5

BAILEY 

One week in crescent High and I'm calculating. 

If I were to be in my former school,I would been battered and broken from both my dad and Riley. 

But now,it's only dad.

If I were to be in my former school,my bullies wouldn't make sure they are always present at my workplace because they would've already beaten me up after school.

But now,it's their norm. They're always here and they reserve all their orders for me. Ain't that lovely?

“What can i get for you?”

“No greeting,Bailey? You don't miss us?”

After drowning me,they went into hiding for some time. But after realising that u wouldn't report them,they came back. 

I didn't report them because it would've been useless. Riley's dad is the sheirrif of this side of town so I didn't bother. He might get in trouble at home,but he wouldn't go to jail. And I would be his punching bag,Only now,He'd have a reason to hit me.

“You think you're better than us now,Bailey?”

Alice asks,the usual purr in her voice.

I don't know why I found her attractive,she's definitely not.

“No. What are you having tonight?”

I ask,my impatience seeping through my words.

I'm fucked aren't I?

The answer comes in the form of a scowl on Alice's face and a malicious grin on Riley's face.

______

They left 30 minutes ago,but as I walk out of the restaurant I work at,closing up for the night,I know that until I get home,I'm not truly safe. 

Everyone went ahead of me,so it's just me locking up. 

I take a step forward,away from the restaurant and I'm yanked back harshly,my back slamming against the building. 

I grunt,cursing within me,when I see Riley's face.

“You seem to have forgotten your place,Bailey. You think because you're in that preppy school,you're better than us,huh? Well show me now,show me how better you got.”

He stares back and swings his leg,hitting my lower abdomen and making me fall to my knees.

He grips my hair tightly and tilts my head up

“You're nothing,Bailey. Those spoiled brats may not see it now,but they'll realise eventually. And when they do,they'll treat like the trash you are.”

He kicks my abdomen again,and I grunt again,the immense pain making my eyes water.

“Hey!” Is all I hear before Riley is pushed to the ground and kicked in the face.

I gasp softly when I see Sebastian straddling Riley and delivering punch after punch,Alive watching in horror as her brother faces becomes more and unrecognisable. 

“Stop.” I wheeze,but  he doesn't hear me,just keeps pummelling into his face

I crawl as fast as I can and throw myself in Sebastian's back then I whisper “Please stop.”

He freezes,his body rigid and slowly gets off Riley, with me still clinging to his back.

I cannot recognise Riley's face,he got him good. 

But he's not moving and I begin to panic. 

Alice rushes and falls beside him, sobbing and calling his name.

He shifts a little moaning in pain and mumbling nonsense. 

I release a sigh of relief and sink more onto Sebastian’s back. What am I even doing?

He clears his throat 

“Are you okay.?”  I scramble off him quickly,the anger I hear in his voice scaring me.

I nod rapidly in response. 

I releases an exasperated sigh “Use your words Bailey.”

“I'm okay.”

“Good.” Then he stands over the frames of Alice and her brother. “You better not tell anyone about anything that happened here. You were mugged and that's all there is. If I hear a peep,you will fucking regret it. Got it?”

I nod along with Alice,the sound of his voice scaring me even though it's not directed at me.

He walks back to me,bends and carries me bridal style,making me gasp in surprise again. 

“Uh I can uhm i-”

“Shut up.”

I clamp my mouth shut and allow the his scent to engulf me. I lean in and push my nose to his neck,getting High on the smell of him.

What the fuck am I doing?

“Are you sniffing me?” His incredulous voice slices through the fig that has engulfed me,making me snap upright in his hold.

“N-no.”

We've reached his car. He open the door and deposits me gently into the passenger seat

“Wear your seat belt.”  he says sternly,when I remain unmoving. 

He walks over to the driver side and starts the car when he buckets his seat belt. 

“Where do you live?”

I mumble out the address and he punches ut into his GPS and drives me home. At first,I think he wouldn't ask questions 

“Did those people push you over the bridge?”

I think about lying,but then I'm sure he already knows the answer to his question 

“Yeah.”

“why haven't you reported to the police?”

“His dad is the sheriff.”

“Fuck.” he curses,hands gripping the steering wheel tighter

“Yeah.”

We arrive at my house. A small two storey building painted in faded green.

“Thank you for today.  I really-”

He reaches behind him to grab something from the backseat. A clear bag containing books.

“This was why I came today. Finish all my homework and be at my locker at 7am on Monday. I only beat them because no one touches what's mine. You're my property so I get to decide who touches you and who doesn't.”

He spits,glaring at me like it's my fault they beat me up.

“Now get the fuck out my car.”

I scramble out,careful to not drop the books and wincing with each step.

“Don't be late,Bailey.”

Sebastian calls out before his cat zooms out of my neighbourhood. 

He's an asshole,but so far,a better asshole than Riley.

I walk into the house,carefully avoiding all the creaking boards on the floor but it all proves to be useless when I find my dad standing right in front of the stairs,swaying slightly with a beer bottle clutched in his left hand and a belt in his right hand.

“You're late boy. And also your sister refused to eat dinner. She made that food go to waste. My money go to waste.”

I want to shout that it's my money and not his but I shut up,not wanting to anger him.

I am in not shape to fight him tonight 

“Well? You're gonna beat me or not,you disgusting old man”

He throws the beer together with the bottle at me,and I dodge,watching it smash as it hits the wall.

He flings the belt,slapping me into the face with it,his aim terrible,as he can barely stand.

He throws his again,but I grab it and push him and he falls too easily and stays still on the floor. 

At first,I think I've killed him,but his leg twitches and I release a tired sigh.

You can not decide if he hits me or not,Sebastian.  Not my own dad.