His Ruthless Revenge (A Dark Bully Romance)

Chapter Twenty Five

Six years earlier...

"I promised I'd meet up with Mia this lunchtime." Finn tells me on Monday. "Do you want to join us?"
"I have some work I really need to catch up on so I'm going to do it at lunch." I reply evasively, scrambling for an excuse to avoid meeting up with them.
"You sure? I don't want you to be on your own or anything." Finn offers kindly.
"I won't be." I assure him. "I promise."
"Good."
"So... things are going well between you two?" I ask him, reluctant to hear his answer.
"April, I'm actually crazy about her." He chuckles, unable to hide his enthusiasm. "She's gorgeous, funny, smart and ridiculously sexy."
"Well, I'm glad things are going well." I say happily, trying to hide how much that hurt to hear.
"We spent most of the weekend together and still feel like I miss her." Finn laughs, shaking his head as though he can't quite believe it. "What did you get up to?"
I don't even consider telling him that I spent part of my weekend with Chase. There's no way Finn would ever understand and I can't handle an interrogation from him right now.
The fact that Chase and I have started to get to know each other is something that has to stay private. It's my personal business and there's no way that Finn would ever understand.
"It was... quiet. Nothing too exciting." I lie, hoping it's enough to sound convincing.
The bell rings and Finn grabs the last of his books out of his locker and slams it shut.
"Guess I should get going or I'll be late. Catch you later, April."
Finn heads off down the corridor and I'm left wondering what on earth I'm going to do on my own this lunchtime. Of course it was a complete lie that I have work to catch up on but couldn't think of another excuse on the spot.
"How's your day going so far?" Chase startles me abruptly, nudging my shoulder with his.
"Erm... it's ok, I guess." I reply awkwardly. "How's yours?"
"It's better now I've seen you." He jokes, offering me that million dollar smile of his.
"Such a charmer." I tease him, rolling my eyes at him.
"I was just wondering if you're going to be free this lunchtime?" He asks, raising his eyebrows at me in expectation.
"Why?" I demand suspiciously, my guard up immediately.
"I was just thinking we could get out of here this afternoon? What do you say?"
"As in skip school and ditch class?" I inquire hesitantly, keeping my voice low so no one else can hear us.
"Yeah, do you want to?" He prompts me, a hopeful expression on his face mixed with a hint of excitement.
"I've not done that before." I admit, biting on my lower lip as I try and weigh up the pros and cons of bunking off.
"So let me be your first." He whispers softly, speaking directly into my ear.
His deep voice and the feel of his breath against my skin makes me shiver. I can't seem to help the visceral reaction my body has when I'm close to him and it's frustrating to say the least.
"That was so cheesy." I chastise him, taking a step back to put some distance between us.
"I have to admit that was pretty bad." He concedes dismally, self-deprecating and embarrassed.
"Where would we even go? What would we do?" I  ask timidly, my mind flooding with possibilities.
"We can decide all that later." He insists, staring down at me intently. "Just say yes."
I wait a few moments before nodding my head, raking my fingers through my hair as though I've lost my mind.
"Go on then. Let's do it."
"Really? You mean you'll actually ditch?"
His eyes are sparkling with mischief but he sounds triumphant, genuinely surprised that he's managed to persuade me.
"Yes, I mean it but right now I need to get to class so I'll see you later."
"You won't regret it." He assures me, his voice full of  confidence. "I promise."

I can't stop thinking about Chase after our conversation and what it will be like to meet up with him at lunchtime.
My brain keeps trying to focus on my school work but it just won't let me, relentlessly drifting back to him over and over again.
I honestly don't know how my feelings towards Chase have changed so quickly but the scary part is acknowledging that they might have actually been there from the very beginning.

What kind of person does that make me? and how is it possible to have feelings for someone who made my life so miserable?

I end up exhausting myself with my incessant thinking and actually consider cancelling my plans with Chase by the time we reach lunchtime. However, the fact that I can't hang out with Finn and don't want to spend lunch by myself is enough to persuade me to give Chase a chance.