One of the Bullied | ✔

Chapter 16 - True Friends Don't Lie

I'm worried about Jean going out with other people. I'm worried what he'll think of me when we next see each other. Now that his English is a bit better, they'll drill into his head that he shouldn't talk to me, that he should ignore me if not bully me.

I'm so worried that I eventually decide to go out for a walk. I don't even stop to think if I'm going to bump into anyone while I'm out. As I round the corner, I see movements on the basketball court. Luke, Seth and Nate are playing with Jean. I watch for a moment as they pass the ball, and Nate eventually scores.

Before I can turn around and leave, Jean catches my eye. I look away, taking a few steps back in case he decides to do something stupid like waving or coming over to me, alerting the other two of my presence.

I wait in the shadows as they "bro-hug" or whatever, and Luke, Seth and Nate finally leave, laughing and bouncing the ball as they go. Jean jogs over to me.

"You didn't tell them I was here, did you?" I ask nervously. He shakes his head.

"No, no, I told them I had to go. I didn't mention you."

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding back out. "Are you sure?"

He doesn't hesitate. "No, I didn't." His phone buzzes in his pocket, and he pats it. "Caitlyn is calling again."

"Will she ever leave you alone?" I ask, my eyes darting to the street in front of us, gesturing that we should go home before someone catches us. We start to walk back to my house slowly.

"No, I don't think so." He sighs, showing me the texts. "It's escalated." He says with a serious face. "We're now onto baby and darling."

"She is not calling you that!" I exclaim, giggling. In the back of my head, I can just see Caitlyn glaring at me and saying that I would pass out if anyone ever said anything like that to me. I shake it off, but I know that it's true.

"Yeah, she is." Jean sighs again. "I just don't know how to tell her to stop anymore. It gets worse everyday."

"So maybe you should just do as she wants." I shrug, pretending I am completely unaffected by what I'm saying. For fucks sake, why am I doing this to myself? If I ever stood a chance with him, I've just blown it by telling him to go make out with the hottest girl in school.

"But..." He starts, then goes quiet. Apart from her being a complete bitch, there's not that many reasons as to why someone wouldn't want to hook up with Caitlyn. She's not studious, but I guess guys don't even like that.

Apart from that, Caitlyn is good looking, sweet, hot, cute, beautiful... Every nice word that comes to my head can be used to describe her. Who knows, in a relationship she might even be kind.

"You think I should?" He asks hesitantly.

"Well, she's not going to leave you alone, and I'm the one who is eventually going to pay, because she thinks I'm stealing you from her." I say with a bitter laugh. "So, why not? She's maybe not the nicest person ever, but she's good looking."

"She's only good looking." He sighs. "She's not smart, she has no empathy, and her head is filled with fucking make up wipes." He chuckles, putting an arm around my shoulders and squeezing me against him, letting go again.

To say that I'm taken aback is an understatement. A serious one.

"Anyway, she's mean to you, and I don't want to hook up with someone who is like that to anyone."

"That shouldn't stop you."

"Zoe, it's like you want me to." He says, stopping and facing me, giving me an accusing look which almost makes me dissolve into a puddle on the floor. "Are you trying to get rid of me or something?"