Oh, Baby! #Wattys2020

Chapter Fifteen

Knowing that his band has just been exposed to the whole school and being confronted by Jenna paled in comparison to the messages he was getting. At first he thought that maybe they were just from a creepy wrong number. But deep down Hale knows better. He knows who it is and he's paranoid. Especially since he's blocked the number and the person just comes back with another number.

Unknown

You can't ignore me forever. I refuse to let you go on living your disgusting little life after what you did to me.

Having everyone stare at him and whisper only puts him closer to the edge. If he ever felt a nervous breakdown coming, it was now. Viv caught him in the hall between classes and told him what happened. Someone, who knows someone here at school, recorded the band and his kiss with Bella. It went 'viral' practically overnight and now Lasting Revival is somewhat famous. And so is Bella. Hale shakes his head, pulling his thoughts away from her and everything. For once, he focuses on his school work, looking for anything to distract him from the current crisis.

Abbey cries three times in the next hour. Hale takes care of her, his movements robotic. Then he goes back to doing his work like a normal person. People stare, they whisper and he glares at them, silencing them for a few minutes before they start again. No one gets brave enough to approach him until the beginning of his second period.

A freshman with a lazy walk and sagging pants approaches him just as he's taking his seat. Hale attempts to stare him down, but judging by his bloodshot eyes, the freshman isn't going to be affected. He let's his eyes flutter shut for a split second, willing himself to remain calm during this conversation.

"'Sup, Hale." He greets with a nod of his head. Hale glares for a tense moment, not offering a response. The guy rubs the back of his neck and glances behind him at his friends. He was visibly sweating and Hale enjoyed knowing he was that intimidating.

"So, what's it like?" The guy asks tilting his head lazily. Hale just continues to glare until the guy sighs. "You're like... A god and you scored Bella O'Hara, she's hot as hell, man. Congrats."

The kid jokes, trying to coax a response out, but instead of getting himself closer to Hale, he digs his hole deeper. Hale grits his teeth, jealousy rearing it's ugly head as he thinks about how other guys look at Bella. And how he knows the way they think, how degrading the things they say are. He's never participated in their locker room talk or any of their cat calls. His Gran would hear him, with her super power like hearing and general sense if knowing and beat him with his own shoe.

"Man, I mean damn those curves--"

"I'm gonna give you three seconds to get the fuck out of my face." Hale says slowly, his voice deadly sharp. The kid's eyes widen slightly.

"Aye, dude I ain't mean to disrespect yo girl or nothin'," He holds his hands up in defense, backing away.

Hale just glares, rolling his eyes in annoyance, "Go choke on your Juul, dipshit."

The kid hurries away, back to his friends that are roaring with laughter. The kid's face is the color of a tomato, but he looks as if he's just survived to a near death experience. Hale decides he might just punch the next person to approach him.

👶

By free period, Hale is exhausted mentally and physically. He's also tempted to throw his phone off the roof. Between Omar texting him updates about their exposure and the unknown number, his phone just keeps going off. It's amazing how quickly people can find him on the internet. He only has very private social media accounts that could be labeled inactive. Finally, as he takes a seat next to Bella, he turns his phone off. Being next to her calmed his frayed nerves. She looks just as exhausted as he feels, but he felt a little more at ease around her. Everything is better when she is a around, he's began to notice.