Chapter two

The dreadful day was finally over, or so I thought.

I had forgotten my math assignment at home, and Mr. Reid was not going to give me till the next day to turn it in, and getting an F in my report was the last thing I had on my agenda. So I had to spend my entire break time doing it all over again. To be honest, it was actually quite fun. I love math more than any other subject because it really tasks my brain, plus, do you know the joy of excelling in a subject almost everyone in my class failed at?

True joy.

It was fun until Cooper, one of the star players on the football team, and Brad's best friend "accidentally" spilled his soda on all four pages.

School dismissed twenty minutes ago, and here I was doing doing the same assignment for the third time in the school library. Once I got the answer to my last equation, I practically ran to Mr. Reid's class to turn it in.

Luckily for me, he was still sitting behind his desk with his eyes glued to a bunch of papers. "Here it is, sir." I said before dropping the assignment on his desk.

Mr. Reid looked up at me with a small frown and said, "I expected to see this before the end of your break."

"Yes, but then the work got..."

"Enough with the excuses, Jeremy! You are my star pupil, but you are beginning to change," Mr. Reid said, causing the corners of my lips to pull downward. "I saw that video of you and your mother, and personally I am beyond disappointed. Now get out of my sight."

Ouch.

"But sir, it was an accident." He looked at me from beneath his eyelashes; it indicated that he saw my words as a lie. Releasing a tired sigh, I decide to give up and leave. I do not want to agitate him more.

What a horrible first day of school I had.

I pushed past the school exit and, as the late afternoon sun fell on my face, I was only able to catch a glimpse of the school bus as it drove out of the gate.

Shit!

Now how was I going to get home? To make things worse, my mom wasn't even in town. And I doubt she would have picked me up if she was, not after what I had done to her this morning.

The urge to cry was becoming overwhelming.

I began to pull my hair with frustration but then I could feel a pair of eyes drilling holes into the side of my face. My head snapped to my left, and my heart freeze in my chest.

Cassy Miller was watching me.

Her gorgeous silver eyes seemed to stare straight into my soul, and I found myself paralyzed on the spot.

Despite our distance, I could see the hint of worry in her eyes, but I was certain I was imagining it. There was no way the most beautiful and popular girl in school could be worried about me. But as she attempted to take a step forward, I felt a leap of hope. But it was immediately shattered as Brad appeared behind her and grabbed her wrist. I watched as he led her to his infamous bright red Mustang before driving out of the school.

●●●●●●●●●●●

When my eyes fell on my house, I was immediately filled with relief but also with dread and anxiety. When I left that house, I left the only person who truly cared about me helpless and in tears. If not for the growling that came from my stomach and the unbearable ache in my legs, I almost didn't want to go in.

But I knew my mom wouldn't be in there. She was probably getting settled into her hotel in Boston and having a romantic dinner with her boyfriend.

As I unlocked the front door to my home, I was immediately met with darkness and silence. I stepped in and unlocked the door behind me before rushing up to my room to take a shower.

After having the worst day of my life, I spent the night alone. A part of me wanted to call my mom and know if she was okay, but another part of me knew she would do so much better if she didn't have to look at the ungrateful brat that caused her so much pain.

●●●●●●●●

The next day was a lot better than the previous one. I didn't get attacked with kisses or faint from the lack of oxygen to my lungs, and I even got a place to sit on the bus. Everything went smoothly for the first three periods.

Until this moment.

It was lunch time, and I was sitting alone on a table, listening to some music by Richie Rod on my airpods. He was my favorite musician, but he was so underrated. The public didn't like him for reasons I didn't understand. His songs weren't exactly happy nor were they sad, but they left a numb feeling in one's chest, and I relished that feeling.

I was chowing down on the ham sandwich I made for myself back home when a pile of books were suddenly dumped right in front of me. The slam it made against the table had my heart jumping out of my chest, and I released a small scream that sounded a bit too feminine.

Brad stood with his group as they laughed at my reaction. "Hey, nerd. I have a bunch of projects that need to be submitted by tomorrow. I want to see straight A's on all of them, got it?"

I had no idea what had gotten into me when I said, "No."

The smile on their faces evaporated in a flash, and before I could blink, my feet were dangling in the air. Brad's furious face was right in mine; his eyes held a storm that I brewed, and his jaw was clenched so hard it was sharper than a blade.

"What did you just say to me?"

I probably should have taken back what I said, but I was obviously on a roll today. So, I summoned every bit of courage I had within me and repeated myself, "I said no. Are you deaf?" My last statement was probably going to be written on my gravestone as my last words.

It all happened so fast. The last thing I saw was Brad's fist as he raised it in the air before I shut my eyes and waited to be sent to the underworld. But then my ears were filled with the most angelic voice I have ever heard.

The voice of Cassy Miller.

"Baby, look at me."

Sadly, those words were not directed toward me. But it made my heart come to life and set my soul on fire. Yes, I may or may not like the most popular girl in Royalwood, but what straight guy didn't?

I peeled open my eyelids slowly, Brad's furious eyes were still directed at me. But from my peripheral vision, I could see Cassy's hand wrapped around his raised fist as she stood beside me.

Cassy Miller was standing right beside me!

Somehow, that was scarier than being punched to death by her terrifying boyfriend.

"Put him down, please." Cassy said, or rather, commanded. Her voice was soothing and calm, yet it held so much authority and power. That was a skill she had that I always admired. She could make anyone submit to her without even trying.

And Brad Henshaw was not an exception.

My butt met the dirty tiles, and pain quickly shot up my spine, resulting in a whimper to leave my mouth.

Cassy came to stand between Brad and me, and for some reason, I saw her as a shield—my shield.

There is no way any of this was real. I must be dreaming.

But I knew it was real when she wrapped her arms around Brad. The pain in my chest was the most realistic thing I've ever experienced.

"Come on, I'll help you with your home work. You can even stop by tonight and we'll have some fun," Cassy said, biting her bottom lip teasingly. I had to look away the moment their lips met. I wasn't going to punish myself by watching.

"You got lucky, nerd." Brad hissed before leaving with his squad. A single thought floated within my mind as I watched them leave.

I didn't get lucky.

Somehow, I preferred getting beaten to death to watching the girl I admired most walk away in the arms of the guy I hated even more.