Edward's violence didn't stop there.
At school we didn't talk or go near each other unless there was a great need for it. Whenever we did talk though, he would be "nice" to me. But as soon as everyone's eyes drifted to something or someone else, he would go back to that Edward. Especially after school. He even got his "mates" to help and tried to drag me into a bathroom. I ran away that time, of course.
About a month had passed until I heard someone talking about how I apparently was the reason for the tension between us. That I was forcing him to do stuff and starting to be abusive.
Sorry, what?
But what I supposed was the good thing was the most of the year level was... On my side so... Yeah. The person who I overheard was from the year level below us.
***
'Seriously, just dump him.' Kat sighed as the five of us sat on the oval during lunch.
'Yeah I don't understand why you're still going out with him.' Dessy said.
'I've been asking that question for more than a month.' Em raised her eyebrows at me.
I just shrugged, followed by a pause. 'Where's Licia?'
I didn't miss Tarlee and Dessy glanced at each other nervously.
'What?'
'Oh - um - we -'
'She's with the other girls.' Tarlee said quickly.
I raised my eyebrows. 'You know you can tell me. I won't care.'
'No Sakura, you will.' Dessy said slowly and guiltily.
'Badly.'
'What do you mean?' Em, Kat and I said at the same time.
The other two looked at each other in the eyes again, having a short, silent conversation.
'The other day, we went shopping...' Tarlee begun slowly. 'To, you know, catch up and stuff...'
'This was during the evening. On Saturday'
'Yeah. It was around eight or nine and we went to the movies and had dinner and whatever.'
'Then, we went past this club place and we...' She took a a breath, closing her eyes. She then opened her mouth but stopped. 'I can't.' She said, shaking her head. 'I feel so guilty...'
'Oh come on, you told us this much.'
'It's just like a cliffhanger in a book.'
This made Kat and I laugh a little bit seeing Dessy and Tarlee's serious faces, we stopped.
'Are you sure?' They said, looking directly at me.
I nodded, slightly slowly.
'Okay...'
Short pause.
'Alicia and Edward were all over each other.'
I stiffened.
'Coming out of the club and few of his mates and their girlfriends were there. It was full on too. They looked like they were drunk...'
'We watched them and they went into a narrow alley... Oh I don't even want to imagine what they did.'
As soon as they caught my expression, they wailed, 'This's why we didn't want to say it!'
I felt like the time he kneed me in the stomach: too shocked to cry. I just stared at the grass.
'I'm going to kill him.' Em snarled.
There was a short pause.
'Sakura, just give him the best kick you can do.' Kat said.
'Or just simply dump him and give Alicia a good kick.'
'Give both of them and dump him.'
'That's the best one.'
I didn't say anything.
***
'Hey Sakura!' I turned around to see Thomas running towards Emma and I. Thomas Brodie-Sangster. He was in our year and was also an actor too. It's rumoured that he has a thing for me but seriously, we were just best friends, nothing else. He says it too.
'Yeah?' I asked when he caught up.
'Be careful.' He panted slightly.
'What do you mean?'
'I just saw Edward and that and I overheard him saying something like "if she refuses, we'll leave some cuts on her skin"...'
Creases appeared between Em's eyebrows. 'Did you hear anymore?'
Thomas shook his head. 'No... That's why I'm warning you. I'm... I'm sure that he was talking about you so...'
I have him a weak smile. 'Thanks Thomas.'
'No worries.' He said, smiling slightly. 'Stay... safe.'
'I will.'
***
Past the weekend, through Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Nothing really happened, which I'm not complaining at all. The thing about Alicia and Edward, I wasn't exactly sure yet but it was true that she was hanging out with Edward's gang's girlfriends.
Thursday after school. Edward came up to me, alone. The expression he had these days when he looked at me, a sneer, was gone and was replaced with a serious one.
'Can we talk?' He said.
'Yeah, fine.'
He lead me to the part of the school where I've never been before: it was out of bounds. Suddenly, he whirled around and slammed me against the wall, his hands at both of my sides; his sneer was back. I looked at him, terrified. It was this moment when I remembered Thomas's words. How could've I forgotten...?
'Seems like Sangster didn't warn you, aye? Or you just simply forgot about it.' He said coldly.
'You -'
'Yeah, I deliberately said it loud enough for him to hear when he walked past. To see what he'll do and how you would react.' His hand reached up to my button, making me push myself further away as I could from him. He laughed evilly and his breath smelt bad. Like cigarettes and alcohol. He started to unbutton my shirt and I shoved him away as hard as I could. His sneer widened as I quickly buttoned up again. 'Refusing, are you?'
'What else do you expect me to do?'
'Oh I don't know. Obey, maybe? Like Alicia?'
That made me feel sick.
'I suppose you realised about me and her.' He said. From the corner behind him, few of his gang slowly appeared. There were about three of them.
I went for a run, but two other of his group appeared out of no where behind me.
I tried to shove them away but both of them, who were pretty big, grabbed my arms and spun me back around.
'Thought you could fight? Past them?' Edward said, sneering.
'Well who's the one that's got five other people to gang up on a girl then?' I spat back as I struggled to free myself from their grip.
He slowly came up to me and stopped when we were almost nose to nose. 'If you don't refuse, you know how less you would be in pain?' He said quietly.
'I've heard that many times and it seems like that's the only threat you have.'
He laughed through his nose. 'You wish.' He glanced up to the two that was holding me and said, 'Let her go.'
Once my arms dropped to my side, a punch came flying at my face. I felt my nose breaking and blood gushed out.
Squeezing my eyes shut and clutching my nose, I stepped back, breathing in and out deeply.
'Only threat I have?' He said. 'Only threat I have? Don't make me laugh. Who was the one who squashed you, and that blond weakling like a bug?
'I don't care what you say to me.' I said sternly. 'But don't you dare talk about him like that. Besides, he's not weak.'
'Oohh defending your new loser of a lover aye?'
I balled my fist and glared at him. I didn't have any intention to fight him. Edward just stared at me with a poker face.
'You're so boring.'
I didn't show it, but those three worlds just made me crumble inside.
'Why won't you fight? Too scared 'cos you're a coward?'
'Haha, you're funny. You know, you've gotten weaker since the last time you punched me. In the arm, like a year ago.'
Edward raised his eyebrows. 'Is that really? Well, I don't give a shit, do I?'
'I can tell.'
Creases appeared between his eyebrows and he gave me a death glare. I don't know why he made that expression.
'Do it.'
For a split second, I was confused. But I realised that he said to the the boys behind him. I heard clicking and snipping: they all had a cutting knife or surgery scissors. Edward took out one too.
Wide-eyed and my mouth slightly ajar, I stepped back but the other two blocked my way, shoving me back..
***
'Sakura... Sakura...! Sakura!'
I slowly opened my eyes, and saw Em's eyes looking down at me.
Sighing she sat back down in her chair next to me. I was in a bed and I realised it was the school office's.
'How - why -?'
'You idiot! Why did you follow him?' Em looked like she was going to cry.
'I -'
'If Thomas didn't come, it could've been worse! And lucky Mr Erikson went over to that area for duty!'
'Thomas...?' I went to sit up, but pain shot through my back.
'I'm here.' I heard him, but I didn't see him.
Few seconds later he appeared in my vision, his wrist wrapped around with bandaid. He had a cut on his cheek too.
'Thomas -'
'Don't worry about it.'
'No, I'm sorry. I should've remembered. I only forgot about it today. I remembered till yesterday, I swear.'
He pulled up a chair and sat down next to Em. 'It's okay. Seriously.' He said meaningly. 'I just don't understand why you didn't fight back. I mean you know, you do karate...'
'I didn't want to... Make it major.'
'It's already major enough.' Em raised her eyebrows.
I just shrugged, but that hurt too.
'How bad am I?' I asked be there of them.
'The cuts?'
'Yeah.'
'Like, pretty bad. You've got it all down your arms, legs and back. Good thing you were protecting your face though.'
'The four boys, including Edward, got expelled and and two others holding you got suspended for two weeks.'
I nodded. Just then, Jackie came in with Alex, Mr Greene and Mr Erikson.
'I just called David and told him that you would be absent and you're going late.'
'Thanks mum.'
'Sorry Jackie...'
'There's nothing to be sorry about, Sakura. And you're welcome Emma.'
At this point, Em and Thomas helped me sit up, which was painful.
'I don't usually stick my nose into the student's relationships or whatever,' Mr Erikson said. 'but I highly recommend breaking up with him. That kind of behaviour was highly inappropriate.'
'He's breaking several laws already, anyway.' Mr Greene shook his head. 'I cannot believe how he has turned out to be. We were looking forward to his future...'
No one said anything.
***
All of the cuts stopped hurting three days later and they were starting to heal.
David wasn't exactly happy about the fact I missed two days of filming. Oh well. I can't blame him.
I still had his phone number, which I didn't know why. Sometimes I realised that I was holding my phone, staring at his contacts.
I didn't realise my feelings myself until a week or two later. I decided to call him and surprisingly, he picked up.
'Yeah?' I could tell his sneer.
'I want to talk. Face to face. Alone.' I said clearly.
There was a short pause.
'Fine.' He said. 'Where?'
'The park in front of the school. On Friday.'
'K.'
He ended the call.
I lowered my phone, staring blankly at the wall in front of me.
I hope this was the right decision.
Friday after school, I sat on the bench at the park, waiting. He arrived a minute or two later on his bike. His fashion changed so much, too. He wore a leather jacket, grey shirt, a silver chain, black jeans and black men boots. I looked around our surroundings to check none of his friends were here. Seems like there aren't.
'Be quick.' He said in a bored voice. 'I've got stuff to do.'
'I know. So do I...'
Our eyes met for a few seconds.
'What?'
I took a deep breath. 'We're done Edward.' I said.
He raised his eyebrows as though he didn't understand what I was talking about. I didn't miss the slight sneer on his face though.
'We're done.' I said again. 'You... You now can fully date Alicia. Are you happy?'
His sneer became wider.
'Of course I'm happy.'
I was shattered into pieces inside but I didn't show it. 'Good.' Holding back tears, I said coldly. 'Because I am too.'
Before tears could show themselves on my face I turned around and quickly walked away.