The School Bully

Talk Back and You're Dead

Why he couldn't just leave me outside my classroom without scaring my classmates half to death, I would never know. Maybe it was his way of exerting his dominance over us mere mortals. Maybe it was his way of showing he was the king of the school.

Was it too much to ask he did not include me in his grandiose plans?

And I actually offered to make lunch for the guy.

Why?

Why did I do that?

When I saw what I deciphered as concern from his eyes even when they were glaring torture and death at me, something shifted inside of me.

Something big.

But concern from Leon Gage? Was that even possible? Was it even legal for him to feel anything but nefariousness, villainy and utter chaos?

God, I feel like I was about to go crazy.

I looked around for Hannah as I walked into the room but she wasn't at her desk. I gnawed on my bottom lip and took my seat. She probably was half-way out of the country already.

Or she was probably dead.

The thought came unbidden in my mind and I shivered.

Will that make me an accomplice? Will I go to prison for this? And why the heck was Leon still running free if he was killing people left and right?

I shook my head. My imagination needed to stop running all the time. This was one of the downsides of being a bookworm, having insane thoughts.

I tried to concentrate on the lessons but my mind kept running to Hannah. Her friends were worried as well. They kept glancing at her empty seat and running their fingers over their cell phones under their desks.

Where was she?

The bell finally rang, signaling the end of the day, and I swallowed hard. I gathered my things and was the first one out, not because I was fast but because my classmates seemed to linger inside our classroom.

He was already waiting for me outside. He was leaning against the wall beside the door, his fingers flying over the screen of his cellphone. The hall was void of people and I repressed the image of this horror movie I saw last month where the protagonist was being chased around her school by this hatchet carrying dude.

"Hey," I managed to croak out.

His head shot up and he looked at me. His stare was unnerving, his gorgeous face scary blank. I held my breath and waited for his next move, hoping it wasn't to cut me down into fun-sized bits. He straightened up and pocketed his expensive-looking phone. I briefly considered warning him his phone might crack inside his pocket but since I valued my life too much, I shut my mouth.

He crooked his finger toward me and I stepped closer to him without question. He took hold of my hand and we began to exit the building. I watched our hands together as we walked to his motorcycle with a frown and I had to admit, I liked the feel of his hand in mine. It gave me a warm tingly sensation and it also gave me a sense of... security.

Oh, God. I should not be feeling this way.

He's a bully, Sophia. I scolded myself. A monster. You should not get involved with him.

But he was just so hot.

Nope. Hot or not, he was still Leon Gage. The Leon Gage.

I pushed those crazy thoughts aside and focused my mind on finding Hannah. I still needed to ask him about her. Hannah was just trying to be brave for me but if she died, or got beaten by him, it would all be my fault.

Still, Hannah shouldn't have offered to help me if she was just going to run away, I thought grumpily.

"Umm..." I poked Leon's hard back while he got his motorcycle ready and waited for him to look at me. "Do you... do you know where Hannah is?"

An eyebrow went up. "Why would I know?"

I started to fidget with the straps of my bag. "She wasn't in class this afternoon."

He shrugged and continued to strap his helmet on. My mood lifted. If he didn't know where she is, then it must mean he didn't do anything to her, right?

He handed me the helmet and I put it on myself. "You really don't know where she is?" I persisted.

His hands went still on the handlebars and he turned his head slowly. My mind went blank and my knees began to wobble at the sight of the dark expression on his face.

"I told you I didn't know, right?" he bit off.

I swallowed. "Y-yeah, but—"

"But what?"

"Nothing!" I squeaked. "Forget I said anything."

He glared at me some more while I tried not to faint. "Get the f**k on."

I stiffly hopped on the back of his motorcycle and placed my arms around his waist. As soon as I was ready, he started his motorcycle and drove out of the parking lot. He took me home, walked me to my door in silence and waited until I got in before he left.

I sank to the floor with a great big sigh.

Oh, God, that was so scary. He was so scary.

I learned a new lesson today. I should never, ever talk back to him. There was no knowing what he would have done if I made him angry. He might send his goons to beat me up or kill me.

When my heart resumed to its normal beating, I rose from the floor and picked up my bag. As I started up the stairs to my bedroom, I realized something.

I had survived my first day as Leon Gage's girlfriend without a single scratch on me.

One down, how many more to go?

**********

Hannah was in class the next day. Breathing a sigh of relief, I peeked at her over my book while she chatted with her friends. I wanted to talk to her, wanted to know if she was okay after her near miss with Leon yesterday but I decided not to.

What if she realized I was dangerous because of my association with Leon and wanted to do nothing with me anymore?

It stung.

As much as Hannah annoyed me to bits, she still was the closest thing I had to a friend. I kind of would miss her if she didn't want to talk to me anymore.

Hannah caught me staring at her and I shifted my gaze down immediately. I heard footsteps approaching and gasped when my book went flying out of my hands.

"What's with the sneaking glances, nerd?"

I frowned as Hannah got comfortable on top of my desk. The room quieted down and I swore my classmates were leaning towards us, trying to eavesdrop.

"Are you okay?" I whispered up at her.

She blew out a breath and began to fidget with my book. "I'm alright."

I sent her a look of disbelief. "You kind of went AWOL yesterday."

"I freaked," she replied with a laugh. "I so didn't expect him to be out there." She gave me a cursory glance. "How could you stand being close to him and not run for your life?"

I shrugged. "Believe me, the urge to scream or faint when he's next to me is hard to resist. But my life is practically on the line so I just sucked it up."

"God, I was so scared," Hannah confessed in a low tone. "I couldn't even sleep last night. I thought of hiding for the rest of my life but that's just not me. I'm not a coward."

I wanted to point out her scampering away from Leon yesterday was a tad cowardly but didn't.

"Besides, he surely wouldn't beat up all this gorgeousness, right?"

I rolled my eyes and tugged my book free from her grasp.

"Of course, not," I responded drily.

Why I worried for her was beyond me. She was perfectly fine, if not crazier.

"Hannah, the teacher is going to be here soon," her friend and who was incidentally also the class president, called from her desk, eyeing me with distaste as she did so. "Get your butt over here."

Hannah stuck out her tongue childishly at her before she jumped from my desk.

"Don't mind Terry," Hannah muttered at me. "We've been friends since middle school and she's really not big on including new people in our group."

I shrugged in answer and she snorted before leaving me alone. I watched as Terry began whispering furiously at Hannah while their other friends nodded in agreement. Hannah gave her a scowl and whispered something back.

I looked away when Terry glanced at me with blame in her eyes. This wasn't good. I couldn't afford being on the class president's bad side. I didn't know why she was blaming me. It wasn't me who kept pushing myself into Hannah's life. It wasn't me who started this whole mess.

It was Leon's fault.

They should be glaring daggers at him, not at me.

Lunchtime arrived. I sucked my breath in as I walked with Leon to our usual spot. He was moody since this morning when he picked me up. He didn't speak to me and while I was glad he didn't, it was just too weird, too uncomfortable. He must still be totally angry at me for yesterday.

I watched anxiously as Leon opened up the container of the lunch I did for him. I didn't know what to make him at first but he was a guy so I thought a humungous ham and bacon sandwich with curly fries would do.

I didn't even want to think what he'd do to me if it tasted awful.

I held my breath as he took a bite. He chewed slowly and swallowed before he took another bite.

I couldn't help but ask, "Is it good?"

Leon swallowed and he glanced at me. "It's great."

I almost swelled with pride and happiness. I learned how to cook since I was a kid. My parents were always out, leaving me to fend for myself. I never cooked for anyone else and being able to cook for someone else made me happy. Even if it was for Leon Gage, the school bully.

And whatever mood he was in this morning waned as he ate. It was like he controlled the air because I could sense he was relaxed like how I could sense he was angry.

It was weird but I'd always prefer happy Leon over grumpy Leon anyway.

I focused on my salad. I couldn't wait for the day to be over. Just thinking about how it was already the weekend tomorrow made me want to laugh and cry at the same time in glee. I couldn't wait to wake up in the morning, curl up with a book while I drink hot chocolate.

I lifted a forkful of salad to my mouth to stop the grin threatening to form on my lips.

I couldn't wait for two days of free of Leon Gage.

"By the way, I'm taking you out tomorrow."

The breadstick in my hand snapped into two as I whirled my head to look at him.

"What?" I breathed.

He took a drink before replying, "I said I'm taking you out tomorrow tonight. I'll pick you up at 7."

Thoughts of having two days of freedom from him began popping away like balloons.

I wanted to tell him there was no way in hell I was going out with him tomorrow night.

I wanted to tell him there was no way in hell I was letting him take me wherever he wanted.

I wanted to tell him there was no way in hell I was allowing myself to be alone with him during the night because all bad things usually happen when darkness struck.

But instead, I just sat there and nodded like the chicken I was.

Talk back and you're dead, remember?

His eyes narrowed down at me. "You okay?"

Oh, God. The panic I was feeling must have been reflected on my face.

I had to get a hold of myself.

"Yeah. Fine. Just peachy," I rambled. "What should I... what should I wear?"

His lips twitched. "What girls f*****g wear on a date?"

I closed my eyes in despair.

A date. Leon and I were going on a date tomorrow.

Oh God! Leon and I were going on a date tomorrow!

And what do I know about what girls wear on a date? I had never been on a freaking date before!

"Sophia." I heard my name from far away and even though I heard it, I didn't respond. "Sophia!" I heard again, this time sharper.

I jolted and opened my eyes. "What?"

Leon studied my face. Then, he asked, "Are you sure you're okay?"

I wanted to shout at him that I was definitely not okay.

I needed to cool it.

It was going to be all right.

I was going to be okay.

I should just look at the bright side. After all, I was finally going to have my very first date and with an extremely hot guy at that, even though he scared the heck out of me.

"Yeah," I answered.

He continued to study me and I stared back at him without breathing. His mouth twitched once before he continued to eat his lunch. I wanted to stab him with my fork. This wasn't funny. This wasn't amusing at all.

I stabbed my salad, instead.

**********

Leon wasn't sure why he did it. He wasn't planning on taking Sophia on a f*****g date but the thought of spending two days without her irked him so f*****g bad.

He told himself it was part of the plan. After all, he needed to be able to track her movements all the time. It was better than sending one of his friends to stand outside her house or sit in their cars to watch her which was a shitty job to do.

Yeah, it was f*****g great idea after all.

And that sandwich she made for him.

Fuck.

It had been so long since he had a homemade meal. He usually ordered take out or ate out with John and his buddies. She wasn't only pretty, had beautiful eyes and a delicious mouth and body, she also could make a mean sandwich. The whole damn package.

She was perfect.

Lucky was the guy who'd end up with her.

Because he was damn sure it wasn't going to be him.

The sliding door to his back deck slid open and he twisted his neck to look behind him. John gave him a nod before he threw it closed, shutting off the music and loud laughter inside. He grabbed a beer from the case on the wooden floor and leaned his hip against the railing.

"What are you doing out here?" John asked.

Leon raised a brow at him. "This is my house, remember?"

John rolled his eyes. "I meant what are you doing out here alone while the rest of us are inside?"

Leon shrugged. Hell, if he knew. All he knew was he needed to get some quiet from his drunk and loud friends.

"So Skull is thinking about having a party at his place tomorrow," John said. "He's inviting a lot of hot chicks. Pick me up, okay? My truck is still getting fixed."

Leon took a pull of his beer before he replied, "Can't go."

"Why?"

"Got a date."

John's eyes narrowed with surprise. "You've got to be f*****g shitting me."

Leon didn't answer and didn't take his eyes from John.

"You're f*****g with me, right?" John snickered nervously. "Right, Leon? You're seriously not telling me you're going out on a date with her."

He still didn't answer.

"Seriously?" John sounded so dumbfounded Leon had to crack a grin. "You're really going to go on a date? Do you even know what a date means? Or what people do on a date? Because I know you have never been into one."

"It's not rocket science, John," Leon drawled. "You just take the girl somewhere nice and hope you'll both end up at the backseat of your car, right? That's what you always do."

But John didn't seem to hear him. He watched as John's eyes widened even more before he started sputtering, "And you'll have to make conversation with the girl. You'll have to talk, Leon. Talk! Like open your mouth and say words."

"I f*****g know how to talk, John. I'm not an idiot."

"Do you even know how to hold a conversation with a girl? You? You'll have to tell her about yourself. Or listen to her go on and on about her pets and the color of her manicure and her ex-boyfriends."

"Sophia doesn't talk much. She doesn't have a pet, doesn't wear manicure and I'm damn certain she never had a boyfriend considering she asked me what to wear tomorrow night."

John glared at him. "And Sophia agreed?"

Sophia's terrified face flashed in his mind and he almost laughed.

"Oh, she was f*****g thrilled," he said with a wry grin. "She almost passed out with joy."

John burst into laughter. The sound grated on Leon's nerves that he wanted to chuck his beer at his best friend to shut him up.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" John asked when he finally quieted down.

Leon shrugged. John chuckled, then said, "I'm glad you took the job."

"Why?" Leon asked.

It was John's turn to shrug. "I'm not sure why but it's the first time in years you look so... peaceful."

Leon straightened and his body tightened as he felt an acute pain carve through his gut. He gritted his teeth as he gazed out at the dark.

"Don't even go there, John."

"I'm not. I'm just saying," he heard him say and his eyes went back to his friend. "I like seeing you like this."

He also liked feeling this way.

But, f**k him, this wasn't what he was supposed to be feeling at all.

He was being f*****g stupid, he knew it. He should steer well clear of her until everything is over.

He knew that too.

"I can't wait to meet her. You are going to introduce her to us, right?"

Leon frowned at John. "I don't think this s**t is going to take long for you guys to meet her."

"But what if it does? Are we still going to meet her?"

"Maybe."

John gave him a wide grin. "Come on, man."

"You're all going to f*****g scare her," he deadpanned.

"And you don't?" John said, lifting an eyebrow.

Leon stared at him before he replied, "True."

John let out a chuckle before he took a pull of his beer. They settled in a comfortable silence, the only sounds coming from John's rings c******g against his bottle. Leon's mind began to wander to a certain blue-eyed girl again and he wanted to punch himself.

Fuck, he needed to stop thinking about her.

"Leon," John suddenly said in a weary tone which made him look at him. "What'll you do when it's over?"

The same pain carved through his gut, again, this time sharper.

"Then, it's over," he answered, bringing the bottle to his lips.

"As simple as that?"

"Yeah."

John stared at him, his mouth tight, his eyes concerned. Then he shook his head, like he thought Leon was an i***t. This pissed off Leon but he let it alone.

John let it alone too and returned to their earlier subject. "So, are you using your car tomorrow night? I still don't have a ride."

Leon dug inside his pocket and threw his car keys at him. "Don't scratch it."

"You're taking your bike?" John sounded incredulous. "What if she gets cold? I can take the Harley."

"The last time I let you borrow it, you almost crashed it," Leon responded with a scowl. "So, f**k no. And I'll gladly warm her up if she gets cold."

"You're so full of shit." John shook his head as he straightened up. "Right, I'm going back in."

Leon gave him a nod. "Don't let Rohan puke on the couch this time."

"Whatever. And I'll want full coverage of your date."

Leon scoffed, "I'm not telling you shit."

John laughed and patted his back. Then he left him alone on the back deck with his thoughts for company again.

What'll you do when it's over?

Leon dropped his eyes to study his boots.

John didn't need to ask him that question. When it's done, he was done. He was not going to stick around. He never gave a f**k about Sophia. She was just part of the plan. She was nothing but a means to an end.

Sophia and her crystal blue eyes.

He picked up another beer from the case, twisted off the cap, and took a healthy pull. He gazed at the dark without seeing anything, trying not to feel anything.

Then he hurled the bottle, the smash echoing like a shotgun.