The Rejected (Book 3)

Chapter 5: King

It was a good thing I listened to Cecelia and kept those ice packs on. I left like crap the next day. I was going to kill Philip. That coward couldn't face me alone. I will show him.

I walked up to the broken mirror on my wall trying to see the damage. She was right, I had a black eye. However, it did add to my bad boy aura. Cecelia was going to flip when she saw me. I rummaged through my messy drawers looking for a new shirt. I picked one out and sniffed it. It smelled alright. Seeing that it was clean enough, I slipped it on and left my room. I did not like being holed up in a place for too long.

I decided to go to my lessons today just to show Philip that even though I was black and blue, he did not phase me. All eyes were on me once more checking out the damage. Sometimes I felt like people got off my pain, even if they didn't do it, someone else got revenge for them. I really did make a lot of enemies but that was only because I was judged before I had a chance to prove myself. If they only saw me as trouble then I was going to give them hell, and I did since day one.

Philip had his back to me. One of his cronies noticed me approaching them and nudged him to turn. I could see the satisfied look in his eyes at what he had accomplished to do to my face.

"Look who decided to show up," he said with a satisfied smirk.

"Yeah, the devil," I said before swinging my fist and connecting it with his face. It all happened so fast that no one knew how to react. I then tackled Philip and started connecting more of my fist to his face. He managed to punch me right in the bruised ribs making groan in severe pain but I didn't stop. "Not so strong now that your dogs aren't holding me back you coward!"

As if that seemed to trigger them, his friends wrapped their hands around my arms jerking me off Philip. I shrugged one off and turned and punched the one to my left and quickly turned and drop kicked the other one. My body was aching but the adrenaline rushing through my blood had me on a high.

I put my fists in front of me bouncing from foot to foot waiting for someone to make a move. They all just stood wearily around me not sure whether to attack or not. "I warned you all that Cecelia was off limits. Anyone that dares look at her the wrong way will have his head ripped off, am I clear?"

They all looked at me as if I was crazy.

"Answer him, is he clear?" said a familiar voice. All faces turned pale as they made a path for the king to make his way through. He put a hand on my shoulder in a supporting manner. Eyes were about to bulge out of heads. Everyone knew that the king and I were not on good terms. The fact that he was standing with me was an all time shock to everyone.

"Yes your majesty," mumbling came from the surrounding boys.

He lay his eyes on Philip who was trying to stop his bloody nose. "You. You stay away from my daughter and Jasper. I am giving you a warning."

His dark tone was a perfect indicator that no one wanted to cross him. He now looked at me, his eyes softening. "Jasper, a moment please."

I followed the king to a private area near the trees. "News travels fast."

I let out a humourless laugh. I learned that the hard way, it travelled almost as fast as gossip. "Yes that is true."

"Thank you, for always putting my daughter before you. I know I have always seemed like the bad guy towards you but I just wanted to protect my baby girl. I know that you understand where I am coming from since you have done the same. At first I thought you were going to corrupt her. My father always seemed to like you for some reason. I never knew why, but now I sort of do. For years you have been the only person Cecelia trusted the most in the world, and now I am putting my faith in you. My wife seems to think you are special and I could sort of see the appeal over the years," he confessed. My heart swell up hearing him talk. Never in my life did I see this happening.