Breaking The Bad Boy (Completed)

Chapter 37: The Bad Boy's Nine Delinquencies

[A/N: Dedication to niallhoransbebe. I really appreciate all the votes and kind words, and your support was on my mind whilst writing this chapter. Thank you <3]

I got there before him, perched on one of the seven pine benches that bordered the large oak tree in the centre of the verdant stretch of land that separate the two main buildings. The school's courtyard wasn't particularly massive but it was the most densely packed area that students socialised in during the morning break.

Remnants of autumn leaves were pooled around the tree's roots, leaving the branches naked and skeletal. They shivered in a brisk breeze that made me clamp my teeth together to stop them chattering. Thankfully there was nobody around to catch a glimpse of the stony frown that was permanently etched onto my lips.

Tyler sloped into the courtyard five minutes after the bell rang for the next class, dragging his legs along in his signature, lazy strides and I focused on his right hook, scanning the broken red skin on his knuckles. At least he didn't mock me by using those ridiculous dinosaur band aids he carried around to cover the split skin.

"Ash..." Tyler's voice was strained and he refused to meet my gaze, stopping a few metres short of the table I was sitting on.

I sat still, uncomfortably rigid with an impassive expression that he desperately tried to read, scanning my face for something - anything. But I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of my gratitude just yet. He needed to know he was in the wrong. Sure, I was glad he laid one on Jonah but deep down we both knew it was wrong and I certainly did not need someone else to fight my battles for me.

"What the fuck is your problem Tyler?" I asked in a low voice, struggling to keep it devoid of all emotion.

Tyler winced and took a step forward, narrowing the distance between us but it was still wide, wedging a force field between us.

"What the fuck is your problem?" I asked again, this time my voice shook with anger and I clenched my fists. "Why on earth did you punch him?"

"He had it coming," Tyler grunted but that wasn't a good enough answer.

"What is your fucking problem?" I raised my voice so it rang loud and clear, rustling the leaves that still clung to the tree the same way the wind made them twist and turn.

"My fucking problem is that you're getting harrassed by a douchebag and you're doing nothing about it!"

"I was handling it!" I hissed, turning my head to the cloudy sky when he scoffed.

"Yeah yeah whatever, because you sure as hell were handling yourself well around him!" Tyler snapped, his tone so cold and calculating that I was forced to snap my gaze back to his.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I exclaimed in disbelief, "You think that it's my fault Jonah can't keep his hands to himself?"

Tyler shook his head, blond hair flopping from left to right before the wind pushed it all back.

"No! Of course it isn't your fault, but he genuinely believes you're leading him on and playing hard to get."

I rubbed my temples, appalled at what I was hearing.

"I kicked him in his fucking balls, what more can I possibly do?"

"You could have told me!" Tyler's eyes flashed, first with furious and then disappointed.

"So that you could have handled it for me? Like you just did today, right?" I drawled in a voice that dripped with harsh sarcasm.

"I would have talked to him and told him to lay off you," He protested, pleading me to understand with his intoxicating eyes.