The Boy Next Door ≫ l.h [on hold]

thirteen

By the time classes were about to start was the time I had woken up. I rushed to get ready and ran out the door like lightning.

The school building came into view and the hallways were almost completely empty.

Rushing to my locker I grabbed everything I needed and ran towards my classroom.

I rounded the corner and looking up from the ground, I was soon met with strong, hard knock to the floor that sent my books, as well as myself, stumbling around.

"Sorry." I muttered, quickly trying to get all of my things together.

"No need to apologize, baby girl."

I paused right then and there, knowing exactly who spoke back.

As I looked up, he had his hand outstretched toward me but I declined, pushing my body off the ground and brushed off.

"How are you?" He inquired.

"Why does it matter?"

"Just wondering. You cut your hair recently didn't you? And got a little thicker." He takes a piece of my hair into his fingers and twirls it around.

"I guess." I pushed his hand away from me, and attempted to walk past him.

He quickly grabs my arm to hold me back. I grit my teeth and turn to glare at him.

"Leave me the hell alone!"

"Why should I?" He sneered.

"Because the last time I remember, you were in a juvenile detention center for domestic violence and assault. Something that'll happen again if you don't get your fucking hands off of me. Hopefully for a longer sentence." I snapped at him.

He backed up in defense and raised his eyebrows. "Damn. Now this definitely isn't the same Emily from before."

Suddenly, I felt a surge of confidence within me. For so long, I allowed myself to wallow in hurt without doing anything for myself. With Luke around so much, I've felt the most safe and energized that I have ever been since the events of my previous relationship.

It was time to stand up for myself. Because I deserved it.

"No. It's not. Actually, it's a tougher Emily, a stronger one. I'm not afraid of you anymore Cameron. Everyone knows who are now. They know what you've done. You can't hurt me anymore."

"Are you sure about that, baby? Because here I am." He stretches his arms out to gesture to his position. "In the flesh. And I am very sure, I can still touch you." He moves one of his arms with a pointed finger to touch my cheek but I slap it away before he can try.

"The only reason why they even let you back in is because your rich parents bought your way back into this school." I was sure this was true because after he had been arrested, his parents showed no remorse for what their son had done to me. "Otherwise, you would've somewhere else."

He waved his hand nonchalantly. "Never mind how I got back in, because I'm here now. Not much you can do. Look, you may not be afraid of me anymore, but I still know your weaknesses. I can still touch you, without even laying a hand on you. I can still find a way to get what I want."

I kept quiet and furrowed my eyebrows in anxiety.

"You've been spending quite a lot of time with that Hemmings boy haven't you?" He asked out of the blue, but it seemed more like a statement than a question. "He's not the angel you think he is, ya know."

"Look I don't know what the fuck you think you can do to me now, but leave Luke the hell out of this. Leave me alone and leave Luke alone, too." I replied forcefully.

I finally pushed past him and walk swiftly away.

"You'll find out soon, baby girl! You'll find out what he did, why he moved here, and when you do, you'll know I was right." He shouts after me.

Stopping in my tracks, "Yeah, like everyone else was about you? They were all right. They warned me, they knew you were bad for me but I was so stupid, so ignorant to see that."

After that speech, I continued walking away, knowing that, for once, I was the stronger one in this situation.

~•~•~•~•~

Luke met me in the hallway after class. I guess I was quite exhausted and anxious from my argument with Cameron that it was evident in my appearance.

"Woke up late, I see?" He laughed, assuming my reason for looking so drained was because of a rough night's sleep.

I smiled back at him softly.

"Yeah, I just-I guess I overslept somehow." I lied, deciding to leave out the part of Cameron and I's conversation.

"So, I was wondering if you wanted to do something with me this weekend. I have these concert tickets for All Time Low. I was supposed to go with Michael but he said something came up, so I have an extra one." He informed. "You wanna come with me?"

"All Time Low is one of my favorite bands. Of course I'd love to go!" My thoughts about Cameron were completely erased and were replaced with excitement.

"Really?" He asked in disbelief. "Great! But-uh, I can't drive here yet, so my mum's going to have to take us." He said in embarrassment.

I giggled at him.

"That's alright with me."

"Okay." He smiled. "Well then, let's both get to class. I'll see you later."

I waved goodbye as I walked toward next class, already anticipating for the weekend to come sooner.