A bullied girl meets the popular new student.
*****
"Still saying that you're perfectly okay?" Max whispers.
I'm surprised to hear that his voice is shaking.
"I'm going to find who did this to you."
*****
One time, I was the most popular girl in sch...
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My whole body is still shaking the moment we step outside the house. The image of Rory staring at me with satisfaction in her eyes and the gaze other people threw at me in the ballroom are still very much visible in my eyes.
I'm such a joke.
It's when Max grabs my shoulder that I'm snapped out of my thought. I look up at him, only to find that his green eyes are filled with worry. "Don't think about it. They're monsters. They're fucking monsters." His voice is still laced with anger.
No sound leaves my mouth. This is still too much for me to take. I've been in misery for a long time, but to think that I was finally happy again because I'd got my best friend back, only to be crushed in front of everyone like this, is really something.
"I'll take you somewhere else," Max urges. "Where do you want to go?"
"Anywhere," I say, my voice weak. "Anywhere but here." It's shaking, filled with pain I'm trying so hard to hold.
Max nods before grabbing my hand again, leading me to his car. Thank God he's holding my hand as we walk, because I still feel like I can collapse at any second.
When we reach his black Audi, he opens the car door for me, and I get inside. Soon, he settles himself behind the wheel and starts the engine.
Silence fills the air as we pass the gate of Rory's property, and there's still no sound from either of us as the car continues the journey down the road.
After a few minutes, Max finally asks, "Do you want me to take you home?"
My mind immediately goes to the excitement on Mom's face when she helped me get ready, as well as Dad and Aiden sending me off in hope that I would enjoy the party.
I shake my head. "No." My voice cracks, and I swallow another lump in my throat as I think about my family, about how broken they will be if they see me like this. "I can't go home."
Max lets out a small sigh, and I feel sorry that I've dragged him into this. But I'm not in the right state of mind to think clearly -- I seriously don't know where I should be right now.
I have no place to go.
The next moment is spent mustering all the remaining strength in me to not cry here in front of Max, because I don't want to make him even more worried. I've already troubled him enough with the conflicts happening in the ballroom.
To my surprise, the car stops when we reach a sidewalk near the water overlooking Manhattan Bridge. Before I can ask Max any question, he throws his head back against the seat.
"Let's get out, shall we? You'll feel suffocated here. You need..." he pauses, "Fresh air."
I watch as he gets out of his car and opens the door for me. Sighing, I step out, reaching for his hand that he offers to me, and breathe the night air.
