"Your mom?"

"Yeah" I laughed to release the tension in the air but it definitely didn't work. He was still starring at me like I said something against his family.

"Why?"

"She kinda gets all" I gulped "Mad at times but it's sometimes my fault. She just wants the best for me"

"And she does that by hitting you? That's bullshit"

"She's just a strict disciplinarian. That's all"

"This isn't discipline, it's torture"

"No it's not" I said "You know what? Just forget all about this. Let's act like it never happened. Just drive me back home and let things be the way they were"

"We both know that's impossible"

"It's not. All we have to do is to erase this"

"We'll do that after we get to my house"

"Excuse you" I said as he tried to hold unto my hand again "I have a house"

"Yeah, you also have a psycho as a mother"

"She's not a psycho" Lies "I love her the way she is. Please mind your business and take me home. Please"

"You're coming with me"

"Thanks for the offer but I really have to head home now. I don't_"

"You can't go home. At least, not looking like this. I don't think you noticed but that bruise is huge. You can't stay with someone that hits you like this. You're too young for that, you're just a teenager"

"Almost eighteen" I mumbled. "It doesn't make any difference."

"You're still not going home"

"Who's gonna take care of my mom when I leave?" I asked "It's not what it looks like. She's not a psycho and she doesn't just hit me for no reason"

"Shut up" Those were the last words he said before he held my wrist and dragged me back to the car. Believe me, I tried to pull my hand away but it was no avail. It didn't look like it made any difference.

Once again, I made a dumb decision.

I could award myself for dumbest of the century.

I mean, what exactly was I thinking?

Luke, who I considered my best and closest friend, knew nothing about it and it was in the hands of the most popular kid in school. I didn't want to use the word jerk but he was more than one.

Dylan would always be Dylan. There was no other word I could use to describe how cruel he could be. He could use this as a tool to prank me or even worse, he could share it amongst this minions and soon, the whole school would know about it.

I wasn't scarred about the fact it would ruin the reputation I'd acquired in days but because i would be embarrassed in front of the whole school. I'd felt how being the talk of the school was and I didn't want to experience it again.

It would be the most steaming and hottest gist in school. Mostly because in my years in Bluefallls, i'd never heard a news about abuse and all. They would point fingers and whisper things at me and before I knew it, it would get to the principal and I would be in foster care.

"If you scream, you'll only be putting yourself in more trouble so shut up and get in" He said. He didn't wait for my reply before opening the door and pushing me in. He got into the driver's seat and brought the engines to life.

"Why can't you understand this is none of your business? It's my life, I know what I'm going through and I'm telling you it's fine. What are you gonna do next? Tell the whole school about it as revenge for the dumb prank I pulled on you? Or tell your minions about it and they'd help in transporting the news around school? Or even better, use this as an instrument to prank me? Cause in all my years in high school, that's all you've ever done. Make people's life hell and ruin their chances of ever making a good reputation in school."

He stopped the car immediately and unlocked my door.

"Get out"

"What?"

"I said get the fuck out"

*~*~*~*~*~

"If I ever hear anything like that again, you'd beg for death" She said and threw my bag at me "Get out of my sight. You disgust me"

I didn't reply, just took my bag and headed to my room. I slammed the door shut when I got in and headed to the bathroom to wash away the previous make up.

I didn't know where she heard it but someone, I'm guessing one of the neighbours, told her I was walking around with a boy. A boy that happens to be Dylan.

Yeah, pathetic, I know.

They just couldn't mind their business and they didn't know how much damage they caused in the process. Even if I had something with Dylan, I was seventeen and old enough to have a boyfriend.

I'm not going to stay single for the rest of my life.

I splashed water on my face and washed away the former make up I had on. It was smudged from the slap I'd received earlier and beneath it was a red mark.

Without thinking of how late I was, I started applying new layers of concealer to cover up the bruise that was beginning to form on my cheek. It was a bit swollen but I hoped no one would notice it.

Once I was done, she had left the house already. The slam from the door confirmed my suspicions and once again, I was free from the psycho.

Breakfast was not more than toast and hot coffee but I appreciated the fact I wouldn't leave the house with an empty stomach. The toast was too dry and a bit hard but with my great coffee making skills, the sweetness of the coffee redeemed it.

I just wished I didn't have to go to school but my mom could come home anytime and if she met me at home, it would be trouble.

I wasn't sure if Dylan had spread the news about it yet or if his goons knew anything about it. I had a feeling he wouldn't because he wasn't the type to snitch but he could use it against me by either pranking me or sharing a viral video about me.

Either ways, my last year in high school would be over.

I was also worried about the dumb truth or dare game we played at Lisa's party. The game involved the school's best gossipers and the popular kids. In one way or the other, the news had to be the top on the gist list by now.

I wouldn't say I was ashamed because I wasn't the one who got rejected but they'd say I chickened away and that it was my first kiss.

Which is true if I might add.

If Dylan was smart, he wouldn't let the news exceed that circle but if he wanted to prove his stupidity then yeah, he would let it go viral. I knew the popular kids would do anything to save their reputation. I mean, there were a bunch of secrets hidden amongst them.

I just didn't want to be the embarrassed in front of the whole school.

For goodness sake, when did I start caring about reputation?

I wouldn't say I was scarred but I was worried about the whole thing. On one side, I was eager to go to school, just to know what he had planned for me and on the other side, I wanted to stay at home and drown in self pity.

If only I lived in Bikini Bottom.

*~*~*~*~*~

The news was not out yet.

I didn't get whispers and stares from people. Instead, they were smiling at me and sending the regular 'hi's and 'hello's my way.

Things were the same as they were before yesterday and I couldn't have wanted more.

I was late enough to meet the second bell which signified it was time for calculus.

You know, that subject we all hate.

Because I was so fortunate, Dylan was in my calculus class.

His eyes were on me the moment I entered the class. Thank God the teacher wasn't in the class yet and students we're still chatting with each other. He had a red haired sitting on the table in front of him. He was telling her something I guessed was stupid and she was giggling like he just said the funniest thing in the world.

You know I make better jokes right?

The teacher entered the class later and ordered everyone to keep quiet "I hope you all have done your assignments" He started and loud groans echoed in the class.

A felt a paper ball hit my head. I glanced at the person who threw it just to notice it was Esther. She mounted a 'read it' to me and just when I was about to bend down, I couldn't.

I was stuck.

I went into panic mode immediately. My leggings we're stuck to the chair and if even if I forcefully tried to stand up, it would rip and my underwear would be on full display.

It was then I noticed Dylan smirking.

Oh shit

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