CHAPTER 15

I was standing at my locker waiting for Ian, feeling nervous as I did. So many things could happen because of this. What if Zach saw us together? What if word got out? I didn't want to think about it too much.

As I was in my head I felt an arm wrap around my shoulders and looked over to see Ian with his usual sly smile. I didn't brush off his arm. He had too much power here. I was scared to go against him.

"Shall we go?"

I nodded my head for some reason having lost my voice. I couldn't speak and I didn't know if it was because I didn't want to or honestly couldn't. That smile never left Ian's face as he led me to class. We sat down in our usual seats and I felt as if the world was moving slower. I sat there with a blank expression on my face though not knowing what to feel in the end.

The day went by as usual when I noticed a crowd by the lunchroom. I did my best to squeeze through because I was actually interested.

Emma and Zach were standing in the middle of the clearing and I felt my stomach drop.

"What are you saying?"

Emma's voice sounded weak as if it was about to break. Different from her usual confident tone.

"We're breaking up. I wish I could say it was nice being with you but it was like being chained down."

My eyes widened at what I just heard.

Did Zach just break up with Emma?

Emma looked shocked herself, along with the hundreds of students gathered to see this.

"Y-you're kidding right, Zach? You would never break up with me. We're the power couple of the school!"

"Well, sorry to burst your bubble but we're over."

Zach started to walk away when Emma grabbed his arm.

"Tell me this is a joke Zach."

"Why would I want to stay with you a moment longer?"

Emma pulled him down and whispered something to him that I couldn't hear. Zach pushed her off and just walked off without saying anything else.

"Zach! Get back here! You can't fucking do this to me! Get back here asshole!"

I watched as Emma looked over her shoulder and then out of nowhere, somehow locked eyes with me. I looked away and started to walk back out of the lunchroom pushing through the many people gathered here.

As I was trying to walk away I ran into someone and frantically looked up to say sorry.

It was Zach.

He smiled at me and grabbed my hand before taking me off somewhere.

"Zach! What are you doing? Let go of me! What if people see us?"

"They're all distracted. C'mon, just a little longer until we get to my car."

I stopped him just outside the school doors.

"No!"

He looked back at me, his chest heavily moving up and down as he tried to catch his breath.

"Jess, how much more do I have to do for you? I just broke up with Emma for you."

"You should have done it sooner! You fucking creep you were practically cheating on her trying to fuck me! And now you're trying to make it seem like you were waiting to use this card to win me over? What the fuck is running through your head?"

He stopped, holding his hand slightly out. He clenched his fist over and over again.

"I don't know what is running through my head!All I can think about is you! I want to be with you so bad but nothing seems to work. You won't accept me! Why?!"

I took a step back. He was yelling and I was scared. I was scared of him at this moment. I felt my knees buckle and I did my best to stay upright.

"Zach, that's not how love works."

He looked at me as if he wanted to say more. I turned my back on him not wanting to hear any more. For all I knew Ian could be watching.

"Why won't you let me love you?"

I felt tears bite at my eyes. I could feel his pain in those few words; in that simple question. I bit my lip so nothing could come out and dug my nails into my hand as I took a deep breath.

"We just can't be together Zach. It's not right."

I didn't bother to stay any longer. I ran to the closest bathroom and into a stall locking it before falling down to the ground crying. My heart burned and I couldn't breathe. I felt as if I had just destroyed years of friendship. Years of love that had secretly been growing inside of me for him. But it was too late. I couldn't be with him even if I wanted to. Not even as a friend.

Ian had all the power here. And I had nothing.

I heard a loud bang followed by some footsteps. I quickly stopped crying to the best of my abilities and bit my lip so nothing would escape.

"God fucking dammit! That asshole! Argh!"

It was Emma.

"Chill out. Zach's a dick, we always knew that."

Tasha.

"I'm not going to just let it go. He was mine. He is mine. It's that fucking sluts fault."

She practically spat the words out and I knew she was talking about me. I listened to her bang on a stall door. I got scared by the loud bang and let out a little sound. Things got quiet.

"Who the fucks in here? Get out now and I won't hurt you."

I held a hand to my mouth and I felt my shake with a few more tears. She was pissed and I was scared of what she could do with that anger.

"Check the stalls."

One by one Sabrina and Tasha started kicking the stalls. I jumped with each one as they got closer to me. Then they did. They kicked the stall and saw the door not budge.

"Get the fuck out! The faster the less shit you'll get," Sabrina yelled. I couldn't move though.

There was more banging and soon the door kicked open. Sabrina walked in and stopped when she locked eyes with me. A grin grew on her face and I felt as if my life flashed before my eyes.

"Well, well. It might be our lucky day Em."

Without hesitating Sabrina stepped to the side and next thing I knew Tasha was dragging me out to where Emma stood. She went over to holding one hard and Sabrina got the other. They held me up as Emma squat down to get eye level with me.

"You spying on me now?"

I frantically shook my head, tears still falling. She grabbed a fistful of my hair and yanked my head a bit.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing stealing Zach from me? I thought I told you to back off from him, you freak."

I whimpered a bit. I wanted to die. I couldn't handle this. The fear.

"It seems you don't listen to words. So I'll leave you something you can remember."

She looked down and I felt a hand on my septum piercing. She tugged it a little.

"Tell me Sabrina, how hard is it to yank one of these out?"

"Not too hard if you try."

I started to struggle. I wasn't going to let her do this. Sabrina and Tasha had a right hold on me though and with the state I was in I was weak.

"Hold still you fucking bitch. If you don't it'll hurt much more."

Emma held up my head with my hair and tightened her grip on my piercing. Then it was quiet. I think I was screaming. Emma covered my mouth with the hand holding my piercing. She laughed a little as she tried shushing me. I felt hazy. The pain was terrible but maybe that's because I was already scared to death. She let go of me and walked out of the bathroom after mumbling something. I didn't know what. I wasn't paying attention.

Sabrina and Tasha let go of me before they started kicking the shit out of me. My stomach, face, legs, everywhere. They stopped after god knows when and walked off. I laid there on the cold bathroom floor and saw my own blood on the floor.

My head felt heavy. My breathing hurt my chest. I just wanted to sleep.

I never wanted any of this.