11 Years Later…
I spotted Jared sitting on the grassy grounds with a wide grin on his face across my locker, his freckles standing out under the sunlight, his thick dark brown glasses bringing out his light green eyes, the air swaying his curly black hair back and forth. I hurriedly put in a couple of books I didn’t need into my locker and turned around to give him a big hug.
I haven’t seen him for two months, ever since he traveled with his family to Texas for the summer vacation. Now that it was the first day of school, and he was back, I finally got to see him again.
I could’ve just taken three steps towards him before Bradley blocked my way. “Well hello there Jessa-bear, I haven’t seen you in ages.” Bradley smiled. Goodness his smile can stop traffic! His body was so close to me I had to catch my breath in surprise.
“Brad! You just saw me yesterday!” I reminded him taking a step back, annoyed that he blocked my way.
He stepped closer and ambushed me with a big bear hug. “Yeah, but I missed you that much.”
Smooth. Erasing my annoyance with a hug, that’s so just like him.
“Listen, I’m having a party tonight at my place, and I’d love it if you came.” Bradley invited, he put his arm around my neck pulling me closer to him, walking through the halls.
“Brad, you know I don’t like going to your party because of your friends, and not only that, half of the school doesn’t even want me there. It’s useless.” I protested.
Bradley stopped walking and turned to face me, resting his hands on my shoulders. “I want you there Jessa-bear.” Giving me the puppy-eyed look.
Luckily, after many years of practice, I’ve become immune to that look. I ran my hands through his blonde hair, looked intently into his eyes. “No.” I replied with a slight smirk on my face.
I escaped his hold on me and headed towards Jared.
“Jareeeeed!” I squealed as I hugged him.
“Hey Jessa!” He hugged back.
I was just getting comfortable in that hug when he was immediately pulled away.
“Ouch ouch please I’m getting hurt, let me go!” Jared suddenly begged like he was begging for his life, his eyes squinting in pain, and his face showing complete discomfort.
I quickly shifted my eyed to his source of agony and saw Bradley giving him a wedgie. “You stay away from her, understand? Or else…” He pulled his underpants even harder and higher. The whole school was laughing, especially his so called friends, his clique. The people who made fun of me when I was younger.
My eyes widened at the whole scene, Jared was shaking from too much force. “Bradley you idiot put him down!!” I yelled as I tried pulling him away from my helpless friend. He didn’t even budge.
“Jared, Jared, Jared. Letting a lady such as her fight for you, are we?” He taunted him, pulling, yet again, further.
“Brad this isn’t funny let him go!!” I yelled at him punching his back. “Stop being so immature Bradley, now!!”
He finally let go of him with a satisfied smile and Jared fell to the ground almost in tears. I shot down to where Jared was and carefully lifted his head. “Jar, are you alright?” Of course he wasn’t alright, what kind of lame question was that?
I looked up and glared at Bradley.
“What?” He asked innocently. “I was just playing around with him.”
“What’s wrong with you?!” I was so furious with him. I gently helped Jared up to his feet and walked alongside him, supporting his feet as he did.
“Sissy-girl!!” Bradley called out to Jared from behind.
“Ignore him.” I told him patting his back.
As I walked the halls with Jared, helping him get to the nurses office, one of my friends Skye bumped into us. “Oh dear, Jared! What the hell happened to you?!”
“Bradley again.” I replied with a sigh.
Skye Preston, one of my true friends here at Kingsley Academy High School, she wasn’t as nerdy looking as Jared, she actually looked stunning, straight long hazelnut colored hair, slim, funny, sweet, sensitive, and she had a pair of light brown eyes. She could be a model for all I know. But here at Kingsley Academy, it was all from where you came from that matters.
The piercing sound of the bell rang. “Skye, I have to help Jar get to the nurse’s office, talk to you later.”
“Sure thing, hurry, Mr. Jones won’t be happy you were late for the first period.”
“Speed of light.”
I finally managed to get Jared to the nurse’s office, once the nurse attended to him, I took off running to Math class. Damn I was so late!
When I go to class, I tried my best to sneak in while Mr. Jones wrote on the board, I quickly tip-toed to my seat when…
“Miss White…”
Busted…
I turned around to face him. “Yes Mr. Jones?”
He gave me a stern look, a look that needed an explanation, and quick.
“Well you see Mr. Jones, I just came back from the nurse’s office, and…”
“Do you have a note?” He asked flatly, turning back to the board to continue writing a math problem.
“Well no, because…”
“Come solve this Miss White.” He unexpectedly said.
I looked at the board. “Umm, okay.”
I headed to the front of the class and took out a marker. I looked closely to the problem, luckily, I love math, and I have fun solving it.
~ Question: Solve for x the equation logx(8e3) = 3
I remember Jared teaching me something like that last year, I took in a deep breath and began writing:
logx(8e3) = 3 : given
x3 = 8e3 = (2e)3
x = 2e
I looked at the teacher for an answer, hoping it was correct. He looked at the board with a smug look on his face.
“At least someone has been studying during the vacation, thank you Miss White, take a seat.”He coldly ordered. I’m pretty sure he prepared a whole speech on how much none of us take our studies seriously, and how vacation was meant for reviewing not having fun.
Yep I just ruined his plans, I better stay on his good side the rest of the class. I went back to my seat and quietly high-fived Skye who was giving me a double thumb up. I looked at the back of the class and saw Bradley smiling appreciatively at me.
I sat down, what did that smile mean, why was he smiling? I ignored that thought and concentrated with the teacher.
Class was finally over, I stood up, gathered my belongings and left the room. “How’s that nerdy friend of yours bell? I heard he took quite a beating.” Natasha mocked.
I walked away as if she didn’t exist.
An arm appeared in front of me out of the blue, hitting the wall, stopping me where I was standing. I looked at the owner of the arm, it was Emilia, I could never get used to her face, it was always filled with make-up!
“Where are you going?” She asked in an annoying perky way.
“Going to pray for your friend?” Tasha mocked again in an insulting way. “You’re such a saint.” Tapping me lightly on my cheek.
“There’s my girl!” Bradley exclaimed with a broad smile on his face. He put his arm around me and squeezed me to his side. Both Tasha and Emily turned around and looked the other way, they hated it when Brad’s attention was on me.
He lifted my chin with his right hand to get a clear view of my face. “Are you still mad at me?” He asked genuinely.
I hate that I have a weak spot for him. “I guess not, but seriously Brad, touch him again and I’ll…”
“I won’t.” He promised. Although I have a feeling he won’t keep that promise, he never did when it came to MY friends.
We began walking around, I was still beside Bradley, and his arm was still around me. Being around his friends was dreadful, but at this position, I wasn’t complaining. Feeling his body heat radiate into me sent shivers down my spine, and his cologne could drive any girl around here head over heels. As long as he was around, his circle of friends wouldn’t dare cross the line with me. Something I use to my advantage at times.
We were heading towards my locker when I suddenly saw Eric Martin being bullied. Sure he was slightly over-weight, okay maybe a lot, but that didn’t mean you could bully him about it.
I drop Bradley’s arm from around me and marched towards my friend.
“Jessa-bear come back here.” He called out when he realized I had left his side.
Fortunately, the bully was Jonathan Knight, Bradley’s closest friend after me. He was the kid that got beat up when we were first graders. Now they’re friends!
I went between the circle that surrounded them and found Eric vomiting all over the place. Jonathan pushing him with indescribable odors making him throw up.
Oh Eric…
Bradley, Tasha, and Emily caught up with me, they saw the sight of Eric and began laughing their hearts out.
“Look at that ogre.” Bradley cackled.
I smacked him on his chest. “Shut up Brad, it’s not funny!”
“It is for me.” He continued, his eyes still glued to the scene.
“Jon, seriously, do you have to do that? Stop it.” I tried ordering his big muscular and tall frame.
“Oh come on Bell, look at him.” He pointed, laughing so hard he could explode.
I turned to Bradley who was laughing almost as much. I looked at him with pleading eyes. “Bradley please tell him to stop that, Eric’s my friend.” I tried reasoning.
He laughed even harder holding his guts. “That ogre’s your friend? Haha, nice one!”
“Brad I’m serious!” I looked at him desperately, he was the only one who could stop Jonathan now. I needed him.
He looked at me and saw how desperate I was, and at that moment I saw pure sweetness and kindness in him. He looked like a little boy, an innocent little boy. “Please…” I begged.
“Fine” He whispered quietly, nodding his head as he did. He broke through the crowd and pushed his friend away. “Knock it off man”
I smiled, he got to his senses, I knew it he wasn’t completely gone.
“Why should I? I’m having tons of fun!” Jonathan chuckled, he proceeded to harass Eric.
Bradley pushed him back again. “Because I said so.” He sternly said, eyeing him, challenging him to fight back.
Jonathan’s face changed, he frowned at him. “Whatever man.” He dropped the box that was in his hands and left, the box that had banana peels, rotten eggs, expired milk chunks, sweaty gym socks, and a couple of Eric’s vomit.
I rushed over to Eric’s side, holding in my breath. “Let me help you.” I put my arms below his and tried pushing him up, I used all my strength to get him to his feet. “Come on, let’s go” I encouraged.
I brought him over to the nurse’s office. “I guess you’re going to bring me every bullied kid in school, am I right?” The nurse winked at me.
I smiled. I didn’t know what else to say. “Please take care of him, thanks.” And with that, I went out. I closed the door behind me and rested my head on it and sighed.
“Jessa-bear?”
Man I love hearing that voice, I opened my eyes and saw Bradley looking at me with a concern look, he was just so sweet how he cared about me. “I’m fine” I assured him before I wrapped my arms around his neck, hugging him.
He wrapped his arms around my waist pulling me closer to him. “You stink.” He softly spoke into my hair not letting me go.
I chuckled into his neck, making him hug me tighter. “I know.”
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Please bear with me if i have any mistakes. I'm still in a learning process, but I'm getting better, please keep reading =) Thank you <3