Falling For The Girl I Bullied
Chapter 157

Kyle’s P.O.V.

“Aaahhhh… I am so tired,” Violet complained while putting her head on the portable table in front of her. “I told you not to put pressure on yourself. It’s not like you haven’t finished the syllabus earlier,” I said to her in a teasing tone. She moved her head on the table to look at me and glared hard. “So what if I had finished the syllabus earlier, huh? What if I missed something very important? You know that I have to keep my grades up to keep the scholarship,” she said to me annoyingly while glaring at me.

“As if a slight decrease in your grade will bring any harm to your position in the school?” Rein chimed in while mocking her. Rein was having a hard time finishing his syllabus. “Uhhhhhhh… I am not talking to any of you. You are all mean,” she whined and closed her eyes. I sighed helplessly and looked at Rein, who was also looking at Violet helplessly this time. “You should rest now, Violet. You have been glued to your books for more than two hours. It’s enough. No one is going to snatch your scholarship from you,” I said while scooting near her. I slowly put my hand on the back of her head and stroked her head lightly.

“I still have a few chapters to revise,” she murmured. “If you really want to give the exam tomorrow then you should rest now, Violet,” Ethan said in a worried tone. She was better now but she still felt headaches from time to time. She had to go to the hospital tomorrow after the exam to change her dressing. “I think we should shift to the living room or Ethan’s room, and let her rest,” Dustin proposed in a worried tone. “I am fine, guys…. Just give me a few minutes,” she protested again, still having her eyes closed. She was tired, but she was really stubborn. She was already one of the top three students in the school, and Rein was right that a slight dip in her grades wouldn’t change anything. She was a nerd after all.

The boys asked her to help in their revision, and this way she would revise her syllabus too for tomorrow. Initially, she was only answering the questions of others, and slowly she started reading again. I could see that she was tired and would fall asleep soon. “Violet,” I called her in a low, gentle voice after some time, and she didn’t open her eyes nor say anything else. She hummed in response, indicating that she was dozing off.

I signaled to Rein and Dustin, who were sitting next to both of us on different sides, to remove the table. “Lie down for a while,” I said to her in a gentle tone while pulling her up by her shoulders. She didn’t protest or say anything. Dustin took her books, and Rein removed the table. I slowly put her down on the pillow behind her. She moved her body into a comfortable position and snuffled into the pillow. “Let’s shift on the floor,” Ethan said in a very low tone, and everyone nodded. I was about to move away from her when she grabbed my hand. “Stay with her,” Ethan instructed me while standing up from the bed. I nodded and leaned back on the backrest. She tightened her grip on my hand.

Ethan pulled the cover over her shoulder. She murmured something in her sleep, but it was incoherent. I sighed and took my book from the bed so that I could finish my syllabus. “Ask the kitchen to bring some snacks, Ethan…. I am feeling hungry,” Noah asked Ethan in a hushed tone. “Okay,” Ethan answered in the same tone while getting his phone. I suddenly remembered the message that Violet got on her birthday, two days ago. I didn’t know if she had read the message or not as she didn’t say anything about that message. I looked for her phone and found it on her other side. I took the phone from the bed while looking at her.

I opened the phone and looked for that message. I sighed and shook my head when I saw that she replied on the same day, a bit late in the night. She suddenly scooted towards me and wrapped her hand around my waist after releasing my hand from her grip. I smiled and put my hand on her shoulder to ensure her that I was still with her. “She replied, right?” Ethan asked in a low tone and I nodded in response. I looked at him with a calm gaze. “She got one more message from someone else, and she forwarded that message to both dad and Mr. Westfield,” I told him, and everyone immediately looked at me with wide-opened eyes in surprise.

“Another message? Who sent this message?” Justin asked in surprise. “Grace,” I told them and moved my eyes back to her. If Ethan was surprised too, it meant that she didn’t tell him about this message either, because I had no idea about those messages. “What is the message, Kyle?” David asked me in a stern tone this time. I looked back at the boys who were now sitting on the carpet on the floor near the couch. I didn’t answer him and looked back at her screen again. I didn’t want to pry into her privacy but this was something related to her safety. Grace was not directly involved in her kidnapping, but she hid the information about the pendant. I opened her phone and looked for the messages.

Unknown: I know that we are not friends and can’t be in this life span, but I really want to talk to anyone right now. I don’t know why I am messaging you, but you are the first person that came to mind in this state of depression of mine. I only want to say to you that now I understand how you felt when you were alone and had no one to talk to all these years… nothing is going to change between us, still, I want to say that I am sorry for everything, Violet… I am really sorry…

Me: You are right that we can’t be friends, as I would never be able to trust you as a friend. You are right that nothing is going to change after your apology, but I understand where you are standing right now. I only want to say that you are also a victim this time…. Not only your mother but your friends also betrayed you and tried to involve you in a crime that you had no idea… Stay strong…. This would pass soon….

I smiled bitterly while reading her reply. “What is it?” I heard Ethan asking me in a worried tone. “She asked her to stay strong,” I told him and looked up at him calmly. Ethan scoffed and looked in the other direction. Violet was not good at comforting, but still her words were comforting. It was an irony that Sia sought comfort to the person whom she bullied all her life. “You are also the same,” I clenched my jaw when my inner self taunted me. I never hurt Violet physically but I couldn’t deny that I was the reason when she got tears in her eyes so many times in the past. I always found a way to torment her emotionally. The wounds that I gave to Violet were on her soul, not on her body.

I remember the night when I came to her house in the middle of the night after leaving my home. I didn’t know what I was thinking that night, but she was the first person who came to my mind. Sia did the same thing. My grip on her phone tightened while I stared at the line where Violet told Sia that nothing would change between them. My heart stopped beating for a few seconds when a thought crossed my mind. The only difference between my and Sia’s bullying was that I never wanted to hurt Violet physically. What if Violet didn’t let go of the bad thing that happened between us and refused to accept my love for her?

“Kyle,” I looked at Ethan in a trance when he called my name in a worried tone. “What happened? You went pale suddenly?” he asked me in a worried tone, and I just stared at him blankly. My mind went numb for a good time. My grip tightened on Violet. Was I lucky? Yes…. Yes.. I was lucky that Violet never held any grudges against me. I was lucky because she accepted me without putting any conditions in front of me. I was lucky that she was willing to be my girlfriend and gave me her pure love.

“Kyle,” Ethan shook my shoulder harshly while taking my name in a worried tone. “Huh?” I asked him in a daze. “What happened? Why are you so pale?” he asked me again, and I gulped hard while closing my eyes. He took Violet’s phone from my hand. I took a few deep breaths, trying to make my heart calm. “Are you okay, bro?” I heard Noah asking me in a worried tone. “Yeah… yeah… I am okay… I am okay,” I answered and slowly opened my eyes. Everyone was now looking at me worriedly.

“I am really okay, guys,” I said again with a small comforting smile on my lips. They didn’t say anything again but the worry was still written all over their faces. “I am really amazed that Sia sought comfort from Violet after bullying her all these years,” Ethan remarked with a light chuckle. “Aren’t we the same?” I asked him immediately in a calm tone. He knitted his brows in confusion. “Yeah… we are lucky that she still agreed to be our friend after being harassed by us all these years,” David said in a stiff tone while looking at the sleeping figure of Violet. His eyes were blank, but I could understand his inner turmoil.

“Let’s not talk about this anymore.” Everything is good among us now, and let’s try to keep it like this forever,” Noah said in a hopeful tone, making me purse my lips while nodding in agreement. “What about Grace’s message?” Rein asked this time, changing the topic. “Yeah… what about her message? What did she say?” Justin asked curiously this time. “She just apologized to Violet for her involvement in her case. Speaking to which, the first hearing in Violet’s case is soon. Mr. Westfield called Dad last night and told him that he would inform us about the date soon,” Ethan answered Justin in a calm tone and gave Violet’s phone back to me.

“Will Sia have to give testimony against her mother?” Dustin asked in a low tone, and I took my l*p in between my teeth. “She is the key witness of what happened in the parking lot,” Ethan answered him but I could feel concerned in his voice. Going against your parents in day-to-day life is normal among teenagers, but standing against your mother in a courthouse would surely leave a permanent impression on Sia’s soul. “Aaaahhhh… we have an exam tomorrow guys… let’s focus on our studies. Thinking about these things will not do us any good,” Rein shrieked in irritation, and I sighed aloud. He was right. Exams are more important than gossiping and making predictions about something over which we have no control.

We once again continued our revision. A maid served us some snacks and cold drinks after some time. I looked back at Violet when she stirred a little. She whimpered, making me put down my book on the bed. I held her hand again and stroked her face lightly. It was clear that she was dreaming something bad again. “Wake her up, Kyle. She has to take her medicines,” Ethan instructed me in a calm tone. “Violet…. Hey… wake up,” I gently shook her. She knitted her brows and whimpered again. “Pour a glass of water,” I instructed them while shaking her gently again.

She suddenly opened her eyes widely and gasped for air. I immediately took her in my arms and patted her back lightly. Her body was trembling lightly, indicating that she was scared. She clutched my shirt tightly while trying to take deep breaths. “Here,” Ethan said, raising a glass of water in front of me. I took the glass from him. “Violet… drink some water, please,” I requested her in a gentle tone. “She is still having nightmares?” I heard David ask in a worried tone. “They are not frequent now. She was stressed, and that’s why she had a bad dream again,” Ethan answered in a calm but concerned tone. Meanwhile, Violet drank some water before I removed the glass.

“Bad dream?” I asked her gently while stroking her back. She nodded and looked at me with tearful eyes. “That was only a dream…. Don’t think too much,” I coaxed her gently. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath again. I kept on rocking her body lightly while stroking her. She slowly released my shirt after some time when she calmed down and straightened her back. “For how long did I sleep?” she asked me while rubbing her eyes lightly. “Uhhhh… I guess one hour?” I answered in a confusing tone, as I was not assured of the answer.

“I think we should take a break now,” Rein said in a tired tone. “Yeah,” Noah immediately voiced out in the same tired tone. “We should take a break…. Let’s go outside,” he continued while stretching his body. We had been studying for the past four hours. We came here around eight in the morning, and now it’s around 12. “Wrap up everything and let’s go out. Let her rest for some more time before lunch,” Ethan said this time. He then looked at me. “She has to take those medicines (he pointed towards the nightstand). Give her in fifteen minutes,” he instructed me and I nodded.

They packed everything and put it on the table before going out. David stopped at the door for a few seconds and looked back at us. Violet was now leaning on my shoulder. He had some emotions in his eyes, but he didn’t say anything and closed the door behind him. I held Violet protectively in my embrace while looking at the closed door blankly. “Kyle,” I looked back at Violet when she called me in a low tone. “Yeah,” I asked her before kissing her forehead. “You all knew about Sia’s message, right?” she asked me and I pursed my lips before nodding in agreement. “That’s why you didn’t let me have my phone on my birthday?” she asked again and I nodded again.

She sighed and straightened her back up. “That was also unexpected to me, but I can’t run away from all these things that are happening around us,” she said further, pausing while looking at me. “What happened? Did I say anything wrong?” she asked me while looking at me timidly. I smiled and shook my head negatively. “No, my love… You didn’t say anything wrong. Yes, you are right that you have to face everything. Just keep in mind that I am always with you in every situation. You are not alone now,” I answered her, and a smile crept onto her lips. “I slowly took in my embrace again. “Get well soon, love…. You don’t know how I am holding myself back to keep my distance from you. A little excitement can make you feel pain, and this is what I don’t want,” I whispered while closing my eyes. Suddenly, a knock on the door interrupted our sweet time again, making me g***n in frustration. “Kyle… you need to come out,” Rein said in a serious tone after opening the door a little.