3. The Savior

Tessa's POV

When I was running through the corridor of the school I saw my dad, working with the team of cleaners.

Yup, that's right my dad is a cleaner at our own school but of course, no one in our school knows that he is my father though, except for my brother obviously.

I rushed down the lane of students as tears were falling freely. My father took one glance at me and his face contorted in confusion. 

He immediately rushed towards me

He saw me crying and immediately came rushing towards me.

"Tessa, are you okay? Did something happen? Why are you so upset?" he asked in a concerned voice and I wanted to hug him tightly and cry in his arms for days but I saw two girls from our class watching my interaction with my father and talking covertly. 

I ran away from him, towards the washroom before answering but he followed me anyway.

"Tess, is everything okay?" my dad asked from the outside of the washroom. And, I saw some girls looking at me with questionable expressions. I have faced enough humiliation for the day I don't think I could face anymore so I said, "Why are you asking me that? I told you I am fine. You are just a janitor so please focus on your job," I told him and even to my ears, I sounded so rough and conceited. I regretted my choice of words immediately because I knew it would hurt my dad a lot. I mentally slapped myself for saying anything.

After that I didn't hear back anything from my dad and I was sure that he left. 

* * *

The rest of the day at school passed in a whiff as I tried to stay away from Ronan and his gang. I embedded myself in my books and I didn’t even dare scribble anything in my diary.

As I was leaving the campus with my brother after a long day, I heard a student from class call my name. I looked back to see what it was.

"Tessa, the teacher has called you in the staff room to discuss something," a girl informed me. 

I nodded and motioned my brother to go home, as it might take some time and I wouldn’t want him to wait. Then I went towards the staff room. Surprisingly, the school seemed pretty empty and I could not see any one in the staff room. I peeked from the outside to see if there was any teacher but there wasn't. 

I guess the girl was just playing with me like everyone else does.

I started to stride back when I felt a harsh tug on my body. I turned back, a little baffled to see it was Lucy, Mila, and some of their friends, standing around me as they cornered me.

I tried to get away from them but they all overpowered me as they forced me into the storage compartment of the school facility. 

Fuck! I think I am in trouble!

"Leave my hand," I yelled at Lucy in a harsh voice but she just yanked my hair and pushed me in the cold room. 

"What the hell are you doing?!" I screamed at her. I swear she has gone insane!

"You thought you could get away from slapping me in front of the entire school so easily?" She sneered at me with hatred and I tried to get past them but my attempt was in vain. 

"You will regret ever laying your filthy hands on me," she promised in an evil tone as they pushed me on the ground and scurried away from the room locking me inside. 

I rushed towards the door immediately but it was closed. I banged it hard so that at least someone could hear me out but the only voice I heard was Lucy and her friends giggling.

"Lucy! Open the door right now!" I demanded, even though dread was crippling inside of me.

"Open the damn door, you crazy nut job!" I reiterated, but they didn’t open it. They did nothing but laugh at my misery.

I started to feel the cold hitting in and hugged myself tightly to spread some warmth through my body. The room was dark and the scent of some sort of chemical was really strong, making me nauseated.

I am sure my mom and brother must be worried about my whereabouts. I searched through my bag to see if I had my phone on me but unfortunately, I didn't have it. I think I dropped it somewhere earlier. 

I yelled from time to time to see if anyone was passing from the outside that would help me but no one came. 

I didn't even have the energy to cry as the cold started to really kick in. I don't know how long I stayed in that room, for hours or maybe more but I felt extremely dizzy so I rested my head against the door banging it slightly.

"Is anyone here?" I heard a strong male voice and I immediately knew who it was.

I mustered up whatever strength that was in me as I banged the door hard, then I heard some footsteps after which the door opened and there stood Ronan Pierce in all his glory.

"Tessa, what the hell are you doing in here?" he asked me in a panicked voice as he swept me off my feet and held my quivering body against his warm one.

I could feel the warmth of his body flowing through me and yet it didn't feel enough. I pressed myself against his torso, making him groan. I was teetering but I still spoke up in a low voice after he placed me on a seat. My mind was too dizzy to note anything right now.

"Lucy… she did this! She locked me up!" I said in a shaky voice as my head started to spin.

"Oh my! You would not tell this to anyone right?" he asked me.

I shook my head reluctantly not knowing what I just agreed to. He took my hands in his and rubbed them together which made me feel a little warmer and after that, I fell limp in his arms not knowing what the hell just happened.

Afterwards, I felt a little better as Ronan placed me in his car and put his jacket on top of me and I smiled lightly in my mind because it felt good knowing that he cares for me even if it is close to none. 

This is the kind of Ronan I want, a good man who cares for me deeply and treats me right. 

But, little did I know it would not even take him a day to burst my wishful bubble just like he did with my heart.