Chapter 3

I woke up to the loud blaring of my alarm, my hand lazily reached out to slam it shut, I didn't manage to catch some sleep yesterday night

All thanks to him...

Great!

He has even found his way into my dreams

I sat up yawning tiredly before making my way to the bathroom...

After a warm shower, I brushed my long brown hair and clasped it in the tight ponytail that I always wore, I stared at my expression in the mirror to see a little dark circle under my eyes and a sigh escaped my lips

I decided to apply a little makeup today to cover it up which was totally unlike me

Walking back to my room, I snatched my glasses from my reading desk along with my books and made my way downstairs...

***********************************

I heard voices discussing before I finally came into view...

Mom and Ashley were discussing something, when I came to view a smile lit up her face...

"Morning mom," I said making my way to the breakfast table...

"Sweetie, how was your night ?"

Before I could reply Ashley decided to speak for me

"Why do you even ask mom? I'm sure it went exactly how you expect a nerd's night to go.."

"Ashley be nice!" Mom said shooting her a glare, turning back to me she said

"Honey have some breakfast before Lyn comes to pick you up"

Marilyn, Clarissa, and Jasper were the only friends of mine mom and dad knew, well that was because they were my only friends, since the beginning of high school when Hayden started his torture no one wanted to be friends with me, I didn't even have a boyfriend because he had spread a rumor back then that I had herpes...

"Is there a problem?" Mom's voice distracted my thoughts

"Um...no, I'll eat now"

I took a piece of bread and smeared it with butter and took a huge bite

"Do you always have to eat like a pig?" Ashley snickered

"I'll eat however I want" I replied

Mom just shook her head, she was probably used to our fights by now

"You even wore make-up?" She said in an accusing tone

I rolled my eyes 'duh' it was just a concealer I replied in my head

"Did you wear it for someone?" She asked again, I raised up my head to meet her gaze

"What's it to you?" I asked tonelessly taking a bite of my bread

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

I choked on the bread in my mouth coughing,I gladly accepted a glass of water from mom and drank until I emptied the entire cup

"You know it's not a bad idea, you are seventeen, you should go out more often and have fun like girls your age and....."

Thankfully at that moment the honk of a car sounded, Lyn was here, I wouldn't have to listen to one of mom's many lectures this morning,

"Bye, mom!" I yelled as I grabbed my stuff and went outside to meet her

"Why are looking all flustered?" She asked giving me a look

"You know the usual mom-boyfriend thing again" I replied

She turned on the stereo as we drove to school

"I didn't ask yesterday, but what happened between you and Hayden? Is he back to bullying you?"

A sigh escaped my lips and I just stared out the window

"You'll have to speak up sometime you know?" She said giving me the look

I just wished it was that easy...

********************

Today couldn't get any worse, Hayden was in this class and he just kept digging holes into my back...then a piece of paper hit my head,I turned to meet his smirk

"What?" I said in annoyance

"Evans, are you paying attention?" Mrs. Claire, our history teacher spoke...

Great, she didn't see when Hayden threw a paper at me, she only saw me speaking

It seemed like forever before the bell rang signaling the beginning of break...

I kept my book inside my locker and began to make my way to the cafeteria when I was suddenly pulled into an empty classroom, I was about to scream when I heard his voice

"Don't you dare"

I blinked a few times to allow my eyes to adjust to the darkness, I could make out his features now

"What do you think you're doing let me go" I tried to wiggle away from his grip on my arm, the keyword "tried "

He inclined his face to mine dangerously close

"After that stunt, you pulled yesterday, did you think I was just going let you off just like that?" He said with a calm demeanor but I would be fooled to think it was but.

"Now it's just me and you here alone, and it's payback time bunny"

I felt sweat begin to build on my forehead and my palms were getting clammed up

"Let g..go of me please you are hurting me"

His expression turned cold and angry as he grasped my shoulders so hard that I winced in pain, I'm definitely sure that it was going to leave a mark

Right now I felt so weak and I hated myself for it...

"Please let me go Hayden" I choked on a sob and flinched when his fist slammed into the wall just above my head

Now I couldn't control it, I began sobbing openly, he looked so angry and intimidating, the next hit was definitely going to be me...

Then he shoved away from me with a mean expression

"You are so disgusting! Don't ever cross me again!"

With that, he was gone...

I sniffed aloud, once again I allowed myself to be stepped on, I couldn't speak out, maybe because I felt it wouldn't make a difference......

I took off my glasses and wiped the wetness against my sleeves before heading out the door...

******************************

I got to the cafeteria to meet and took a sit with Lyn, Clarissa, and Jasper

"What took you so long?" Clarissa said in between bites

"Um Mrs. Clark called for me" I lied

They resumed their chartering and discussions but I wasn't in the mood for any of it.

My eyes clashed into Hayden's and held...

"So what do you think? It's hilarious right Gracie?" Jasper spoke handing his tablet over to me to view a photo, I averted my gaze quickly from Hayden's but I still felt his on me

"Sure it is" I replied grinning at the pictures before handing it back to me

My gaze met Hayden's once more to find he was still staring at me

Why was he staring at me like that?

he got up from his circle of friends and started in our direction

He reached our table and stood right in front of me with a mocking gaze

"Look at the way you eat like a pig," he said in a voice so loud that made all eyes turn in our direction, I felt my ears reddened when the whole cafeteria erupted in laughter...

But he didn't stop there, "You are already as fat as an oaf so you don't need this," he said snatching my half-eaten sandwich from me and throwing it on the ground, smashing on it with his boot, Another laughter erupted and I wished the ground could just open up and swallow me.

I had always been conscious of my weight but mom always told me I was perfect and healthy but right now.....

"What the hell do you think you're doing Hayden?" Jasper stood glaringly to my defense

Hayden looked like he was just noticing Jasper for the first time, he let his gaze wander from Jasper to me then back to Jasper again

"Another nerd" he muttered under his breath

I stood up and placed a hand on Jasper's shoulders looking at him pleadingly, maybe if we just ignored him he would just go away

I tried to ignore the way Hayden's eyes narrowed down to the hand I placed on Jasper's shoulders when he gave us his signature smirk

"If you really want to eat that much then you can" that he took the glass of milk on our table and spilled it all over my face, even my hair was dripping with milk

I didn't know what exactly happened but I think Jasper just shoved Hayden...

Then the fight began and the whole cafeteria stood to watch

A scream escaped my lips when Hayden delivered a punch to Jasper's face

Then another...

And another...

He looked so enraged as he situated himself on top of Jasper who was at a great disadvantage

I looked around in panic, why was nobody trying to separate them? They all watched while cheering and whistling loudly, it was disgusting.

"Stop it!" I screamed and rushed towards them, Hayden was about to deliver a blow when I held his arm pulling him backward

"Stop it now Hayden...please" I added

I could see his gaze flickering as if he was contemplating

"Please......" I said again and to my surprise, he listened

He pulled up away from Jasper much to my relief and I down to him

"Are you alright? " I asked tapping him gently

Of course, he wasn't, he was bruised while Hayden looked unscratched Lyn and Clarissa joined me to help him up

"Let's take him to the clinic" Lyn suggested

As we escorted Jasper out, from the corner of my eyes I saw Hayden glaring right at me his chin clenched tight

********* some time later****

Hayden,Jasper, and i were at the principal's office,

"So what exactly happened ? " he asked staring at us from beneath his huge reading glasses that seemed to cover the majority of his face

"He started it," Jasper said looking in Hayden's direction where he'd gotten himself comfortable by the window not perturbed by the whole situation In any way

The corners of his lips quirked up slightly "I did? But the whole cafeteria proved that I didn't do a thing" he said shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly...

"If that is so, then you Jasper Owens and G....." The principal started when I rushed out

"We didn't! Sir, he spilled milk on me! Then h....." I couldn't complete my statement when Mr. Hillman cuts in

"Gracie I'm really disappointed in you, I expected this from everyone except you, you were always such a good student," he said shaking his head in disappointment

"But I didn't do anything! I..."

Again he didn't let me finish before he cuts in

"Enough Already, all of you detention," he said waving his hand dismissively

was I hearing right,I cast my gaze to Hayden who looked like he didn't have a care in the world back to principal Hillman

I felt panic kicked in, I have never gotten detention before

I couldn't get a detention, It would affect my grades and how do I explain to my parents?

Without thinking I rushed to Hayden grabbing his shirt

"Tell him what you did! That you are at fault now"

He didn't reply he just shrugged my hands off him like it was merely a bug

Jasper walked over to me but not before glaring hard at Hayden

"It will be fine Gracie, let's just go," he said taking my hand, concern written all over his face

"I think I'll pass Mr principal," Hayden said pushing past Jasper and me with a smirk, did he just get away with detention like that?