The Love of My Bully

“I’m not joking around right now, Sean. I’m being serious.”

“So am I!” He stood up and Pru glared at him. She was so freaking pissed at him. Not once did he even ask her about what she was doing or what her plans were. He just threw out assumptions. She was done playing this kind of game with him, with anyone. No one had any right to tell her what to do or how to live her life. She wasn’t a horrible person.

He advanced toward her, grabbing her arms. His strength took her by surprise and she let out a gasp. “Let go of me.”

“No. I’m not going to let go until you realize how fucking stupid you’re being. Drake is a grade-A asshole, and you can’t even see it. You’re so blinded by your own hormones, you’re being ridiculous.”

“You’re crazy.” She tried to push him away.

“Think about this, Pru. What happened? You’ve been acting strangely since the night Ree called you to go to his party. Where I had to wait outside. What happened in there? Does he have something on you? Is he blackmailing you?”

“No one is blackmailing me.”

“Could have fooled me.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I don’t know what I’m talking about? Pru, you had sex with Drake. The guy who has been bullying you for as long as I can remember. You don’t think there’s something weird about that? I sure as fuck do.”

“It doesn’t matter. You’re not my boss. You’re supposed to be my friend and what you did, you should have come to me first.” She stared down at his arms, which were still gripping her tightly. He sighed, releasing his tight hold, but he still held her. Pru didn’t know if she even wanted his touch anymore. For as long as she’d known Sean, he’d been a caring, considerate person. She loved him but only as a friend. Never as anything more.

“He bullied you. Made your life miserable. Your parents couldn’t do anything to protect you, and yet, you’re still here fighting for him, why?”

“Because I care about him, and that’s never going to change,” she said. “Drake’s not who I thought he was, but then, neither are you.”

“Don’t, Pru. Don’t say stuff like that.”

“How do you expect me to react after everything I’ve just found out?” She couldn’t believe how close to tears she actually was. Sean’s betrayal hurt so much. More than she ever thought it could.

“Pru,” he said, running his hands up and down her arms. They didn’t offer her comfort, not anymore. She pulled out of his arms and shook her head.

“Seriously? You’re going to let that asshole come between us after everything we’ve been through?”

“What exactly have we been through? Nothing. Not really. Whenever he has bullied you, I stepped in. You rarely stepped in to help me, and now, rather than come to me, you went to my parents.” She shook her head. Her emotions were driving her crazy. “I want nothing to do with you.”

“You don’t know what you’re saying.”

“Why? Because I’m not thanking you for seeing the light? There is no way I’d ever thank you for what you’ve put me through. I want nothing to do with you. Get out of my room.” She pushed him, not hard, but enough to make him take a step back.

“You have no idea what you’re saying.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. So fucking wrong.”

“You swear now?”

“I do a hell of a lot more than that. Get out!” She screamed the words and pushed him out the door. The sooner he got out of her life, the better she’d feel.

When he was past the threshold, she glared at him. “You’re not my friend.” She slammed the door in his face and leaned against it, her head falling back on the wood. This wasn’t how she wanted her life to be. There was no way she should be feeling hatred for him. In all the years she’d known Sean, she never once thought he’d betray her, and yet that was exactly what he did.

Glancing around her room, she hated it. Not only was it really small, but it reminded her of a life she no longer wanted to be part of.

There was a slight knock on her bedroom window. Walking over to it, she lifted it up and was shocked to see Drake hanging near her window, having climbed the tree just outside her room.

“Are you crazy?” she asked.

“Anyone in your room?”

“No.”

“I saw the asshole leave,” he said.

“What are you doing here?”

“You wouldn’t answer any of my calls, so I wanted to make sure you were okay. The last thing I wanted was for my parents to send you away.”

“They took my phone. Wait. Hold up. How would they send me away?”

“They have power everywhere. I know they’ve used their power with the cops to plant evidence. Drugs, money. I don’t know what they will use but something that will get you taken away. I wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t know I was here now, or not. They assume I do as I’m told.”