My Lion. || BXB

chapter thirty-five.

i spent the rest of lunch with lionel, making sure he was alright. he stopped crying almost as soon as it started, which made me wonder if it was because i was there. i don't want lionel to think he can't be vulnerable in front of me, because he can.

when the bell rung, lionel and i were still sitting on the log talking about lionel's family a bit more. he told me he wanted to reach out to enzo again, so he was going to ask his dad for the phone number. i was pleased with this.

"i'm not going to my lesson." lionel stated bluntly, and i furrowed my eyebrows at him.
"what? why?" i asked.
he shrugged. "i don't want to."
"lionel don't skip your lesson." i stood up from the log, and he mimed my action.
"it's only drama anyway, but i'll meet you at the gate after school and you can come to my house again." he said calmly, and i let out an exasperated sigh.
"fine." i nodded, leaning up to give him a gentle kiss on the cheek before disappearing back into the forest and onto the field.

i made my way to my last lesson, which was religion, and i knew i was going to have to sit next to nick. which wouldn't usually be bad but i knew he'd ask me where i was at lunch.

they were going to find out about lionel and i eventually, i knew they were, but fuck i didn't want them too. everyday i'm friends with them i'm getting closer to them and i'm realising just how much they despise lionel and his little clan. i knew they'd see this as a betrayal which i don't particularly disagree with. but the heart wants what the heart wants, right?

as i entered the maths classroom, nick looked at me from across the room and his eyes didn't leave mine until i sat down in my seat besides him. "hi." i said quietly, tucking my chair in quietly.
"where were you?" he asked.
i sighed, "i..." i was so tired of lying. "i was with someone..."

"WHAT?" he shouted at the top of his lungs, and i wasn't sure if i should feel offended by how surprised he was. i watched nick's face turn pink as the teacher gave him a deathly glare from the other side of the classroom.
"why is that so shocking..." i shuffled in my seat.
"well it's not i just— why didn't you tell me?"
and god, if only he knew. "because you're not going to like who it is..." i said honestly, and i watched his eyebrows furrow.

nick didn't speak for a few moments after that, i think he was guessing who it could be in his mind. "just tell me." he spoke after more moments of silence. i took in a deep breath, knowing this was a long time coming.

"lionel." the words squeaked out of my mouth and i watched his face carefully as it shrivelled up after he took in my words.
"WHAT?" he shouted, standing up from his chair and abruptly kicking it backwards. i flinched at his outburst and sunk lower in my chair.
"NICK, HUNTLEY, OUT OF MY CLASSROOM NOW!" mr taylor reamed us both, which made us feel extremely embarrassed as we moved out of his lesson. it's not like we were doing any work anyway.

"tell me you're just making a joke." nick said as soon as i closed the classroom door behind me.
i felt my cheeks turn pink, "i know this isn't funny." i shrugged.
"damn right it's not funny!" he spat again, clenching his fists and i stared in interest. i could probably take him, truth be told.
"listen nick—"
"no you listen! you have only been here a few weeks, alright? you don't know who he is. you ain't got a bloody clue, hunter! he will hurt you over and over again, trust me." he folded his arms dominantly and i sulked down against the wall.

after sitting on the floor, i forced my eyes to look back up at my friend. the friend who had took me under his wing when i first came to this school. the friend who, without him, i wouldn't have any friends. the friend who treated me like he had known me for years. and now he hated me.