Used To Be Me

Chapter 42: Bloom

Anna's Pov

My eyes were wide open when I stared gobsmacked at my new boyfriend. I couldn't believe him! Five minutes into our relationship, and this! I was definitely not prepared nor ready for this. It was too soon, too rushed.

The whole student body already despises me, why make it worse? Although students tend to have a surge of hatred towards me, it never crossed the line of cursing or physically hurting me. Normally all they would do is ignore me; not even sparing a single glance. I had never experienced bullying before, but what if it gets out of hand?

I gripped David's hand tighter, attempting to breathe and calm myself down. As much as I desperately wanted to scream, shout, and curse at David, I was too petrified to even move.

My mom and dad chatted amongst  themselves; oblivious to how strucken I looked. I was frustrated. Frightened. Worried.

And all I thought about in this moment was giving David a very hard smack across his stupid grinning face.

So I did.

"Ow! Anna!" He whined clutching his hand printed cheek in his right palm.

"What is wrong with you! Are you madly stupidly absolutely positively insane!" I exclaimed. Although our hands were still intertwined, I tried to slap his face again with my left hand. David caught my wrist, not sparing any attention to my mother was was intently watching us from the corner of her eyes with a smile on her face. However, my dad didn't bother interfering with the situation.

"What's wrong with me? You just hurt me! In fact, you just jabbed at my face on the first day of our relationship! Who does that?" He retorted smartly, raising an eyebrow. At the playful glint in his eyes, I could tell he wasn't actually offended. Being my best friend for as long as I could remember, he was pretty much used to my violent actions towards him, which is a lot to handle.

"David I'm scared! It's way too soon! We should wait! Please David!" I pleaded.

"No way. It's either we'll do this together or I'll do it alone. Either way, everyone will know by the end of school."

"Why are you doing this so soon!" I sputtered out anxiously. "David, at least put some thought into your decision. Is this so you could humiliate me and make everyone hate me even more?! David, I don't want that."

David turned his whole body towards me and clutched both of my hands. He sighed. "Anna. I want to show everyone that you're mine; that you belong to me. Believe me; you're every man's dream, but you're my dream, and I want each and every soul to know. And no matter what, I'll protect and do everything in my power to make sure they don't lay a single finger on you. You just have to trust me."

Oh. My. Goodness.

There was no way in the universe to hide the enormous blush that creeped up my neck and filled my cheeks. I could feel myself falling for the lad in front of me all over again, and the way he melted my heart. With most of my brain practically fawning at his words, I managed to utter out a breathless "okay."

At this point, he could tell me to stab myself with a machete and I would happily have a wound in a heartbeat.

The nervousness had a reoccurring appearance when I felt the Camry come to a halt. I grudgingly mustered all of my sanity to glance up at our destination, even though I knew where we were. My breath hitched when I feel warm, comforting arms engulfed me in a hug.

"Trust me." He whispered, sending shivers down my spine. I slightly nodded, and he slowly pulled away. He put his hand on the handle and opened the car door, climbing out to the front of the school. He didn't waste another minute to hold out his hand for me to take, making me fawn as he escorted me out of the vehicle and closed the car door.

"Bye Annabear! I love you! " Both of my parents chanted in unison, rolling their windows up. I waved at them through the car windows and gazed at their red Camry as they drifted off onto the road and disappeared from my sight.

"We should get going." David appeared beside me, grasping my hand in his. "The sooner the better love."

He started to pace forwards towards the building doors, but our intertwined hands held him back as I stood frozen on the pavement.

"D-david..." I stammered out, my palms shaking nervously. "I-I'm scared."

"Trust me." He stated softly, tugging my hand to pull me closer to his body.

He held out a confident hand towards the school doors and twisted it ever so delicately, then gestured for me to go first.

I thanked him multiple times, striving for anything to distract my frantic nerves. We were a short distance from the hallway, where I could hear the loud chatters and plenty conversations of students. I looked down at my shoes as David led the way, and we finally came to a stop.

It was only a matter of moments before the conversations abruptly ceased, and all eyes were on us. It was silent, and the warmth of David's palm comforted me. I felt his hand grip mind tighter, and I grasped it equally as hard.

I scrunched my eyes closed as whispers of students slowly filled the room. The only thoughts running through my mind were the constant words of David chanting Trust me. Trust me. Trust me.

So I did.

"Good mornin' everyone!" David happily cheered like his usual bubbly self; a version of him the student body hasn't seen in weeks. He seemed more joyful and calm ever since we confessed our feelings, and that was all I needed to be happy. Knowing his depression had subsided a bit made me tremendously relieved, and I bet the students would feel happier now that he had a cheerful mood. It was like they mimicked his emotions; another aspect of how much control he had over them. Also, an aspect that helped calm me a little.

"So," he paused, and I glanced at him hopefully. "You may all know Anna. Long story short; she's my girlfriend now! Oh! And here's one more thing."

I watched his features as his expression turned serious.

"If any of you dare to hurt Anna in any way possible, I promise I'll do anything in my power to make your life miserable. And I genuinely swear that you might end up in a hospital room or three feet underground in a coffin. Do I make myself clear?"

"Clear." I hear many responses from within the hallway, and relief washes over me was we begin to pace forward. No one dared to glare or give me a look of disgust. No one spat words of hurt or distaste at me.

"I told you to trust me." He mumbled quietly in my ear, then pressed a quick peck on my cheek. A simple gesture to make my heart bloom.

A blanket of my hair desperately covered my flushed face, trying to hide my embarrassment from my crush. I grinned at Riley who squealed at her locker as we passed her, with Jake right beside her as well. My smile slightly faded when I saw Louis and Ava together at her locker, scowling at David and I. I shook all of my insecurities away as we both stopped at my locker, nearby children waving and greeting us shyly as I grabbed my possessions from my backpack and gathered the items I needed for my upcoming classes.

"Let me help you love." He insisted, snatching my binder and textbooks out of my hands to hold with his essentials.

And that simple action was more than enough to make my heart bloom relentlessly.

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Hello loves! Ooh! St. Patricks day! In other words, it's Naill, Neil, and Niall day for my directioners! Gotta love the Irish toast!