Perfect Student

Chapter 26

(TRIGGER WARNING- physical violence) 

"He does not like me!" I screeched, pushing my hand over my face.

"Who doesn't like you?" Hunter asked from behind me. He leaned down and put his face on my shoulder, sending a sharp alcohol scent in my direction.

 "This girl at the party," I answered automatically. "She was totally interested."

Trinity glanced at me with confusion but stayed mercifully silent.

"You said he was interested. Who is he?" Hunter asked again. His voice was playful but my mind raced, considering all the ways that this could end.

Trinity answered for me.

"We were talking about how all the other girls have a crush on Mr. Mason. I was saying I bet he's interested in Adeline, since she's Bryce's sister and all," Trinity babbled, giggling at the thought. I smiled at my friend anxiously, waiting for Hunter's reaction.

"Well, who wouldn't be interested in my Adeline?" he asked, turning so his lips grazed my ear. He bit down on my earlobe, and I lurched sideways, embarrassed at Trinity watching this occur. Thankfully, the stoners that had been sitting outside had gone back in. Unluckily, Hunter's football friends had come out and were sharing beers on the back patio. 

"Don't be such a prude," Hunter whispered, wrapping his left arm around my neck in a soft headlock.

"Hunter, get off," I uttered, trying to turn and face him. His arm slid tighter around my neck like a snake and his tongue tickled my ear as he got closer. I moved forward on my seat to stand but he pulled my back to his chest and leaned in more. 

Before I could respond, Trinity leaped to her feet and shoved Hunter back with both hands. What wouldn't have moved him an inch while sober sent him tumbling back, falling onto the grass and sliding in the dirt like he'd been tackled. He pulled himself up onto his elbows and looked at me with surprise.

"She said no," Trinity growled, showing a side to her that I'd never seen before.

"What the fuck?" Hunter yelled, blushing as his football friends laughed from the back porch. They had witnessed the whole thing. He yelled at them until they went back inside, leaving only us three in the darkness, bathed in porch light.

 "Adeline! Tell your friend that I was messing around!" Hunter yelled, glaring at me as if it was my fault. Trinity scoffed like that would never happen and I froze with indecision. The alcohol made my head loll to face each of them but didn't give me a response. Hunter got to his feet, and I took action, jumping between them instinctively. I faced Trinity and shook my head at her.

"He was just messing around," I told her, hands on her shoulders. "You don't have to take things so seriously." I could feel Hunter's breath on my neck as he sneered at her. Trinity's face turned pink as she looked at him and then back at me.

"I can't believe you," she said to me, a look of disgust on her face. My heart shattered as her face reinforced every thought I had about myself. She yanked her body from my grasp and stormed away from me, through the glass door and presumably back to her car.

"Good riddance, bitch," he chuckled, shaking his shirt to let the grass fall to the ground. I stared at his arrogant face as my feelings rose unthinkingly to the surface. I didn't care if he hurt me, but for a second there, Trinity was unsafe. I saw it in his eyes. If I hadn't jumped in, it might've been her blonde curled hair wrapped around his fist. The image made hatred burn in me.

"That's my best friend!" I shouted murderously, letting the alcohol set me free. Months of being torn down and shoved and bullied swept over me like a powerful wave. I didn't want this. I didn't want Hunter if this is what it cost me.

"She fucking pushed me!" Hunter yelled, straightening to his full height, and flexing his arms. He towered over me and blocked the light, submerging me in darkness.

"You fucking deserved it!" I shouted, feeling chains that I didn't know existed before breaking. I stood as tall as I could and pulled my leather jacket on in a weak act of defiance, glaring as I did.

Hunter was silent, looking down at me like he was staring at a stranger. He took a step closer, dissolving the inches between our bodies. I waited for him to speak but the air was still and soundless, even the stragglers had gone home or went inside by now.

Hunter looked down at me and smiled. In the same second, his arm shot out like a bullet and his fingers wrapped around my neck, squeezing my airway until it didn't exist. I pulled my hands up and tried to tug his veiny hands off, but it was pointless, like it always was.

"What did you say, slut?" he asked in a low voice. I shook my head as best I could, wishing I could take it back, or that I had run the second the words left my mouth.

My vision started to blur with red spots as I gaspedfor air that wasn't coming. He let go of me suddenly and I dropped to my knees,scratching at my neck as if there was an imaginary hand still wrapped aroundit. Air flooded my lungs and tears poured down my face as a sob broke free.

He turned around without another word, heading back to his friends and the party. My voice was raspy as it scraped its way free from my throat.

"I'm leaving you Hunter," I said, still drinking in air. His footsteps stopped, so I knew he heard me. I repeated it, loving the way his spine snapped upright and his breathing stopped.

"I'm leaving you," I said again, relishing in the way my voice lifted as I swallowed and coated my throat again.

He turned around and looked at me, kneeling on the ground, hands pressed tenderly to my neck.

"No, you're not," he said back before his arm recoiled and then punched outward, heading straight for my face.

The shock struck me first; the surety that myboyfriend was aiming not to teach me a lesson, but to hurt me. Then, the painfollowed. Stars blasted in dazzling white behind my eyes and jolts shot throughmy face, emanating from the point of impact. I fell backwards onto the grassand my hand flew up to tenderly cup my face, while the other arm helped mescoot back.

I clutched my head as the pain ricocheted until my vision cleared. I saw Hunter walking back towards the glass door, not sparing me a backwards glance. The door shut loudly behind him, deserting me on the cold lawn. I shakily ripped my phone out of my pocket in a panic. I didn't think Hunter was going to come back but there was nothing I could do if he did. He was my ride home and running wouldn't get me away fast enough.

I whimpered in relief as my phone lit up, still full of battery life. I scrolled through my contacts, looking for my way out of here. My thumb hovered over Trinity's name, but something dissuaded me from pressing down. I didn't know if it was pride because of our argument, or fear of her seeing me like this. I flipped to Bryce's contact and considered it as well but hesitated. I didn't want him to know about Hunter. Fresh tears began pouring both from the pain in my head and the choice I had to make.

Inspiration came. I typed in the number that I still knew by heart and held my phone up to my ear.

"Addy?" he asked with surprise. I bit my lip to keep from crying into the phone and scaring him. As it was, my voice was unsteady and near silent.

"C-can you come get me?" I asked, closing my eyes.

"Of course. Send me your address. I'll be there as fast as I can," he reassured me. Just like last time.