We Were Once Wallflowers Part: One - An Extreme Dark Bully Romance

Part 1 - Life Before Him - Scene 3 - Friday

Originally written and posted on 2/20/2024 

Please Note: This first draft is subject to change upon official publication, including the addition of never-before-read scenes. If you enjoyed this chapter, please show your support by liking and following me for more smutty dark romance featuring all the controversial elements readers love—or love to hate.

Part 1 - Life Before Him - Scene 3

Jane sat in the nurse's office; head propped back with an ice pack pressed against her nose. Her face was cleaned once the bleeding was under control, but her shirt remained ruined to an ugly dried blood brown. Her eyes shifted to Cooper, who lay on one of the beds, fully conscious and watching her closely as the nurse examined Jane's nose.

"Let me see." Nurse Nelson pulled Jane's hand away. She pressed lightly on Jane's nose and over her cheeks. "I don't think it's broken, but I'd still suggest you see your family doctor." She added, "How are you feeling?"

Glancing again toward Cooper, Jane replied, "Fine."

The nurse turned to Cooper and said, "You owe her one hell of an apology."

Cooper cracked a smile and leaned up on his arm. "Miss. Nelson, you cursed."

Nurse Nelson shook her head. "Don't you start with me, Cooper Miles. Principal Kline already phoned your father."

Cooper groaned and slumped back against the bed, folding his hands behind his head. "Great. Now my dad's gonna to beat my ass and call it a lesson."

Nurse Nelson sighed. "Well, you should have thought of that before you dragged Jane into your latest mess."

"This time it wasn't my fault." Cooper looked insulted.

"And all the others?"

"Are debatable." Cooper propped himself back on his side. "Depends on who it was."

The tension in the room thickened. Jane's gaze flickered between Cooper and Nurse Nelson, sensing the long history between the two of them.

Nurse Nelson sighed again and replied, "When is it ever your fault, Cooper?" She stood and went to her cluttered desk, her frustration evident in the way she handled the stacks of paperwork. "You need to be careful now that you're 18. You get in front of the wrong judge, one that doesn't look too kindly on boys like you–"

Cooper frowned, asking, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you no longer have the option of being charged as a minor. Your actions will have adult consequences so you better start thinking like one." Nurse Nelson stood, clutching the finished paperwork about the incident in her hand. "You can start by apologizing to Jane."

Cooper's gaze shifted to Jane. "It was an accident."

Nurse Nelson shook her head in silent disappointment. "Some apology that was. I'm going to go speak with Principal Kline and see if the office got a hold of Jane's parents yet. Stay put, the both of you." But her eyes lingered on Cooper. "I mean it Cooper. You better be here in that bed when I get back. Got it?"

Cooper held up three fingers. "Scouts honor and all that."

Nurse Nelson left the room, heading out into the main office. The air seemed to thicken around Jane and Cooper as they sat in near silence, the soft clicks of Nurse Nelson's heels fading down the long hallway to the main office.

Jane's heart raced with a mixture of anger and something else, something she couldn't quiet put a name to. Cooper's presence was intimidating even from across the room, and his stare chipped away at her nerves.

Cooper broke the tension, his voice low and tinged with annoyance. "You shouldn't have gotten in the way, Janey."

Suddenly, Cooper stood and knelt in front of Jane. Her heart pounded in her chest as she flinched, instinctively recoiling from his touch.

"Calm down, loser. I'm not going to hit you. I just want to see something." His hand covers hers, pulling the ice pack away from her face. Cooper pressed lightly around her nose like Nurse Nelson had done moments ago, and Jane jerked away, wincing under the pain. "It ain't broken, but you might have a nice black eye or two in the morning. Icing it will help the most."

When Jane tried to move away, not liking how close he was getting, his fingers found her jaw and tighten, holding her head in place. His stare grew cold as he spoke. "Tell them it was an accident."

Jane attempted to shake her head as tears welled in her eyes, but his grip tightened. "Brit–"

"–did nothing." Cooper leaned closer, cutting Jane off, his breath fanning across her face. "Don't be stupid, Janey. I don't want to hurt you, but I will if you make me."

Cooper let her go and stood, towering over her as she was forced to look up at him. The studded belt buckle almost directly in her face. "For what it's worth, I didn't know it was you. I thought it was Jacob or somebody else jumping into the fight."

He went to the door and leaned out, looking up and down the hallway. "This is our little secret, right?"

Jane gave him a small nod in agreement, not really knowing if it was her fear of saying no to him, or if she wanted to share a secret with him.

With that, Cooper headed out the door, leaving it wide open.

Someone down the hall in the main office spoke out. "Cooper Miles, don't you walk out that door."

"Sorry, Nurse Nelson. I gotta go."

Jane stared at the open doorway, listening to Cooper exit the main office.

Her hand goes to the same spot Cooper's fingers had gripped, a small smile forming across her lips. Despite everything, the fear and pain, there was something undeniably thrilling about Cooper touching her.