Not My Hero

“If anything happens, let me handle it,” he says.

I turn my head and glance up at him. I remember the first time I saw him. I thought he would only be trouble.

Boy, was I wrong.

Colton walked right into my hell and started fighting for me, even though I never expected him to.

The front door suddenly swings open, and my mother glares at me. “Where the hell have you been?” Her eyes slant to Colton, and the sneer on her face deepens. “Seriously? You ran to him? I told you not to see him!”

My face warms with embarrassment because my mother’s so rude to Colton.

She lifts a hand to reach for my arm, but Colton steps between us, and his voice is a deep rumble of warning as he says, “We’re just here for her school uniform.” Colton pushes my mother to the side, and he pulls me inside.

“What the hell?” Mom snaps.

Colton lets go of my hand and points to the stairs. “Go get dressed, Brie.” Then he turns to face my mother and growls, “Back off. Your days of abusing Brie are over.”

My mouth drops open with surprise when she doesn’t lay into him, and I hurry to my room.

Wow, my mother’s actually cautious with Colton here.

I’ve never seen her like that, and it makes her look less like a threat.

I change into my school clothes as quickly as I can, and grabbing my phone and bag, I rush back to where Colton is still glaring at my mother.

Not knowing what else to say, I stammer, “B-bye.” And then I dart out of the door with Colton right behind me.

“I’ll see you later,” Mom says derisively, and her words promise nothing good for me.

Walking back to Colton’s truck, I keep glancing up at his face that looks like a dark thunder cloud. I’ve seen so many sides to Colton in the past twenty-four hours, and knowing he’s only been kind to me, I don’t feel scared like I would’ve in the past.

“Thank you,” I murmur. “For everything.”

The dark expression fades from his face, and then he smiles at me. “You’re welcome.”

Once he’s steering the truck down the street, I say, “It was really nice spending the night at your house.”

“The offer still stands,” he murmurs, his attention on the road ahead. “You can move in this afternoon. I’ll go with you to get the rest of your clothes.”

Last night I was hesitant, but after this morning, I think it would be nice.

But.

Won’t it be weird? I haven’t known them that long.

What will people think?

“Don’t worry about it now,” Colton says as if he can sense my worry.

When he stops the truck in the school’s parking area, my eyes go to the entrance of the main building, and I pat nervously over my hair.

“Does it hurt?” Colton asks.

“No, but… ah…” I feel self-conscious for asking but push through, “can you see any of the scabs?”

Colton shakes his head, and lifting a hand, he nudges a strand to the side from where it fell over my right eye. “Not at all. You still look pretty, so don’t let anything those assholes say get to you.”

I let out a slow breath, then push the door open and climb out. I wait for Colton before we walk to the entrance, and this time I stick close to his side.

I feel eyes on me but keep my head down as I walk to my locker. I’m just about to open it when I see a poster stuck to it.

It takes a moment to realize what I’m looking at, and then the blood chills in my veins.

“Damn, don’t you think a dollar is a bit steep for groping?” Michael taunts from behind me.

There’s a photo of me taking a shower in the school locker room, with a list of prices for nasty things. My eyes dart over the words, each one digging a chunk out of my heart and soul.

$1 – Groping. $1 – Full Frontal. $1 – Strip Show.

$2 – Handjob. $2 – Blowjob. $1 – Missionary.

$3 – Doggy. $3 – Cowgirl. $3 – Valedictorian.

This isn’t happening.

NoNoNoNoNo.

Everyone has written all over it, and someone even wrote ‘not my cum’ with an arrow pointing to the suds on my shoulder.

Kill yourself. Hoover lips. Fuggly cunt.

Puked here. Freak. In your dreams. Funny as fuck.

Waste of space. Dick 4 Freak. I’ll drown her for free.

It feels like something snaps inside me as humiliation burns through me like hot coals.

Only then does everyone’s laughter get through to me.

They all saw it.

My emotions spin out of control, and they begin to suffocate me until all I can hear are my breaths.

“Fuck,” Colton snaps, and my eyes dart to his face. He’s staring at the poster.

He’s seeing all the ugly words and the photo of me – naked from behind.

He sees me just like everyone else does.