The Bully's love

Scarlett was a young adult in her early 20’s . A petite brown girl with thick black curls that fell on her shoulder blades and contoured her physique perfectly. She came from an average family whose sole hope relied on her attaining a good grade and finally earning some bread for them as her father and mother passed away when she was young , leaving 3 siblings behind. She had friends she could rely on and was happy with her high school life. Everything was going on perfectly, but things had to take a turn for the worse.

Jellal, the son of a very powerful businessman was suddenly noticing her. and by noticing, it meant making her life miserable. He made every effort to make sure that Scarlett was tortured every moment he got with her. He started by making snarky remarks on her, squandering her notes , emptying the contents of her drink on her and assuring that she was the laughing stock of the school. At first, she did not pay any attention to this but when he made hate comments on her parents , she could not take it anymore.

Scarlet : "Enough of it! What do you even know? What does a child who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth knows about me? Why are you so interested in me ? Has your father discontinued your pocket money, or your so-called Girl friend has dumped you because of you being a man - child who needs continuous reassurances to believe he is mighty amongst us all? "

Jellal was rendered speechless for this was the first time someone stood up to him. The whole class was silent for what Jellal might do to her now. But he was quiet. Maybe, the calm before the storm. Scarlett picked up her bag and dashed towards the door because she knew what awaited her could be her worst nightmare. Just as she was about to exit. A pair of strong hands wrapped around her arm , she was jerked back so forcefully and she crashed in to a wall… A wall like … chest? It was Jellal! Her panic kicked in and she started struggling.

S : "Jellal ? What are you doing? Let go of my arm. You are hurting me."

J : "Now , now Fireball! What’s the rush? After the show of such a bravado why don’t you stay here and tell us more about your miseries."

She gathered all her courage and pulled her arm away from his grip. And left the classroom. Tears spilling from her eyes. She promised herself that she would never cry but that idiot ……….

Jellal’s face contorted with anger as he had never been humiliated in private let alone in public, in front of a whole class.

He had plans for her. Plans that she wouldn’t like. Plans that will make her regret opening her mouth in his vicinity.

Scarlett was in her dorm room. Her face buried in her pillow as she muffled her cries. She had to be strong for her siblings. She had endured far greater pain and she could get through this too.

Next day, she entered the hall that led to her class and was met with a bucket of iced water kissing her whole body. She was recovering from that when red paint was sprayed all over her body . Her dress, hair and books were all covered in red.

It was Jellal standing proudly in front of her with a smirk on his face.

She wanted to scream at him but didn’t want to give him any satisfaction at all. Suppressing her anger and fear, she left the school premises and went to her dorm again. All the students pointed their fingers and laughed at her.

She entered her dorm room, locked the door and went straight to the bathroom. She stood in front of the mirror and covered her face with her hands. Tears spilling uncontrollably. She opened the faucet and placed her hands in the water . Too cold but that still could not wash away the humiliation that he had subjected her to.

Next few weeks were a lot worse. He locked her in the girl’s locker room with a snake. He put worms in her lunch and her locker was painted with absurd remarks. By now, everyone was making fun of her , teasing her in their own wicked ways. Her friends kept their distance because they did not want to be caught in the wind because of her. She was all alone now. His goal, accomplished.

Finally, she decided to quit the school. In her opinion, it was better to leave this place as a sane person than a person who’s broken to the point of no return. She packed her stuff. And called an online carrier to send her belongings back to her home town. She informed her siblings that she would be returning. The carrier came and she conveyed the address and her package left for her home.

Then , She left for the dean’s office and placed her withdrawal letter on his table. It was not negotiable as she had made up her mind. She went to meet her friends for the last time. The fear of her bully was still haunting her but to her surprise he was nowhere to be found that day. She told her friends about her discontinuation from the school. And waved them final goodbyes.

Her flight was booked for 10:00 pm and she was prepared to leave this nightmare once and for all.

On the other hand , Jellal was lying on his beanie bag playing game on his play station when his phone vibrated. He was not in the mood to be disturbed so he ignored it. After, what seemed to be half an hour . His phone started ringing. He picked it up and it was one of his friends Heath.

H : “ Hey ! Where have you been?”

J : “Just home ! was not in mood for Mr. Frankley’s boring lectures”

H : “Man!!! I have some good news for you.”

J : “Oh ! tell me what I missed?”

H : “ That B****h left the school today . ”

J : “ What are you talking about ?”

H : “ Who else? That Scarlett. Finally, she quit. She knew you would do everything to make her regret that day. So, she submitted her withdrawal. It’s all over the school’s social page.”

Jellal hung up the call and looked at the notifications. He clicked on one of them and it read “No one could mess with the mighty Jellal and not regret it.”.

It was supposed to be his victory, but he wasn’t feeling like that at all. He was getting agitated as to why she didn’t fight with him more. He wanted more of her. He wanted to see her stand her ground in front of him.

He threw the remote of the game, lit up another cigarette and smoked it for a while, staring blankly at the TV screen. Something sparked within him and he called Heath to meet up outside her dorm. He put up a pair of jeans with black T – Shirt, took his car keys and bolted out of his apartment. After 30 mins. He, along with Heath were standing in front of her apartment. Heath thought he wanted to give her a final breakdown before she left but little did he know, Jellal was falling for her. He was falling for her strength and her boldness.

He rang the bell of her apartment but no response. He pushed the button again but all in vein. The neighbor’s door opened and an old lady came out.

J : “ We are looking for Scarlett. Where is she?”

Lady : “ Oh ! She left a while ago for the airport. Such a lovely soul. She had endured too much after her parents died and wanted to live a happy life here , but some jerks in her school couldn’t see her like that.”

Hearing that her parents died, broke something in him. Her words ringing in his ears “What do you know about me” . She was right , he knew nothing about her battles and made her life a living hell.

J : “Let’s go. We are going to the airport.”

H : “Hey man! Let’s let her be. forget it.”

J : “If you don’t wanna accompany me then f**k off . I am leaving.”

His friend was skeptical about his behavior but still followed him to the car. The engine revved and just as the car was about to turn from the roundabout. He saw her. In the dark , in an abandoned alley. She was circled by a bunch of thugs. She was crying. She was begging them to let her go. His feet hit the brakes and he dashed out of the driving seat towards her. One of the thugs snatched her bag and an another one pushed her to the ground.

S : “No ! Just leave me alone. Let me go. Please I’m begging you.”

Thug 1: “Yes baby! You will beg us. Beg us to do it harder. And once, we are done having fun with you, you can go back.”

Thug 2 : “I bet she hasn’t been even touched before. Let me taste her. I’ll hold her hands and you go for her legs.”

S : “No … No”

Just as one of them laid a hand on her shoulder, Jellal sprinted towards them and landed a punch on his face. When Heath saw what he was doing. He joined the fight. They were bullies but they couldn’t find it in themselves to witness a girl get abused and not do anything about it.

The fight continued for a few minutes only before the thugs were lying on the ground with bleeding noses and broken teeth.

Scarlett was unable to comprehend what was happening here. Her bully was saving her. …………….She was leaving this place because of him.

J : “Scarlett ! You are mine. Don’t even think for a second that you could leave this place so easily.”

She was petrified as she was so shaken that she couldn’t understand what he meant.

S : “Please Jellal ! I’m sorry. I’m so sorry that I raised my voice in front of you. I am so sorry that I crossed your path. I will even apologize in front of the whole school, I’ll never show my face here . Just let me leave please.”

She was a crying mess. She was breaking before his very eyes. This was the first time he saw the catastrophe he caused. The same girl that stood bluntly Infront of him was on the ground, Her face all pale, her hands shaking , breath hitching , tears unconfined and her voice , quavering.

The guilt was eating him from the inside. It was at that moment he realized something. He loved her. He would kill for her. He would do anything for her.

He placed one hand on her cheek, other one supporting her head from behind and crashed his lips on hers. He could feel her, startled at first , she even struggled a bit but his hold was firm enough . And finally, she melted in his embrace.

H : “Well I guess our work here is done?”

It was then their lips parted and he helped her get up. She stumbled a bit, still unable to understand what happened.

He picked her up bridal style and placed her in his car.

J : “Heath , you drive ! I’ll be with her.”

H: “ Okay ! and…..”

J : “ My place.”

H : “Got it.”

And he sat in the car with Scarlett lying on his lap. He could see the marks on her arm. It was he who gave her those marks when he held her in the class. His fingers caressing her face and finally her breathing evened out. She slept in his arms.

J : “Here! Her mobile. Get her stuff back.”

H : “And withdrawal letter?”

J : “I’ll handle it.”

And the ride ahead was all quiet as he stared at her sleeping figure.

The car stopped in front of his house. Jellal carefully picked up her, she was still sleeping. Heath opened the door and Jellal stepped in with her and placed her on his bed. She curled up into a ball and snuggled the sheets. Just as he was about to leave her, he heard her.

“Please don’t hurt me.”

He bent down and kissed her forehead.

“No one will ever hurt you, my fireball. Rest well”

I was the destruction, and she was my salvation. I was the damnation, and she was my redemption. I was the darkness, and she , my fireball.