Marrying my high school bully

Lorraine

I was over the moon, hearing that she wanted me to be with her after waking up from a few hours of unconsciousness. She might have other plans but I was on guard if she decides to misbehave.

The once energetic and vibrant Victoria had become a shadow of herself. Without make-up, she looked frail. Her full hair had become thinner and then I realised a lot of things that caused chills to run down my spine.

The full hair might have just been the effect of a hair extension, and her beautiful face a result of constant make-up. She wasn’t always home so we couldn’t notice if she had issues with her health.

Her bulgy eyes were trained on me as if she was expecting me to yell at her.

Sorry to burst your bubbles, honey, I’m not that heartless.

“How do you feel?” I held her hand which she squeezed in gratitude.

A nurse had put her in a sitting position before she left so she could feel more comfortable than just lying flat on the bed. “I honestly can’t explain how I feel. It’s so bad.” She whispered.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

It was the first time I was seeing her this vulnerable and I didn’t know how to react. I just hoped she would live a better life after this.

“Just take your time and heal. We’ll always be here for you.”

She broke into sobs after my last statement, a dam of tears breaking through. “Why… Why are you so kind?”

This was the second time I was asked such a question and I was beginning to wonder if they hadn’t noticed that my kindness was an inborn thing. Even when the world was against me, there was no better way to feel better than being kind.

“I don’t know. It’s just my way of life.” I replied curtly.

She shook her head in disagreement. “If I’d met people like you in Europe then maybe my life would have turned out better, but all they tried to do was to put me down. I was so depressed.”

Her shrill voice screamed anger, hurt, sadness.

Why did we have so many killjoy?

It was almost a trend. My life was a very good example that some people derived joy in taking away what made others happy. I wished it were possible to eliminate those wicked humans from the earth.

With an emotion laden voice, I pulled my chair closer as I didn’t want her to scream. “Before asking what they did to you, I’d like to know why you chose to talk to me while knowing that your brother is here.”

She sighed and rested on the pillow. “He doesn’t want me around him.” She began while my lips parted at the revelation. She smiled sadly and continued. “It’s not out of hate, but after our mother died, we both drifted apart. I left the country to continue my studies after he returned and took over the company. He always sent me money even without asking, making sure I was comfortable but that wasn’t all I needed.”

She ignored my question but I was fine with that. She could always answer at her own time.

“I’m sure he didn’t realise he was hurting you.” I said in his defense, remembering my own past with him.

“He didn’t have the slightest idea and that’s why I returned, but it was too late.” Her countenance was crestfallen though she tried to mask it with a smile.

Curiosity shot through me as I badly wanted to know what had happened to her in Europe. “Tell me, Victoria, what happened?”

Her eyes were becoming misty but she blinked hard to keep it in. “It was all because of a stupid boy in college. I should have known that he had bad vibes and all, but I guess that was what attracted me to him.”

A smile touched my lips unknowingly as I remembered how Dexter and I used to be in high school. He was the hottest boy in school and every girl had a huge crush on him, including me.

The only difference was that hid mine behind my quiet mask and acted like he didn’t exist. He bullied me a lot, but he didn’t allow others to do the same, and that was when I realised that everything he did was to get my attention.

He affirmed it on the night he took my virginity and I couldn’t deny that it was the best night I ever had. Sadly, Liam and Blake had to spoil it for me by taking videos and tried to blackmail me with it.

“You’re blushing.” Victoria observed.

I waved it off with an eye roll. “It’s nothing. Keep talking, I’m listening.”

“He was very skilled in manipulating me. On several occasions he gaslighted me and I didn’t even know the damage he did to me until my nudes circulated on the college’s website. He hacked it.” She paused and sniffed, drying her eyes as she couldn’t stop crying.

Now that was all shades of wrong. I rose up and hugged her as she cried on my chest like a baby.

Who could have thought that Victoria, who I disliked grossly, would be so emotional with me?

“I couldn’t cope with the embarrassment so I met a drug dealer at the club and he introduced me to hemp. After taking it for a while, it began to lose its effect on me so I asked for something stronger. The money was there so he was glad to give me whatever I wanted.” I patted her back, whispering words of assurance to her.

“That man needs to rot in jail. Selling such things is illegal.” I said in exasperation.

She huffed after blowing her nose with a paper towel I gave her. “He has several connections. It would be hard to pull that off.”

I snorted. “Do you know who your brother is?”

“After I returned, I found someone who would continue selling to me here. I made sure that they didn’t know I was from the Hemmingway family so it wouldn’t cause a scandal, but I wasn’t smart enough because the new dealer discovered who I was and threatened to tell everyone about it. He hiked the price of the coke he supplied to me and since I wasn’t in Europe anymore, Dex didn’t need to send as much money as he used to. I don’t have a job or a business so there was no way I could pay aside from sleeping with him.”

It was becoming clearer to me now, but her explanation caused a discovery I didn’t pray to be true. “Was he the man we met here that night?”

She looked away from me immediately, lowering her lashes and then I got my answer.