5

Chapter 5

Adele Wilson 

Why was he helping me? 

Only one question echoed in my head as I stared at the closed door.

‘Maybe he just feels pity for you. Maybe he just hates injustice’.

I tried to shake off the look in his eyes that stuck to my head. The way he stared, as if I was a meal he couldn't wait to devour… not in a good way though. 

 

Then I asked myself, ‘Was accepting his offer a mistake?’

 “You didn't, Adele. You need to save yourself, and Jason is the only one who could do that for you.” 

I whispered, taking a deep breath as I brushed off every negative thought in my head. 

My heart hammered against my ribcage as I went back to the class. I could hear every student I walked past, whisper loudly about me. They were making comments about Jason's jersey that I wore, but I didn't pay attention to any of them.

 I froze, and my heart ceased as I collided against a hard surface. A hard chest, actually. The familiar pair of red sneakers made my knees weak as I dragged a step back. 

Henry…

 “I've been looking all over for you, fatty…” 

 Henry spoke, and I gulped down nothing.

 My hands trembled, and I rubbed them on my skirt, trying to regulate the pounding in my chest.

 “Where have you been?” 

 His smirk welcomed me as I lifted my gaze to him. His eyes dropped to the jersey, and he scoffed. “Have you been with Jason?” He raised a brow.

 “I…I… I was…” my voice faded into silence.

 “Follow me.”

Then he turned and started walking away.

 I trailed behind Henry, my legs trembling beneath me as I dragged them along the walkway.

 What is he going to do to me now?

 ‘For now, avoid Henry and Chloe as best as you can't

 I halted abruptly, my fingers tightening around my backpack. 

 ‘Run, Adele. Run!’

 A voice spoke in my head, but before I could swing into action, Henry had stopped walking and looked back at me.

 “What are you doing? I told you to follow me!” 

 I flinched. 

He walked back to me and grabbed my backpack.

“Gosh! My hand hurts. You're so heavy.” He huffed as he dragged me past the professor's quarters, past the ballroom, the old classrooms, then slammed me hard against the floor of the old basketball court once he dragged me inside.

I muffled a wince.

 “Get up.” He crossed his arms on his chest.

 Pain exploded through my body as I dragged myself to my feet.

 “I will ask you this once… What game are you playing?” He closed the distance between us, his eyes boring holes into my body.

 “Huh?”

 “Why did Jason save you yesterday? Why did you hang out with him today? Why are you wearing his jersey?” He rushed me with questions, not giving me the time to breathe or even process the questions.

His eyes were blazing with rage. 

 I opened my mouth to talk, but no words came out.

 He scoffed, lifting his hand to my face, then grabbed my cheek, pressing it hard. “You think you can get away from me by hanging around Jason?”

 My vision slowly blurred as tears clouded my eyes.

 “Why the hell are you shedding tears, Adele? I'm not bullying you, am I?” His lips curled in a smirk, his grip on me loosened.

 “I'm just asking you questions.”

 He held my shoulders, digging his fingers into them. “This is not fair, Adele, you know? If you run to Jason, who do I have left to play with? You are the only one I love playing with, didn't you know that?”

My heart wrenched painfully.

Am I his toy now?

 ‘You are fucking crazy, Henry!’

 I wanted to yell in his face, but I did a good job composing myself.

 “You are going to stop hanging around him, right?” 

 His voice was calm, a smile on his face, but I could see and feel the burning anger behind them.

 “I'm giving you a chance to make things right, Adele. I don't ever want to see you around Jason.” 

 He tapped my cheek gently, then smirked before he walked away.

 I clenched my fingers so tight that my knuckles turned white.

 No way! I don't want to keep suffering like this. I don't want to keep being the prey and enduring everything thrown at me when I never did anything wrong.

 “I won't sit back and do nothing, Henry.” I whispered…