Speak Up

Chapter 29

I kept looking over my shoulder as I walk down the corridor the next day, expecting Liam to jump out of nowhere, ready to physically and verbally abuse me. But I had to remind myself that I'm safe and he isn't here to hurt me anymore. I have no idea when he is due back in school or whether or not if he is welcome back here. If I can make it through the rest of the school year without being bullied by him, it will be great.

I spot some of his friends in the halls as I walk towards my locker. They don't say anything to me, except stare. I ignore the dirty looks they gave me for dobbing their friend in the best I could.

I make it to my locker without being tripped or have abusive words yelled out at me.

"You didn't have to tell on him."

I turn from my open locker to face Emily who stood beside me. Why was she sticking up for her boyfriend even when she knows what he did was wrong. Yet she is lucky I never told on her for being a part of his acts.

"No, I had to," I tell her. "I had to stop him before the bullying got out of hand."

"I can't believe you would dobbed Liam in like that."

"Why are you defending him, Emily?"

"He is my boyfriend."

I put away my math textbook that's in my bag and then pull out my Biology one and English book, slipping them into my bag, shutting the door and turn to the girl who I once had a crush on before she had turned against me for no reason at all. I still couldn't work out why she dated someone who thought it was okay to bully others who were different, and I may never know the reason why. She was a pretty and smart girl, who was doubled face, and I wasn't sure how I had ever ended up liking her. Would she have been different if we had dated? Or would be still be the kind of person she is right now?

"Emily, he doesn't act like your boyfriend," I point out to her. "The way he abuses you to get what he wants, and the way he treats others. And I don't know if you were just faking everything where you would ask me if I'm okay. You always told me to stand up to him if I don't like what he is doing. You then changed and became a part of his cruel acts to hurt me. You have no idea how much the bullying has affected me. I tried to end my life two times because I didn't think life was worth living. Trey was the one who saved my life twice. He saved me a third time when Liam tried to drown me. If I wanted to, I could have reported you and your friends for being a part of the acts."

"Why didn't you tell on us?"

Why didn't I tell on them?

"Because Liam has been bullying me much longer than you guys did, and I knew you were only doing what he wanted you to do," I answer. "You have told him a few times to stop picking on me, but you soon became a part of the acts, Emily. Liam had bullied me since junior high. He used to pick on me when we were alone until we got into high school and that's when he would start having an audience with him, and then make them be a part of his acts."

Emily nods. "You're right. That's what he did, and I'm sorry for what I have been doing to you."

"I don't know if sorry can ever be enough."

"Well, please accept my apology. How is Trey doing anyway?"

"He made it through. He is going to be staying in hospital for a few days."

"That's good. I'm glad be is alright."

The bell rings. Without saying anything else to Emily, I turn from her and headed off to homeroom.

*****

"Hey, what's taking you so long?" Trey calls out from the living room. "I'm sure I heard the microwave finished popping the popcorn."

Kara and I pull away from each other, where I had her pressed up against the counter. The microwave had finished popping the popcorn two minutes ago, filling the kitchen with a fresh smell of butter popcorn, but Kara and I was too lost in a kiss to care about it.

"It's coming in a second, Trey!" I call back.

"Well, hurry!" he calls back. "I'm starving! I need something other than hospital food."

I peck Kara's lips one last time and grab the bag of popcorn out. I haven't yet told Trey about Kara, and I knew he will be very happy for me once he does find out about us. Kara hands me a large bowl to put the popcorn in. We then walk into the living room together.

"It's about time," Trey says as I hand him the bowl and sit down beside him. Kara sits beside me.

"Relax, we wasn't gone for that long," I say.

"Trust me, it did feel like a long time." He stuffs a handful of popcorn and stuffs it into his mouth. "So what were you guys doing in there? It shouldn't have taken two minutes for you to take out the popcorn from the microwave and place it in the bowl. That should have only taken you less than a minute."

Kara and I glance at each other and smile. She takes my hand and squeezes it, letting me know that now was a good time to tell Trey about our relationship before the movie starts.

"Well, if you must know, Trey," I say as I turn to him. "Kara and I were sharing a nice long kiss."

Trey freezes his hand with popcorn half way to his mouth. He smiles at us. "No way! When did you guys get together, and how did I not know this sooner?"

"We got together on the night you were submitted to hospital. We didn't want to tell you until you got out."

"Congratulations, you guys. I'm happy for you. You make a great couple."

"Now, stop hogging the popcorn and let us have some." I grab the bowl from him as he stuffs the handful of popcorn into his mouth, and set it in between Kara and me. We each took a handful.

Trey leans forward to grab the remote on the coffee table to press play on the movie that was on the menu, waiting to be played. The three of us sat back to enjoy it without having to worry what tomorrow will bring at school, or worried what Liam Foley might do next. For once, the school bully was not on my mind.

A/N: So things are looking up for Zach. There's only one more chapter before the story ends. So stay tune to find out the conclusion of Zach's story.

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