I felt my stomach fill with dread as I crept down the corridor, trying to shrink behind the other students as they bustled around their lockers. Any moment now, I told myself. He always found me.
"There he is! Get him!" My heart pounded as I dashed down the corridor towards the exit as my bullies spotted me. It was the same story every day - terrorised and chased around college campus by Jake and his twisted group of followers. When they would catch me they took my things, like a trophy, and snarled at me as my pockets and bag were emptied. It happened so regularly that although the fear followed me around like a dog, the torment no longer got to me in the same way.
You would've thought that once you reached adulthood, this sort of thing became something of the past. But the truly evil bullies never stop, they just find new, crueler ways to torment you. I was the rabbit, he the hunter, with his faithful dogs.
*
Keeping my head down, I trudged along the path towards home. Normally I was assured in the fact they never bothered me after class. But as I heard Jake's voice call out after me, I began to sweat and picked up the pace, until I heard him directly behind me. Then, I dashed.
My attempts to run away were always futile. I was skinny and on the smaller side, he was large, athletic, muscular. But my survival instincts kicked in every time. I had to run; there was nothing else I could do. When it came to fight or flight, flight won out, every time.
I panted hard as I rounded the corner, followed by him and his usual threats of harm, but was stopped in my tracks by a tall brick wall which had enclosed me in a dead end. My heart beat hard as I saw Jake approach, a menacing look in his eyes.
It was possibly the worst place I could've been trapped in with this boy. Tall walls reached upwards and any hope of climbing them was dashed by the barbed wire hung on top, not to mention my limited athletic abilities. Grimy, poorly lit, and devoid of any sign of life, I was truly trapped here at the mercy of my worst bully.
"Hello, freak." He spat at me. I backed up until I felt the cold wall press into my back. Dejected, I just closed my eyes in hope that whatever torment he had planned would soon be over. His footsteps approached me and stopped just short of where I was stood. A moment passed and as I opened my eyes a new wave of hopelessness passed over me as I became hyperaware of the situation.
Slowly, Jake approached me. He seemed somewhat caught off guard by the silent moment between us, and our proximity. Usually he had his devoted band of little criminals to do his dirty work for him, but apparently he had not thought of what he would do to me when alone.
His dark brown eyes bore into me and he frowned, pushing a strand of hair out of his eyes. Another beat passed, as he seemed to contemplate what his next course of action would be. I looked up into his face.
God, he's handsome.
I almost jumped at this intrusive thought that crept into my head. Surely I already had enough to worry about right now. But I still could not help but notice his tall frame, athletic build, and handsomely dark eyes.
He took in a deep breath. "Strip." He barked at me. I stood there in shock by this unusual command. Was this just another way for him to cruelly humiliate me? "No!" I refused. Even the fear I felt towards him was not enough to compel me to do something so horrifying.
"STRIP." He commanded once again, and my eyes widened as he pulled out a blade from his pocket and held it up to me. This was beyond the cruel, childish torment I usually experienced, something more sinister. I shook as I reluctantly pulled off my t-shirt and crossed my arms, shivering. "You know that's not what I meant. Take it all off." He said.
I felt the blood go to my face as I unbuttoned my pants and stood there in my underwear, completely mortified at this situation. He stepped closer and I felt the cold blade of his knife pressed against my neck. "Everything." He spat.
