Bullied

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Hazel’s POV




"I'm not pretty enough," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "I'm not smart or talented or interesting. There are so many other girls out there who are better than me."

But instead of getting defensive or dismissive, Riven just chuckled and reached out to brush a strand of hair from my face. "You're wrong," he said, his voice firm and unwavering. "You're beautiful and kind and amazing in every way. And I don't care about any of your flaws, because they make you who you are."

His words made my heart flutter with excitement and disbelief. Could it be true? Could Riven really see something in me that no one else did?

Before I could even process my thoughts, Riven pulled me close and pressed his lips to mine in a passionate kiss. I felt a surge of electricity shoot through my body as our tongues danced together, and I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer.

Without breaking our kiss, Riven lifted me up effortlessly and carried me over to the table. He laid me down gently, his hands exploring every inch of my body as he trailed kisses across my skin.

I moaned softly as he worked his way down to my breasts, tracing circles around my nipples with his tongue before sucking them into his mouth. His fingers trailed lower and lower until they were teasing my clit, sending waves of pleasure coursing through my body.

Suddenly, he pushed two fingers inside of me, pumping them in and out at a steady rhythm that had me gasping for air. I arched my back and cried out as he brought me closer and closer to the edge of ecstasy.

Just as he was about to take things to the next level between us, my annoying little classmates came into view.

I could feel my anxiety creeping up.

My classmates had split into two groups, huddled together in a corner as they whispered and giggled amongst themselves. I knew what that meant.

"Hey, Hazel," one of them called out to me, their voice dripping with disdain. "You look like you're having fun."

I tried to ignore them, instead pushing Riven to leave. But then they started throwing crumpled up pieces of paper at me, and I couldn't help but feel embarrassed that Riven was watching me being bullied once again.

"Come on, Hazel," another taunted. "Why don't you fight back for once?"

But just then, a commotion from outside the library doors caught our attention.

"What's going on?" Riven asked, standing up and walking towards the entrance.

I followed him, feeling a sense of foreboding rising in my chest. As we stepped outside, we saw that a small fire had been set near the entrance of the building, attracting the attention of students and faculty alike.

"I'll go take care of it," Riven said, turning to face me. "Protect yourself, okay?"

Nodding, I watched as he jogged over to where a group of firefighters had gathered. Feeling alone and exposed, I turned to head back inside the library, only to find that my classmates had followed me out.

As Riven hurriedly made his way towards the source of the fire, I could feel my palms growing sweaty and my heart pounding in my chest. Alone in the library with my tormentors, I felt a sense of dread wash over me.

But before I could move, one of them stepped forward, their face twisted into a cruel grin. "Looks like your boyfriend left you alone," they sneered.

Feeling overwhelmed and vulnerable, I huddled into myself, trying to make myself as small as possible. As they closed in, I closed my eyes tightly, hoping that they would just leave me alone.

But then I felt something cold and wet splash onto my face. Panicked, I opened my eyes to see that they had thrown a bottle of water at me.

I tried to ignore them, but they closed in around me, blocking my path. Suddenly, I heard a loud crash from the direction of the fire, and I knew Riven must have been involved somehow.

"He's not my boyfriend," I muttered under my breath, trying to keep my voice steady.

But they just laughed harder, pushing me roughly as they started to walk away. Feeling humiliated and helpless, I stumbled backwards, almost falling down.

My heart was pounding in my chest as I felt someone grab me from behind and pull me by my hair. It was the same group of female students from the courtyard who had bullied me relentlessly since starting university. They dragged me towards a corner of the library, their voices filled with malice and rage.

"We're going to teach you a lesson," one of them hissed, her grip on my hair tightening.

Panic seized me as I struggled to free myself, but they held onto me firmly, their fingers digging into my scalp. I could feel tears welling up in my eyes as they pushed me roughly against the wall.

As I tried to calm myself down, they were interrupted by Elisa's entrance. I knew she despised me for giving Christian attention, and seeing her walk in made me feel even more timid and powerless.

"What are you doing here?" Elisa hissed at me, her face twisted with anger.

I tried to ignore her. But she wasn't about to let me off the hook so easily. The other girls who had bullied me joined in, grabbing me firmly by the hair and pulling me back against the wall.

"Did you give Christian something?" Elisa demanded, her voice rising in pitch.

I hesitated, not sure how to answer. Before I could say anything, however, Elisa called out to the others who were holding me.

"Teach her a lesson," she ordered, her eyes glinting with malice.

The other girls didn't need any further encouragement. One of them struck me hard across the face, causing me to cry out in pain. Another held me up by my hair while a third pinned my arms to my sides so that I couldn't protect myself.

I was completely powerless against their attacks, feeling as though I was drowning in a sea of pain and fear. Tears streamed down my face as they continued to hit me, their laughter ringing in my ears.

It was then that Elisa held up a bracelet that I recognized immediately. It was the special gift I had given to Christian, something that I had poured all of my love and affection into. My heart dropped as she spoke.

"Christian doesn't value you," she sneered. "He gave this to me instead."

Devastated and humiliated, I could feel my world crumbling around me. Everything I thought I knew had been ripped away in just a few short moments, leaving me feeling utterly alone and helpless.