They considered me one of their own and welcomed me with so much love that I couldn’t let anything bad happen to them. If I was right in my calculations, I will hate myself if Cassandra managed to do something bad to them. I will have to get to the root of her thoughts and what led her into believing that she could harm the guys.
It was high time that I step out of the cocoon I had woven around me as a protective shield. It couldn’t stop people from bullying me and my father from beating me as much as I had used it to retain myself within it. I was under the pretense that if I stayed away from other people, they would leave me alone but I was proven wrong all these years.
They continued to crush me under their feet and stripped me of my self-worth. Layer by layer until there was nothing left of my true self. I became someone I could no longer recognize.
If I was to step out of my misery, I would start with unraveling Cassandra’s intention towards the guys to
Silence enveloped the entire cafeteria.Without thinking, I wounded my arms around my belly when I felt eyes on me. What should I say? Should I say that I feel sick? My left ribs? I panicked before quickly moving my palms over the left side of my belly.“What’s wrong?” Jake asked while his eyes widened in surprise.“Are you okay?” Aubrey sounded so concerned that I immediately felt guilty for what I was about to do.“What happened?” Alex questioned in confusion.Aubrey, Alex and Jake rushed to stand by my side while Connor leaned up over the table to check if I was okay.“Where are you going, Ryder? Ryder?” Cassandra’s face dropped when Ryder left her side to check what was wrong with me.His eyebrows furrowed while his eyes trailed over my scrunched up figure worriedly. I can’t lie to them.What do I do? Why did I even do this?Come on, Lea! Do something,
I was going through my notes when my phone pinged with a notification. Shelly bought a phone for me while we were out shopping last time. I refused to accept but she insisted that I keep it if I considered her my friend.It was a message from Aubrey.“Hey! Do you want to hang out with us? Shelly and I are heading over to a café to get some donuts.” – Aubrey.I pouted while my eyes shifting between my notes to my phone screen.I was still not done with my home works.For almost every class, I had additional home works to do since I was already lagging behind.I kindly messaged Aubrey that I will not be able to join them.I really wanted to have some donuts though.Focus, Lea, focus! I can always have donuts when I was done working.I smiled when I read Aubrey’s reply.“Don’t worry, girl! We’ll get you some donuts.” – Aubrey.Before I could tell her
2 hours later I got out of the shower and wrapped myself in a towel after putting on some undergarments before walking out, in my bedroom. I glanced at myself in the mirror and smiled when I remembered dinner time. “That wasn’t what I was expecting… to see.” I thought. “What were you expecting then?” His smirk widened amusingly. Did I just say that out loud? I thought. “Yeah” Ryder nodded with a grin. I felt my cheeks reddening in embarrassment. He snickered while his eyes trailed over my face. I immediately cupped my cheeks and glanced straight ahead. “You looked angry.” I told him, referring back to his behavior. “I was because… um… actually… no…” He stuttered and awkwardly ran his fingers through his hair while avoiding my eyes. Recognition dawned on me when I realized something. The way he ran away from Cassandra when she begged him to check if the spider was still on her, seeme
Lea’s point of view:I gasped when the door boomed against the wall and then everything literally froze in motion. I felt as if I couldn’t hear anything. I could only hear the pounding against my chest... thump thump thump...My heart beating frantically and making me heaved out deep breaths which would sometimes make me feel like I’m breathless. And then, all of a sudden, I heard everything.It was almost like I had gone deaf for a while before I got my sense of hearing back. I just kept my eyes tightly shut and waited... waited for everything to be over.It almost felt like I’m being drowned by someone and I did nothing to escape from the hands pushing me underwater. I simply waited in the darkness that comes from under my eyelids, breathlessly in pain and waiting to be rescued which I highly doubt to be possible right now.But still, I had hope... something which I had forgotten about long ago but still w
Ryder’s point of view:Tom struggled to get up when he saw me rushing downstairs.He managed to get up on his feet when I reached him.He was barely holding himself upright yet, that did not stop him from trying his luck with his comments.I froze when I heard him speak.“I know you’re trying to hide something -” He sneered before curling his lips mockingly. “I mean… someone.” He snickered while his eyes shifted upwards, towards the bedrooms.I fisted my hands by my sides before stepping forward but he shook his head at me. He held his right outstretched palm up to stop me from grabbing onto his collar.He hissed in pain while cupping his chin with his right hand.I narrowed my eyes down on him.“Your dull attitude really disappoints me.” I intervened when he opened his mouth to speak again.“Really, you won’t mind then, right, if
Lea’s point of view:“Are you okay?” he asked, breaking the silence. I nodded but he just emitted a long, deep audible breath in relief before slowly pulling me in a hug.My chin rested on his left shoulder. This was the first time someone’s invading my personal space, hugging me in such a gentle way. The earlier hugs that I shared with him or with the girls were not like this. Those were friendly hugs. This one was not a friendly hug.His gentle touch on my arms as his fingertips grazed my skin in a gentle way. I’ve never been hugged like this before. Since my mom left, I’ve been craving someone’s shoulders to cry on but there was no one. I’ve always been alone.I’ve been hugged as a child by my parents, my friends but everyone turned their backs on me since that day. I was left on my own, no one to share my feelings with.Even though I was feeling grateful for this hug, I coul
Okay, maybe Ryder was not just a friend to me. It was high time for me to admit that those feelings were not ones which a friend would feel for another friend.In spite of his playboy attitude and behavior, I couldn't stop my heart from fluttering whenever he was by my side. I tried to stop myself from liking him but it was in vain.He was charismatic and attractive as a guy. There was more to him. He was not just a playboy. He has a caring side which he had shown to me multiple times even though he seemed to be quite uncertain while showing that side to me. He definitely had a past that changed him into who he was today.I was not aware of when he began pulling at my heart strings and I stupidly let him control my feelings.I never approved of his lifestyle yet, I found myself being drawn to him like a moth drawn to the light of a flame. I knew that it was going to be hard to catch myself this time.I will surely fall for him, hard and
Third point of view:The man watching from afar fisted his hands in anger when he heard a loud commotion from inside the house. The expression of malevolence on his face passed for a split second and puzzlement took its place.He immediately realized that things weren’t going to be as simple as they had previously predicted. It was not going to be that easy to get to her.Firmly and deftly, yet as stealthily as possible, the man leaned sideways to peek around the bush.He clenched his teeth tightly in fury when he saw Tom being violently thrown out of the house after receiving an unexpected kick from Ryder. A deep gratification came into the man’s expression as he stared over the scene ahead. As much as he was enraged with the way Tom was being treated, he couldn’t help but smirk in satisfaction.Ryder was going to be a tough guy to tackle but he always preferred tackling the tougher ones. It was jus
Lea’s point of view:After I wore the knee-length black dress Aubrey and Shelly chose for me, I applied some light make-up.I let my hair down, wore my high-heels and walked out before locking my bedroom door.I squeezed my eyes shut for a second when I got out. The music was overwhelmingly deafening.The music was muffled while I was in the room with the closed door but now, it was time to face the real deal, my first high-school party which was organized by Greg, Shelly’s friend but it was being held at Ryder’s place due to some housing issues at Greg’s house.Wondering whether Ryder was still in his room, I peeked through his slightly ajar door to notice some movement. I smiled and sauntered inside as if I owned the place.I was greeted with his signature smirk and shirtless figure, and like always, my heart raced. It still got to me every time he would cast me a simple look.His eyes
Lea’s point of view:The racetrack area was all hustle and bustle. When Ryder told me about his illegal racing matches, I was repugnant. I couldn’t accept that he was into such dangerous and violent sports but seeing his passion for it, I grew a liking for it too.The moment Ryder left to go get ready for his race along with the guys; I leaned against Jake’s car beside Aubrey and Shelly.I crossed my arms over my chest before sighing.Thinking back to this past week, I smiled when I thought of my mother. We spent some quality time together, cooking, watching movies and even listening to bedtime stories like we used to do back in the days.My mom was actually quite pleased with my decision of making her stay here. She thought that it was best to start anew in this new town as she did not want to go back to the bitter memories she had made with her husband in the past.She also was not as anxious as she origi
Lea’s point of view:“- I was so relieved when I saw the police paramedics rush in to get me out of that room -”“I’m so sorry, mom.” I choked back my tears and wrapped my arms around her.A minute of silence passed by before she pulled me close to her chest and kissed my temple lovingly the way she would always do back in the days.She swept the tears rolling down my cheeks and shook her head slowly.“I’m sorry for leaving you, Lea. I should have never left you alone with him. I’m the one who should apologize.”“No, mom… I always hoped that you would come back to get me but I killed that hope when you never returned like you had promised… I should have never stopped hoping -”“You never stopped hoping, Lea and this -” She lifted her chain off my chest and smiled, deep in thought. “- right here, proves it.” Sh
Lea’s point of view: The moment Ryder drove into his driveway, he slowed down when we noticed Jason’s police jeep parked right in front of the house and a woman sitting down on the front steps of the patio. I frowned faintly in confusion when I got out of Ryder’s car and glanced at Ryder to find his eyebrows furrowed deep in confusion too. I guessed Jason did not inform Ryder about him coming over to his place at this time of the day. I squinted to get a better view of the woman who had her hair covering the side of her face when she abruptly glanced up in my direction. My eyes widened in disbelief as I quickly took in a short and quick breath through my mouth in bewilderment. Different kind of emotions hit me at once, stopping me in my tracks when I recognized the woman whose eyes welled up with tears the second she saw me staring at her. “Mom?” I whispered in a gasping manner. I hesitantly stepped back when s
Lea’s point of view:“You three… Detention!” The principal’s order from earlier flashed into my mind when I walked down the hallway towards the detention room.Jake had humphed childishly and Connor had slumped defeatedly in his seat while I had simply gulped down nervously when the principal’s angry gaze trailed over us from behind his table.When we had left his office, Connor shifted uncomfortably while scratching his chest which had patches of dried up food.“I badly need a shower.” Connor had said before making his way towards the gym.“This taste good… I wonder what sauce this is.” I had almost gagged when Jake had licked his index finger.I got yanked back when I was about to push open the detention door.I squeezed my eyes shut and opened my mouth to scream bloody murder when someone covered my mouth, muffling my scream.I jumped slight
Lea’s point of view:I gasped in horror when the cup of hot coffee accidentally flew out of Jake’s hands and exploded right on Connor’s head.Connor screwed up his face and shot out of his seat while yelping in pain as he tried shaking the hot coffee off his head and stopping it from sliding down his neck and body. “You fucking stupid – Shit, damn it!” Connor yelled and seized Jake’s collar angrily but ended up pushing him away from him.I squeezed my eyes shut before glancing away when he unexpectedly took off his shirt.I heard the girls having lunch from around our table squealed in delight before giggling and whispering among themselves.I cried out in surprise when I felt myself being lifted up from my chair and then everything went upside down.I opened my eyes to find myself slung upside down over Ryder’s right shoulder.I held myself up by pressing
Ryder’s point of view:I picked the birthday gifts Lea received from the girls and the guys after they left for the night. It was already nearing two o’clock in the morning yet I did not feel like calling it a night.I slowly opened Lea’s bedroom door to keep her gifts on her study table. Teddy’s ears perked up in alert when he heard me entering the room but he went back to his nap when he saw me.I glanced at Lea to find her already in a deep slumber.After leaving the gifts on her table, I quietly tiptoed out of the room but the cold wind blowing through the opened windows stopped me halfway.I walked towards Lea’s sleeping figure after shutting the windows and closing the curtains.I lifted the comforters and covered her shoulders well when she shivered in cold. She immediately caught onto the edge of the comforter, fisted her hands tightly onto the soft sheets before turning to the right whi
Lea’s point of view: I glanced at Ryder with a frown when he parked the car on an unfamiliar street which was still bustling with people. It was already nine o’clock and we were still far from home. It seemed like in this town, a completely different atmosphere reigns at night, yet I realized later on that the busy street never slept until later at night when we ended up spending two whole hours there. There was always going and coming of people, police cars patrolling the area and the restaurants and street snacks vendors remained open till late at night. I sighed in delight when a delicious smell of food wafted in the air as we neared a food truck selling Mexican tacos which tasted amazingly luscious. We couldn’t stop ourselves from eating a late night dinner when we tasted those tacos. It was already nearing midnight when we reached home. I was sleepy but I did not show it when Ryder pulled me into the kitchen and o
Lea’s point of view: “Ryder, stop!” I seized his right arm to stop him from advancing towards the boy. I thought the boy would return back to his place behind us quietly seeing Ryder’s death glare but he did something unexpected. He leaned forward towards me and draped an arm presumptuously over my shoulders to taunt Ryder. Right when Ryder took a threatening step towards him in anger, I pushed my two plushies into Ryder’s arms, halting him and grasped the boy’s hand and threw his arm off my shoulders. “In your dreams, buddy.” Ryder smirked in pride and crossed his arms over his chest and the two plushies to watch the scene being unfolded when I gave him a I-got-this look when I remembered some self-defense techniques Aubrey taught me. I raised an eyebrow when the boy shrugged his shoulders at me. He appeared unaffected by the insult. “You’ll definitely be in my dreams tonight, naked.” He smirked smugly and poi