Chapter 11: A Bruise, A Boy, and A Battle

KARA

I walked into school feeling a lot happier than I had in a long time. I’d always considered myself an optimistic person, but this time it was more natural.

Rather than just hoping for the best, I felt like the best would come.

After Jason dropped me off at my house yesterday, I spent the afternoon with Charlie, who nearly lost his mind when he saw my eye.

I had to sit on his back to make sure he couldn’t drive all the way to Adam’s house and beat the shit out of him.

Charlie’s obviously stronger, so when he pushed me off of him, I panicked and started crying.

I may have faked it, but Charlie thought I was actually crying and didn’t know what to do, so I made him promise that he wouldn’t do anything to Adam.

Or get anyone else to do it.

Knowing my brother, he would most likely send someone if I hadn’t mentioned it, and it most likely would’ve been Liam.

“Hey,” Jess greeted me as I walked to my locker. I replied by smiling back at her. “How are you feeling?” she asked, staring at the dark bruise surrounding my eye.

“Honestly, it doesn’t hurt.” I shrugged. “Well, not unless I touch it, but Jason helped me ice it yesterday,” I explained.

I bit my lip once I realized I’d brought Jason up.

The grin Jess sent me prepared me for her questions. “So, how are you and your lover boy?” My eyes rolled in their sockets, and I stopped at my navy blue locker.

“We’re just friends,” I told her for what felt like the hundredth time just in the last two days—mostly to convince myself too. It was hard when I constantly wanted to rip his clothes off.

“Friends.” Jess mischievously grinned to herself. Ignoring her, I began walking to my English class. No matter what I said, Jess and Layla had already made up their minds about us.

Jess laughed when she heard me grumbling and followed close behind. “Well, look who it is.”

I could practically hear her smirking as we approached Jason, who was leaning against the wall outside of our classroom.

“Shut up.” My eyes narrowed at her. “You better not say anything, Jess.”

We were a distance away, and I took the opportunity to slyly check him out. Jason was wearing dark jeans and a black sweatshirt.

As we approached him, he stared at me smirking—not even hiding the fact that he knew.

My attempt wasn’t as sly as I thought.

“Hey,” his deep voice greeted once we stood outside the door. Jess nudged me toward him before walking into class, leaving Jason and me behind.

In an attempt to hide my pink face from him, I let my eyes wander around the hallway. His laugh echoed in the corridor, so I knew it wasn’t really working.

“Hi.” My voice came out quiet. I silently cursed myself for acting this way. It’s not like things were awkward, since we were friends now. I was just acting shy and making it awkward.

“How’s your face feel?” The bruise on my face throbbed at the mention of it.

Last night I tried sleeping, but the pain wouldn’t allow me to. The Advil eventually kicked in, and then I slept like a baby, but the pain was back in the morning.

Charlie helped me ice it before school, and since then it’s been numb.

“It’s a little better.” My eyes met Jason’s, which showed concern. “Thanks, you know, for yesterday.” I allowed a smile to slip on my face.

“You don’t have to thank me.” Jason gave me a modest smile and gestured that we should go into the classroom. We walked in together just as the bell rang, and I was relieved that I wasn’t late.

I looked around for an open spot, but halted when I felt the classroom’s gaze on me.

People must’ve loved the scene in front of them: Jason Kade walking in with Kara Acosta, who happened to have a big bruise on her face thanks to her asshole ex-boyfriend, who, by the way, was punched unconscious by Jason a couple weeks prior.

Seniors loved their gossip.

Looking back at Jason, he flashed me an encouraging smile. “Just ignore them,” he whispered, and gave me a small push so I’d start walking.

I silently groaned when the only spots open were in the middle of the class. My chair scraped against the tile floor, echoing throughout the silent room.

I sat down, ignoring the curious gazes, and Jason sat down behind me.

The guy in the seat next to my left, Curtis, turned to me and scrutinized my bruise, making me self-conscious.

“What happened?” he whispered with wide hazel eyes. Thick, black glasses hung from his bony nose.

While I was considering whether to explain or not, Jason spoke first. “Mind your own business,” he whispered quietly so only we could hear.

I was relieved that I didn’t have to answer. The cold stare that Jason sent must’ve been enough to shut him up, because Curtis didn’t even hesitate to turn around.

“What?” Jason’s eyebrow rose. I shook my head and faced forward just as the teacher entered the room.

Mr. Quinn walked in while apologizing that he was late. He started class, and I zoned out for the first fifteen minutes. My attention snapped back to our teacher when the phone rang, causing me to jump.

I wasn’t surprised when I looked back at Jason, who was sprawled forward on his desk and sleeping on his crossed arms. His lips were parted slightly, and he was snoring quietly.

Grabbing a random pen from my bag, which happened to be purple, I began to draw a flower on his forearm.

I had just finished drawing the flower when he twitched his arm, causing me to chaotically scribble.

“Hey, Sleeping Beauty,” I greeted the groggy blond, whose eyes winced from the bright classroom lights. Jason turned his head a little so that he could stare at me.

“Well, isn’t this a nice view to wake up to?” He gave me a lazy smirk before leaning back and rolling his sleeves back down, not even noticing the drawing.

“Kara.” I jumped, looking up at the teacher who had called my name.

“You’re needed in the office.” My teacher shuffled some papers around on his messy desk, and my heart dropped. I started to panic internally at the thought of being in trouble.

“Calm down, Kara. You haven’t done anything to get in trouble. So, no, you’re not getting arrested.” His lips twitched upward, and he tapped his pencil against his notebook.

“You may take your things and go,” my teacher added. I nodded and grabbed my bag, causing everyone in the room to stare at me once again.

The thought of Adam popped into my head, and I began to wonder whether that was the reason or not. By the looks of it, everyone was wondering too. I just wanted the whole thing to be over already.

“It’s probably over Adam’s photos,” Curtis whispered not so loudly to the guy behind him, who was in the seat next to Jason. My eyebrows furrowed before moving closer to them.

“Photos? What photos?” My heart was racing at this point.

Marcus, a guy in a grade below us, smirked while he ruffled his dark hair. “Adam’s told some of us about the photos you sent him, you know—”

“Don’t you guys have anything better to do?” Jason bluntly cut Marcus off. My jaw clenched as I heard the comments.

My fists curled; I never got past kissing Adam.

“I can’t help it. Turns out someone who looks so innocent is so sexy.” Marcus let his dark eyes wander up and down my body. I felt disgusted by the way he was staring at me.

Of course, Adam was behind all the rumors about us sleeping together.

In a blink of an eye, Jason tackled Marcus from his chair, causing the desks to screech loudly. “Say it again,” Jason growled as he pinned him to the ground.

Marcus was staring up at Jason wide-eyed, obviously not expecting that.

The teacher was shouting, trying to break through the barrier of students who began to enclose us.

My hand landed on Jason’s firm shoulder. “Just ignore him,” I said in an effort to calm him down. Everything happened so fast I didn’t know what else to do.

The last thing we needed was Jason beating the hell out of a guy for making a small comment about me. Jason tensed at my touch, turning his head to look up at me.

Jason took a frustrated deep breath, ready to let go, but right before he pulled away, Marcus just had to open his stupid fucking mouth. “Never thought I’d see the day Jason was controlled by a bitch.”

Those final, ignorant words were enough to get to me. Adam was starting to get to me. My body began shaking from rage.

“You know what”—I looked straight at Jason, who was still gripping onto Marcus’s collar—“just don’t miss.”

Jason let out a relieved sigh. “Oh, fuck, thank God. I was starting to think I was going to let him walk away.”

Marcus shoved Jason, which caused both of us to look at him again, but he was no match for enraged Jason.

Marcus went to open his mouth, but Jason’s fist collided with his jaw.

***

Jason and I were now both sitting outside the principal’s office. Jason was icing his bruised knuckles and holding a napkin up to his bloody nose, while I was biting my lip, feeling nervous about what was going to happen.

Jason chuckled beside me.

“Stop laughing at me,” I said. My mouth formed into a frown. I glanced at Jason from the corner of my eye and started laughing all over again.

After the teacher broke up the fight, he sent the four of us to the principal’s office. Marcus and Curtis were in the vice principal’s office while Jason and I waited for the principal.

Jason and I stopped by the nurse’s office first, and as I opened the door, Jason was too busy staring at his knuckles. Right as he looked up, he ran into the door and got a bloody nose.

I started laughing so hard I almost peed my pants. Good thing we were already at the nurse’s. She gave him some ice and tissues to help with the bleeding.

“Sorry,” I said as I wiped a tear away from my eye. “At least I feel a little better now,” I added, and he grinned at me from behind the bloody napkin. I grimaced as I looked at it.

Jason noticed and smirked, shoving the bloody tissue closer to my face. “Ew!” I smacked his hand away, causing him to laugh at my disgust.

“Jason Kade. Kara Acosta. Principal Jones would like to see you,” the secretary said, walking up to us. I was still nervous, but not as much as before. At least I had Jason with me to endure whatever I was here for.

I stood up and walked into the principal’s office, with Jason reluctantly following closely behind. As I walked in, I stopped, causing Jason to bump into me from behind.

There were already two people sitting in the office with our principal.

“There you two are,” Mr. Jones said, his voice not giving anything away. I looked behind me at Jason, who was watching the scene carefully.

“Take a seat.” The principal pointed to the plush chairs next to the two adults in the room. They watched us as we sat down.

I quietly studied the two other adults. They were both beautiful and looked to be in their late thirties. The woman had long, dark brown hair and hazel eyes.

The man had dirty blond hair that waved all over, and intense blue eyes.

Feeling shy, I tried covering my bruised eye with my hair. Jason sat down next to me, and their eyes moved between the two of us.

“What are you guys doing here?” Jason asked coldly. I craned my neck to stare at him in disbelief. That he had the audacity to speak to them like that left me baffled.

“I should be asking you that,” the man replied, raising an eyebrow. It was smooth, but full of so much power it gave me goosebumps. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

Mr. Jones cleared his throat before speaking. “Mr. and Mrs. Kade,” he began. I stiffened in my seat, feeling extremely uncomfortable that I was in the principal’s office with Jason and his parents.

What the hell was I doing here?