Bella's reality is far more horrific than her nightmare. Following to what had happened for the last few days at school she'd come down to the same conclusion as Melissa. Someone is targeting her head.
Everything became worse than she can imagine. The minute she arrived at school the next day, all eyes were on her. She can feel them all glaring while some snickered whispering something that she can't hardly hear.
After that, someone targeted her locker, they painted the word 'slut' in huge bright neon pink across it. It is much worse in the inside, everything was covered with black goo.
When they had enough of her locker they came for her during lunch at the cafeteria. She was enjoying her food with Leslie but was interrupted when there was a commotion outside. Everyone started gathering in the hallway jumping taking a piece of paper out of the air.
Bella and Leslie stood in shock. There were about hundreds of papers falling off from the top floor. When they picked up one of the papers and saw what it was, Bella's face turned ashen. There were edited pictures of her. Her face was pasted on a golden pig wearing a T-back and was holding pompoms. 'Buy Whore, Buy More' was written in big fonts at top of the picture, and below was her cellphone number. Bella's own cellphone number.
How could one guy make her life be a living hell? Then she remembered, Crazed Stalkers.
There are no words to even start what she was going through. It wasn't fair, a simple guidebook in exchange for something horrendous. She might as well sold herself to the devil. Oh what irony.
They'd hit not only her self-esteem but also thousands of cripling fears as to what they'll do next. Her insides shivers at the thought.
"Where is he?" She asked for the 10th time to Leslie through gritted teeth. After his great announcement three days ago, he didn't go to school after that. Bella had to face his stalkers all on her own.
"Just.. calm down. Ok? I just asked Melissa for his address. Let's just wait for her reply," Leslie said with a soothing voice. "As soon as we get his address we'll come for him." She added a matter-of-factly.
She felt a little relieved having Leslie by her side in all those times. If it wasn't for her she'd be curled up on her bed with covers on her head and cried her heart out.
"We'll find him," Leslie added.
"We better be," Bella replied while trying to remove the gum on her hair.
She had to give credits to Gian's stalkers they've been creative in ways on how to make her life miserable every day. Like for today, they put a huge wad of gum in the toilet's floor. So when she pushed her way out of the stall that was pinned by a broom she falls flat on her back in the sticky gum.
"I just can't believe people can just bully you like that," Leslie said as if trying to read Bella's mind. "And with all this happening to you, you're the one who's being punished."
After all the instances for the past three days with the stalkers, the school principal isn't really interested to hear Bella's side. The fact that it was her locker, her pictures, and a gum stuck in her hair makes all the evidence that she did it all for attention.
So, after all the reasoning with the principal she was still given a sentence of three months of after school community service for all the vandalism and destruction of school property that she didn't do in the first place.
Bella sags. Leslie squeezes her shoulders trying to comfort her. "It's going to be fine." She cooed while removing a gum stuck on her back.
"I'll help you out with those bullies." She smiled warmly. "Once we're done with Gian. We'll find his stalkers and get revenge next."
"I don't think so," Bella said shaking her head. "What if they're like daughters of the school's principal or if they bribe the teachers to keep quiet. Or what if, one of them is a teacher?" She concluded shivering at the thought.
"OH MY GOD, Les," she turned at her and added her eyes widen with fears. "What if it's a teacher? You know the one who harassed him?"
"Don't be ridiculous, why would a teacher do that?" Leslie replied not considering the idea. "That's beyond low."
"But it could be," She said actually believing the idea. "You said there was a rumor he had tons of stalkers... and you are right."
Bella continued, "You also said that a teacher harassed him, what if the teacher started was one of his stalker too. Oh god, what if it's true."
"Let's hope not," she wished and pulled the last piece of gum in Bella's hair.
"Ow!"
"There," Leslie said smiling at her. "Better."
Bella combed her hair to check if there were any gum left and when there wasn't the silence of the room was broken when Leslie's phone rang loudly.
"It's Melissa," she said holding her phone towards Bella to let her see who it was.
When Leslie answered she kept nodding and say 'uh-huh' and 'what' a couple of times when she handed the phone over to Bella.
"Hello?" Bella answered.
"We need to meet up," Melissa said her voice sounding far away from the phone over the noise of a printing machine.
"Yeah, sure." Bella replied, "Right now?"
School's over for the last hour, she was supposed to go to the Guidance Counselor's office for what her community service will be but after the incident in the toilet she needed some time to cope up and find a way to have a talk with Gian Matthew.
"Yes," Melissa shouted over the phone. "Meet you at the library in 10. I just need to finish up here." She added and hanged up.
The library was on the other side of the school building. It took them more than 10 to arrive at the library and find Melissa sitting in one of the couches in the far corner of the room. There were a few students on there but when she sees them she waved her hand and gestured for them to come.
"Hey," Melissa greeted.
"Hey," Bella smiled. "So do you have his address?"
"It was hard to find... but considering what's been happening to you," she replied holding up a piece of paper, "I've managed to get it." She slid it across the table to them.
Bella took the paper and put it in her pocket for safekeeping. Finally, something she can look forward to. The end of all the misery for the past few days.
"Also... I'm sorry," Melissa said with frowning, her eyes averting their gaze as she continued, "I was fighting the bracks to put your bullying incident in the paper but they wouldn't let me."
"By they..." Leslie started, "you mean the principal?"
Melissa sigh. "Not really, more like our advisor." She rolled her eyes and added, "He said it won't look good in the papers and the school's integrity would be ruined."
"Like hell with integrity." Leslie snapped. "This is bullying we're talking about. Even if it's a little to no harm it's still bullying. No one should suffer in that kind of environment. The school should be protecting Bella and not make it as if she instigated it and made it her fault."
Bella went silent. It's apparent that the school won't acknowledge a problem that will cause people to have a second look when in talks of Pacific High.
"But we can't really do anything at this point," Melissa said knitting her eyebrows, "I already tried to get over the board's heads to run your story, but our advisor is the one who approves the copy before it's circulated. So, they removed it."
"It's ok," Bella smiled weakly. "You did your best."
She appreciated what Melissa was trying to do. She wanted to let people know there is an existing problem. Leslie rolled her eyes.
"To tell you honestly, I should be the one who needs to say 'I'm sorry'," Bella added sheepishly, "I really haven't interviewed Nate yet. And I was supposed to give it to you today."
That caught Leslie's attention. She forgot to tell her about that. With everything that's been happening it was hard to keep up what she needed to tell her first.
"It's fine," Melissa said brushing it off. "You can just give it to me once you two talk. It's payment for something I couldn't help you with."
She minded that, that's why she took a mental note to talk to Nate tomorrow. Melissa went beyond to help her out with her bullying problems, it was her time to return the favor. Even if it meant that she'll need to talk to the last person she wanted to.
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Bella sneezed. Her allergies is proof enough that community service sucked. The councelor told her that she needs to clean up the storage room at the gym, she said something about it needing to be organized. What she failed to mention was the fact that there are hundreds of dusts and cobwebs covering the huge room it looked like it never seen the sunlight in years. It'll take her days before she organize and clean out all the junk. She sigh at the sight.
She really wished Leslie was around to help her out or just be there with her physically it would've been less sucky but she's needed elsewhere. When they got his address awhile ago, Leslie's father called her and she suddenly remembered about their hospital visit. So when Leslie left, she went straight to the Counselor's room.
The sun was already setting, Bella was already in auto-pilot mode for the last two hours or so. She's almost finished sweeping off the dust when the door slammed close. When she turned around, four girls in uniform stood near the door, looking at her with rage.
They didn't look like they were in the varsity team because they wore regular uniforms. So she asked curiously, "What's this?" Bella asked. "If you guys start to sing, I'm going to throw up." She chuckled.
They don't look like amused. "We want you to get a hell away from Gian," the girl in the middle step forward. She recognizes her but couldn't put a finger where she saw her.
"Honestly? Have you seen yourself?" said the other girl with her hair in a ponytail. "You look like an inflated balloon trying to fit in as a human." She snickered while a girl holding a cellphone clearly videoing what was happening laugh at her friend's humor.
"And second," the middle girl continued slowly approaching her with scissors in her hands. "We want you to show up how slut you can be." She laughed wickedly.
So, they were the ones who did all of that. Bella couldn't move her feet, it was as if they remain bolted on the floor.
"Oh, we're not the only one who did all that," the middle girl snickered as if trying to read her mind. "It was a team effort."
Four against one, it was a game she won't be winning even if she tries to escape there alive. Her eyes darted to every inch of the storage room looking for a way out. When they all walk towards her she pulls down the sports equipment out of their net and balls went bouncing off to the girls. They screamed. Their hands up in their faces for protection.
Andrenaline coursed through Bella as she ran pass then and bursts open the door. When Bella was outside, there were two men lounging near the door. One smoking a cigarette.
When they saw her she run towards the door out of the gym. When she looked back the two men were running after her. She was nearing the exit when someone grabs hold of her from behind and they both crashed on the floor. Bella lands face first.
She groaned and blinked her eyes slowly, her head hurts from the fall. Her visions blur as someone tried to make her sit up. There were voices but she couldn't tell what they were saying. They sounded distant. When the ringing in her ears stopped she heard one say.
"You are one sneaky bitch," one voice said then spat on her.
Bella tried to wipe her face but someone else held both of her arms. She tried to reach her face again but couldn't feel exactly where her face was. Her face felt numb. She laughed at the thought. Andrenaline fills her head from nervousness.
"Huh, you think this is funny?" Another female voice said.
"I think you broke her, Rick" a guy with a raspy voice chuckled.
Someone beside her shook her violently. Bella blinked her eyes trying to refocus. When her vision cleared, she saw three girls and the guy smoking from before looming over her. Then her eyes, swift left and right looking at who she can assume is Rick and the ponytail girl pinning her down.
"Bubblegum," was all Bella could manage to say when she looks at one of her perpetrators. It was her, the girl outside the room when she went looking for Gian Matthew the first time.
"Bubblegum?" The girl questioned. "That's all you could say?"
Bella tried to say something but she was distracted as she taste something metal when she swallowed. She winced as pain course through her tongue.
"Look, just go as far away as possible from Gian and we won't have a problem. Ok?" She approached her looking her in the eye.
"I can't," she squirmed.
"You can't?" The nameless girl said as she uses the scissors in her hands touch the tip of Bella's chin making her look at her directly as she wait for Bella to elaborate.
"And why the hell not?" She added.
She couldn't say exactly it'll be more complicated when they find out about her guidebook. So, she kept her mouth shut.
When the girl realizes she wasn't going to answer, her rage boils again as she shouted.
"ANSWER ME!" she growled as she march towards Bella with scissors tightly on her grip.
Bella's heart pounded her stomach swirling from fear but she still manage to get a grip and looked at her directly. Bubblegum girl's nose flared she slash the scissors as she shouted.
"I SAID ANSWER ME!"
Bella's eyes widen, by instinct she put her arms up to cover her face by defense. She wailed in pain as blood drips. The ponytail girl beside Bella gasps worry filling in her eyes.
"Hold her down, Risa!" Bubblegum girl ordered her.
"But--" Risa hesitates but did what she was told.
Risa took Bella's arm and pinned her down on the floor again. She looked away trying not to stare at the blood dripping from Bella's arm.
"He is not even my boyfriend," Bella bursts out. "He blackmailed me." Her defenses weaken as dam of tears flows from her eyes.
"More like you seduced him," She snarled.
Bella had enough, nothing will ever make them understand. She had been trying to clear her name for the past three days. She tried to send out a chain mail, penned an open letter in the bulletin to hear her side of the story. But nothing worked not unless, that jerk says it is. Stupid stalkers.
She headbutts bubblegum girl and yank her arms free from her captors but the guy had an iron grip on her. When bubblegum girl manages to get back on her feet her eyes filled with anger again, scissors in her hands at a ready.
This was it, Bella thought. If she dies, then this whole nightmare will be over but if there is going to be a small chance that it wouldn't, she'll make Gian Matthew pay. She closed her eyes ready for the impact that never came.
THUD.
A girl yelped in pain, Bella's eyes snap open. There was a basketball thudding in front of her while Bubblegum girl shouted in pain her hands on her face.
"What the hell?" She snarled looking over at who threw the ball.
They looked in horror, her captors released their grip on her and looked back. Bella did the same. It was a guy standing in the doorway of the gym, he looked like Herculean mountain man from Bella's view. Heroic, Muscular, broad shoulders, and hair in a man bun. His rugged chiseled face looked dreamy but the glint in his eyes says he was in a warpath.
"Can I join in?" He shouted in a deep voice booming around the gym. "I'll be in her team" he pointed at Bella.
"Do something, Rick" Risa nudge the guy who was the other one who pinned Bella.
"Are you kidding me!?" Rick replied nervously, "That's Liam! He's the school's taekwondo athlete."
With that said, they run out of the other exit like cockroaches. Bella was sure that his hero would go after them but instead, "You ok, sweet heart?"
He squatted down to look at her, his eyes turned soft and warm trying to help her up. He caught her just in time when her vision blurred from the sudden movement.
His strong hands held her waist to keep her up. "Woah there, pumpkin" he smiled lightly.
He was towering over her. He looked like a mountain man or maybe a big bear? She swayed slightly when a piercing throb hit her forehead.
"Come on, darling. We'll need to treat that." He thrusts his chin gesturing to her head.
"Treat what?" She asked and touched where he was pointing at. Ouch.
"Exactly," he smiled crookedly. "Can you walk?"
"I just hit my head," Bella answered defensively. "My feet work fine."
She said too soon, as she step her feet her knees buckled. She was weaker than she had let on. He chuckled and bridal carried her out of the gym.
"W-wait.. w-what--" she stopped him pushing his chest to keep a distance but he didn't budge. He kept quiet when he held her. She caught a whiff of his scent, strangely he smelled so manly that her nose starts to itch. He was big and intimidating and knows it.
"You can let go," Bella said trying to avoid staring at his face. Her face hot like fire from embarrassment. "I can walk from here."
"You can't even stop shaking," he snorted with a crooked smile looking straight. "How can you think about walking?"
As soon as he said it, he was right. She was trembling. After what had happened her adrenaline rush is subsiding and all the fears climb out of her throat. She took a deep breath trying to calm down.
"What happened? Why is she bleeding?" Someone said. When Bella came to her senses she realizes that they were in the school field. A guy with eyeglasses and headphones on his neck approached them concern in his eyes.
"We made love," Liam wink, teasing him. Bella's jaw drops and was about to deny it when the guy with the eyeglasses made a face and punch Liam in the arms lightly.
"Do we have first aid, Mikey?" Liam asked his face serious as he put Bella down and settled her to sit on one of the benches.
"Yeah, I'll get them." Eyeglasses said running off to the school building. When they were alone Bella cleared her throat. "Thank you for helping me."
Liam returned a warm smile and left them when eyeglasses returned, "Take good care of her for me," he winked as he leave to join in with his friends. Mikey rolled his eyes as he nurses her delicately.
Bella flustered. "That wasn't--"
"It's fine," Mikey said as he took off his headphones and mend her forehead and bandage her arms. "He's always like that. Got used to it."
There was an awkward silence. She didn't want to look at him as he patch up her arm so she focuses her eyes on the field where Liam is. Everyone knows who is, not just the whole school but on a national level. He's a famous athlete. One that competes internationally.
There were about seven guys in the field with him. If Bella didn't know it, they looked like they were out there in a photoshoot. Glam, gorgeous and all.
Liam was saying something to them she couldn't hear but she was pretty sure that he was talking about her because at one point they all looked towards from where she was seating.
"There," eyeglasses said proudly as he fixes the bandage on her forehead.
"Thanks," Bella said shyly. "I'm Bella by the way," she outstretches her hand.
"Michael... Michael Ervin," he said smiling taking her outstretched hand in return. "But the guys call me, Mike."
"Nice to meet you, Mike" she said shaking his hand.
"So..." he started. "What really happened? Is it your bullies again?"
"How did--?" She asked quizzically.
"You're quite famous Bella," he replied. "Everyone knows you after that flyers in the halls the other day."
She visibly sags. "Great," she muttered under her breath. Trying desperately to change the subject she asked looking at the field, "What are you all doing here this late anyway?"
"Varsity meeting," he replied while picking up the first aid kit. "They're supposed to finish up half an hour ago, but they're just waiting for Nate."
She blinked at the name. "Nate?" she looked at him for the first time.
"Yeah," he fixes his eyeglasses looking at her. "Uhh... Nate Vasquez? Surely, you know him?" His eyebrows knit at the question.
"Or you don't?" he added trying to read Bella's reaction.
Oh, I know him alright. She needed to be elsewhere. After her encounter with Gian Matthew's stalkers she doesn't need another numb tightening episode with Nate Vasquez. She shoots up on the bench and was about to leave when Liam approached them.
"You're late..." Liam rolled his eyes. She thought he was talking to her but his eyes move pass her.
"That's not going to be a good first impression. Especially if you're going to be temp captain, Nate" he said looking behind Bella.
Oh shit. She sucked a deep breath, brace herself and turn slowly.
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