Beg Me: A Dark High School Bully Romance

by Bella King

  “What’s that?” I ask, squinting my eyes and leaning forward.

  Blake pulls it back defensively. “It’s mine.”

  I roll my eyes. “Yeah, but what is it?”

  “Some type of necklace, and I think it’s real gold.”

  “Doubtful,” I reply, but the necklace looks convincing. Nobody in this godforsaken town would be able to afford something like that if it were real though. I’m suspicious.

  “It’s totally real. I’m going to take it to the pawn shop and sell it so that we can buy a fifth of vodka. Then, I’m going to use the leftover cash to pay Edyth to blow me. I heard she does that kind of thing if the price is right,” Blake explains.

  I laugh. “I wouldn’t be surprised, but you really don’t have to buy any booze with it. I already got Amber to do it and I kind of want to teach her a lesson.”

  “Amber?” he blurts. His face contorts into a devious grin. “You’re bringing her to the party?”

  I nod, feeling cocky from his reaction. Not many people would be able to pull off what I did, and I deserve the praise. Why not?

  “I’m going to have her steal some liquor from the corner store too, after school,” I tell him.

  “Damn, how’d you pull that off?” he asks, twirling the necklace around in the air like a helicopter.

  I shrug. “She’s gullible.”

  “Yeah, she looks kind of stupid. Not a single brain cell in that pretty little head,” Blake muses.

  “I don’t think she’s stupid,” I say defensively, without thinking.

  Blake raises an eyebrow.

  “I mean, she’s just gullible. Her grades are good as far as I know,” I explain, trying to cover my defensiveness toward her. I can’t let her get into my head. Rich girls equate to suffering. I need to remember that. They’re spoiled rotten and not worth anything more than their pussy.

  I tell myself that, but I don’t believe it. Amber seems to be different, but I’m still wary enough of her not to give her a break. I don’t think she deserves one until she proves herself here, and that won’t be easy. Outsiders are never treated well, especially not ones like her.

  Blake tucks the necklace back into his pocket. “I’m going to sell this shit for a blowjob anyway,” he announces.

  “Go for it,” I reply. “Where’d you get it, anyway?”

  “I didn’t steal it. I know what you’re thinking,” he says.

  “I never said you did,” I reply, but I was thinking it. He’s right.

  “I was just walking around this morning by the skate park and this jacket was laying on the ground, all wet and nasty from the rain. I figured, what the hell, and I dug around in the pockets. Color me surprised when I find a whole-ass necklace inside.”

  I frown. Wasn’t Amber wearing a hoodie when we saw her before, or was that my imagination? It would make sense that she would own something like that, but I didn’t see her wearing it before. Maybe I’m wrong.

  I don’t mention it to Blake. I give him a fist bump and head to class, hoping that Amber will show up sometime to break up the monotony of the day. Shit gets so dull here with the hours of mindless lessons, and she’s just the kind of excitement I need to keep my life interesting.

  I brush the overgrown bangs away from my face as I enter the classroom. I spot Edyth and her gang of degenerate cheerleaders huddled in the corner, probably smoking a cigarette from the smell in the room. They’re not slick, but since the teacher isn’t here yet, they won’t get yelled at for it.

  I slide into my seat, tossing my bookbag down at my feet. The cold metal that attaches the desk to the chair presses into my thigh through a hole in the pants I snatched from a donation bin outside of the school. They’re a decent pair, but they have some holes in them.

  I don’t bother going through my bag for my book. History class consists of a lifeless lecture for what feels like a lifetime while everyone either sleeps or slips notes to one another until it’s over. It’s the morning torture we all have to endure in order to graduate. Sometimes I wonder if it’s even worth it.

  “Hey,” a hoarse but feminine voice says from beside me, catching me by surprise. Not many people willingly come up and talk to someone as intimidating as I am. Have I lost my edge or something?

  I look up to see Edyth standing beside me, having left her pack of rabid cheerleaders. “Uh, is there a problem?” I ask.

  “Are you fucking around with Amber?” she snaps, her lips thin with distaste. The distinct smell of menthol cigarettes wafts from her body.

  I laugh. “Fuck off.”

  “I’m serious,” she says, stamping her foot.

  “What’s it to you?” I ask.

  “I don’t need you defending her, you know. I could call my brother and he’d turn your skull into a chalice,” she says.

  I laugh again, this time at the thought of someone drinking out of my skull. She has quite the imagination, but she’s also delusional. I know for a fact that her brother Mike is still in prison. She won’t quit complaining about it, like he doesn’t deserve to be there for breaking into some old lady’s house and robbing her blind. I also heard he beat the crap out of the cop who came to stop him, but that’s just a rumor.

  “You think I’m funny?” she asks, her voice becoming shrill and unstable. She always was a little off her rocker, but I don’t especially want to have she and her cheer squad jump me after class. There are enough of them to pose a threat, and I wouldn’t be surprised if a few of them carried knives.

  I sigh. “No, Edyth, I don’t think you’re funny. I’ve never found you funny, and I probably never will.”

  “Stop defending Amber, okay?” she cocks her head so hard her thin neck threatens to snap. Her eyes bug out of her head like a fly.

  “I’m not defending her. Are you jealous?” I ask.

  Edyth rolls her eyes into the back of her empty head. “No, Flint, I’m not jealous. I just don’t need you getting involved in my business.”

  “What business do you have with Amber, might I ask?”

  She shakes her head, a speck of dandruff falling out onto my desk. She really needs some new shampoo, because I can’t keep picked flakes off of me every time she shakes that empty little head in my direction. “I’m not in the business of sharing.”

  “You seem to share your pussy a lot, actually,” I reply with a grin.

  “Shut up,” she shouts, much louder than she needs to.

  “Hey, cool it,” I reply, waving my hand. “I’m just trying to figure out what your problem is.”

  “Uh, hello? Amber is one of those rich people trying to take over our town and turn it into a gentrified resort for rich old men. Don’t you get it?”

  I’m more surprised that Edyth knows about gentrification than that she thinks Amber would have anything to do with that. As far as I know, nobody would want to build anything here, much less push the people in this town out somewhere else. This is the perfect dump to keep us all in, and I’m afraid it will remain so forever.

  I look up at Edyth, studying her face to see if she actually believes the shit that is spilling out of her mouth or if she’s just looking for an excuse to bully someone. I felt the same about Amber when I first saw her, but I think I’ve softened my stance a bit since I’ve gotten to know her better.

  “I think you’re wrong, but I’m not defending Amber,” I tell Edyth, hoping she won’t press me further. It’s as neutral of a stance as I can muster.

  Edyth squints at me. “Are you coming to the party tonight?”

  I nod. “I’ll be there.”

  “Is Amber?”

  I pause, considering whether I should tell her the truth or not. I don’t think she’d take too kindly to me bringing Amber there if she doesn’t like her, but at the same time, I shouldn’t really care what Edyth thinks. I’m not the one trying to fuck her. That would be Blake.

  “Is Amber coming?” Edyth asks, tapping her foot on the dusty linoleum floor beside me.

  “I don’t know.
Can you leave me alone?” I reply, turning away from her.

  “I’m watching you, Flint,” she says, waving a finger at me before spinning around and storming back to her group of girls.

  Man, I’m really sick of people like her. I get that she doesn’t like Amber, and I get that Amber doesn’t fit in here. I can even sympathize with the bullying to some extent, but I don’t really want to be in the middle of this mess. Maybe pulling Amber into my world was too bold of a move. Maybe I should ditch her at the party and find another ditsy girl to smash to pass the time.

  I put my head down as the teacher walks in. It’s time for our daily torture.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Amber

  I watch my back at school like a paranoid crackhead watching for the cops. I’ve turned my head so many times that my neck is sore, but I still fling it around at every loud voice or the sound of feminine laughter. I’m not going to let myself get ganged up on again.

  I’ve caught glimpses of Flint throughout my classes, but he avoids eye contact with me. Maybe he doesn’t want to be seen with me at school, but it’s weird. I thought we had something going between us, even if it was a little fucked up. I’m supposed to join him at the party, and somehow get alcohol beforehand. Maybe it’s better that I don’t.

  I almost feel happy that Flint is ignoring me, but something doesn’t feel right about it. This morning, he seemed eager to speak with me, like he was genuinely interested in me, at least from a sexual standpoint. Now, he won’t even look at me. What gives?

  “Hey bitch,” a shrill voice says from behind me.

  I turn around, already dreading the encounter that’s to come. My fists are clenched in preparation for a fight. I’m not going down so easily this time.

  A young woman around my age glares at me, her thin arms crossed over a large bosom. Her hair is dark brown, and her eyes are vivid brown, not so dissimilar to Flint’s hazel orbs. The only difference is that Flint’s eyes are full of thought and intrigue, while hers are inexplicably empty and dead.

  She may have just called me a bitch, but she’s the one who looks like one. Behind her are two other girls, both with their arms crossed and sporting identical vacant glares aimed at me.

  “What do you want?” I ask, standing tall.

  “Oh, so you want to play tough?” she asks.

  “I’m not playing tough, genius, I just want to know what you want. Were you the one who destroyed my car?” I ask, diving right into the meat of it.

  “Maybe, maybe not,” she says, letting out a fake laugh and turning to her friends. They fake laughs with her.

  “You must be Edyth then,” I announce, evaluating her face for a reaction.

  She squints at me. “Says who?”

  “Says Flint,” I reply, choosing to drag him into this. If I can’t have him on my side, then he’s no good to me anyway. If she doesn’t like him, then he and I are in the same boat. That’s my hope, anyway. I don’t really know what he would do if the cheer squad started ganging up on him too.

  Edyth balls her fists up, and for a moment, I think she’s going to throw a punch. I take a step back.

  “I knew he was defending you,” she hisses. “You little slut.”

  “Yeah, and if you try anything, he’ll beat you to a pulp,” I say, trying to bluff my way into a position of power. I have nothing to lose.

  “Flint is a pussy,” she replies. “He won’t do shit.”

  “You wanna bet?”

  “Yeah, actually, I do,” she says, stepping forward.

  I have three options: fight, run, or cower like the bitch she thinks I am and take the beating. I think back to the words of Nurse Latisha and apologize to whatever god might be watching over me as I swing my fist from the side, bringing it around with heavy momentum. I’ve never fought before, but I’m about to get a hard lesson in boxing from a group of cheerleaders with bad attitudes.

  My fist makes contact with Edyth’s empty head, but it grazes the tops of it more than anything. Her neck bends, but she doesn’t show any sign that it was painful. I have a lot to learn about defending myself.

  Edyth flies forward, swinging a fist into my face. It hits my nose, which is thankfully small enough not to break from her punch, but still sends a sickening pain through my face. I stumble back, bringing my arms up to block more punches.

  It was a bad move to become defensive, but I don’t know any better. The three girls take the opportunity to surround me, and then all hell breaks loose. It’s like the bathroom beating all over again, but much worse. I genuinely think they intend to kill me this time.

  A foot hits my stomach, and another one lands on my lower back, knocking me to the hard floor and pushing the breath from my lungs at the same time. I crumple over, but they show no mercy. Each punch and kick send increasing pain through me body, hitting fresh bruises from yesterday and making new ones in the process.

  I can’t take this anymore. I need to get out of here.

  I clamber to my feet, swinging my fists around like mad as I burst out of the trio into the open hallway. There are a few people watching, but nobody wants to help me. I guess I have to do everything myself.

  I half-run, half-limp down the hallway, trying desperately to get away from Edyth and her girls. I can hear the raspy voice of Edyth behind me barking orders as I attempt to make my escape. Unfortunately, I don’t get very far. I’m hit from the back and tackled to the ground.

  Edyth stands above me as I’m flipped over onto my back. Where the hell are the school administrators amongst this chaos? This school really is a free-for-all, like Nurse Latisha suggested. It’s too bad that I have no experience with it, and women like Edyth grew up in this environment. She has a huge advantage over me.

  One of the cheerleaders pins me to the ground, her golden hair hovering over my face as she snarls at me like an animal. The other one has my feet, making it impossible for me to get up. I’m face up, and completely vulnerable to Edyth as she kneels down next to my head.

  I can smell the dirt on her shoes, the cigarettes on her breath, and the nauseatingly sweet perfume she douses herself in every day. It’s the same smell that I caught a whiff of during my first beat down yesterday in the bathroom.

  “You’re not getting away so easily, cunt,” Edyth shouts into my face.

  “Let me go,” I shout back, struggling against the woman pinning my arms down.

  “You’re pathetic,” Edyth says, shaking her head.

  “What do you want?” I ask, going limp as I realize there is no use in trying to escape just yet. I’m only tiring myself out.

  “What do I want? Hmm, let me think about that,” she says, rubbing her chin before leaning back down into my face so close that her nose touches mine. “I want you dead,” she shouts.

  I spit into her open mouth.

  Edyth recoils, letting out a yelp and spitting onto the floor beside me repeatedly. “You spit in my mouth, you stupid bitch,” she shouts.

  Goddamn right, I did. And I’ll do it again if she gets close to me. I’m finished being a victim.

  Well, that what I thought until Edyth decided she wanted to stomp on my face in retaliation for the spit I deposited into her large mouth. She lifts up her foot and brings the dirty rubber bottom onto my cheek.

  “What the fuck is going on here?” A deep voice shouts just before Edyth brings her foot down on my face again.

  The cheerleaders that were pinning me down spring to their feet, running away like cockroaches. Edyth follows after them. I roll over and scramble to my feet as someone rushes up beside me. It’s Blake.

  “They really got you good,” he says, flashing a grin as though he’s amused about it.

  “Fuck off,” I mutter, leaning against the wall to catch my breath.

  “Hey,” he says, frowning. “I helped you. Shouldn’t I get a reward for that?”

  I roll my eyes. “I don’t even want to know what you want from me. Just leave me alone, okay?”

  “What a squa
re. It’s no wonder they were beating you. You really are no fun,” Blake says, shaking his head.

  “Then I should be of no interest to you. Go away, please,” I reply. My body is throbbing in pain and my face is flushed. I need to get to the bathroom and check whether I’m bleeding or not. I don’t want Blake following me around, asking me for favors. I know there’s only one thing on his mind.

  “Are you going to the party tonight?” he asks, leaning toward me.

  “Get out of my face, Jesus Christ,” I exclaim, pushing him back.

  “I’m just asking,” he replies.

  “No,” I shout. “I’m not.”

  “Flint is a liar,” Blake says with a laugh. “I knew he didn’t actually get you to come. It would’ve been cool if he did, though. He said you would bring booze.”

  “I’m not doing anything for that dickhead,” I say, clutching my ribcage and leaning against the wall again. I tilt my head back, trying to collect myself before continuing down the hallway.

  “That’s alright. I’m just going to sell this and buy a whole truckload of vodka for the party,” he replies, pulling something out of his pocket. It dangles in front of me for a moment before I realize what it is.

  “That’s my angel,” I exclaim, reaching out for it.

  Blake pulls it back. “It’s mine,” he says. “Finders keepers.”

  “What are you, six?” I ask, shaking my head. “That belongs to me and you’re going to give it back.”

  “Not a chance. You didn’t even thank me for saving you from Edyth,” he retorts, jerking and swinging the necklace around mockingly.

  “I had the shit kicked out of me. Maybe I just wanted to get away first,” I say, but the reality is that I had no intention of thanking him. I think he’s a creep and nothing more. I don’t even know why Flint is friends with him.

  “Yeah, yeah, I’m sure you were going to thank me, just like you were going to go to the party with Flint. I believe you,” he says sarcastically.

  “I actually was going to go,” I reply.

  “Get me some booze and I might let you have you necklace back then,” he says, a grin spreading across his face as though he believes it’s a clever proposition.