Bully and the bullied - A short story

Hey I hope you are well. So, I published my first book - 11 short love stories and this is one of the stories. I hope you like it. You can buy my book at notion press, Amazon and Playstore. Links are after this story

Bully and the bullied

"Natalie, don’t jump.” Sebastian whispers, “Please, don’t jump.”

She’s standing on the railing, staring at him, her eyes red-rimmed and puffy.

“Don’t come closer.” She says.

He becomes very still and his legs tremble from the sheer effort he makes to stay put because all he wants is to run towards her and pulls her back to safety.

“I’ll jump if you come closer.” She yells.

Thank god, the railing is wide enough to allow her to stand.

“Please, don’t jump. Please.” He pleads. A lone tear slides down his cheeks as he stares at the girl and regrets - he regrets every minute he spent bullying her in the past.

What do you do when you are the only one who can save the girl you have spent more than seven years, bullying; when you are the one who has encouraged others to bully her?

“Don’t pretend that you care.” She hisses, wiping her eyes furiously.

What do you do when no-one except you can see her fear, her pain because she has become so good in hiding it and you can see it because you have always used that fear for your own enjoyment.

“I do-”

“Don’t- don’t lie. I’m done being lied to.” She sobs and he still doesn’t move because she will jump if he does.

What do you do when no-one else thinks that she needs help and she won’t let you help because she doesn’t trust you at all?

“All right. All right, I won’t lie. I am sorry. I am sorry for everything.” He says, “Please, don’t jump.”

How do you make her understand that she’s very beautiful; That she’s not an object made for someone else’s entertainment when you are the one who called her ugly and tormented her so much that she started believing it.

“What are you sorry for, eh?” She snarls, “IT WAS NOT YOUR FAULT.”

“It was my fault that you didn’t tell anyone about Professor Mason. You-”

“It was not because of you. I hate you and I don’t care about what you say. Just leave me alone. My life or death is not your business.” She says in a trembling voice, “Are you worried that you are losing your only source of entertainment? Is that why you have been following me everywhere for the past week?”

His heart clenches and tears threaten to fall from his eyes. He swallows a couple of times to stop himself from losing control.

Most importantly, what do you do when you realize that you have fallen in love with the girl you bullied and that there is no chance in hell that she’ll ever believe that because she thinks that she’s so ugly that no-one will ever love her, least of all you who made her believe that in the first.

“I just want you to tell headmaster Anderson about everything that professor Mason said and did to you.” He says so softly that he himself is surprised.

Her innocent eyes well up with tears and she tucks a strand of her very curly hair behind her ears before replying, “He won’t believe me.”

“Why will he-”

“No-one likes ugly old me. So, why will Professor Mason do? He’ll get me expelled.” She sobs, wiping her eyes and god, he wants to cry as well.

He doesn’t know why she hasn’t told anything to her parents and he wants to ask but he knows that she won’t tell him.

“All right, don’t tell anyone.” He says, breathing deeply, “Just come down now.”

“You- you won’t force me to tell anyone?” She asks hesitantly and he wants to cry because he will have to lie to her and he doesn’t want to but he can also not let this go on and he can’t very well let her die.

“No- no I won’t.” He says softly, cautiously and finally, finally, she gets down and he has not even reached her before she faints. He picks her up and carries her to the infirmary. She has not been eating well which is why she has become so thin and she has also not been sleeping properly. Now that she can’t see him, he finally lets himself lose control over his emotions. Tears fall from his eyes as he takes her.

To avoid being seen, he takes her via the long route. He can’t imagine what she must be going through. He doesn’t think that she has many friends to confide in and he doesn’t understand how she bore everything quietly for a whole month.

He knocks and the door is opened by the doctor just a moment later.

“What happened to her, Mr White?”

“I – I would only talk to headmaster Anderson about this.” He says, wondering if he’s making a very big mistake by doing this. Professor Mason is one of the most highly qualified and most important teachers of this school but then his father is one of the wealthiest men of this country and if nothing works, he’ll call his parents.

“Please, place her on the second bed and have a seat. I’ll call headmaster Anderson.”

Sebastian does as told. He stares at the unconscious girl and starts collecting his thoughts. He’ll have to tell him about everything and that, of course, means there is a possibility that the headmaster will expel him but he’ll have to take the risk. He cannot let Mason do this to her.

A few more minutes pass before the door opens and headmaster Anderson comes inside. He’s a tall, serious-looking man with high cheekbones and broad shoulders and a lean frame. He’s wearing a black suit and is staring at him with narrowed eyes. The headmaster does not like him and he knows this and he might not believe a single word that exits his mouth. Sebastian has lied many a time before and has put many students in trouble. Of course, the man doesn’t trust him.

“Good afternoon, headmaster.” Sebastian murmurs in a subdued voice.

He stares at Sebastian, his eyes wide and mouth open in shock before asking, “Have you been crying?”

Sebastian swallows. He hates crying. Crying is for the weak and Sebastian is not weak. Period.

But, he nods. He’s quite desperate right now. He needs headmaster to trust him and he’ll have to tell the man everything from the starting if he wants that.

“What’s wrong?”

Sebastian shakes his head, opens his mouth and then closes it again. Natalie didn’t want anyone to know and he should not tell anyone without her permission but she has already tried to kill herself six times in the past week. Mason has stopped calling her. Maybe, he knows that he has been caught which makes it even more important for the headmaster to know the truth because otherwise Mason will flee away and will do this again with some other girl.

Headmaster stares some more at him. He’s gone very still and Sebastian knows that he’s sweating although the room is pretty cool.

“Do you want water?” Headmaster asks and Sebastian nods, needing a distraction.

How do you tell someone that your teacher has been sexually assaulting and blackmailing your classmate for a month now when you know that you’re just a bully and no-one might even believe you?

“Here, have some water.”

Sebastian accepts the glass and takes small sips. He’s eighteen, not six. Why’s he crying and what’s he so afraid of. He can always call father if the headmaster doesn’t trust him.

But, what do you do when you know that your own father thinks that you’re just a spoiled child and would most likely not take you any more seriously than the headmaster because you have lost even your father’s trust. He might just think that you’re hiding your own mistake or he might think that you are throwing a temper tantrum since you have done that several times before.

“Sir, I-” He starts slowly and then finds himself at a loss of words. He has never been so terrified in his entire life and isn’t it so strange that he’s not terrified for himself. He’s afraid for Natalie and isn’t it so ironical. Until just a week ago, he never missed an opportunity to disparage her.

He wipes the sweat that has gathered on his forehead and cheeks and breathes deeply before murmuring politely, “I need you to listen to me and trust me before you decide anything. In return, I’ll do whatever you say. I won’t bully anyone and really pay attention to my studies and you will not hear any complaint about me from anyone, be it a student or a teacher. I’ll also promise to score above ninety per cent if you just promise to trust me because whatever I’m going to tell you is true.”

Headmaster Anderson is gaping at him and it takes him a few minutes to regain his composure.

He clears his throat before replying, “What have you done this time? Last time, your father came to your rescue, but this time, even he won’t be able to save you. You’ll be expelled.”

Sebastian gulps and wants to slam his head on the wall. It’s all his fault.

“I - I know that.” Sebastian murmurs, “I’m sorry for my past mistakes.”

Once again, the headmaster’s eyebrows rise in surprise before the man nods quietly.

“This is about Natalie. I’ll tell you everything and I’ll not lie. It’ll be your decision in the end but I hope – I hope that you’ll consider Natalie’s future before you decide anything. Everything I’ll you is true.”

Headmaster Anderson nods and Sebastian clears his throat before starting, “I used to b- b-bully her a lot.”

Sharp and angry black eyes roll before glaring at him but he continues, “A month ago, I locked her up in the men’s washroom that’s on the second floor near the staff room after the lectures.”

“You - what did you do?” The headmaster’s voice is so harsh that Sebastian flinches. The man’s hands clench into tight fists and he becomes very still as if waiting for the right moment to slap him.

“I – I hung the tag saying ‘women’s washroom’ on men’s and maybe she got confused and went inside it and then I locked it. I forgot – I didn’t think -”

“Go on.” Comes the angry hiss.

“The classes were over and everyone had already retired to their dormitories when I locked it. I forgot to open the door and went to my dormitory.” Sebastian sat straight when he heard the headmaster’s gasp.

“What – are you completely insane, Sebastian?”

Sebastian shakes his head before continuing, “The following day, I found her staring at her table with wide, shining eyes and when I asked her about why she was crying, she stared at me with a blank face which was not her usual response. I knew that I had crossed a line.”

Sebastian’s voice trembles as he continues, “I apologised but she didn’t respond in any way and she just cried so much but never in front of anyone. She cried when she thought that no-one was watching her. I knew that something was wrong so I followed her around and – and then I saw Professor Mason summon her in his office eight days ago. It was three in the afternoon and Professor Mason closed the door but I thought nothing of it but then she didn’t come out and I kept on waiting for her. She came two hours later with messy, open hair and red-rimmed eyes. She was crying frantically and started running towards her dormitories.”

Sebastian’s face drops in his hands when he finds it impossible to control himself. He can’t help but sob. He shouldn’t have locked her in the washroom. It was completely his fault.

“I tried to talk to her but she refused to tell anything to me at first. But, I insisted and told her that I will help her and that I was sorry and that I will never bully anyone again and finally she caved and told me – told me that – that professor Mason had assaulted her sexually that day in the washroom and then kept on blackmailing her and asking her to return. She thought that no-one would believe her and will only blame her if they did and so she didn’t tell anyone. This continued for a month. I think that professor Mason knows that I know and so he has kept his distance from her for the past week. I’ve been sleeping outside her dormitory. She has – she has tried to kill herself several times and she was going to jump from the terrace today but I found her at the right time.”

The headmaster doesn’t say anything and Sebastian looks up at him, sobbing openly now. He hadn’t wanted this to happen but he will never be able to forgive himself because it started with the stupid prank he played on her. It happened because he simply couldn’t stay away because he was a ruthless bully.

“It was not your fault.” The headmaster says suddenly and Sebastian stares at him.

The man’s eyes are kind as he continues, “You shouldn’t have played that prank on her and you shouldn’t be so cruel just because your parents happen to be rich and famous. But, the - the sexual assault – that wasn’t your fault. That’s Mason’s fault and you shouldn’t blame yourself for it.”

Sebastian wipes his eyes and nods, “But, he’s a powerful man. No-one will believe us.”

“Your parents are powerful too. Maybe, you can use your influence for something good for a change because otherwise-” Headmaster Anderson breathed deeply, “- you’re right. It’ll be close to impossible to throw him behind bars. He’s a very rich man and will leave no stone unturned to escape justice. But, first things first. I want to talk to Natalie about this.”

Right then, someone clears their throat and Sebastian whips around to stare at Natalie who is very much awake and now is staring at him with something akin to wonder. Tears flowing down her eyes tell him that she has been crying. He looks away, ashamed of himself for locking her inside the bathroom that day. He had not known that Mason was inside. He had thought that everyone had retired. The staff room was empty.

“Everything he just said is true.” She says and the headmaster nods.

“Will you be able to say all this in the court and the lawyer will need your statement too, Sebastian?” Says headmaster Anderson.

Sebastian shivers and nods, knowing that he’ll do what it takes to put Mason behind bars.

“Yes, I – I – I will.” Natalie stammers.

The headmaster says, “I’m very sorry for what happened, Natalie. I have failed you as your headmaster and I know that there is no amount of compensation that will make your pain go away. I just want to tell you that I’ll always hear you and will never be biased. You need not be afraid of anything or anyone in this school. I’ll call your parents at once and will talk to them and I’ll call your parents too, Sebastian. You can talk to them and take their advice and help her.”

“Thank you, headmaster.” Says Natalie and when headmaster Anderson stands up, she sits up on her bed, exclaiming, “He won’t have to tell them about the prank, would he? No-one except both of us and you know about it.”

Sebastian stares at the girl, shocked and so does the headmaster. He doesn’t understand why she’s trying to protect him.

“It was a prank and he didn’t know that professor Mason was inside.” She mumbles, staring at her hands. She looks so small at the moment that Sebastian has to take a very deep breath and blink his damp eyes several times just so that he wouldn’t cry again.

“What prank? I believe he told me that you went inside the men’s washroom by mistake because you weren’t feeling well. That’s what you told him, didn’t you?” Says the headmaster and Sebastian’s eyes snap towards him.

He stares at the man for a few moments. Headmaster Anderson’s jaw is clenched and his eyes are hard as he stares at him. There is a warning in his eyes that this is the last chance Sebastian is getting.

“Don’t make me regret this?” These are the only words the headmaster says before exiting the room.

With a sigh, Sebastian sits beside Natalie. After spending most of the past week in her presence, he has gotten used to her and wonders if she will send him away but she doesn’t.

“Thank you.” She murmurs.

He looks up at her, startled, “For what.”

“For telling him.” She replies, her eyes wet with unshed tears, “I could never have done that by myself.”

He says, “I am sorry.”

“I accept your apology.” She says shyly.

He stares quietly at her weak face for a few moments before extending his hand, “Let’s start afresh. Hello, I’m Sebastian White.”

After a pause of a minute, her lips upturned in a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes, “Hello, I am Natalie Smith.”

He doesn’t know how long the handshake lasts but they withdraw their hands only when the doctor clears her throat. He finds Natalie’s red cheeks quite adorable though he doesn’t say it.

She falls quiet and bows her head and her cheeks become white, losing the colour they had gained. He follows her gaze, wondering what happened so suddenly. There is a blue bruise on her wrist and she’s staring hard at it. Her fingers are trembling just a little bit. He lifts his face and notices that tears have started to well up in her eyes and her lower lips have started quivering.

“Will you play chess with me? The classes are over and we don’t have any homework.” He asks gently.

She takes a deep breath and then another before looking up at him, “Sure.”

She’s smiling, albeit rather little but it gives him hope and hope is enough for now. Maybe, their friendship will heal her return her lost confidence.

Judging by the way she stares at him when she thinks that he’s unaware, he’s positive that she finds him attractive. Maybe, their friendship will turn into love.

Only time will tell and they have all the time in the world. He just wants her to be happy.

Maybe, it’s not as hopeless as he had thought and maybe, he can make her happy and maybe, she’ll forgive him and maybe, they will get the ‘happily ever after’ his mom likes writing about in her storybooks and maybe, then he can finally forgive himself for.

The end

Link to buy

Notionpress: https://notionpress.com/read/11-short-love-stories

Playstore: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=annCDwAAQBAJ 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.in/11-short-love-Stories-collection-ebook/dp/B07RPBC8TP