The School Bully

The Date

"You're what?!"

I cringed as I pulled the telephone away from my ear. Even from the distance, I could still hear Hannah sputtering over the line.

"I said Leon and I are going on a date," I responded and winced again when she shrieked in my ear. "Geez, Hannah. Stop yelling!"

Silence. Then she said, "I'm coming over. Text me your address."

"I don't know your cellphone number!" I returned.

She began to tell me and I scrambled to my desk to get a piece of paper. As soon as I got the last digit down, the line went dead. I stared at it in bewilderment, feeling apprehensive all of a sudden.

This might be a bad idea, after all.

I sighed, texted her my address, and threw my body onto the sofa. I rubbed my eyes and yawned. After multiple times of tossing and turning, I did not manage to get a wink's sleep last night. The thought of going on a date with the school bully kept me up. I worried over what to wear. I worried over how to make myself look presentable. I didn't even own a lipstick, for crying out loud!

Finally, when the sun started to rise, I came up with an answer to my dilemma. I was going to call back up and the only person I could ask for help was Hannah. So, I searched her on the phonebook, hoping her family was registered. After two wrong numbers, one which suggested a dirty hook-up, I finally found the right address.

With a sigh, I looked around the house we moved in. It was a big, two-story house. The first floor consisted of the living room, the dining area, the kitchen and my father's office, all accessing a small covered porch at the back of the house. My bedroom was upstairs, as my parents' and there was also the guest room and my mother's office. Everything was new, the furniture, the appliances, and even the paint. Mom made sure of it. No shabby house for her, even if we would only stay for a little while.

Ten minutes later, the doorbell rang. I rose from the sofa, opened the door and my mouth dropped open with incredulity.

I instantly regretted calling her.

Hannah was standing outside wearing a tank top paired with tiny shorts and four-inch sandals, sunglasses on top of her head. Paper bags were hanging under her arm and her shoulder bag looked like it was about to burst. She shooed me out of the way and strutted inside. I groaned as I closed the door and banged my head on it.

Oh, boy.

This was really, really a bad idea, after all.

"Look at you!" I turned to see Hannah cast a disgusted look at my appearance. "You did not even take a shower yet! You're far from being prepared and your date is four hours away!"

"That's why I called you right?" I shot back, crossing my arms. "To help me prepare?"

Hannah huffed. "Yeah, but I didn't think you were this hopeless. I should have known."

Before I could return something scathing, she ushered me up to my room and pushed me to the bathroom. I grumbled as I jumped in the shower. Even in my own house, she was still annoying and bossy. After I was sure I was sparkly clean and fresh, I stepped off the shower, put lotion on my body, pulled on my underwear and slid my body into my bathrobe. When I got out of the bathroom, I jerked to a stop.

Clothes which I was sure weren't mine were strewn across my bed while a lot of makeup lined my vanity. When I spotted her, she was plugging my hair drier in.

"Sit your butt over there, nerd," she said, pointing to the chair in front of it.

"I'm rethinking my decision to call you," I told her, fiddling with the knot of my robe.

"Don't be dramatic. You need me, remember?"

"You better not turn me into a clown," I muttered as I eyed the products.

She gave me an indignant glare. "Do I look like a clown to you?" she snapped.

"I'm just saying." I sat down and peered at my face in the mirror. "Maybe a little mascara, eyeliner, some blush and lip gloss?"

"If you have everything figured out, why did you make me come here?" she said sarcastically.

I wanted to tell her she came in her own accord but I didn't. I sighed instead.

I relaxed on my seat as she began to dry my hair. I closed my eyes and breathed in and out to calm my nerves and before I knew it, I dozed off. When I woke up, she was done with my hair. She wouldn't let me see myself, though, and made me turn my back on the mirror to apply makeup on my face. When she was done, I turned around and stared at myself in disbelief.

Okay, I had to admit, she had done a pretty good job. I almost looked like an eight instead of a three.

She went light on my makeup like I asked her to. The makeover enhanced my eyes and made them bigger than they ever had before and my lips were a soft pink with a gentle shine. My usually untamed hair was in a riot of soft ringlets mixed with full waves which floated down my back and around my face and shoulders.

"Hannah, you're amazing," I breathed in awe.

"I am," she shot back with a grin.

"I feel pretty."

"You are pretty. I was just messing with you when I said you weren't." She gave me a one-arm hug as we both stared at my reflection in the mirror."You know," she continued. "I'm feeling excited for you even when I shouldn't."

I glanced at her, my brows lifted. "Why?"

"I mean, you might not come back alive, right?"

I wanted to punch her but settled for a glare instead. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Hannah."

"Just leave a letter for your parents."

"I'm not telling you about our date if you keep this up," I warned her.

She threw me a look of mock incredulity. "Are you sure you'll be alive to tell me anything?"

"Not telling a thing anymore."

She laughed. "Fine. I'm shutting up."

We argued next on what I should wear to the date. She wanted me to wear outfits which would make me bare a lot of skin and cleavage or would expose half of my butt. Our argument escalated to a screaming match until she finally gave in. We finally settled on a nice top which had a front and back, I made sure, a pair of jeans and heels.

I turned to my full length mirror when I was done wearing them and expelled a breath as I caught sight of myself.

This wasn't me.

I looked hot, like I was a nine.

But it wasn't me.

The top was awesome. It was light pink, had a boat neck that exposed the skin of my chest and collarbone but only a hint of cleavage. It had an empire waist silhouette, lined, and it hit my hips. The sleeves were tight all the way to my wrists. The vertical detailing in the knit made me look taller and at the same time accentuated my curves.

"It's a little tight on the front," I told her, trying to pull it higher.

She slapped my hands away. "Stop it. It's because you have bigger boobs. And butt. At least you have two things right."

I ignored her remark and tried to walk on the heels. When I was sure I wasn't going to fall down, I went to my jewelry box and opened it. Hannah helped me choose the accessories to pair with my outfit and we decided on a pair of diamond stud earrings my parents gave me for my birthday last year. Hannah spritzed some perfume on me and I coughed as I pushed her away.

I walked to the full length mirror again and stared at myself worriedly. It all wasn't me. But I liked it. I liked it a whole lot but at the same time I began to freak.

Because I wondered what Leon would think about it.

"Do you think I look okay?" I asked Hannah.

She gently smiled at me. "Of course, you do. You look like a princess."

"Sure," I scoffed.

"I'm not worried about you, anymore." She smirked and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "I don't think Leon will think about punching the daylights out of a princess. He'll be thinking how to get under all that if you know what I mean."

"Shut up," I scowled, red tinting my cheeks. "He hasn't even kissed me, yet."

Hannah's eyes widened and her mouth hung open.

I should not have said that. I should not have said that.

"You want him to kiss you, don't you?"

"No," I denied hotly.

"You do want him to kiss you." She giggled. "And I bet Leon will want to kiss you after he sees how hot you look right now. I'm so jealous!"

I scowled at her when she squealed and clapped. Then I began to freak again.

What if he was going to kiss me tonight? That's how dates usually go in the books I'd read. Of course there would be kissing. Like a lot of kissing. With tongue and everything!

The thought of kissing Leon gave me a pleasant shiver.

Hannah started suggesting kissing techniques and I decided it was high time I kick her out. She finally left after she made me promise I'd tell her every minute detail of our date. I'd also made her promise she'd contact the police if I couldn't call her in the evening. I was not taking any chances here.

To get my mind off my impending date with Leon, I picked up a random book from my shelf and began to read. But when I came upon an especially hot kissing scene in the book and imagined it was Leon and I doing the kissing, I snapped it shut and fanned myself to cool down my hot cheeks.

What if he really kisses me? I groaned and face-palmed myself. Should I kiss him back? And why hasn't he kissed me yet anyway?

The sound of a motorcycle driving up the street made me jump.

Oh, my God. He was already here.

I swallowed as I took one more look at the mirror before flouncing down the stairs. There was a knock on the door as soon as I made it to the living room. I sucked in a huge breath and walked across the room to open the door, grabbing my coat along the way. My knees went weak when I swung the door open and looked at him.

Oh, my.

I couldn't speak, couldn't move.

I could only see.

God, God, he looked so gorgeous. Beautiful. Sizzle, sizzle hot. He was wearing his signature black leather jacket, a v-neck white shirt, jeans and black boots. His hair was still an unruly mess but a sexy mess. His beautiful silvery-gray eyes were locked to mine, searing into me in a way he'd never looked at me before.

Breathe, Sophia, breathe.

With effort I pulled myself together, shot him a small smile and hoped he did not notice I was scared out of my brain.

"Hi," I said.

His eyes moved down the length of me, lingering around my chest before it continued down. Then he did it a second time. And a third.

Breathe, darn it. Breathe.

When his eyes met mine, I saw a brief flash of admiration in his eyes before it was gone. Then he spoke, "Let's go."

I exhaled slowly and thanked Hannah in my head for the makeover. Leon helped me put on my coat. Then he took my hand and directed me towards the gleaming motorcycle. I winced when he started it and held on tight.

Oh, boy.

Here we go.

**********

It felt like hours before Leon slid into a parking spot in the street that had a clear sign that read NO PARKING. I stared at the sign then looked beyond at the decrepit looking building. I briefly considered pointing out he couldn't park here. But I decided it was an impossible task because what Leon wanted to do, he did.

Leon's hand burned in the small of my back as he guided me towards the building. I looked for a sign over the door but found none. Before I could begin to panic and think this old place was going to be where he was going to kill me, he opened the door and pushed me through.

My eyes swept the inside with surprised fascination. The interior was unexpectedly nice considering the state of the building outside. The walls were painted white with black framed pictures of people who obviously enjoyed their food. The tables were covered with white tablecloths and the floors were wood. I looked beside us. All the open space was filled with people standing and waiting for their tables. This place must be far from being unpopular.

The hostess caught sight of us and paved her way towards us, ignoring the grumbles from the people waiting. She was wearing cherry red lipstick, the first two of the buttons of her uniform popped open revealing her deep cleavage, her eyes assessing Leon with obvious desire and lust.

"The usual?" she asked, smiling with unnecessary warmth.

I felt jealousy, pure and acid, burning through me. Leon must be a regular here if the hostess was familiar with his table choices. I wanted to hit her. He was obviously with me yet she was acting as if I didn't exist while she sent flirtatious looks at him.

I was surprised by how much that bothered me. I think I needed to have my heart checked.

"No." He threw an arm over my shoulders and pulled me to his side. "Got a date. A private table."

Her eyes widened a fraction before she glanced at me with pure envy. I wanted to laugh at her face and tell her yeah girl, he was mine. All mine.

I needed to get both my brain and heart checked.

She turned and walked into the heaving restaurant. Leon and I followed her. She took us to the far, back corner where there was an empty table and snootily announced that our waitress would be attending to us soon before she left. Leon shrugged off his jacket and I did the same, trying my hardest not to stare at his rippling muscles under his white shirt.

My eyes honed on the tattoo on his wrist. I hadn't noticed it until now because it was the first time I'd seen him without a jacket. It was a flower tattoo, no, a rose black ink tattoo. I slid my gaze to the other tattoo on his neck. I could make out the petals of the design peeking from the collar of his shirt. It must still be another rose tattoo.

Before I could dwell on the meaning of his tattoos, he took my coat and pulled a chair for me. I sat down, muttering quick thanks. Then he took the seat with his back to the wall.

Silence. I glanced at him and figured it was time for me to suck it up and attempt conversation.

"Wow, this place is nice," I told him, fidgeting with the napkin on the table. "Do you... come here a lot?"

He nodded.

I tried again. "What's this place called?"

"Burg's Burgers."

I let out a surprised laugh, thinking he was messing with me. When he didn't laugh, I shut my mouth and narrowed my eyes at him.

"Are you serious?" I sounded incredulous. "Burg's Burgers?"

His eyes traveled from my lips to my eyes and he nodded. I noticed his silvery-gray eyes seemed to be laughing at me as I stared into them. I ducked my head, feeling my cheeks reddened. The waitress appeared and I blew a quick sigh of relief for the interruption. It was getting kind of awkward.

Then I started to get annoyed. Like the hostess, her eyes were fixated on Leon, and she even licked her lips together.

The jealousy burned in my stomach as Leon ordered two orders of burgers and pizza for us without asking my preferences. I didn't care, though. I was still staring at the waitress, seething inside, as she slid even closer to Leon and made sure her boobs were at his line of sight. She finally strutted away, her hips moving seductively.

I glared at her back. I glanced at Leon and noticed he wasn't looking at her at all. For a moment, I thought his gaze was dipped on my chest area but then he leaned over and arranged the silverware infront of me before he leaned back. I didn't know why but I found it oddly satisfying he wasn't giving the girls his eyes more than necessary.

"You seem to know the girls here," I commented, keeping my irritation in check.

He shrugged. "I come here a lot, remember?"

"Is that the only reason?" I asked before I could stop myself. His eyes narrowed and I continued with a stammer. "I mean... Y-you're hot and they're really attractive."

One of his brows lifted. "You think I'm hot?"

I flushed. "Do you really need to ask?"

He leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table, his gaze intense. "Just answer the question."

I lowered my eyes. "Yes," I whispered.

"Eyes, Sophia."

I quickly raised my eyes.

"You think I'm hot?"

I was positive he was enjoying torturing and embarrassing the heck out of me when his mouth twitched.

"Yes. You're hot," I said in a tiny voice.

"What? I can't hear you?"

I groaned. "You're hot. Like super, super hot," I said in a louder voice.

To my horror, the waitress arrived in time to hear my declaration of Leon's hotness. My face flamed. She shot me a catty grin, put our drinks on the table and sauntered away. I wanted to die.

Leon pushed my drink closer to me then said, "Here. You look like you can use a drink. You're face is red all over."

Thank you, Captain Obvious.

I took a sip when all I wanted was to throw my drink on his face.

"What do you want for lunch on Monday?" I asked, changing the topic.

He shrugged but didn't answer.

"Do you know how to cook?" I tried again.

He shook his head. "Don't know how."

"Doesn't anybody in your house cook for you?"

A tremor ran up my spine when his face turned cold, expressionless. His eyes shifted to the side and his brows bumped together in a scowl. I grew tensed and quiet.

Our food arrived and I dug in with gusto to avoid his anger, discovering as I ate that the food here was undoubtedly amazing. He was almost done with his burger when I tried once again.

"I can't believe I've never been here before," I told him and even I could hear the apprehension in my voice. I cleared my throat and continued, "Their burger is awesome."

His eyes flickered to me, and then said, "Not as great as your sandwich."

The jealous acid drifted away. The tension left my shoulders and I forgot to be scared as my lips curved into a wide grin.

"Yeah?" I asked, still beaming from his compliment.

"Yeah."

"I'll make you another on Monday," I promised him and his lips twitched. "I hope you'll like it."

"I'll eat anything you make." He started on the pizza and I was briefly distracted by his appetite. The burger alone could feed two people. "Do you live alone?"

I blinked at the sudden change of subjects. "Um, no. I live with my parents. They're busy with work, though, so they aren't home until late."

I wanted to ask him the same thing but I was afraid he was going to shut down on me again.

"You moved here before school started, right?"

I nodded. "Their company sent them here to do a project so they decided we move here. Sometimes, they travel back and forth to their head office."

"Did it suck?" he asked, leaning slightly towards me. "Moving here and leaving all your friends behind?"

"Yeah," I admitted in a tiny voice. "It really sucked. But I didn't have a choice. How about you? Did you live here all your life?"

His mouth got tight and I immediately changed the subject, "Do you like pasta?" I blurted out. "I make a killer pasta. You should try it."

His brows went up and he studied me. "I will if you'll make it," he answered.

I smiled at him once more before I continued to eat. We settled in a comfortable silence. Once in a while, he would ask me questions about myself and I answered them. In return, I asked him what kind of food he liked so I could make them and found out he wasn't picky as long as there was meat in them.

I liked how his eyes were always fixed on me and never strayed to the hot waitresses who kept flitting by our table, trying to catch his attention. I liked how he seemed to be interested in every word which came out from my mouth, like it meant. And I liked how at ease I was becoming with him, completely forgetting to be afraid of him anymore.

I liked all of it.

After dinner, Leon and I left the restaurant and he took me on top of a hill where the view of the city lights was breathtakingly beautiful. We rested on a bench and I sighed at how romantic everything seemed to be. I slouched into his side, safe and snug. His arm was around me, my head on his shoulder, his hand playing with my hair. His other hand was holding mine.

I knew I shouldn't be so comfortable with him but I couldn't help it. The view was nice, my belly was full and I was mellowing out. His heat was seeping into me everywhere and I liked it.

Everything he was doing tonight was making me like him.

It should scare me, these feelings awakening inside of me. But it did not.

I shifted to look at him which made him glance down at me. "Why me?" I asked quietly.

His body stiffened. I bit my lip as his eyes turned hard, unreadable. My heart sank.

He was shutting down on me.

But then, his lips turned up into a smile and oh, my God, his smile was too much to take. I felt it in my chest. I felt it in my belly. If I was standing, I would have wobbled to my knees.

It was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.

"Why not you?" he finally spoke and my rapidly beating heart tripped.

Then he leaned in, his gaze upon my lips. My breath hitched. He brought his hand to caress my cheek, his thumb running along the line of my cheekbone. My lips parted slightly, my heart thundering loudly in my chest. His eyes flitted to mine as if seeking permission. I closed my eyes slowly and when I felt his lips hit mine, I sighed.

It was my first kiss and it was amazing.

It was better than I imagined my first kiss would be like, better than I've ever dreamed.

Leon kissed me slowly and gently. I kissed him back, my hands clutching his shoulders tight. Before I knew it, I was lying on the bench, his body hovering over mine, his lips tenderly assaulting me.

I gasped when his tongue touched mine and heard him groan. The kiss turned passionate and consuming, Leon's mouth slanting over mine again and again. I whimpered softly, feeling hot and weak all over.

Then it was over. I blinked. Leon was sitting up, his eyes closed, his breathing harsh and uneven. I slowly sat up, feeling weepy all of a sudden.

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

He opened his eyes and looked at me with surprise, though a scowl was set on his face.

"Why are you sorry?" he demanded to know.

To my horror, tears began to stream down my face. I clenched my hands tight together and I turned my face away from him to try to hide the pain.

"I... I guess I didn't do it right. I-it was my f-first kiss. I'm sorry."

He reached out for me immediately and pulled me into his lap. I sniffled and heard him sigh.

"You didn't do anything wrong, Sophia." He tipped my head to make me look at him, his thumbs sweeping the tears off my face. "If I didn't stop, I would have lost my control. I would have f****d you right here."

My face drained of color and he glared at me. "Hell, do you f*****g think I'm going to rape you?"

"No!" I shook my head frantically. "I-I just didn't think about us having... I-I mean... You know," I ended with a frustrated sigh.

"s*x?"

I looked away from him, blushing hard. He shoved his head between my neck and shoulder, making me squeal with surprise. He began to shake and I glanced at him worriedly.

"Leon?"

Then I heard him chuckle. I realized he was laughing at me and all the scary thoughts of having s*x with him fled away.

"You're laughing at me," I told him dejectedly.

He raised his head, his face blank but his eyes were melted and amused.

"I wasn't," he answered evenly. "And Sophia, I never f**k an unwilling girl. I'll wait when you're ready," he added with a dangerous glint in this eyes that made me swallow nervously. "In the meantime, let's continue what we were doing."

He smothered my protest with his lips and I let him.

I totally let him.

**********

Leon wasn't supposed to kiss her. Hell, he should have sent her home after dinner but he didn't want the night to end, yet. And, f**k him, he was surprised at himself for lasting this long without tasting her lips.

But when she stared up at him, her beautiful face troubled and nervous, and asked why her, he felt those two words in his gut and in his d**k. And when he answered her, her face lit up in wonder and turned tender and warm, filling the void he thought was never going to be filled ever again in his heart.

But that was a mistake. A huge, f*****g mistake.

He knew it when she opened the door and saw her in her sexy as hell outfit. She was beautiful. Stunning. He knew it when she shared things about herself and her family and he shared a little about himself, something he never f*****g did. He knew it when he saw the smile light up her face and her laugh, f**k, her laugh was like music to his ears. He knew it when she fit in his side like they were two pieces of a puzzle while she trailed her finger on their intertwined hands.

But most of all, he knew it when he kissed her and she went hot for him and he almost made another colossal mistake.

Fuck.

This was only going to end up in a disaster.

She was making things complicated.

"You're going to kill him, Leon."

Leon immediately let go of the man's neck which he had in a tight grip. The man dropped to his knees, red-faced and coughing. Without hesitation, he swung his leg downwards, his boot hitting his spine and making him collapse to the ground.

He walked over to John and said, "Finish this s**t. I'm out of here."

"I'm coming with," he replied. "I need to get the blood off my shirt before I go meet Stella."

Leon nodded at him then gestured at the other guys in the dirty warehouse to take care of the bastard sputtering on the ground. As they exit the building, they heard a bloodcurdling scream before it was completely silent.

"So what's bugging you?" John asked as they walked to the direction of his car.

Sophia. Sophia was bugging the hell out of him.

"Nothing," he answered instead with a shrug.

"I think I know."

"I think you don't."

John smirked. "It's not some blue-eyed girl, right?"

"I kissed her."

Leon stopped short when John whirled to look at him, a bewildered frown on his face. "You kissed her?"

He nodded, his stance rigid, ready to take John on if he started swinging his fists. He would understand if he did. It wasn't part of the plan, kissing her. But he wasn't getting his ass kicked for it.

But, instead of getting pissed like he expected he would be, John let out a low whistle. Then he asked, "So, how was it?"

How was it? It was f*****g amazing. It was, by far, the best kiss he ever had.

"Okay," he said with nonchalance even when he knew it was far from okay.

John shook his head and flashed him his usual s**t-eating grin.

"She looked good, didn't she?" he said after a while.

Leon growled, "Are you shitting me? You and Rohan were there."

John burst out laughing, the sound echoing in the darkness. When he was done, he said, "We were just checking if you guys were okay. We left when you guys started eating."

Leon sent him another scowl. He never should have had parked his car far from the warehouse. John was in a mood to rib him tonight and he did not want to end the night kicking his stupid ass.

He pulled out his car keys and was about to open the door when his cellphone began buzzing in his pocket. He swiped his finger on the screen and put it to his ear without glancing at it because John started humping his car and he was trying to shove him off it.

"Leon."

Leon's back stiffened when he heard the hard voice of Skull at the other end of the phone. The grin on John's face died when he saw the expression on Leon's face and he stopped fooling around.

"Yeah?" Leon clipped.

"We know who he is."

His body went solid.

Fuck him, he knew this would happen, was waiting for this to happen. But some part of him hoped it didn't, not yet, and it was messing with his head.

"Are you sure?" He felt John's hand on his shoulder and he shrugged it off. "Are you f*****g sure it's him?"

"Yeah, man. I won't be calling and telling you if it's just a f*****g guess."

He ignored the censure in Skull's tone. "When can you pick him up?"

"He's banging some girl at his place with his drugged up mother in the living room. We can't get him."

"Come to my house," he ordered. "We'll talk there."

"Got it."

Leon pocketed his cell, rage coming off him in pounding waves. He tried to control it, tried to subdue it. John was staring at him, worried and tensed. He needed to calm the f**k down.

"Skull knows who he is."

John's head jerked back just as his eyes narrowed. "s**t," he muttered. "What are you going to do, Leon?"

He put his hand on his car, leaned heavily into it and closed his eyes. Sophia, her beautiful smile, her musical laughter and her soft, curvy body, blazed into his mind.

Fuck.

"What we do." He opened his eyes and straightened up. "What we always do."

John stared long at him and nodded. "What about Sophia?"

"I'm done with her when we get him," he muttered, closing his hands into fists.

John looked like he was going to say something more but Leon opened his car and climbed in without giving him a chance. His hands tightened convulsively on the wheel as he waited for John to get in.

Yeah, he was going to be done with her. He should be happy it was going to be over. No more playing. He did not need this s**t in his life.

His decision made, his gut heavy, a sharp pain piercing through his chest, he started the engine after John folded in and they drove to his house.