Hope.

• Chapter 40 •

• Luca •

"Turns out you were an actual faggot the whole time, eh?" Jordan hissed, causing my stomach to lurch uneasily as I turned to face them. Puta mierda.

I should have known this would happen soon. After all, I was avoiding Tyler and his friends every time we crossed paths.

But it was better this way, he wouldn't get dragged along into my mess anymore. Maybe this was good. This was good for him. He deserved better than, me; someone who was too ashamed of themselves to stick up to their own mother. Jordan and his friends cornered me at the back of the parking lot. He placed his hand on my shoulder, causing me to flinch.

With pleading eyes I looked up at him. I couldn't handle this as well. I couldn't take this anymore. "P-please, J-Jordan," I mumbled, and a sick grin took over his face.

"This is on your sister being a little bitch," he hissed, his fist colliding with my face abruptly. I coughed, as I reached out to touch my face, wincing when my hand moved across my broken skin.

"Don't call m-my sister a bitch," I said, grinding my teeth together. Jordan and the rest of his little cult broke out into collective laughter before he shoved me causing me to stumble backward, hitting my head against the concrete wall.

"What are you going to do about it, L-L-Luca," he said, mocking my stutter. I bit my lip trying to back away but there was nowhere I could go. I pressed my back up again the wall and seemingly out of nowhere I saw Jordan stumble over. I realized that Anirudh had punched him in the face.

I turned to look at him and my gaze immediately dropped when I noticed that Iris was behind him as well. But she wasn't looking at me, she was busy glaring at Mark.

"You want to know something Mark? I'm so happy I broke up with you cause you are a heartless prick who deserves nothing," She yelled, her eyes narrowing dangerously at him.

Anirudh smirked slightly at me before he threw his arm around my shoulders. Jordan was glaring at us in absolute rage. "What the fuck, Rudh?" He asked, shoving Anirudh slightly causing me to stagger with him.

"Don't touch me, Jordan," Anirudh warned, now slowly removing his hand from around my shoulders and stepping in between Jordan and I. "You know who would win if we ever fought,"

I saw Jordan clench his jaw. "Watch your back," Jordan hissed, before walking away, his little group following closely behind him. Iris immediately rushed up towards me her bright blue eyes worriedly scanning my face.

She reached up, touching my cheek softly, and flinched at the contact.

"Sorry," She said, with a frown placed on her lips. "You going to be alright?"

I nodded. "Don't worry, I'm used to it,"

Anirudh frowned, his forehead creasing as he looked at me. "Have they done this again after that day?" He asked, and I turned my gaze to the floor, staring at my beaten up shoes.

"Yeah," I mumbled, awkwardly.

"How long had this been happening?" Iris asked, her eyebrows shooting up slightly in surprise.

"A couple of years,"

"Couple of years?!" Iris asked, taken aback. "How did I not know?"