9

I wiped my wet cheeks when I saw Maddy walking up to her car. We were about to leave the party and I had not seen any signs of Lucas or those boys. I was glad I didn't because I didn't know what I was going to do if I saw him.

I heard the driver's door open and Maddy boarded the car. I glanced at her when a bottle of water entered my line of vision. She was smiling at me then I smiled back and took the bottle of water. I uncapped it and drank some of it.

"Thank you," I said in a cracked voice.

"You're welcome," she said and started the car's engine.

I stared at Lucas' house one last time before staring ahead of me. I sighed in relief when Maddy drove off. We stayed in silence for ten minutes before Maddy sighed.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"No," I replied.

"Don't you think you should call the cops?"

My eyes widened at her idea which I thought was good, but I didn't want any of it. Nothing went too far which I was glad and thankful to her for.

"It's not needed. My only concern is Lucas."

"Lucas?"

I nodded. "When those boys were... Well, they said something about me rejecting Lucas and how I'm going to pay for it."

"Pay for what?"

I tightened my grip around the plastic bottle, trying to convince myself that Maddy would accept what I said especially when I heard she had a history with Lucas.

"The thing is, the first time I met Lucas was in the boys' locker room. I was locked in there by some troublemakers and Lucas had been there. He thought I was a cheerleader doing sexual favors, nothing happened in the locker room as Josh Edgewood came in. Fast forward to later that day, I found out I lost my phone. When I called my phone, Lucas was the one who answered. He bought me a phone the following day and I rejected it. He made me come to this party, saying he'll give me my old phone. But... We kissed and I rejected his advances, so I guess he made those boys make me pay for it."

Tears filled my eyes and Maddy stopped her car on the side of the road. I bowed my head and cried to myself, hating how vulnerable I felt. I felt her hand on my shoulder which I ignored.

"I am so sorry, Jackie. If I had known such would have happened, I should have stayed with you all night. I am so sorry for what happened. I never knew that Lucas was a piece of shit," she said and squeezed my shoulder.

I sniffed and wiped my tears then faced her with a small smile. I was still stunned that someone like her had compassion for a nobody like me. Which made me conclude that her nasty attitude at school was all an act.

"Don't cry," she said and wiped my cheeks with her hands. "If you still want, we can go to the cops now and file a sexual assault report and they'll arrest him tonight."

"No, let's forget it. I'm too broke to sue Lucas who comes from wealth. I just want to go home," I said, and she smiled with an understanding on her face.

"You know what? Why don't we go watch a movie and have ice cream? I'm sure you still have time to spare, right?" Maddy suggested and I mulled over the idea.

I needed to take my mind off what had happened. I didn't want to head home in such a state and cry myself to sleep.

"Sure, let's do that," I said, smiling.

[|]

I stood at the entrance of the school, feeling afraid of bumping into Lucas because I was very sure he was looking for me. I was also afraid of seeing those boys who I was sure attended this school.

"Are you okay?"

I jumped in fear at the voice of Maddy. I forgot that she had picked me up from my house and drove me to school with her. She stood beside me, making me look very cheap close to her Chanel short dress and denim jacket.

"I'm fine," I replied, and she nodded.

"Don't worry, I'll try to stay around you today. Also, I was thinking of you joining the cheer squad," Maddy said, and my eyes widened.

"Are you serious?" I asked, shocked at her offer. Maddy was the head of the cheer squad, and she was offering such a huge thing. I thought over it since it meant I would come out of the promise I made to myself about being unknown.

"Yes. I just feel you're cheerleading material and I need a great friend beside me. I'm tired of the fake people around me even though I have to still fake being friends with them for formality's sake. So, what do you say?"

Having one friend and associating for once would not hurt. Plus, we would graduate this year. Maybe I could use the rest of the year to be free for once and do the school stuff I always ignored.

I smiled. "Where do I sign up?"

Maddy squealed. "Thank you so much!"

My shoulders squared when she hugged me. I noticed the way the students around stared at us, probably wondering why a popular figure was with a nobody. When she pulled away, she grabbed my hand and dragged me toward the entrance of the school.

[|]

After the bell rang, I picked up my books and left the class. The hallway became crowded with students walking out of their classes and that made me alert on Lucas Hamilton. I hastened my steps as I walked past the people blocking the way.

When I got to my locker, I opened and dumped my books then closed the locker. My eyes went wide when I spotted Lucas heading toward me. I turned the other way and ran away.

"Jackie, wait!"

What did he want with me? I didn't want anything to do with him. I hated him so much. As I ran into a class and was about to shut the door, he barged in, and I froze. His eyes were filled with rage, and I stepped back.

"What do you want?" I asked and he kept quiet. "Speak up! Are you here to mock me again? Are you here to tell me that I deserved to be almost raped by your gang?! Lucas, please leave me alone! I don't want you! I told you before!"

"Jackie, listen. I apolog—"

"Your apology will solve nothing! What happened last night already happened!"

Tears rolled down my cheeks as my heart pounded fast. My body was shaking from anger and hatred for Lucas. He had no right to apologize. All I wanted was for him to leave me alone and I knew just how to solve that.

"Where's the phone?" I asked with a glare on my face.

"What phone?" He asked and stepped forward. "I want to—"

"Stay back!" I barked, not caring if the people outside the class heard my voice at this point.

"Where are the two phones? If you don't have them, get them and bring them to me."

The classroom was silent for a few seconds before Lucas sighed and took off his backpack from his shoulder. He unzipped it and took out the new phone then my old phone. I walked over to him and grabbed the two of them from his hand. I hugged them to my chest and wiped my cheeks.

"You sent those boys to assault me because of these phones and my rejection. So, I have accepted them, but I still reject your interest. Lucas, I don't want you anywhere close to me because if you do, I will call the cops and have you humiliated and locked up for life. I have a witness so don't think you can buy your freedom. Step out of the way. Now!"

Lucas flinched at my tone then nodded. He stepped aside, very far away from the door. I glared at him one last time before leaving the classroom. I kept my head bowed as I walked away, clutching the phones to my chest. When I was far away, I stopped and stared down at the white box and my old phone.

"Finally have you back," I said to my old phone and smiled.