All Chapters of My Bully Next Door: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Ella“Hey, James. Did your closet finally lose a fight with a dumpster?”Laughter bursts behind me, loud and sharp, bouncing off the hallway walls.I don’t turn around.That is the first rule I ever taught myself in this school.Don’t react.Don’t engage.And never, ever give them the satisfaction of seeing what it does to you.So I keep walking.My backpack feels heavier than it should, tugging at my shoulders as I make my way down the crowded hall. The straps of my oversized cardigan slip against my arms, and I pull them back into place without breaking stride. It’s too warm for the sweater. I know that. I also know people notice less when I wear layers, and less is good.Less gets me through the day.“Come on,” that same voice calls again. “I know you heard me.”Of course I heard him.Everyone hears Beckett Cross when he decides to be heard.He doesn’t have to shout to own a room. He just does. He walks through school like every hallway belongs to him, like every person in it shoul

BeckettShe wasn’t supposed to talk back.That’s the problem.That’s the only thought stuck in my head all day.Not practice.Not classes.Not the fact that Coach called me out twice for being off.Just—Her.Ella James.Standing there like she didn’t care.Like she didn’t know how this works.Like she didn’t understand that people like her don’t do that.I jog off the field, grabbing my water bottle and taking a long drink, trying to shake it off.It shouldn’t matter.She shouldn’t matter.And yet—“You’re distracted.”I glance over.Sean leans against the bench, watching me with a smirk. “You’ve been off all practice.”“I’m fine.”“No, you’re not,” he says. “You missed two passes and almost let Carter get by you.”“I said I’m fine.”He raises his hands. “Alright. Don’t bite my head off.”I don’t respond.Because if I do, I’ll say something I don’t feel like explaining.Like why every time I lose focus—I see her.The hallway.The way she looked at me.Not nervous.Not quiet.Not the

BeckettThe next day should feel normal.That’s what I tell myself.Same routine.Same school.Same people.Same roles.Nothing changed.Except—It did.I see her the second I walk into the hallway.Ella James.She’s at her locker, head slightly down, like always.Same oversized clothes.Same quiet presence.Same—Except not.I slow just slightly.It’s subtle.So subtle I almost convince myself I imagined it.But something about her feels… off.Not different exactly.Just—not the same as yesterday.Like something shifted under the surface.“You coming or what?”Sean’s voice snaps me out of it.I keep walking.“Yeah.”We fall into step with the rest of the guys, noise filling the space around us like it always does.Easy.Normal.Controlled.That’s how it’s supposed to be.I don’t look at her again.I don’t need to.Except—I do.Out of the corner of my eye.Just enough to catch the way she closes her locker.The way her shoulders straighten just a little.The way she takes a breath—

Ella“Ella?”My mom’s voice pulls me out of my thoughts the second I walk through the front door.She’s home.That alone is enough to tell me something’s off.She’s never home this early.I pause, closing the door behind me slowly. “Yeah?”“In the living room, honey.”That definitely means something’s wrong.I walk in and find her sitting on the couch, her laptop open beside her, phone in hand like she’s been waiting.Waiting for me.My stomach tightens.“What’s going on?” I ask.She smiles—but it’s that tight kind of smile. The one that means she’s about to say something I’m not going to like.“Nothing bad,” she says quickly. “You’re not in trouble.”I let out a small breath.“Okay…”She pats the spot next to her. “Come sit.”I do, curling slightly into myself out of habit.“So,” she starts, “I got some news today.”“That’s never good,” I mutter.“It is good,” she says gently. “It just… comes with some changes.”Of course it does.“When do the changes not come with changes?” I say un

EllaI don’t sleep.Not really.I close my eyes.I try.But my brain won’t shut off.Every time I get close, something drags me back under.Beckett at my window.His face when I said no.The way he just stood there yesterday morning.And now—Two weeks.Two weeks of him.Two weeks of pretending.Two weeks of not having anywhere to go to get away.I groan softly into my pillow and roll onto my back, staring up at the ceiling.“This is a terrible idea,” I whisper.Like saying it out loud might somehow change it.It doesn’t.It just makes it feel more real.I reach for my phone on my nightstand and unlock it.A message pops up immediately.Lila: Did you survive?I huff out a quiet laugh.Barely.Ella: Define surviveThe typing bubble appears instantly.Lila: That bad??I hesitate.Because I don’t even know how to explain it.How do you explain that the person who makes your life miserable is now unavoidable?That the one person you wish you could ignore—Is about to be everywhere?Ella: