Chapter 7

• 7. You're the worst thing that's happened to me, Valen!
• His eyes murderously bore into hers. They were so dark that it felt like he would eat her the next moment. Poor Valen stood high and dry struggling to breathe properly. Her breaths were actually stuck in her throat, seeing him sooo fucking close. Well, this was not the first time she was seeing him close, this keeps happening every now and again still, every time he did that, it got harder for her to adapt in the environment.
• "Ryley! You are hurt—"
• "OH JUST SHUT UP!" He screamed on her lips, leaving the tracks of his saliva drops highlighting on her coral lips, shining like dewdrops.
• Hazel turned her eyes away. She hated to see them so close, yet there was nothing she could do about it. Because Ryley said that he only did that to torment, harm, and bully her. But anyway, that proximity bothered her. It never made her feel good.
• Valen stood silent under his gaze. Like usual, she had no idea why he acted in such a manner around her.
• She frequently wondered why he acted as ruthlessly as a devil when the matter was anywhere related to her. His fingers tightened painfully in her tresses. She was certain, considering the pain that pulsed in her head, he must have yanked a few strands out. And that she would be able to see them once he withdrew his hand.
• "Stop behaving like you are a helpless damsel." He let go of her hair with a jerk and punched her on the left shoulder with zero to no force, just above her collar bone, before turning around.
• Her knees buckled and she cried out in agony, "Aah!" She clutched her shoulder, feeling it burn as if someone set it ablaze.
• Just as everyone stared at her, the skin around her collar turned crimson. Valen suppressed her cries as she tried not to pass out as her head felt dizzy.
• "Good one, Ryley. That's what that hoe deserves for ruining your day." Yeoman mouthed.
• His friends beamed. They were satisfied with the punishment Ryley gave her. Each tear that descended from her eyes was treated as if it were a valuable gem. They bumped fists and high-fived in victory whereas Valen moaned in pain.
• Zander was back in his videographer's mode, capturing everything in his phone. "There there… the bitch goes on her knees in defeat, yay! We won again against the cunning witch. Cheers to the Wild Wolves! Woohoo! Wolves one, witch zero." He sang, recording it on his iPad.
• He repeatedly bent down, stood at different angles, and tilted his head from time to time in order to capture Valen in that vulnerable state. He also narrated her helpless state when from behind him, he heard a pissed off remark, "It is not over yet! I will not let her get off so easily after wrecking my boyfriend's birthday." Zander whirled around with his iPad to discover Hazel striding toward Valen’s balled up frame with something in her hand.
• Everyone's gasps gave the video terrifying background music, as Zander exclaimed, “There comes the queen with her wrath.”
• Hazel had a cup of coffee in her hand. She escalated it high in the air so every eyeball could see it. “I've got a special coffee for our dear Valen.” She said, making her friends hoot while Ryley quietly stood near the table with an impassive facade, his fingers becoming cold.
• His eyes switched between Valen and the hot cup of coffee. Steam emerged from it, showing that it was scorching hot– just taken out of the machine.
• "Would you like to tell us what is special about this coffee, Hazel? From what I can smell it is your normal chocolate caramel coffee." Zander bought the camera on Hazel's face.
• "Oh, I forgot this." She spat in the cup and smirked. "Now it's a special coffee for Valen with extra garnishing which will make her face glow and surpass everyone's beauty!"
• Her matted lips twisted together and her eyes glared at Valen who was still on her knees attempting to suppress her pain. She breathed heavily as she tentatively crawled away from Hazel.
• A pair of hands came around her shoulders, making her shudder in trepidation. "Let go, let go of me, Wendy!" Valen turned a vivid scarlet.
• Wendy laughed like a maniac and winked at her friend, "I won't let her run away, babe. She must taste the coffee you garnished with so much love and care for her."
• 'Why are you standing here like a fucking statue, Ryley? Go and save Valen before your girlfriend burns her face with it. She doesn't deserve it. She just wanted to wish you on your birthday! Don't be so cruel with her. Stop your friends now, will you?' His wolf, Shine's nagging angered him more.
• Shine didn't like all of this, but he was helpless. He was never let out when wanted. Ryley only allowed him out when he needed it. He hated to see Ryley watch as Wendy yanked Valen's head up so the cup was perpendicular with her face, as Hazel lowered it down near her forehead.
• "You mess with my boyfriend, I mess with your face, bitch." she remarked, pinching Valen's chin straight up into a painful angle.
• She showed the steaming cup of coffee to her as though telling her what was going to happen to her as she tilted it. However, the content never toppled over Valen's countenance provided that she kicked Hazel's left foot.
• Hazel was wearing high heels and lost her balance. As a result the sultry cup of coffee came crashing down on her own face, burning her jaw.
• "Aaahhh." She hollered with an agonizing undertone to her voice. Her screams echoed in the menacingly silent room, overwhelming every observer.
• "Hazel!"
• "Hazel!"
• "Haze!"
• "Babe!"
• All of her friends alongside her boyfriend rushed to look at her. The skin on her jaw has begun to turn pink indicating the arrival of blisters. Hazel wailed louder and louder as soon as Ryley pulled her in his arms.
• "Ahhh, Ryley, It hurts a lot. I am going to die. I am going to die. Please kill me already, this pain is oppressing me. Ahh, my skin's melting. Someone kill me already!" She faked cries with crocodile tears.
• A glazed look of pure animosity extended on Ryley's face. He fumed like a mad bull does at the sight of red cloth. Poor Valen froze right there. She gulped her saliva and looked around herself, hoping to get out as soon as possible.
• It took every ounce of strength in her body to rise back on her feet. She didn't let tears fall out of her eyes as she hurriedly turned around. She was about to cross the table she had been sitting across when an angry hand combined with her hair, pulling her back.
• "I've warned you to not mess with me but you love to see me pissed." Ryley's throaty voice made her eyes blur with more tears.
• She was stupid that she came here to wish the bully bastard. How could she forget that he loathed her. If hatred had a face, Ryley Shine's pictures would be circulated to show it.
• "I… I didn't want to mess. It's your friends who messed with me." She said defiantly, her voice coming out stronger than she hoped.
• Ryley parted his lips to say something, but a loud dramatic moan from Hazel and he rushed towards her back. Valen held her neck in relief. Her breaths got stuck in her chest when he held her restrained in his hold. But she thanked all Gods and Goddesses for coming to her aid, and letting her away with less damage.
• "I am going to die, Ryley." Valen watched how the leader of the bully gang caressed the hair of his cunning girlfriend. Hazel snuggled his chest, yelling as loud as she could on top of her voice.
• This was a good chance to escape. Ryley and the others were occupied by Hazel, and if she slipped out of the room then no one would notice since Hazel was in the center with everyone's attention.
• "It's all because of you, bitch!" Valen stopped in her tracks, hearing Clark's angry words.
• He got up fiercely and snarled at Valen, curling his fingers into fists as he plunged it in her direction. Valen moved behind, thus tackling his blow. Before he shot another at her, she picked a fork from the nearest table and pointed it at him thus stopping him in his spot.
• Clark let out a cunning laugh. "Don't you think that is a childish weapon? It'll hardly prick my skin, much less hurt me." His eyes blazed indignantly.
• Though she was scared of everyone in the gang, the good part was that she never let them see it. Valen raised her brow with a small faltering smile and said, "Try me, baby. I'll prick you with this in the place where the sun doesn't shine!"
• A gush of vexation ran down Ryley’s veins. He growled, making Valen look at him from the predator fuming before her. Her fingers were already shivering, and listening to her increased heartbeats, Ryley laughed. "Don't pretend to be strong, Valentine. I can hear that stupid heart of yours beating wildly in your chest. You are scared as a rat but you won't show." He rose despite Hazel's needy hands attempting to pull him back to her.
• But Valen was so annoying… or say, attractively bold that he couldn't stop himself from standing before her with a dark smirk that said 'You are just my prey and only I get to mess with you.'
• Valen twitched her lips, "So what if I'm scared, huh. Everyone is, because you guys are crazy assholes. I just wanted to wish you well but you made a big fuss out of it. You are a disappointing cunt, Ryley Shine."
• Her words made him laugh out loud. She was still standing there with a confident glow. Ryley was busy assessing the trembling of her fingers and the heaving of her perfect chest when Clark gave her a hard side kick in her waist, disrupting his assessment.
• He watched her gliding meters away until she hit a table. She hugged her knees curling up in a coil, feeling pathetic before the world around her went dark.
• "Clark," Ryley howled. He caught his neck and pushed him at a table, "She was mine to hurt!"
• "I couldn't control my wolf, Ryley." He choked up.
• Seeing his face turn colorless, Ryley released him. His wolf urged to come out and bite his neck off of his remaining body but Ryley controlled him. As his eyes went all the way across the room, he heard his wolf cry.
• 'She fucking passed out! How could you not go and check up on her, Ryley.' a sudden frost spread through his stomach at the words of his wolf.
• At the same time he detected the smell of blood slowly mixing with the air. When he looked back at Valen, he discovered her head was bleeding.
• All the eyeballs bathed Valen with a pitiful look, yet no one came to help her. Ryley did nothing except for staring at her.
• Eyes stone-cold, face motionless and lips dry and cracked, he stared at her with no change on his face. His sable brown eyes did not even show one percent of sympathy for her.
• "Baby," But when Hazel cried out for him, his body functioned hastily.
• Towards one fake grasp from her, he held her close. "Don't worry baby, I'll take you to the doctor and everything will be fine." He kissed her forehead and lifted her in his arms to take her to the medical room as if she was in the last phase of her life.
• The others followed him like the disciples of a philanthropist, while there Valen was left on her own.
• No one came to look over her or her wounds. No one checked whether she was alive or dead. The crowd reduced down until no one was left in the canteen, leaving her on the floor.
• It's not because they were heartless, but because it was the first rule of the Wild Wolves gang on school campus— that one must not help the ones who have been beaten up by them. It was forbidden to aid those bullied by the Wild Wolves gang. If so, you will be their next victim.
• Even so, ten minutes later, someone snuck into the canteen when it was devoid of life and a pair of hands slid under her back and knees and picked her up from the floor. Valen was taken to the medical room where the mysterious person tended her bleeding head and slipped out of the room before anyone noticed them.
• ________
• Valen's point of view...
• 'I hate you. I swear I will make your life worse than hell, Valentine Pereira. You are the worst thing that has ever happened to me!'
• A voice whispered into my ears. It was full of anger and loath. As if someone was extremely piqued on me.
• 'I wish you died that night. I wish I never saved you. Your distressing existence makes me want to kill you with my bare hands.'
• It was black all around. I couldn't see my own hands, let alone the face of the one who was complaining into my ears. I could not even move.
• When I tried to do so, a sharp pain shot through my system. My breaths stuck in my throat. I've heard breathing is the easiest thing a human can do, but this was another difficult endeavour for me. I tried to run around… look for the person who kept on saying those words to me. Alas, I couldn't find them.
• 'I hate you, Valen. You destroyed my life, now I will destroy yours.'
• I ran and ran and ran in the darkness, searching for the one who said those words to me. In the end I gave up and dropped to my knees. I covered my ears and closed my eyes. I even screamed so that the voice just faded away. But the more I attempted to get rid of it the louder it pulsed in my ear drums.
• 'I hate you, Valentine. I hate you!!!'
• "Uhhgggg" I woke up with a sudden jerk, panting severely.
• I looked around and guess what, I was in the medical room on one of the beds.
• That bad dream— again!!!
• It was gloomy outside the window, and it didn't take long to infer that evening had appeared. Oh evening! I never stayed out of the house so late. My father must be concerned.
• He's the world's best father. But when it comes to me, he's a possessive wolf who wouldn't hesitate to kill anyone for me. Not to mention, he doesn't touch the plate of food unless I eat with him.
• I quickly removed the white sheet aside and hopped out. A simmering pain exploded in my shoulder. I felt my head rotate and I collapsed near the bed, on the floor.
• "Ouch!" I raised a hand to hold my spinning skull, and realized there was a bandage on the right corner of my forehead.
• My shoulder hurt as I attempted to get up again, and that's when all the memories of the morning played like a fast-paced clip.
• Ryley, That bully bastard!
• I put my fingers on the bandage again. I could sense a small bump under it. It brought tears to my eyes but I controlled it as this was not the time to cry.
• Come to think of it, this was not something new to get from him. Oh, I remembered how much of a jerk he is and refrained myself from going anywhere near him. He always does this with me. Just me. But still a stupid part of me hoped that we could get back together as friends like we were in the past.
• After all, Ryley was not like this always!
• I carefully placed my foot one by one on the floor as a throbbing pain pricked in my waist. My eyes shut tighter, "Aahhh!" That idiot Clarke.
• Anyhow I restored my energy and strutted to the big counter by the opposite wall that had my bag. I pulled out my phone from it. There were several missed calls from my dad and some messages on messenger. But what caught my heed was a message I received not long ago from Vivian, a classmate.
• It read: I found you hurt in the canteen. As much as I wanted to wait there with you, I had to go attend the lectures and then the training. My attendance is already very low. Please give me a call when you wake up. I'll be happy to drop you home.
• There was another message, which said: I got to know what transpired in the canteen and I promise I'll kick Ryley's ass for hurting you so much.
• There was another one: But I already told you he's a mean guy. You shouldn't have gone to see him in the first place.
• I put the phone back in the bag and wore it on my shoulders. Vivian did warn me, but I thought Ryley would change. He used to be nice with me earlier. We even went to movies together and spent many nights in my house whenever my father had to go out on search expeditions or on rescue missions. He would come to babysit me. Sounds weird but is true.
• I even stayed at his place, right in his bedroom, where we talked a lot about ghosts, vampires and other stuff. He used to be my best (and only) friend until his eighteenth birthday. It is a mystery what turned him so evil towards me, I was still optimistic that one day we'd be able to hang out in the same way again.
• "I swear to God I am done trying, Ryley Shine. You can go to hell and bake like bread in hell fire, and I couldn't care less." I mumbled and wrapped my shoulders with a scarf that I always carry in my bag.
• I don't like to be caught by my dad with bruises and cuts. He hates to see me in pain. He is a well-known doctor for the world, but when it's about me and if the wounds are mine, his eyes become liquid. He doesn't like to see me suffering. My lovely dad. Thus, I cover myself with the scarf whenever the bully gang picks on me.
• Ding dong! Ding dong!
• I jumped in reflex at the sound of the clock striking twelve. I thought it was evening, but as I stepped out of the school building, stars and silvery light of the moon illuminated my way beside the strong lights coming from the side lamp posts.
• I held my heart looking around at the still environment, "Jesus Christ! That nearly failed my heart."
• I breathed heavily as I strode further. I really needed to get home soon. I cannot stay here any longer. No no no!!!
• And then I increased my speed. Even though I was walking lamely with one leg it did not matter because it is dangerous for me to stay out at night. Because… He stares at me. He follows me. He notices every single step of mine. He stalks me in the dark.
• I held both my hands near my chest as I progressed near the school gate. There was no watchman around and the gates were locked. Turning to the small cabin located in the left corner of the gate, "Mr. Adam? Mr. Adam, are you there?" I called for the watchman of our school, standing near the gate holding the bars.
• The moon was shining amongst the black clouds, the chirpiness of crickets, and the rustling of the leaves on the trees around freaked me out. Yet I stood strong waiting for him to come. Ten minutes passed, and there was no sign of him. I did not dare to look at the school building behind me.
• It looks damn scary like a dirty vampire's castle. Its pillars are menacing. And the triangular flags on the top of each of them moved with the winds. A gust of terror whipped my face as the sound of waving flags rang in my ears. As if it was floating right next to my ear lobe.
• It sounds like the waving of a filthy witch's black gown, who has got dark long black fangs, and who would jump down on the ground and come after me, and then tap my shoulder for my attention.
• Hell… did I seriously feel a tug on my shoulder? I thought as I felt it. Not once, twice or thrice… but five times.
• My throat dried up, my pulse increased, and my gaze blurred out as a crispy, heavy whisper invaded my left ear, "Valen,"
• "Aaaahhh!" It made me scream my lungs and heart out before I decided to run away.
• Tbc...