Speak Up

Chapter 15

As I walk out of the principal's office, a wave of panic rushes over me as I realise what I have done. I have just told someone about last night. Now that I have, Liam was going to do something awful to me to get me back for telling. Why did I do something so stupid and opened my mouth? I should have kept it shut.

Rather than heading to my next class, I headed to the library where I thought I might be safe. I couldn't walk through the halls once the bell rings in the next five minutes. Not if I had to run into Liam and hope he won't do anything to me once he finds out Trey had told on him. Well, he wouldn't think Trey had done it. He would have thought I did it.

Hardly anyone was in the library except for maybe two students sitting at tables, and another person that I saw in the aisle. The librarian was somewhere around here. I couldn't see her.

I walk through the aisles and took a seat at one of the back tables. The bell rings as I sat down. When I do, I heard someone sobbing. Leaving my bag on the table, I follow the sobbing, leading me to the second aisle to my right. With her back against the bookshelf, knees pressed up against her chest and hugging her legs, I was surprised to see it was Emily who was crying. For as long as I have known her, I have never seen her cry. She has always been one of those people who are cheerful and you never expect to see their sad side.

"Em-Emily?"

She looks up at me. "Zach." She wipes her eyes, sniffing. "What are you doing here? You don't have a free period do you?"

I shake my head. "I-I'm h-hiding f-from L-Liam."

"Oh." There's sadness in her voice as soon I mention Liam. She looks at the floor for a brief second before turning back to me. "Did he do something to you again? Is that why you're hiding, hoping you don't bump into him in the halls?"

I nod.

"I really hate Liam for what he does to you. I have told him plenty of times to stop it. He bullies some other students here as well. Every time I try to stop him, he threats me."

My heart went out to Emily, not even realising that she too gets bullied by her own boyfriend. I had always thought she was happy with being with him, and wondered how she could be with someone who is so cruel. Yet, I never realised how her happiness was fake or that she was even in a domestic violence relationship.

I sit down on the floor beside her. "D-did h-he d-do s-something t-to y-you?"

Emily chews her bottom lip, staring at the floor. "I'm not quite sure what happened last night, but I think Liam and I broke up." She wipes her eyes as more tears fall. "He came over to my house yesterday after he had practice. We made out in my room, and he said we should take our relationship to the next step. I told him that I want to save myself for marriage. He didn't like what l had said and walked out on me. I tried calling and texting him but he wouldn't answer. This morning I tried to speak to him again, and he just ignored me. He then flirted with some other girls right in front of me."

She covers her face with her hands as she burst into tears. I sat there, unsure what I should do. I could hug her, but then I was afraid of what happens if someone in this library sees me hugging her, and reports to Liam. He would beat me up if he knew I had my arms around her, even if I was only comforting her.

That very thought made me paranoid. I glance around me, making sure no one was walking past, or peeking around the shelves to see us together.

We sit there in silence, with only the sound of her sobbing.

She calms down, wiping her eyes and sniffing. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to let out my problems on you."

"I-It's o-okay."