Winning Her Heart (Completed)

3. Camilla

How dare he, after everything that happened last term and even before that, to act as if he is my friend, to help me.
What was the punchline, what was he doing?
I rushed down to get the bag for Dad not wanting to leave him alone with Kristian.  I had worked hard to keep what was happening from my parents, preferring to deal with it myself, if I had needed anyone for help, I would have asked Alex and Henry but they were so focused on Geneva, I hadn't wanted to tell them what had happened, and knowing Alex he would have strung those involved up by their school ties in front of the school, then proceeded to bring their families to their knees as well.
When the email had come from the school with the news that Natalie and Jonah had been expelled and why, I had sighed in relief, they had been the worse, the leaders of the pack, Natalie had been my first real experience of bullying and I had never worked out why, what I had done to make her hate me.  She had transferred into the school two years ago, all long legs and flowing blond hair, full of smiles and hellos, and instantly had the boys at her beck and call, she had been very friendly at first, and I had believed her interest in being my friend, until she had wanted to come home with me on a break, pressuring for an invite and asking questions about Alex and I had said No, it wasn't possible, after that she had backed off and been distant and it was then the torment had started, little snide remarks about my looks, my family, my work, you name it, there would be a negative comment from someone.  Not from her initially, she had played my worried friend, till I realised it all came from her. Verbal abuse had grown into physical shoves and people who had been my friends eventually kept away to stay safe themselves, my school work had been stolen or defaced, but never anything I couldn't cope with, till the end of last term when Natalie and Sophie had stolen my clothes and shoved me out into the hall, practically naked expect for the small towel, the comments from the gathered crowd, especially the older boys had finally made me break, but it had been Kristian confused eyes I had remembered as I fled.
I thought about him, his best friend Jonah had been one of the ringleaders, Jonah as Natalie's boyfriend had been the cruelest with his taunts and grabby touches and Kristian had backed him, always watching and letting the others know where I was, making sure to block my way, when they came at me. I knew Natalie fancied Kristian but he hadn't been interested in her, so she had settled for Jonah, always second best Jonah, but I know she watched Kristian, hell everyone watched him, he was stunning, even when doing her evil deeds, knocking my books out of my hands, or him tipping his drink down my front, just before the evening social, his dark laughter following me as I had run back to my dorm room to change.
I shivered as I thought about Kristian, I would never admit it, but prior to Natalie's arrival, I too had watched the beautiful Kristian, spinning wild fantasies in my mind, fantasies that became nightmares at the hands of him and his friends.
I crept back to my room, relieved to find Dad alone and looking out the window, his hands in his pocket.
"Come in and sit down Millie, there's something I want to ask you before I leave" he says turning to face me and I gulp, moving to sit at my desk, watching him as he faces me.
"I know about the bullying, will you tell me about it" he asked and I shifted in the seat.
"It's nothing Dad"
"Was Kingston involved?" He pushed.
I nodded but stayed silent as he paced in front of me.
"Was he the ringleader?"
"No, those two left at the end of last term, I was hoping this would be a new start, that it would stop" I tell him and he looks back at me.
"And Kristian, why did he help earlier?"
"I don't know, I really don't know" I whisper, looking down.
He stopped in front of me and crouched down, taking my hands in his. "I want your promise that if anything happens, if anyone even looks at you wrong you will let us know, let me know, promise me"
I nodded, tears in my eyes "I promise Daddy"
He pulled me into a hug and I felt like a child again safe in his arms "good girl" he whispered kissing my forehead.
"Does Papa know?" I ask and he shakes his head,
"No, but I will have to tell him if anything else happens" he warns me and I sigh.
"Mom?"
He laughs "Definitely not, she'd be worse than Papa" and I grin with him, leaning into his arms.
"But not as bad as Alex could be" I offered causing us both to laugh as we thought about how Alex would have dealt with the situation.
"Ahh yes, it's a good job your brothers have other priorities at the moment, now will you be alright?" He questions and I nod.
"Yes Daddy, I will"