The Bully's First Love

The Bully, Cornered

Rohan knew he'd encounter her soon the moment that he saw her.

Still, he didn't think it would be this soon and he was pissed at himself for having let down his guard and giving her this opportunity.

She was leaning against the door of the school rooftop, staring at him. He had gone here, picking the lock to get inside, so he could get away from Emmy and Finn and to get some fresh air. f**k knows he needed it.

But how the hell did she know he was here?

"Long time no see, Rohan," she finally spoke, pushing away from the door and walking towards him

He crossed his arms and turned his gaze didn't answer. He wanted her to leave.

"Do the boys know you're here?"

Why the hell wasn't she leaving?

"Are you going to answer me anytime soon?"

He sighed and slid his gaze back to her. April Locke stood in front him, a smile playing on her lips. She hadn't changed, not at all, since the last time he'd seen her.

Fair, porcelain skin. Full, pink lips. Dark gray eyes. Strawberry blonde hair that went past her shoulders. Willowy thin figure.

And an extraordinary beauty.

She looked like the all-around, good girl in her uniform. She even played the part well since she was holding a textbook. But Rohan knew, everyone knew, there was nothing good in her.

"Why are you talking to me?" he muttered darkly down at her. The last time he saw her, they'd almost been the same height. Now he towered over her.

One of her brows arched. "Why not?"

He didn't answer. He wasn't going to repeat himself.

Her smile became a grin of wicked pleasure. She sidled closer to him and Rohan clenched his jaw.

'She's evil, Rohan,' Skull had once told him. 'Evil.'

Skull might have been exaggerating but Rohan already knew from day one that April Locke was dangerous.

"You've grown," April said, touching his cheek. "And I like it."

"I don't eat leftovers, April," he said with distaste.

To his surprise, instead of being offended, she laughed.

"Oh, my," she murmured. "Seems like the boys rubbed off on you."

Rohan grabbed her hand when it began to slide down his chest and pushed it away. "Don't toy with me."

"Don't be rude, Rohan," she chided. "I'm still your upperclassman."

He glared at her and didn't say anything. Not because he gave a damn about this school's hierarchy but because the sooner she said what she wanted to say, the sooner she was gone.

"But, even though you're so rude to me, I'll grant you one favor." She turned, took two steps and twirled around to face him again with a playful grin. "Any favor. After all, you did try to help me get rid of that Gideon girl."

Yeah, and it failed miserably.

"I didn't do it for you," he angrily said."I don't need any favors from you."

"Ah, don't speak as if you know the future, darling. You might need it. Maybe not for you, but for someone else."

"I said I don't need it," he fired back.

It had been a huge mistake talking to her two years ago when he was a freshman. He f****d up huge by listening to her back then.

Rohan had been walking from school alone when a black limousine blocked his path. It had been his habit to walk home whenever he couldn't get a ride from his friends or couldn't hang out with them. He liked walking, liked listening to music with his headphones on. So when the black limousine suddenly obstructed his way, he almost got hit because he hadn't been paying attention.

"What the f**k?" he muttered when a girl wearing the NHA uniform came out of the vehicle.

She approached him, wearing a coy smile on her lips. But Rohan had recognized her immediately. She was April, the girl Leon had been sleeping with before he dated Sophia.

Stopping in front of him, she said, "Hello, Rohan."

His eyes narrowed on her. "What do you want?"

Her brows lifted in surprise but he couldn't help but be wary of her. He'd heard John warn Leon multiple times not to get close to her. And Rohan wasn't stupid. Since the very first time he'd seen her, walking into Skull's house like she owned the place to f**k Leon in the upstairs room, he knew that she wasn't the kind of girl that someone would mess with.

Tilting her head to the side, she murmured, "Do you know me?"

"I know enough. You're April Locke, Leon's past f**k buddy."

"Careful, darling." Her voice turned frosty. "You don't know me enough to disrespect me."

Rohan felt his body tense. Her burly driver was getting out of the car, staring at him like he wanted to slice him open.

"But I guess it's because you keep hanging around John that you have the guts to talk back at me," she finally said, frosty tone gone, replaced by a pleasant, sweet voice. "Still, let me remind you that some people don't tolerate rudeness like I do. And some people don't live to tell the tale."

Jesus, was she threatening him?

"I'm in a hurry so I'll make it short, Rohan. I want you to make that Gideon girl break up with Leon."

He barked out a laugh. "Now why am I not surprised?"

"Are you laughing at me?"

His laughter abruptly stopped when he saw that April had lost all her patience with him. Her eyes flashed and her face hardened. The driver seemed to have sensed something was wrong because he started to walk towards them, his expression dark and threatening. But April lifted a hand, not once removing her stony gaze from Rohan, and he stopped.

"He's mine, Rohan. I will not lose him to that bitch."

"And how are you proposing I do it, April?" Rohan lifted a brow.

This seemed to pacify April because her expression softened. "Well, you're a smart boy. I know you can do it if you really put your mind to it. And it's easy really, given that that girl doesn't know the truth about Leon. Make stuff up. I don't care how you do it as long as you do it."

"Why me?"

"The truth? Because a little bird told me you hate her probably even more than I hate her entire existence."

This b***h.

"And if I don't?" Rohan dared to ask.

She let out a merry laugh that surprised him. "I'm not making you do anything you don't want to do, Rohan." Patting his cheek, she went on, "I'm only giving you a little push, that's all. I know by looking at you now that you indeed hate her. Sweet, innocent Sophia. She might not realize it yet but she's slowly and surely twisting Leon around her finger. So you better get rid of her before she completely worms her way into Leon's heart."

Rohan clenched his jaw. "Maybe she won't," he told her.

Her head c****d to the side. " better safe than sorry right? Because Rohan, what if she turns out to be like your mother? We both know Leon will not survive that heartbreak."

Her words felt like a knife twisting into his gut.

This f*****g b***h.

April didn't give him a chance to respond. Giving him another sweet smile, she turned around and walked to her car. The driver opened the door for her and she slid inside. Then they drove away, leaving him frozen solid on the pavement.

Rohan never thought he'd do it.

But Sophia caught him at a shitty time when he just learned through a phone text, a f*****g phone text, from his mother that she was divorcing his stepfather. Not to mention he was still suffering from a hangover from that last night's party. He'd been a mess as he hid behind a building when she found him. And her unsolicited concern just pushed him over the edge.

It hurt Leon to see Sophia break down in front of him.

It hurt Rohan more than the hurt Leon gave him to see Leon in so much pain.

And yes, he f*****g blamed this redhead b***h for that.

April gave Rohan another of her sweet smiles. "You really might need that favor, Rohan," she was saying patiently. "So I'll keep an open line for you. You know my number."

He shook his head. "I won't be calling."

She laughed again. "You're so stubborn. Just like Leon. God, but I missed him," she ended with a soft mutter.

"He's happy with Sophia," he sadistically informed.

She shrugged delicately. "It won't last."

"You're not thinking of trying to break them up again, are you?"

"I'm not that classless," she scoffed. "And I was only going to talk to her but her damn bodyguards won't let me."

Rohan was getting sick of this conversation. "Don't you have somewhere else to be?" he asked rudely.

She tilted her head to the side and frowned thoughtfully. "Huh. I actually have to get going." She aimed a condescending smile at him. "Places to be, people's reputations to ruin."

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

She leaned into him. "See you later, Rohan."

She walked away and Rohan let himself relax.

"And by the way."

Rohan sliced his gaze back to her. April was holding the door, looking at him over her shoulder with a smile that didn't bode well for him.

"Welcome to North High Academy."

**********

The scolding I received from the Student Council president for trespassing into the junior student lounge made my head ache.

She made me stand in the middle of their office, ranting about how much of a rule-breaker I was while everyone in the room stared on. And she seemed to take great joy from doing it too. It was, after all, the only way she could still yell at people.

Blanche was kind enough to wait for me outside the office. She was a junior and I became friends with her last year when she came to my art class and asked for orange goo. Naturally, I was curious and asked her why. She was going to make her best friend bathe in it, she said, because her best friend had lost a bet with her. And naturally, I helped because it seemed fun.

When I walked out, Blanche stopped doodling on her sketchpad and pushed away from the wall. She put her arm around me, smiling gently.

"Well that was short," she said. "Are you alright?"

"She yelled at me," I muttered sullenly.

"I know. I heard. I think everyone on this floor heard."

"I hate her so much. I hope she chokes on a dick."

Blanche let out a peal of surprised laugh. "Oh, my God. The things you say sometimes..." She steered me away from the office, still laughing. "Martha Duke's going to kill you if she heard you say that."

"Martha Duke is the least of my problems," I grumbled. "Rohan still won't talk to me."

"Give him some time alone, Emmy. It's his second day of school. It must be taxing on his part to adjust to a new environment and," Blanche squeezed my shoulder with a teasing grin," to deal with his annoying ex stepsister."

I sighed. "Why does everyone think I'm annoying?"

"Because they can't be you." She winked at me.

"Why can't all the upperclassmen be like you, Blanche?" I wrapped my arms around her middle to embrace her. "They're all so mean to me."

She chuckled and returned the embrace.

Then she murmured,"Uh, oh. Cassie's coming this way, Emmy. And she looks mad."

Darn it.

"Again, Emmy? Seriously?

"Don't nag her, Cassie," Blanche told her. "Martha has already given her a thorough dressing-down for trespassing again."

"I can't believe that I'm going to say this but I'm on the evil president's side on this one, Emmy. You'll anger a lot of people if you keep this up."

"Traitor," I mumbled into Blanche's neck.

Cassie was snickering when she pried my arms off Blanche. "Want to hang out with us later, Blanche?" she asked, hugging me from behind. "I'm going to treat Emmy with ice cream later to regain her favor."

"I can't. Jill's wants to Face Time with me after class," she said apologetically. "She said she misses me."

"Must be tough being an exchange student."

"But she loves being there in Italy. Anyway, I got to go. I still have to finish this sketch." To me, she said, squeezing my cheek, "Be good, Emmy. See you guys, later."

"Bye," I mumbled. Then I looked up at Cassie, "You'll buy me ice cream?"

"Yeah." She pushed my back, saying,"So quit scowling at me and let's return to the classroom. The meeting's going to start."

Sighing in defeat, I began to walk with her following closely behind. A lot of people were loitering in the halls, some going to their athletics practice, some practicing on the floor with their musical instruments for their periodical performance, which was still two months away but NHA students were serious like that.

When we reached the sophomore floor, I started to feel a little better. I wasn't one to hold any grudges and life was too short to spend it being angry. Cassie was cracking jokes behind me about Martha Duke and her holier-than-thou attitude and I was trying not to laugh.

"Heard you trespassed on the junior floor and got yelled at, Schuyler!" A familiar high pitched voice called out and my amusement died. "Serves you right. Didn't mommy teach you a thing or two about rules before she croaked?"

I immediately stopped walking and felt Cassie bump into my back.

"I heard she was trying to flirt with a junior and got rejected so bad," another spoke with a tone of contempt.

I whirled around to face the group of girls who were leaning against the lockers, snickering at me.

"Ignore them," Cassie muttered, glaring at them.

I didn't ignore them.

I was too angry and if I didn't know Cassie would stop me before I could jump them and tear their bleached blonde hair out, I would have done it.

"Well, I heard your mommy paid for your implants, Faith," I retorted hotly. "And by the way, your name totally doesn't suit you, Miss I-Slept-With-Seven-Football-Players-While-Dating-The-Captain."

Faith's smug expression died and she glowered at me. I looked at the girl beside her next.

"And Yumi, you shouldn't talk about rejections too much considering you just got yourself rejected by our star basketball player." I then covered my mouth in mock horror. "Oops, was that too soon?"

The seething and threatening expressions on the girls' faces weren't lost on Cassie. Putting her arm around me, she directed me away from them. But not before she gave them her deadliest glower that promised their imminent demise.

"Let me guess," Anna started to say when she met us in the classroom, "Someone talked s**t about your family again."

"We met Faith and her minions in the hall," Cassie answered while I sat on my chair at the front.

Anna growled, "I'm going to rip that ballet b***h apart when I see her."

"Get in line, Anna."

I put my arms on my desk and lay my cheek on them. My eyes went out the window, to the blue sky and white clouds floating by.

Anna's cool hand fell on my cheek.

"Are you alright, Emmy?" she asked softly.

No. I wasn't.

I didn't like anyone talking about my mother. Especially in that manner.

One might say that the worst thing that could happen to a child was to lose their parents.

But it was so much worse for me.

I was with my mother when she died. I saw her take her last breath.

Even to this day, the memory burned a hole through me.

"Emmy?" Cassie prompted worriedly.

"I'm fine," I mumbled, feeling drained all of a sudden.

Cassie and Anna didn't believe me and looked reluctant to leave me alone.

But then the teacher came and they had no choice.

**********

Rohan didn't know how long he stayed up the rooftop, so deep in his chaotic thoughts.

But when the sound of piano music reached his ears, he knew he'd stayed too long if it was already time for club activities.

He turned to go to the door. But the music coming from the piano seemed all too familiar, making him pause, making him twist his neck to the direction of the sound.

Then he realized who was playing.

It was Emilia.

He walked to the railing of the roof. One of the windows of the building opposite from where he was standing was slightly open, revealing a cherubic face framed with soft brown hair. From the distance, he could see that she had her eyes closed, a frown on her lips.

The tune was familiar, invoking memories.

And Rohan knew exactly what memory it was.

"Are you practicing for a f*****g funeral?" he had grumbled when he entered the music room of the Schuyler house. Emilia had been playing on the grand piano for hours since she got back from school.

The sound had resonated all throughout the house and into his bedroom and usually he did not mind her playing but he couldn't anymore. He was starting to feel even more miserable than he normally was and it was her fault.

"Sorry, did I disturb you?" She was smiling at him, placing her hands on her lap. Ridiculous. She hadn't even changed out of her middle school uniform before she started practicing the piano.

"If you won't stop playing that stupid piano then at least play something for the living," Rohan snapped at her.

A spasm of pain went through her features and she looked down at her fingers. "I'm sorry... I just... I just had a bad day. And I... I missed my Mom."

Guilt started eating away inside of him and Rohan felt like the total piece s**t he was. So before he could say anything else, he went out of the room and left her with her gloomy music.

Staring at her now, Rohan surmised that Emilia must be missing her mother.

More than five years of living with her made him familiar with the music she usually played.

Her music only went on a dark, melancholic twist whenever she thought of her mother. Rohan had heard from his mother that Emilia's mother died because of some disease. He didn't know the details, he didn't actually care for the details, but he knew it still haunted the Schuyler family.

Rohan shook his head and stepped away from the railing. He couldn't be bothered with her problems, not when he had so much of her own.

So he turned, walked out of the door and went down the rooftop, forcing her out of his mind.