blanket."No, none of that." My blanket is yanked off
Hated By The Bully King fifty-four.
CoraColt's not only competitive, he's a hardass, too. He works me so hard during our first self-defense training session that I almost pass out. I'm not at all in shape. When we're done, I'm so exhausted and drenched that all I want is to shower and roll into bed. Ethan doesn't let me, though. He spends the whole afternoon helping me catch up with my schoolwork. Truth is, I'm basically holding at the same pace as the rest of my class, and I know he knows it. Does this mean it's an excuse for...what, exactly? To spend time with me? But we don't do anything other than homework, hardly even talk.Later that afternoon, Alessandro sends me a text, asking if I want to join him and the others for a movie. The school has a small movie theater that plays current and non-current movies, but I never ventured over because I didn't have a death wish. Though I've always yearned for it. I quickly tap out a YES! even though I'm sore and so exhausted.Ethan doesn't join us, though, because he's stuck
Hated By The Bully King fifty-three.
CoraAlessandro stands there for a moment, studying the ball and then the lane, the lane and then the ball. He looks totally lost.I walk up to him. "Put your fingers in these holes. And then try to aim for the middle.""I know how to play," he snaps.I hold up my hands and step back.He sticks his hands into the holes all wrong and holds it wrong."Alessandro, you're not doing it right." When I try to reach for the ball, he whips it away."I know what I'm doing.""Clearly not." I go for the ball again but he yanks it away. "Geez, dude, let me show you how to do it.""I said, I can do it.""Who's being stubborn now?" I grab the ball and his fingers slide out. "Like this." I stick my fingers in the right way, then hold it out to him. He once again puts them in wrong. "No, this way." I take his hand and guide his fingers into the holes. His skin feels so warm, and because I'm standing so close to him his smell engulfs me.His body stiffens at my touch. He makes a move to yank his hand o
Hated By The Bully King fifty-two.
CoraI sit down as Colt challenges a few other students. He whips their asses, throwing me a proud smile. After he's beaten every single one, he flops down near me, wiping some sweat off his forehead."I didn't know you were so competitive," I say."And you find it totally hot.""I never said that."He playfully digs his shoulder into mine.Alessandro stands there with his arms crossed over his chest and Ethan studies something on his phone. I can't believe how much fun I'm having with these guys, and I know they're having fun, too. Who would have thought something like this would ever happen?I don't want it to end.Jumping to my feet, I say, "I have the perfect thing to play."Colt raises his brows."Bowling!"They all frown."Come on, it'll be fun!""I don't bowl," Alessandro says.The other two don't look particularly excited, either."Have any of you ever bowled?" I ask."I have when I was a kid," Ethan says."I've had my share of bowling parties," Colt says.Alessandro flips som
