He Bruised Me

The following afternoon, Lucy and Jonathan sat together on the school field beneath the shade of a large tree. Open books and papers were scattered between them, though neither of them had actually touched the report for almost twenty minutes.

They were supposed to be revising their final statement for Professor Harrison’s project, but instead, Jonathan was busy criticizing the romance novel Lucy had told him about.

“So let me get this straight,” Jonathan said, leaning back on his elbows with disbelief written all over his face. “This guy waited ten whole years to tell her he loved her… because he could only express himself through letters?”

Lucy laughed softly. “Jonathan, that story happened decades ago. Things were different back then.”

Jonathan shook his head dramatically. “No, Lucy. Even forty years ago, people still knew how to walk.”

Lucy burst into laughter.

“He could’ve literally gone to her house.”

“He was shy!”

“He was a coward.”

“He was romantic.”

“He was unemployed.”

Lucy threw a crumpled piece of paper at him.

Jonathan smirked proudly after successfully making her laugh again.

For a while, Lucy forgot about all her troubles.  When she was with Jonathan, she didn’t have to be the perfect Quinn daughter. She just had to be herself, the girl who loved romantic books. 

A group of students passed by them, looking at them suspiciously and with curious gazes. Lucy noticed the stares but Jonathan didn’t seem to mind.

“People are staring.” Lucy said shyly .

“It must be because your smile is so pretty.”Jonathan replied staring at her face.

Lucy tried to hide the blush in her face. Before she could reply, things went back to normal.

“ I thought I told you to stop being pathetic Lucy. What are you doing with this wretched scholarship student?”

Lucy looked up to see Adrian standing close to them and looking at Jonathan with extreme anger and disgust. 

“Adrian, what do you mean” Lucy’s voice was already shaking. “We are… we are just working on our report.”

“Really… project, the so-called project is what’s making you laugh and giggle.” Adrian shouted and stepped closer. He did not want Lucy, he already told her that. But the thoughts of her being happy with someone else made him angry. She was his property and his alone. 

Jonathan closed his sketchbook and looked up immediately. “We are outside Adrian, what could we possibly be doing? if we bother you that much, look somewhere else. “

Adrian’s jaw tightened. "I wasn't talking to you, scholarship. Get lost before I have my father call the dean and find out exactly how you 'earned' your spot here."

“Adrian stop it, he’s just my partner for professor Harrison’s project “ Lucy tried to convince Adrian. 

“Stand up” Adrian shouted. “ we are leaving”

Before she could say anything, Adrian grabbed her hand violently, squeezing her. He dragged her up and she almost fell down. 

“ I said we are leaving.” He hissed. 

“Adrian you’re hurting me. My hand… you’re squeezing too tight” Lucy said as she tried to free herself but he just held her tighter. 

Jonathan stood up immediately, ready to fight. He pushed Adrian’s chest. The calm guy Lucy saw at the coffee shop was gone. 

“Adrian let go of her”. Jonathan yelled. “Now.”

“Or what scholarship boy?.” Adrian didn’t leave Lucy, instead he held her tighter.  “You’ll beat me? try me and I’ll make sure you get locked up in prison. “

Jonathan clenched his fist so hard that his knuckles turned white. He stepped closer to Adrian, looking at him with overwhelming anger. 

None of them refused to back down. 

“ Jonathan please, don’t fight him.” Lucy said, trying to convince Jonathan. “You’ll lose everything, your scholarship, your future. Please it’s not worth it Jonathan. “

Jonathan slowly stepped back, but his eyes never left Adrian. “This is not over Adrian Matthews “

It’s over when I say it is," Adrian sneered. He dragged Lucy’s arm again.  "Move!  you shameless thing. "

 Lucy didn't fight him. She couldn't. She looked back at Jonathan and pleaded with him not to go after them. Jonathan just stood still in anger. watching Adrian drag her away. 

 When they reached a quiet corner where it was just them, he finally released her hands. He shoved it away like she disgusted him. 

 "I don’t want to ever see you with that trash again. Is that clear?," he warned her. His voice shaking with anger. "You are a Quinn. You represent my family. If you want to ruin your reputation, do it in a secret place, not when people are watching."

 He turned and walked away toward his car, leaving her standing there. Lucy was visibly trembling.

 Lucy looked down at her wrist. The place he held her was already turning dark. Five dark purple marks were forming where his fingers had been. The place still hurt her but the shame she was feeling overshadowed the pain. 

 She rubbed the bruise and tried to hide it under the sleeve of her dress. All she wanted was the boy who loved her. But instead, she got a man who didn’t want her or have any interest in her, but still marked her simply because he could. 

 She couldn’t go to her next class. She walked back to her dorm feeling sad as she remembered she still had to continue putting up with Adrian’s bad attitude because of her father’s business. She didn't see Zoe watching her from a second-story window with  a phone pressed to her ear and smiling