Graciela's POV

I walked into school with the chilly wind blowing against my cheeks, you know the feeling when you feel that something big is going to happen but you don't know what?

Yep that's exactly how I'm feeling right now

"Gracie Gracie!" I heard a voice that could only belong to one person call, it was Marilyn, my best friend in Water Bridge High, she rushed towards me in a flurry, I wonder what is up in that head of hers now

"Hey what's up" I greeted with a smile she returned sticking out her tongue

"Have you heard the latest?"she hushed glancing around

I smiled, this was so much like Marilyn, if there was anything happening, she was surely among the first persons in school to know about it

I wonder how she does it

"What now?" I asked rolling my eyes at the way she leaned towards me

"You won't believe it!"

Okay now I was getting impatient, what could it possibly be?

"Come on Lyn just spit it out"

"I heard he's transferring back today" she replied

"Who ?"I asked furrowing my brows in confusion

She looked at me and mentioned the one name that was able to insert fear deep inside me

HAYDEN MCANDREW did you say?" I asked feeling the blood rushing away from my face and my heart sped up furiously

"Yeah I heard he's back" she replied giving me a sympathetic gaze

"Didn't he transfer to another town? Why is he back now?" I asked totally fricking out

Wait!

If he was back, that means that he might be in school today

Oh no!

Ever since I could remember, Hayden has made my life a living hell, worse was that I couldn't remember how I've ever offended him

He became more harsh that it even got a little physical

He isn't like that to anybody else

I think its just me

When he'd transferred to another town two years ago due to his family's business, I had been so relieved and happy, I had even begun to enjoy my simple life

Now he's back!

This was my final year of high school, why did he return now?

Relax, I told myself taking in deep breath

It's been two years, and times has changed, he might not even remember me

"It will be fine" Marilyn said placing a reassuring hand on my shoulders to which I just nodded

As we got inside, we separated to our various classes.

*****************************************************

I walked inside the class slowly, the sound of chartering was the first thing I noticed a certain area of the class was filled with students laughing and discussing, I proceeded to sit down when I saw him

He sat down like a king and the rest of the students were his subject

My heart gave a loud thud and I suckled in a breath sharply

He suddenly looked up from the crowd of students surrounding him, his eyes widened a fraction in surprise, then it was gone

It was replaced with a smirk that I knew all too well

He always had that trademark smirk on his face before he does something bad

"Are you gonna sit down or what" a voice said, it was Clarissa another friend of mine who was in front of me who spoke giving me a curious stare

When did she even arrive?

I broke the contact I had with Hayden and sat down like I was in a chair of nails

"Are you alright?"Clarissa asked looking concerned

No! I could never be alright with Hayden just a few meters away from me!

I nodded anyway giving her a reassuring smile

*******************************************************

All through out class I could feel a stare burning right into the back of my head, I didn't need to look to know who it was, I just wanted the teacher to get out of the class so I can leave, goodness knows that I'm not even understanding a thing she was talking about

Immediately the bell rung signifying the end of class, I packed my stuff and rushed out ignoring Clarissa who was calling out to me

But wait?

Why was I even scared?

What did I do wrong?

But its not the first time I was asking myself something like this, I didn't need to do anything wrong before Hayden hurts me, finally I escaped the class and him.

As I rested my head against my locker taking in deep breath, a hand suddenly slammed loudly just above my head causing me to jerk back with a yelp

It was the one person I had been trying to avoid

It was Hayden Mcandrews

"Hello bunny did you miss me?" He said with his signature smirk

Oh god!

*******************

"Hello bunny did you miss me?"

I ignored him and tried to move past him but he gripped my arm almost painfully, he still had that stupid smirk on his face that I just wanted to wipe off

"What? Let go you are hurting me" I squeaked struggling to free my arm from his hold but he only tighten it even more

If he had even heard me, he didn't show any indication

"Aww little bunny finally decided that she has a voice" he said tauntingly

I gave him my harshest glare but he was totally unaffected

"Let me go now" I repeated trying my best to sound firm but failed at it woefully

"Let go of you? But I precisely came back only for you, I've surely missed you all these time" he replied then he roamed his eyes over my body briefly before returning back to my gaze

"I must say you grew up these two years but you are still just as ugly as I remembered"

As much as I told myself not to be affected by his words it still hurt me, my eyes stung and I had to leave this instant before I disgrace myself by crying in his presence

"Let go of me this instant Hayden" I gritted out trying to push past him with all my strength but he didn't bulge, his smirk only seem to widen

"And if I don't? You know its really laughable seeing that you've grown a back bone " he said laughing, then it was gone replaced by a harsh look as he leaned down and whispered in my ears

"Because it will be fun to slowly break it off this time again and again"

I've told myself many times that I wasn't that weak girl that would allow herself to be intimidated and bullied anymore....

I had to be strong right now or I'm going to spend these last year being under his influence...

I slapped him!

We both looked taken aback for a moment

I really didn't mean to, one moment I had been trapped against him, then the next....

The shocked expansion on his face was priceless...

It seemed time stood between us and counting one... Two.. Three.....

He grasped my shoulders harshly

"You'll pay for that !" He seethed his arm raised up, I closed my eyes preparing myself for the impact, a moment passes, then another but still nothing...

I peered my eyes opened slowly to be met by his forest green ones, for a moment something flashed through his gaze but it was gone so fast before I could decipher what it was..

"Gracie?" A voice broke our trance, he released his hold on my shoulders and walked away..

"Why are you not coming to class? It's been some minutes " Lyn asked but her attention was on Hayden's retreating form

"Are you alright? Why did he stop you this time?" She asked her voice laced in concern

"I'm fine, its nothing, let's get to class" I said

She looked like she was about to argue but nodded unsurely instead....

As we walked to the next class I couldn't stop thinking about what just happened...

What did he meant by he returned just for me? I could still hear his threat in my head "I'll break it all over again and again"

Its been two years, why did he have to return just when I was beginning to get my life back together?m

And worse of all why does he still target me?

I sucked in a deep breath and exhaled loudly, this last year is not going to be an easy one, I'll do my best to stay away from him as much as I could but even as I thought I knew it wouldn't be that easy...

******************************************************

Thankfully we didn't have any other classes together for the rest of the day, when school finally dismissed I had taken a careful scan before dashing into Lyn's car, he was talking to a group of jocks and people from the popular circle, I wondered if he had gotten sight of me, but it doesn't matter, right now I was safe in Lyn's car...

"Bye!"I said waving to Lyn as she dropped me off In front of my house

I dropped my bag and plunged lazily on the couch

"You are back?" It was mom, she said as she descended down the stairs

"Yeah " I replied resisting the urge to roll my eyes, she was clearly seeing me but still she was asking if I was back

Dad is a journalist while mom works in a hospital as a nurse, he was always traveling, i spend majority of time with mom and of course my oh so "loving" sister Ashley

"I prepared lunch, I have a night shift tonight and I'll be leaving now, Love you" she said kissing both my cheeks

"And when your sister returns be sure to close all the windows and doors, you know tha...."

"I know yeah yeah " I said before she could get started with her long sermons on how it wasn't safe in the neighborhood blah blah...

After a quick shower I skipped downstairs to have lunch, my thoughts kept drifting back to what happened in school today as much as I tried to divert it.

I still couldn't believe I slapped him though I couldn't deny that he deserved it, I just prayed that he left me alone after today.

A sigh escaped my lips as I cleared the dishes, Ashley hasn't returned home, for now I'll just go and work on my assignments.

I woke up to the loud blaring of my alarm, my hand lazily reached out to slam it shut, I didn't manage to catch some sleep yesterday night

All thanks to him...

Great!

He has even found his way into my dreams

I sat up yawning tiredly before making my way to the bathroom..

After a warm shower, I brushed my long brown hair and clasped it in the tight ponytail that I always wore, i stared at my expression in the mirror to see little dark circle under my eyes and a sigh escaped my lips

I decided to apply a little makeup today to cover it up which was totally unlike me

Walking back to my room, I snatched my glasses from my reading desk along with my books and made my way downstairs....

I heard voices discussing before I finally came into view....

Mom and Ashley were discussing something, when I came to view a smile lit up her face...

Morning mom " I said making my way to the breakfast table...

"Sweetie how was your night?"

Before I could reply Ashley decided to speak for me

"Why do you even ask mom? I'm sure it went exactly how you expect a nerd's night to go.."

"Ashley be nice!" Mom said shooting her a glare, turning back to me she said

"Honey have some breakfast before Lyn comes to pick you up"

Marilyn, Clarissa and Jasper were the only friends of mine mom and dad knew, well that was because they were my only friends, since the beginning of highschool when Hayden started his torture no one wanted to be friends with me, i didn't even have a boyfriend because he had spread a rumor back then that I had the herpes...

"Is there a problem?" Mom's voice distracted my thoughts

"Um...no, I'll eat now"

I took a piece of bread and smeared it with butter and took a huge bite

"Do you always have to eat like a pig?" Ashley snickered

"I'll eat how ever I want" I replied

Mom just shook her head, she was probably used to our fights by now

"You even wore make up?" She said in an accusing tone

I rolled my eyes 'duh' it was just a concealer I replied in my head

"Did you wear it for someone?" She asked again, I raised up my head to meet her gaze

"What's it to you?" I asked tonelessly taking a bite of my bread

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

I choked on the bread in my mouth coughing, I gladly accepted a glass of water from mom and drank until I emptied the entire cup.

"You know it's not a bad idea, you are seventeen, you should go out more often and have fun like girls your age and....."

Thankfully in that moment the honk of a car sounded, Lyn was here, I wouldn't have to listen to one of mom's many lectures this morning,

"Bye mom!" I yelled as I grabbed my stuff and went outside to meet her

"Why are you looking all flustered?" She asked giving me a look

"You know the usual mom-boyfriend thing again" I replied

She turned on the stereo as we drove to school

"I didn't ask yesterday, but what happened between you and Hayden? Is he back to bullying you?"

A sigh escaped my lips and I just stared out the window

"You'll have to speak up sometime you know?" She said giving me the look

I just wished it was that easy...

*****************************

Today couldn't get any worse, Hayden was in this class and he just kept digging holes into my back...then a piece of paper hit my head, I turned to meet his smirk

"What?" I said in annoyance

"Evans are you paying attention?" Mrs Claire, our history teacher spoke....

Great, she didn't see when Hayden threw a paper at me, she only saw me speaking

It seemed like forever before the bell rang signaling the beginning of break...

I kept my book inside my locker and began to make my way to the cafeteria when I was suddenly pulled into an empty classroom, I was about to scream when I heard his voice

"Don't you dare"

I blinked for a few times to allow my eyes adjust to the darkness, I could make out his features now

"What do you think you're doing let me go" I tried to wiggle away from his grip on my arm, keyword "tried "

He inclined his face to mine dangerously close

"After that stunt you pulled yesterday, did you think I was just going let you off just like that?" He said with a calm demeanor but I would be fooled to think it was but.

"Now its just me and you here alone, and its payback time bunny"

I felt sweat begin to build on my forehead and my palms were getting clammed up

"Let g..go of me please you are hurting me"

His expression turned cold and angry as he grasped my shoulders so hard that I winced in pain, I'm definitely sure that it was going to leave a mark

Right now i felt so weak and I hated myself for it...

"Please let me go Hayden" I choked on a sob and flinched when his fist slammed into the wall just above my head

Now I couldn't control it, I began sobbing openly, he looked so angry and intimidating, the next hit was definitely going to be me...

Then he shoved away from me with a mean expression.

"You are so disgusting! Don't ever cross me again!"

With that he was gone...

I sniffed aloud, once again I allowed myself to be stepped on, I couldn't speak out, maybe because I felt it wouldn't make a difference......

I took off my glasses and wiped the wetness against my sleeves before heading out the door...

I got to the cafeteria to meet and took a sit with Lyn, Clarissa and Jasper

"What took you so long?" Clarissa said in between bites

"Um Mrs Clark called for me" I lied

They resumed their chartering and but I wasn't in the mood for any of it.

My eyes clashed into Hayden's and held...

"So what do you think? It's hilarious right Gracie?" Jasper spoke handing his tablet over to me to view a photo, I averted my gaze quickly from Hayden's but I still felt his on me.

"Sure it is" I replied grinning at the pictures before handing it back to me

My gaze met Hayden's once more to find he was still staring at me

Why was he staring at me like that? got up from his circle of friends and started in our direction

He reached our table and stood right in front of me with a mocking gaze

"Look at the way you eat like a pig" he said in a voice so loud that made all eyes turn in our direction, I felt my ears reddened when the whole cafeteria erupted in laughter..

But he didn't stop there, "You are already as fat as an oaf so you don't need this" he said snatching my half eaten sandwich from me and throwing it on the ground, smashing on it with his boot, Another laughter erupted and I wished the ground could just open up and swallow me..

I had always been conscious of my weight but mom always told me I was perfect and healthy but right now.....

"What the hell do you think you're doing Hayden?" Jasper stood glaringly to my defense

Hayden looked like he was just noticing Jasper for the first time. he let his gaze wander from Jasper to me then back to Jasper again

"Another nerd" he muttered under his breath

I stood up and placed a hand on Jasper's shoulders looking at him pleadingly, maybe if we just ignored him he would just go away

I tried to ignore the way Hayden's eyes narrowed down to the hand I placed on Jasper's shoulders when he gave us his signature smirk

"If you really want to eat that much then you can" with that he took the glass of milk on our table and spilled it all over my face, even my hair was dripping with milk

I didn't know what exactly happened but I think Jasper just shoved Hayden..

Then the fight began and the whole cafeteria stood to watch

A scream escaped my lips when Hayden delivered a punch to Jasper's face

Then another....

And another....

He looked so enraged as he situated himself on top of Jasper who was at a great disadvantage

I looked around in panic, why was nobody trying to separate them? They all watched while cheering and whistling loudly, it was disgusting.

"Stop it!" I screamed and rushed towards them, Hayden was about to deliver a blow when I held his arm pulling him backwards

"Stop it now Hayden...please" I added

I could see his gaze flickering as if he was contemplating

"Please......" I said again and to my surprise he listened

He pulled up away from Jasper much to my relief and I went down to him

"Are you alright? " I asked tapping him gently

Of course he wasn't, he was bruised while Hayden looked unscratched, Lyn and Clarissa joined me to help him up

"Let's take him to the clinic" Lyn suggested

As we escorted Jasper out, from the corner of my eyes I saw Hayden glaring right at me his chin clenched tight.