He Killed Me Then Loved Me Chapter 03
Before I could say anything, Vanessa beat me to it. “Chuck, this tramp hit me! She actually hit me in the face with a water bottle!”
Tears were streaming down her face.
Charles realized what had happened. His gaze was glued to my face as if he hadn’t heard her complaint at all.
He said, his voice deep, “Put your hand down.”
I was slightly stunned, then slowly lowered my hand. A few red scratches were revealed. Fortunately, the skin wasn’t broken.
Charles frowned, his expression darkening further. He said, his tone questioning now, “Who did this to you?”
Without any hesitation, I pointed at the few girls and said softly, “Her, her, and her.”
They immediately shrank behind Vanessa, trembling.
They looked like they were about to cry as they pleaded, “Nessa, help us out here. We only did it to stick up for you.”
Vanessa’s expression changed. A moment later, she braced herself and said, her tone rising, “Charles, are you gonna go after my friends over this bitch?
“Mr. Spence told me we’re supposed to get married for the sake of our families. You’d better think long and hard before you do something you’ll regret.”
Charles scoffed, as if she’d just told a joke, his voice tinged with uncharacteristic fury, “Get this through your head, Vanessa. Your family begged mine for this marriage. I don’t need you.
“Catalina is practically family. Don’t lay a finger on her. And I won’t say it again.”
With that, his gaze swept past Vanessa and landed on the little crew behind her. His voice was cold, not an ounce of mercy in it. “Don’t bother coming back to school tomorrow.”
Moments ago, they’d been all fire and fury. Now, none of them dared to say a word.
Vanessa’s face had gone ghastly pale. Her lips trembled, but no sound came out. She fled in tears.
The onlookers dispersed, and the second half was about to begin.
Before Charles walked off, he shot me a flat look, one that carried a clear warning.
I sat on the stairs for a while, pulling myself together. Then I picked up the water bottle.
The sunlight was perfect that day. It filtered through the leaves of the oak beside me, casting dappled patterns on the ground. Bored from waiting, I leaned against its thick trunk, and before I knew it, I’d drifted off.
I was jolted awake by cheers. I didn’t know which team had won.
Seeing Charles back on the sideline, I trotted over and handed him the water bottle.
He took it, his face blank. Then he unscrewed the lid and dumped the whole bottle over his head. His white jersey went see-through, plastered to his skin, the lines of his abs sharp beneath.
The girls went wild all over again.
“He’s so hot!”
“Hey, do you think I stand a shot if I shamelessly chase him?”
“It’s broad daylight. Wake up.”
I’d never been a fan of noisy crowds. My task here was done, so I turned to leave, having no intention of sticking around. But I moved too fast and didn’t look behind me.
The moment I turned, I collided with a searing embrace.
A few seconds later, the boy took a few steps back, putting distance between us. Then a clear, crisp voice reached me. “Sorry about that.”
I snapped my head up, stunned.
The moment I saw Arnold Harden, countless memories came flooding back.
In my short previous life, he was the only one who had been good to me.
In my previous life, the whole world was against me. I was insulted, picked on, and even the teachers said I brought it all on myself. Fear and panic consumed me, every second of every day.
When I was hiding on the rooftop crying, it was Arnold who handed me a pack of tissues. After that, whenever we met, he was always getting me out of trouble.
It felt as if my life were nothing but endless rain and mud, and he was the only one willing to hold an umbrella over it.
That umbrella never got me out of the storm. But in my last life and in this one, I’d always be grateful to him.
I didn’t react for a long moment.
A flicker of panic shot through Arnold’s face, and he asked, “Are you okay?”
I nodded softly.
He let out a breath. “Good.”
He didn’t notice a drop of sweat sliding fast down his temple until it fell right into his eye. He blinked rapidly, looking pretty uncomfortable.
Before he rubbed it, I handed over a tissue. “Use this.”
“Thanks.”
After that little incident, he headed off in the other direction.
I stayed where I was, my eyes stinging a little for some reason as I watched his retreating figure.
I hadn’t even shaken off the sadness when suddenly, a basketball nailed me right in the head, full force.
My head spun. I stumbled back a few steps before barely steadying myself.
Then a voice came, cold as ice. “Catalina, you’ve got some nerve.”