Chapter 29

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Starling

I t felt so good to spill my guts to Hudson like that. It didn't fix everything between us, but it eased the worst of my anger and resentment.

If only it were that simple to fix shit at school.

Abbot was still a no-show and radio silent, making me public enemy number one, especially with tonight being the big game.

Despite worrying about Abbot, I was fucking furious with him. As the days passed with no word, I was starting to question if I ever meant anything to him at all.

I'd been pushed, shoved, and tripped all day, had catty remarks thrown my way, and my locker had been trashed for the third time this week. It seemed even the faculty were pissed at me because they weren't doing anything to stop it.

I scrub at the tomato sauce covering my top and sigh before giving up. I look in the mirror at my wet hair, which I did manage to get the sauce out of, and curse at the hot mess looking back at me.

"What the fuck am I still doing here?"

Screw it. I'll text Hudson and see if he'll pick me up early. I pull out my phone just as the door opens, and Claire steps in with two of her lackeys behind her.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Claire smirks, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Jesus, Claire, could you give it a rest already? I'm not sure what your obsession is with me, but it doesn't take a psychic to see a restraining order in your future."

"Fuck you. You messed everything up coming here."

I grip my phone tightly and slide my bag over my shoulder. "Well, if you move your asses, I'll get out of your hair."

Claire holds her hand out to Demi, who pulls out a baseball bat from behind her back. A wave of fear works its way through me, but I hold myself steady and wait for her next move.

"We don't want you to come back. If you're gone, Abbot will come back. I guess it's time for me to step up and take out the trash."

"Fucking hell, get over yourself. This is high school, not the fucking mafia. What? You're going to attack me in broad daylight and think you'll get away with it. Are you insane?"

Demi and Kim give each other a nervous look, but they keep quiet.

"That's the difference between you and me. No one's gonna snitch on me. They like me. I bet you wish you could say the same. But oh well, it's too late now."

She raises the bat as she steps closer.

I back up, pulling my bag in front of me like a shield. "Kim, Demi, talk some fucking sense into her before you all end up in jail."

"Claire, maybe we should?—"

"Shut the fuck up, Kim, unless you want me to use this on you."

Kim takes a step back and looks away.

Guess I'm on my own.

As Claire swings, I duck and throw my bag at her. I shove past her, only to be grabbed by Demi.

"Let me go!" I scream in her face just before the bat slams into my shoulder blades, dropping me to my knees.

My phone tumbles to the ground as Demi pushes me onto my back, just as the bat comes swinging down again. With no other options, I do the only thing I can: cover my head and curl up into a ball, making myself as small a target as possible.

I scream at the top of my lungs as the blows keep coming, hoping and praying that someone will hear me. But I purposely picked this restroom because it's near the football players' locker room and no one's around.

A wave of dizziness washes over me, my whole-body throbbing in agony as my prayers go unanswered yet again.

I'm trying to find the strength to crawl under a stall door when I hear a roar of anger, and the blows stop.

"What the fuck?!"

"Hayden, it's not what it looks like," Claire coos, trying to sound all innocent.

But Hayden isn't buying any of it. "John, Mac, grab her and take her next door."

"No, you don't understand. Abbot is?—"

"Not Starling, you stupid bitch. She isn't responsible for him. Get her out of my sight. And take Kim and Demi with you. If I have to come find you, you'll regret it."

I hear crying and shuffling before gentle hands touch my arm. I jolt and try to roll away but cry out as the pain steals my breath.

"Oh Jesus, Starling. Fuck. Hold on and let me get some help." Hayden's voice is full of horror. Fuck knows what I must look like.

I reach out, ignoring the pain, and grab his wrist. "Hudson."

"What?"

"Call Hudson. My phone… somewhere… on… the floor."

"Okay, hold on for me while I look for it."

I hear him moving around as I open my eyes and try to focus.

"Got it."

I whisper the PIN to unlock it just as the door opens again.

"Holy fuck, is that Starling?"

"Get the fuck out, Chris. Go call an ambulance and get the principal."

The door closes again as Hayden shuffles closer, wrapping his large hand around mine.

"Hudson," I say again, needing him here.

"I'm calling him now, I promise. Just stay still for me. I won't let anyone near you, okay?"

"Okay."

I watch him as he holds the phone to his ear. He swallows when it connects, his eyes on mine and so full of worry that I squeeze his hand to let him know I'm okay.

"Hey, Birdie," I hear faintly, his voice making the tears steam down my face.

"Hi. Um, this is Hayden. Is this Hudson?"

"Where the fuck is Starling?" he yells.

"Sir, she's here with me, but she's hurt. A couple of girls jumped her in the bathroom with a bat. She's asking for you."

I hear a roar and something smash, which makes me cry even harder.

"Starling!" he yells. Hayden scrambles to put the phone on speaker.

"Sir, it's on speaker. She can hear you."

"Birdie?" his voice softens. I hear voices in the background and assume it's Atlas and Kenzo.

"I'm… okay," I whisper, hoping if I keep saying it, it will be true.

"I'm on my way. You just hold on for me, okay?"

"Okay… Hurry."

"I will, I promise. Hayden?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Don't let anyone in. I don't care what you have to do, but you keep every motherfucker away from her until I get there."

"Yes, sir. We're in the bathroom near the football locker room."

"I'll find you. I'm on my way, Birdie, I promise."

He hangs up and slides my phone into the side pocket of my bag, which is now lying on the floor beside me.

"This is my fault. I knew they were messing with you, but I never thought she'd do something like this."

"Neither did I... It's not your fault." I groan. "She thinks she's going to get away with… this."

"Because she's used to her rich daddy getting her out of everything. Well, she went too far this time. I'm on your side, Starling. If you need me as a witness or to give evidence, I'm there. I've got you."

I squeeze his hand and turn my head a little to look up at him. "I'm sorry about Abbot."

"No. Not just no, but fuck no. I don't care if you trashed his car and burned all his clothes. Him not being here? That's on him, not you. People fight. Couples break up all the damn time. It's high school, for fuck's sake. But he didn't just ghost you. He ghosted all of us. People want someone to blame, and you're convenient. But it's Abbot who abandoned us. It's the coach's fault for making us all rely so heavily on one QB. And it's the school's fault for letting all this shit happen. I could go on, but my point is, you've got no reason to be sorry. None."

"Why are you being so nice to me?" I say through the pain.

"I'm always nice to you. I like you. Always have."

I think back and realize he's right. He's always been pretty cool with me.

"Truth is, I've always had a thing for you. But you were my boy's girl, and some lines you just don't cross."

Unless you're Hudson. There are no lines that man wouldn't cross to get to me. Instead of scaring me like it usually does, it gives me comfort.

"You're sweet, but I'm married."

"You're what?"

I lift my hand with a wince and show him my tattoo.

"Holy fuck!" he laughs. "It's always the quiet ones."

I smile, hearing the commotion outside.

When the door opens, we both look over and see Principal Evans push her way inside.

"What on earth is going—" She stops talking when she spots me and winces. "Oh, goodness." She shakes her head before clearing her throat. "Mr. Mathews, go find Nurse Henson."

"With all due respect, Miss Evans, I'm not leaving Starling."

"She needs medical attention."

"She does. That's why I had Chris call an ambulance."

"An ambulance? For heaven's sake, Mr. Mathews. Nurse Henson is perfectly capable of patching up a few cuts and bruises."

She shakes her head and looks at me. "This is exactly the reason why we have a zero-fighting policy. I understand that you've recently lost your stepmother, but that's no excuse. I'll need to speak to your guardian."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Hayden growls at her.

"Excuse me!" she gasps.

"No, I will not excuse you," he snaps.

The door opens again, this time by Chris, who hovers there so he doesn't interrupt.

"First of all, this is more than a few cuts and bruises. Starling needs to go to the hospital to get checked out, and you know it. She was attacked with a fucking baseball bat. She could have broken bones or a head injury. Second, Claire is next door. She's the one who did this, along with Kim and Demi. They were the attackers. Starling was the victim, so don't speak to her like she did anything wrong. She was jumped in the school bathroom, somewhere she should have been safe."

"I will be speaking to all parties involved to find out the actual truth?—"

"I just told you the truth. I saw it happen with my own two eyes, and I'm not the only one. Looks like Claire's daddy won't be able to buy his way out of this one."

"I think it's time you returned to class."

"No. I told you; I'm not leaving her. Someone needs to protect her because it sure as hell hasn't been you."

"Mr. Mathews," she screeches.

A loud voice roars, "Move."

Chris jumps out of the way, but Miss Evans isn't fast enough to avoid being shoved aside by Hudson. He drops down beside Hayden, his hands hovering over me like he doesn't know where to touch.

"Fucking hell, Birdie."

I feel my lip tremble as I reach for him.

Atlas and Kenzo walk into the already crowded room, their faces like thunder. I know by the sheer silence they've been recognized, not just in the restroom but outside in the hallway too.

Hayden moves back as Hudson gently scoops me up. I gasp and turn into him, grabbing a fistful of his suit jacket.

"You Hayden?" I hear Kenzo ask.

"Yeah. She's gonna be okay, right?"

"We'll make sure she is. Fill me in on what happened," Kenzo orders as Hudson carries me toward the door.

"Mr. Monroe—" the principal chokes out as Atlas holds the door open for us.

"Back the fuck up, bitch, or I'll move you myself."

She stumbles away as Atlas's eyes move to mine. He winks at me before following us out.

Cell phones start recording as excited voices talk animatedly around us, like a celebrity has arrived. I guess, in a way, Atlas is one.

"Is that her father?" someone in the crowd asks.

"I thought her dad was dead," someone replies.

"You hear that? They think you're her daddy," Atlas teases with a snicker.

Hudson doesn't say anything, his face like stone, as he carries me through the crowd.

"You forget to tell them you were married, Starling?"

I glare at him over Hudson's shoulder as gasps ring out.

"She's married? Wait, that's her husband? But I thought she was with Abbot." The voices blend together as they get louder. Knowing I'm safe now, I ignore them all and pass out.