Shattered Asylum

Chapter 36

I don't know why he is called Teddy Bear. He isn't fluffy or nice at all. He looks like a bodybuilder on steroids. He doesn't talk either, just grunts.

His massive frame barely fits in the car, his head brushing the room. He has to be at least 6'6.

As he drives me to school, his black shades reflect nothing but the road ahead. The silence is heavy, and I sink into my seat, fiddling with the straps of my backpack.

When we pull up to the front of the school, I already feel the students' eyes on us. I reach for the door handle, eager to escape the attention, but Teddy grunts, a low, rumbling sound that makes me pause.

He steps out, adjusting his suit with robotic precision before striding around to my side. He opens the door and waits, his expression unreadable. I clear my throat as whispers ripple through the crowd of onlookers.

"Thanks, Teddy. I'll wait here after school," I mumble before hurrying inside.

I keep my head down as I navigate the crowded halls, making my way to my locker. The air feels heavy, like it knows something I don't.

I shove my books into the metal compartment, hoping to disappear into the rhythm of my day.

But then my locker slams shut, nearly catching my fingers.

I jerk back, my breath hitching. Slowly, I turn to face him.

Daniel.

"Care to tell me where you went yesterday?" He asks, his lips curling into a smile that doesn't reach his eyes.

I freeze, my mouth dry. Words refuse to come.

His smile fades, his expression darkening. "You better answer me," he snarls.

"I-I got sick and went to the nurse's office," I stammer, my voice barely above a whisper. My knees feel like they might give out.

He scoffs, stepping closer. The smell of his cologne is suffocating. "That's why you ran off the stage and embarrassed me?" His tone is sharp, each word slicing into me.

"I-I didn't mean to," I stutter again, gripping the straps of my backpack like a lifeline.

Without warning, he shoves me against the locker. The cold metal presses into my back as his hands slam onto the lockers on either side of my head, trapping me.

"You know what you get to do to make it up to me?" He asks, his voice dripping lower.

He leans in, his body pressing against mine. My whole body shakes as panic grips me.

When he tries to kiss me, I turn my head, desperate to avoid him. His growl sends chills down my spine as he grabs my jaw, forcing my face back toward his.

His lips crash into mine, rough and wet, stealing my breath and leaving nothing but terror in its wake.

I don't fight back. I know what happens when I resist.

His hands roam, digging into my waist, and I feel the sting of tears sliding down my cheeks. My mind screams at me to do something, anything, but my body stays frozen, numb.

He pulls back, his eyes softening slightly when he sees my tears. He wipes them away with his thumbs like he's done something kind.

"Don't cry, baby," he murmurs. "I missed you too. We'll never be apart again."

He pulls me into a suffocating hug. I don't respond. The weight of his words settles over me like chains. I'll never escape him.

"Hey, Danny," Chloe's voice chirps from down the hall.