Luanna's POV:
"He is so irritating. He thinks he can have everything," I spoke to Jake in the dark. We were sitting alone in the cool air at the stadium.
"I'm not a good advisor, and I don't know what to suggest," he said, surprised. "But after hearing your story, I would probably do the same thing."
"This cast on my leg doesn't help," I mumbled. "If I could, I would beat him so badly he wouldn't be able to walk for a week."
"Isn't that a little too cruel?" he chuckled.
"No," I replied. I was in a terrible mood.
"Don't be angry. That would mean he won. You can't give up," he put his arm around my shoulders.
"I know," I sighed, leaning my head against him. "Sometimes I just want to tell him—or rather, scream—who I really am, and never speak to him again after a few punches." This made Jake laugh.
"I get it, but it wouldn't work. Your friends are his friends, you're both popular, and you're together in almost every class," he put his feet up on the chair in front of him.
"I know. Sometimes I also want to just start screaming at the top of my lungs and cry it all out. Everything builds up so much that it feels like I'm about to break," I recounted. "You have no idea how painful it is to see my former nightmare every day. As soon as I saw him, I would immediately run or hide, but sometimes I was too slow and would get caught by five guys," a single tear rolled down my cheek. I no longer held myself back and let it all out.
"Every day I went to school with fear. Fear that I would be beaten up or humiliated even more. I didn't even have friends for so many years!" I cried out, and Jake hugged me tighter. "Mom didn't even try to ask how I was doing. She never cared about me, and I didn't speak to my dad because he's God knows where. For so many years, I had no one I could talk to, no one I could confide in," I sobbed onto Jake's shirt while he stroked my back. "Finally, it all ended. Six years passed, and he's back here. Ruining everything just like before. Everyone thinks I feel nothing and don't care, but that's not true. You have no idea how hard it is to endure this," I choked out.
"I can guess," he continued to comfort me. "I was bullied too. Just because of my orientation. I know it's hard for you, but don't give up. You will endure everything, and it will end. You will finish college, get a job, have a family, and have a new life. And I want to be a part of it, still as your best friend," he laughed quietly.
"Always," I replied, smiling even though he couldn't see it.
Niall's POV:
As soon as Luanna drove away, I screamed at the top of my lungs and collapsed onto the sand.
"What was that?" El frowned.
"I just snapped. I can't take it anymore! I don't know how to live like this. I've always gotten any girl I wanted, and she seems to only want to beat me up or mock me," I fell onto my back in the sand and covered my face with my hands.
"You must have hurt her deeply," Harry sat down next to me.
"If only she would tell me. I want to know, I want to apologize!" I shouted.
"Calm down, Niall," Liam crouched beside me.
"I can't," I hugged my knees.
"What's happening, Niall?" Beth asked worriedly, crouching next to Harry.
"I can't stop thinking about her," I shook my head. "She won't leave my mind," I was on the verge.
"Everything will be fine. Just take a—" Liam started, but I cut him off.
"Nothing will be fine! She hates me, and I can't even find out why!" I yelled, not caring if anyone could hear us.
"Everything will work itself out. Calm down," Louis hugged me.
"You know you're lying. We'll finish college, and she'll never see or hear from us again, or eventually, even think about us. El is her best friend, along with Beth, and they might meet up or call each other, and we'll just be a past stage of her life!" I yelled again. I couldn't control my emotions anymore. "I'm just a person with no future," I mumbled, and a traitorous tear rolled down my cheek. I quickly wiped it away before anyone saw.
"That's not true," Beth quickly said.
"You'll see, you'll be the most famous band in the world," El smiled warmly, placing a hand on my shoulder.
"She's right," I shook my head. "Look at me. I'm pathetic! All I'm good at is hurting people," I couldn't bear the pain, so to speak.
"You know that's not true," the girl frowned.
"Then what else?"
"Football, singing, playing the guitar, you're pretty good at your studies too. Man, you're an example to Eddie. You have a little copy of yourself who only tries to be as cool as you are," El listed. "Every time I'm with him and ask about you, he can't stop talking about the great things you've done with him and how he wants to be just like you."
"It's just... you have no idea how much I like her," I mumbled.
Luanna's POV:
"Everything will be fine," Jake said calmly.
"It's just... you have no idea how much I hate him," I mumbled.