Chapter 45 – Dealing with a Bully [Part 2]

The rest of the school day passes in a blur. I'm physically present but mentally distracted, constantly thinking about how Jack was staring at Luna. The way he was looking her up and down. The vile grin on his face. Every time I think about it, I feel a deep sense of disgust churning in my stomach.

The final bell rings, and I'm out of my seat before most people have even processed that school is over. I pack up and take a quick trip to my locker, before heading straight for Luna.

Maybe I'm being paranoid. Maybe I'm overreacting. Maybe Jack was just looking in our general direction and I'm reading too much into—

Nope.

I turn the corner and my worst fears are confirmed.

Luna is at her locker, and she's doing her usual thing: hiding in her oversized hoodie, staring at the floor like if she doesn't make eye contact with the world, the world can't perceive her.

And talking to her, no, cornering her, is Jack Richardson.

He's got one hand pressed against the lockers behind her, his body angled to block her in so she has no choice but to stay and talk to him.

From where I'm standing, I can see Luna's tiny figure practically shrinking into herself, her gaze locked firmly on the ground. And Jack is staring down at her, except he's not even pretending to look at her face. His eyes are glued to her chest, leering openly, and I feel a rush of pure anger flood through my system.

I don't think. I just move.

I rush over and push Jack away from Luna, firmly enough that he actually stumbles back a step, sliding myself between the two of them.

"What the fuck?" Jack exclaims. His face twists with irritation.

I keep my expression neutral, friendly even, though every instinct is screaming at me to do something stupid and violent. "Hey Jack! Wow, funny running into you here. How's your day going?"

His face twists in annoyance. "We were having a conversation just now." He jerks his chin toward Luna dismissively. "So you can fuck off."

"Doesn't really look like she wants to talk, man." I keep my voice casual, friendly even.

I feel Luna shivering slightly behind me, and then her hand grips my arm. The trembling in her grip makes my anger spike again, but I keep it off my face.

Jack's jaw clenches. "That's not your problem, fatty. Mind your own fucking business."

Fatty? How rude, I don’t think I even fit that description anymore.

"Jack! Yo!" One of his football buddies is jogging toward us. "We're late for practice, man. Coach is gonna be pissed."

Jack looks back, visibly annoyed, then turns his attention back to Luna. His eyes drop immediately to her chest, staying there. My fists clench involuntarily. "Guess we'll finish this later, sweetheart. Make sure you're ready to give me your number next time we talk, yeah? Don't keep me waiting."

He deliberately lets his eyes travel down her body one more time before walking away, like he's making sure she knows exactly what he's thinking.

The moment he's gone, I turn around to face Luna.

She's still gripping my arm, and I can feel her shaking. When she looks up at me, there's fear lingering in those beautiful violet eyes, and something inside my chest cracks a little.

"Are you okay, Luna?"

She nods gently, but it's not convincing. "Mhmm..."

Without thinking, I pull her into a hug. I just can't help myself. Seeing her adorable face filled with fear, seeing her shaking and scared, I feel this overwhelming need to make her feel safe.

She wraps her tiny arms around me, and I feel her gradually calm down. Her shaking subsides. Her breathing evens out. She feels impossibly small in my arms, like something fragile that needs protecting.

After a few moments, she slowly starts letting go, and I release her from the hug.

"Come on," I say gently. "Let me walk you home."

"But… don't you have work…?" Her voice is even quieter than usual, barely above a whisper.

Work can wait. Work can absolutely wait. Luna is so much more important right now. This isn't even a question.

"That's okay, I'll just go to work a bit later."

"Oh... if you're sure... I don't want to... be a burden..."

"You're not a burden, Luna. Not even close." I smile at her. "Besides, this just means I get to hang out with you longer. That's a win in my book."

That gets a small smile out of her, which feels like a massive victory given the circumstances.

I pull out my phone and quickly shoot Mr. Vale a text: Sorry sir! Something really important came up! I might be a little late today.

For the first few blocks, we don't talk much. Luna seems lost in thought, and I'm trying to process my anger.

After a while, I break the silence. "That was awful, wasn't it?"

Luna nods gently. "I... don't like... that guy..."

"Yeah. Jack's..." I try to think of a diplomatic way to say "a predatory piece of shit" and come up empty. "He's bad news. You should tell your parents about this."

Luna is quiet for a moment. "He didn't... technically… do anything... against the rules... But... yeah... I should probably... tell them..."

"Good. And hey—" I look at her seriously. "If he tries anything like that again, text me immediately. I don't care where I am or what I'm doing. I'll be there."

Her cheeks turn pink. "Okay... Thank you."

We make it to the entrance of her apartment building, and I spot the giant doorman standing guard. I feel a wave of relief wash over me. Yeah, no one's getting past that behemoth. Luna will be safe here.

I pat her head gently. "Alright, here you are. Safe and sound."

"Yeah..." She looks up at me, and despite everything that just happened, she manages a real smile. "Thank you... for helping me... You're really... such a good… friend."

Friend. Right. That word shouldn't sting as much as it does.

"Anytime. Now get inside before your doorman thinks I'm bothering you."

She laughs softly and heads into the building. The doorman nods at her, then gives me a polite smile.

I start jogging back toward the café. If I move quickly, I might actually make it on time.

As I run, my mind is churning.

Technically, Jack was just talking to Luna. It was creepy and aggressive, but I don't think it would count as harassment by school standards. Nothing would happen if she reported it.

But fuck that. And fuck him.

How dare he look at Luna like that? How dare he trap her against the lockers and leer at her while she was clearly uncomfortable?

Yeah, I was planning on laying low. Building up my stats, my wealth, and my influence before dealing with Jack properly.

But that plan just went out the window.

I need to do something about Jack Richardson. And I need to do it quickly.

The question is: what?

Ding! Quest log updated.