I'm Not a Fighter, I'm a Victim

Chapter 12

Luca 

I suddenly became scared for my life. Riley had seen me with Tiberius. She’ll hate me! She’ll hate me for being friends with her tormentor. She’ll hate me for eternity! This would be ultimate betrayal to her. 

I can imagine how it would come out. 

Terrible

1.She’ll ask me why I’m friends with him. 

2.I’ll tell her that I know about her being bullied.

3.Then our friendship is ruined! 

I can’t let that happen!

I ran into the school building seeing a guy---non muscular thank goodness---gawking at her. I could assume he was flirting with her by that smug look on his face. It makes me wanna punch him! 

“Riley” I called out, and she turned around. 

She was absolutely stunning. Her hair looked so bouncy and bright as fire. Those brown eyes that I adore so were brought out so much. She was gorgeous, simply gorgeous. 

“What Luca,” she said rather angry. “Aren’t you supposed to be hanging out with Tiberius?” She snarled and the color flushed out of my face. 

“I didn’t want it to happen like this” I mumbled and her eyes narrowed at me. “I wanted to---” 

“Alright rich kid, you’ve had your time, our turn” the boy interrupted me, looking hungrily at Riley. “You can’t have someone this gorgeous all to yourself” He said grabbing her arm and pulling her into his chest. 

Anger and jealousy boiled within me. Sure she hates me now, but I have some kind of feelings for her. I’m not just going to sit there while that guy gropes her. Not in my book, not to Riley. “Hey, I suggest you get off of her” I said attempting to hold my anger back. 

“And what are you going to do?” He challenged letting go of her and brushing up on me. He wants a fight. A fight that I’m willing to give; I have to prove I’m worthy of being her friend, maybe more than that if this goes right. “Come on rich boy, what’re ya going to do?” He challenged again pushing me back. Students started filling the hallway, beginning to pull out their phones. Of course, some fight hungry teenagers have to video a fight in school...

“Don’t touch Riley, she doesn’t need anymore crud on her plate” I said, venom dripping in my voice. I looked him dead in the eyes, and they immediately turned sour. Before I knew it his fist connected with my jaw. It stung like bee stings, but burned like fire.

I’ve never been hit in the face all my life. I barely experienced violence, so I don’t know how to handle things like this. Would I punch him back? Or would I stand there like a coward---again---and take the hits? 

The anger exploded inside of me, and I cocked my fist back. I’m not going to be a coward any longer! 

“Stop it! Both of you!” Riley shrieked, making me drop my fist. “Don’t fight over me! I hate it! I’m not worthy of it! Don’t waste your time with trash like me!” She ranted, her face turned red, and tears fall down her face in buckets. I looked at her sympathetically. She thinks she’s trash because she gets bullied? That’s not true...Not true at all...

“Riley, you know that’s not true.” I said trying to reassure her. 

“Shut up Luca you’re not me! You probably have parents that are alive! You probably aren’t tormented by bullies. You don’t live in a group home where you have no friends! There’s nothing that doesn’t make trash! I’m trash, spell it with me! T-R-A-S-H! ” She shrieked at the top of her lungs, falling to the ground. Literally an instant later she was rolled up in a ball shaking uncontrollably, crying the hardest I’ve ever seen a person cry. 

What have I done?! 

The students---including the guy I was about to fight---immediately cleared the hallways after seeing this. They probably don’t want to stick around if a teacher comes up. Or maybe a girl having a mental breakdown isn’t ‘youtube worthy.’ 

“I’m so sorry” I whispered walking to her quivering body. 

“Go away...” She sobbed. She doesn’t want to talk to anybody, but I wasn’t having it. She needs to get the stress that she’s bottled up out. “This was supposed to be the day I was going to be normal...Be like everybody else, but what happened to that? I broke down practically in front of the whole school. Just like Andrew and Erin said, Cries lead to breakdowns, and breakdowns lead to depression” she sobbed.

“Riley none of those things are true...I know it...You know it...I want you to know that...You’re one of the most special people in my life...I like you, really like you...So much...Trash and your name don’t coexist. They never did, they never will. So please Riley, don’t say such things to yourself...Please” I said hugging her. 

Her shaking stopped and the sobbing went down slightly. “You mean it?” She whimpered. 

“Come on...Do you think I’d lie to you, after this?” I said lifting her head up. Her eyes were so cloudy, but I couldn’t help but think she was more beautiful. I wiped a tear from her face, and put my lips against her cheek; kissing her. She’s so warm... 

“Come on...I’ll take you to the nurse, get you cleaned up...Then maybe, if you let me...I wanna take you out for dinner. A token of my apology”