One of the Bullied | ✔

Chapter 35 - You Take My Breath Away

I find it really hard to sleep. I can only think about Jean trying to make me laugh, and Seth, who has now texted me asking if we can talk. I haven't answered, even though I desperately want to.

Shifting, I lean over to grab a book off my shelf, the first one I find. It's about learning Italian. I toss it onto the floor and reach for another. The Book Thief.

Well, I guess it's been a while since I last read it. Here goes nothing. I open the book to the middle - a bad habit of mine. But then again, if you already know the story, there's no point in reading from the beginning. I skip right to the last few chapters.

By the time I notice the fact that there's something hitting my window, there's tears streaming down my face. I look up in shock. I've been hearing strange noises for a few moments, but I'd dismissed it as the rain.

Then I see the stone hit my window. Oh my god. No. I grab the hoodie that was draped over my chair and pull it on, then go to the window and open it carefully. There's a figure standing in my front garden. It looks rather familiar, and for a moment I wonder how the hell Luke has found my house.

My vision sharpens a little, and I realise the figure is not a girl, or Luke. It's Seth. Oh, for fuck's sake. What is he doing here, at like twelve midnight?

He makes a couple of gestures, obviously wanting me to come down. Not being able to hold back at this opportunity being presented to me on a silver platter, I slip on some socks and tip-toe downstairs, exiting the house and closing the door gently behind me, so as to not wake my parents.

"What the hell do you want?" I ask, crossing my arms and trying not to scowl.

"I figured if you didn't want to talk to me on the phone, I'd have to come and see you. I also figured you probably wouldn't want to be seen with me in daylight, or in front of your parents."

"You're insane." I say.

"You're worth it." He answers, and I find myself taking a step closer to the door, nervously. Who knows what this guy might try to do?

"I will only talk to you if you promise not to kiss me again."

"I won't." He answers, but even in the dark, I can see he's smiling. "You look like you've been crying." He comments. "Are you okay?"

I think of Luke and Caleb and Seth a few weeks ago and I almost start crying again, to be honest. I shake my head. "I was reading." I say. "Feel free to laugh."

"I'm not going to laugh." He answers. "I know how books can make you feel."

"You wish you did." I answer, sniffing and then wiping my face properly and straightening up. Even though he's seen me weak so many times, I don't want to appear weak now.

He clears his throat.

"So what do you want?" I demand. He sits down on the front step, patting the ground next to him. I pull my shorts down a little self-consciously and sit down next to him. I'm only in my pyjamas.

"What I said the other day..." When I turn to him again, he's looking at the ground, and he's pulled his knees up. I try to stop noticing every movement he makes, but it's suddenly become very hard to do so. "I meant all of it." He finishes.

"You care more about your reputation than anything." I answer.

"That's not true." He sighs. "Listen, this is partially my fault. I will sacrifice my reputation, and whatever else is needed, to get you out of this situation."