4. Boyfriend

Innessa walked to the academy with Scarlett. She met her in the lobby, so they walked together.  

"What's that?" Innessa asked, staring at a small structure that was in Scarlett's hands.  

"That's my project. The marks would be included in my semester grades. We still have a month to complete it," Scarlett said as Innessa nodded.  

"I could help you if you want," Innessa offered, and Scarlett chuckled, thanking her, saying she wanted to do it by herself because she loved to do it. It was her passion.  

Innessa didn't know why, but she always got inspired when the person talked about their passion and their love for what they were pursuing. Hearing them talk about their goals and passions always motivated her to focus on her goals and work harder.  

The girls parted ways as Scarlett headed to the architecture department and Innessa went to the psychology department. On her way, she was walking through the parking lot when her eyes fell on a familiar tall frame with broad shoulders.  

It was the guy from that night who helped her unknowingly. He was leaning against a black Mustang with a can of soda in his hand as he chugged it down. He was wearing a black t-shirt which hugged his muscles like a second skin. Cargo pants and boots. His dark brown hair resembled the shade of his eyes from that night. Innessa faintly noticed a tattoo on his arm and hand, the same hand with which he was holding the drink.  

She didn't realize that she was standing in the middle of the pathway, fully and openly gawking at him.  

Her heart jumped to her mouth when his head snapped in her direction and their eyes locked. He was at some distance, and yet those cold eyes that glowed under the warm sunlight pierced right through her soul.  

She abruptly looked away and began to trudge to her department building. Pretending as if she didn't know him. Once inside, she stared at the floor. She was supposed to thank him for that night; he must've recognized her and thought she was a complete brat.  

But he was the one who walked away that night, not even hearing her. But damn, that car was drop-dead gorgeous. He must be filthy rich if he owns that car.  

Shaking her head, she cautiously checked her locker, and luckily, there was nothing inside it.  

Innessa grabbed her books and headed to her first class. She took her seat, and the rest of the day was rather uneventful, thankfully.  

She was placing her books in the locker after her last class when a hand banged on the locker right beside her head, making a loud rattling sound, causing her to jump in fright. Her head snapped to the person, and she stiffened when her eyes met with Henry's brown eyes.  

He looked furious.  

Innessa stepped away from her locker, quickly shutting it. Her eyes darted around at the number of students, and almost everyone pretended to ignore them, knowing fully well that he was boldly cornering her.  

"What do you want?" She asked with mustered up courage, holding her books tightly to her chest.  

"To make your life a living hell for rejecting me," he said, and her heart constricted in her ribcage in fear.  

"But you could have any girl you want. Why don't you approach someone else? I can assure you they'll date you," she said.  

His jaw clenched as he glared at her.  

"I like challenges." 

"Leave me alone, Henry. I don't want to do anything with you. If you dare to chase me like that, night. I'll call the cops," She threatened bravely, and he chuckled.  

"You think cops could stop me? Honey, I'll buy them." He mused.  

"Then I'll tell my boyfriend about this whole ordeal," she said calmly, and his eyes narrowed.  

"Boyfriend-" He stopped abruptly, and his eyes darkened.  

Grabbing her wrist in a brutal hold, he dragged her from there and shoved her into the staircase area, where there was no one around.  

She touched her wrist as a bruise formed on her skin because of his brute hold.  

"Stop this, Henry-" Her breath hitched when he stalked over to her with a murderous look in his eyes.  

Henry pushed her against the wall with such force that a cry tore through her lips and pain shot through her spine.  

She stiffened, her eyes widening when he put a pocket knife to her throat. The cold metal pressed hard on her neck, on the verge of piercing her skin.  

Tears of fear brimmed in the back of her eyes as she stood there like a taut board, not even breathing.  

The door opened, and she hoped from the bottom of her heart for it to be a professor or some students, but to her horror, three guys stepped in, smirking. She had seen them with Henry often.  

"Come here," He motioned at one of the guys, but the three of them stepped closer, hovering over her trembling frame.  

"Get rid of her shirt and take some pictures. I'll upload them online," Henry said.  

That guy grabbed her shirt as a cry tore through her lips, and she pushed him away with all her might. The sudden notion caused the knife to pierce through her neck as hot droplets of blood gushed out. She couldn't feel the pain, though she was aware of the warm blood forming a small pool on her collarbone.  

Innessa tried to run away from there, but the other guy grabbed a fistful of her hair and slammed her forehead on the wall, causing pain to strike her hard. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she felt him pulling at her shirt while the other was tugging at her pants.  

"My boyfriend would kill you all," she said in a trembling voice, and they paused as Henry stepped closer. He put his knife under her chin and made her look at him.  

"You don't have a boyfriend," He deadpanned, smiling sinisterly.  

"I do. That night, you ran away after seeing him," The lie slipped through her lips on its own. Innessa was grasping for the threads, anything that could help her escape these monsters. She was trying hard to stay strong and not cry in front of these bastards, but her tears weren't in her control.  

"Issac Knight is your boyfriend?" He asked, looking appalled. The other guys were horrified even by the mention of his name.  

She didn't even know who this Issac Knight was. Perhaps the man with those cognac brown hues.  

She nodded her head, and his eyes narrowed at her. "You're lying," He gritted, glaring daggers at her.  

"I'm not. Just let me go, and I won't tell him anything," she said, noticing that his goons stepped back, looking almost pale.  

"We should leave, Henry," One of them said, tugging at Henry's shoulder. Henry jerked his hand away, glaring at Innessa.  

"She's lying!" Henry gritted.  

"What if she's telling the truth? Issac would kill us if he found out we touched his girl," The other guy said, making Henry even more pissed.  

"I swear to God if I found you were lying. I'm going to make you so miserable. You'll beg me to let you go back to your pathetic town," He spat on her face as she flinched back.  

Clenching his jaw, he stomped out of there along with his goons as the door slammed behind them.  

Her chin wobbled as she sobbed. Her legs gave out on her as the girl dropped to her knees, cupping her mouth, she sobbed, pressing her palm on her neck as blood coated her hand.  

Innessa pressed her palm on her neck when the door opened to reveal a girl from her class. Her eyes widened, seeing the blood.  

Innessa quickly got to her feet and hurried out of there. Stepping into the girls' restroom, she cleaned her wound. It wasn't deep, but the cut was prominent on her neck.  

The door opened, and that same girl stepped inside. "Are you okay?" she asked with concern dripping in her voice.  

"I'm fine," Innessa said a bit sharply. She was one of them, the people who never took a stand for what was right and stayed silent on the bullying happening in front of them.  

"You're bleeding," she said, walking over as she grabbed the napkin from Innessa and gently cleaned all the blood. She retrieved a band-aid from her bag and gently put it on the wound as Innessa winced.  

"If you want, we could get you checked at the infirmary," The girl offered.  

"I'm fine," Innessa said, wiping the tears from her cheeks.  

"Is Henry behind all this?" She asked.  

"What will you do if I say yes?" 

"I'll complain to the dean about him," she said.  

Innessa sighed as she splashed water on her face. "I've done that. The dean simply told me to stay out of Henry's radar, and he couldn't do anything about it, to the point that if I piss Henry off; I'll lose my scholarship," she said.  

"If we stick together, he won't bully you. My father is his dad's friend. He won't dare to hurt me," she said. 

"Will you be my friend?" she asked, holding out her hand as Innessa stared at it for the longest time before she shook it.  

"I'm Elena," she said.  

"Innessa Laskin." 

"Everyone knows you." She spoke. Of course, they'd know who Henry was bullying. 

"Are you going to the dorms?" Elena asked.  

"I'm headed to work. I'll see you tomorrow," Innessa said. Luckily, she didn't get blood on her shirt. Innessa went to work.  

She couldn't help but think about what would happen now. She just hoped that Henry wouldn't ever bother her. It was not like he would go to that guy named Issac Knight and ask about his relationship with Innessa; she just hoped that he wouldn't do this.