One of the Bullied | ✔

Chapter 33 - Strong

"Can you even walk?" He asks me. It's true - my knee really hurts, and so does my hip.

"I'm used to it." I answer dryly.

"But-"

"Leave it." I snap. "I can walk." He seems a little taken aback, but doesn't say anything else. His grip tightens on my hand and I wrench it out of his grip, feeling immediately bad afterwards.

He mumbles something under his breath before wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me towards him, into him, so our bodies are touching. I gasp slightly at our distance, but I quickly dismiss it as my ribs hurting too much. Reaching up, he brings my hair forwards so it covers my face.

We're practically kissing by now. There's some giggling from behind him, and I hear a couple of girls muttering something about girlfriends and blondes. He doesn't let go until the voices fade away.

"That was close." He mutters, then takes my hand again. "Come on."

I let him more or less drag me down the street to his motorbike. He unlocks it, shoves the key in the ignition, and climbs on. Then he seems to remember something, and pulls his jacket off.

"Put this on." He orders. I hesitate. I don't want to wear his clothes. Nevertheless, I quickly realise he wants me to do it just in case we run into Luke and Nate and they recognise my clothes. I pull it over me as quickly as possible, trying to ignore how much my ribs ache.

He climbs onto the bike again. Am I meant to go on behind him?

"If you seriously expect me to do this, then you're out of your mind." I huff. "I can walk myself home like I have done every single time, without saying a word or without needing your help."

He opens his mouth, but I'm determined not to even let him get a word in edgeways.

"How can I trust you?" I ask, even though it's obvious I already trust him. His face shapes into a huge smile, and I find myself turning, turning to see if the others are behind me and they're all about to laugh and beat me up again. There's no one there.

"Because you're wearing my clothes." He answers. I huff and tear the jacket off, throwing it at him. He catches it in midair, looking hurt to say the least. How even dare he?

"I don't need you, your help, or your clothes, okay?" I snarl. "Just leave me be. I was doing fine until you came along."

He sighs, and I turn, the dull pain in my ribs building up to a severe ache. I make a small squeak of pain but keep walking until I feel a hand on my back, pulling me into him again.

"Leave me alone." I repeat forcefully, shaking his hand off my shoulder.

"Zoe-"

"Leave me be." I repeat, then walk away. This time, he doesn't follow.

¬

I make it about two streets until I find another alley and almost collapse in pain. My ribs are obviously seriously bruised, and the pain in my stomach and knee is just the catalyst for everything else.

I'm pretty sure there's a cut on my eyebrow from where Luke kicked it, and I don't think my nose is in such a great condition, either. I don't see a sign of Seth again, so I suppose he must have gone off to find his cronies.

I don't understand how I'm letting this get out of my hands so quickly.

One moment, we hate each other. The next, he's watching his friends beat me up. And under ten minutes later, he's trying to help me and almost kissing me.