You, Me, and All The Spaces In-between

CHAPTER 8

Tyson's presence hit me like a punch to the gut.

No, really, he stalked out into the open and struck me, fist clenched and brow furrowed. As I keeled over, coughing and spluttering, the breath knocked from my lungs, two other guys I vaguely recognised from the football team stepped into the hallway.

"See?" Tyson scoffed, crouching to peer into my face. "He's such a weakling." He grasped my back and lifted his knee, ramming it into my stomach.

As I hunched over, gasping for breath, he stood back and grinned wickedly at his friends. "Pathetic, isn't he? Just because Cash is too scared to go in on this loser, doesn't mean I am." He crouched again to meet my eyes, and there was nothing but cold disdain in them. "Thought you could give us the slip in the library and we wouldn't get you back? Thought you could outsmart us?"

In a sudden movement Tyson withdrew and then darted forward, kicking me in the ribs. Wheezing in pain, I fell to the ground and clutched my side, coughing sharply.

"Think again."

Panic, pain, alarm-It all flashed through me, gripping me, but I couldn't escape, and no one else was around; Chemistry had been my last class of the day, and now the science building was empty. To my relief, Tyson was stepping away, friends by his side.

"I have to go now," he said, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Ciao, Alyx."

He smirked at me over a shoulder as he walked away, and I was overcome with such a burning, insurmountable hatred. Cash, Bryce, Tyson-They'd always picked on me, but never this.

I waited for a minute; for what, I didn't know. For someone to rush forward and help me stand, for someone to worry and fuss over my injuries. Maybe even for someone to go seek retribution for my attack. But sometimes, heroes just don't show up. And so I scrambled to my feet, panting and cringing, and hobbled all the way home.

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