Broken by the Bully

Chapter : 3. 17th birthday..

Getting up in the morning today, I remembered that today is my 17th birthday. And still, there is no loved one in here to wish me a happy birthday when I woke up.

“Well, Happy Birthday to me then” I shied and start completing my everyday tasks.

Like every year nobody remembers about my birthday too. So nobody wishes me, and I like it that way. I hate everything about today because I miss my mom a lot on this day. She was the only one who cared about me from the heart.

Grabbing a granola bar from the fridge, I head onto Sammy's house's direction, a lone tear slipping down my cheeks from memories. Reaching her doorstep I put all my emotions aside, wipe my tears and knock on the door. She was already waiting for me, so we get into her car. The moment I closed my door, Sammy take me into a squeezing hug.

“Happy Birthday my sweet Kizie…” she wishes me happily.

“You remembered??” I asked in surprise.

“Of course I do. How can I forget my best friend's birthday?”

“But you knew that I hate celebrating my birthday!!” I put my head down.

“Yeah! That doesn't mean I can't wish you. I even got something for you…” She started to take something out of her bag.

“What? No Sammy! You know I don't like taking gifts from you...”

“Trust me you'll love it. I know it for sure.”

Then she takes it out of her bag, my eyes got bigger from seeing the thing In front of me and I started to scream in happiness.

“Oh my god... I can't believe you brought chocolate for me... Thank you, thank you, thank you soon much...”

“I knew you would like it…” she stated laughing at my childish behavior.

“You know me so well Sammy, that's why I love you so much. Thank you so much for this. I really needed it today.”

“No need to thank me okay. What are friends for? Now let's go, or we will be late for school.”

On the way to school, I already finished eating it. I like to eat chocolate whenever I'm upset. I love chocolate. But my parents never let me have some, saying that I'll get much fatter than I already am. Eventually, I had to keep it away from me, just like most of my favorite things.

The rest of the day went by pretty nicely, but something weird caught my eye at lunchtime. Jake was sitting a few tables away from us, and some of his friends were kept pointing at us while Jake was just staring at us weirdly. Never minding their weird behavior, we attended the rest of our classes peacefully. After school ends, we're heading for our car when suddenly Jake came in front of us out of nowhere.

“Hey, girls, how you've been doing lately?” Jake asks us.

“We're fine. So what's up?” Sammy speaks up while I just kept playing with the hem of my top.

“ Nothing, I just wanted to talk with you for a moment.”

“So speak up. We have plans, you know... We have to get going...”

“Uh.. to be honest, I just wanted to talk to Kizie for a moment. Alone.” Jake says, shocking both of us.

“You what??” We both ask him in unison.

“Sammy, please can you give us a moment, I really need to talk to her. So please…”

“ Look Jake if you're going to bully her like the rest of your friends, then I swear I'm going to kick your ass.”

“Hey, hey, calm down. I just wanted to talk...”

“Sammy, it's okay, I can handle it. You don't have to worry. Just give us a minute, it'll be alright.” I speak up between them.

“Ok if you say so... But Jake I'm warning you last time.” After her threats, she goes to her car and waits for me.

“That was weird. I never saw anyone so much protective over a friend..”

“Umm, so you wanted to talk about something Jake?” I ask him keeping my eyes to the ground.

“Yes… Uh… Look… Uh… I just wanted to tell you that… Uh… Kizie, I like you a lot. Will you be my girlfriend?”

“I'm sorry, What??” I was way beyond shocked. So, I was looking at his deep blue eyes for the first time, from all these years I know him.

“Will you be my girlfriend, Kizie Mayson?”

I was staring at him with my eyes like saucers for a few minutes, not knowing what to answer him.

“Hello, I am still waiting for an answer...” Jake speaks breaking my trance.

“I... I... I don't know. I don't know what to answer you. I thought you liked Sammy!”

“What? Why did you think that?”

“I mean, I saw you staring at her all the time…”

“Uh… No. You are wrong. All those times, I wasn't staring at her. I was starting at you.”

“But what about Cristy? I thought she was your girlfriend. You guys always stay… Really close…”

“No, no, no, we're just friends. Nothing more. And you know her, she can get a little sticky sometimes.”

“I don't know! I… I don't think things will work out between us as you're thinking...”

“Look, you can take some time and think about it clearly. You can decide what to do tomorrow, ok. Just remember I really, really like you. And I am looking forward to us.” he pointed his fingers at both of us.

“Okay, I'll think about it.”

“Ok then bye.” I just nod and left not looking back at him.

“He what??” Now Sammy's eyes turned into saucers.

“You heard me. Jake asked me to be his girlfriend.”

As soon as I entered the car she started to inquiry me about our little talk.

“Are you sure you heard him right?”

“Yes! I am a hundred percent sure.”

“Ok, I need to talk to him now.” She was getting out of the car angrily.

“Wait, Sammy, he's gone.”

“Then we need to go home right now.”

“But I have to go to the Stefan's!”

“Call Mrs. Stefan and tell her that you're not going today. This is much more important than tutoring.”

I know it'll be a waste of time to try changing her mind, so I gave up and do as she asked. When we reached her home, she told me to wait for her in her room and went in search of Jake. After a while, which seemed like ages, she returned with a smile on her face.

“Did you find him?”

“Yes.”

“And?”

“And what?” Now she's starting to annoy me.

“And, what did you guys talked? Please, Sammy, don't do this… Just tell me already...”

“ Ok fine, you don't have any patience you know. So I was angry at first. I thought he was playing some sick joke with you. I got into all bitchy mode on him. But when he explained his feelings towards you, I thought it'll be a good idea. I know he is kind of a playboy, who likes to sleep around a lot. But he was gone through a lot just like you. And also I know you have a crush on him, so I am pretty much convinced.”

“Firstly I don't have any crush on him and secondly what happened to him?”

“Babe, don't you deny it In front of me. I know you since we're kids, and I know very well what you like or not. And besides, I saw you peeking a glance at him whenever he was nearby.”

“Ok fine! I have a little crush on him. Now tell me about what happened to him?”

“As you already know Jake's dad doesn't stay with them. It's because he has another family. He got into an affair with his secretary and got her pregnant. As soon as her mother gets to knew about it, she kicked her cheater husband out of their house. After that, his dad started to live with that woman. But his mom got half of his dad's property and shares, so they're still this rich. But all of this took a good part out of him, he was just 9 years old back then.”

“Wow, I didn't know any of that...”

“There's more when he first fell in love with a girl and started to have a serious relationship with her, she dumped him and hooked up with a high-ranked man. Since then he distanced himself from serious relationships, and became a bad boy”.

“No wonder he tries to show himself so tough…”

“I think both of you will be perfect for each other, and help yourself to cope and get better...”

“So, you think I should give him a chance…”

“Babe, I don't think, I'm sure you should give him a chance...” I nod in agreement and talk for a little while.

“Oh my god, look at the time, I'm going to be so late!”

It's already 8 pm now. Dad's going to kill me today. I don't know how the time passed by, we're just talking. I hurried to the mall, got whatever I needed, and head home as quickly as possible. It was already dinner time.

Entering through the front door, the view in front of me made my blood turn cold. In front of me stands my dad, face red with anger, Susan beside him hands folded in front of her chest.

“D..d…dad… I… I'm...s…sorry” I started shaking like a leaf on the high wind.

“Where have you been??” He shouted at me. But my throat was choked on a large lump. I can't form any words with my mouth.

“Don't act like a statue, and speak up you little b***h!”

“I… i… I was…in s…sam… Sammy's house… I'm so… sorry dad…”

“Oh right! Today was your birthday, wasn't it? So you were out parting with your friends.” Susan suddenly speaks up, and I wonder if she remembered all along.

“How dare you to go parting without my permission you f*****g bitch...”

With that, he didn't even hear my side of the story and started to drag me inside holding my hair. Then he pushed me to the ground and take his belt out. He whipped me with his belt so many times that I lost count of it and just continue screaming in pain. After a while, he was done and told me to go to my room and not to show him my face for a while. I didn't have the strength to go up to my room, so Liza took me to her room. She helped me shower and let me sleep in her bed.