Broken Bad Boy

HAILEY

"What the hell were you thinking?" I was still pressing a tissue against my swollen nose, wincing in pain. "Who are you now, Hailey? I don't recognize you anymore?" Dad was shaking with anger down at me. "It was my fault, Mr. Ward. I went to your house to tell Hailey about Lexie," Victoria said as we gathered in the precinct.

"No. It was my fault. I was the one who told Victoria to go to Hailey-"

"I don't care who's fault who! You all could have gotten hurt. Why didn't you just call the police or call 911?"

"And tell what, Dad?" I met Dad's gaze. "That someone held a party? As far as I know, it's not illegal."

"Underage drinking. Taking of drug substance. How about bullying? I don't care if they own the city, I still took an oath to protect the people."

"Are we under arrest, Mr. Ward?"

"No. But you will stay here until morning." Dad turned to me. "And you are grounded. You will stay and go to school from home."

"What? That's unfair, and I'm already an adult to be grounded." I added a rueful smile.

"It's not up for debate, young woman. Your mother would be furious about this."

"Go ahead. Say it, Dad." Okay, I screwed up and paid the price of my actions, but it might have not ended soon if I didn't provoke that asshole. "Are you gonna cut my allowance too?" "Stop talking, Hailey. That's the drug talking," Megan chided me.

"You, son of a bitch!" someone just screamed that caught our attention. Then a thud followed.

"Oh, my god!" Megan yelped. "What was that?"

At the corner, there was a commotion. I knew exactly who screamed. I rushed towards Percie surrounded by the cops, but none of them seemed to pull him away.

"You punched my girlfriend, asshole. You punched a woman! You punched, Hailey, you fucking sonofabitch!" Percie was on top of Adrian, punching his face. "I will fucking kill you!"

Adrian was blocking Percie's punches with his arms, but he must have been caught off guard before he received Percie's punches. His face was bloody.

"Stop these two!" Dad ordered. "Are you just gonna watch these two idiots brawl? This is a police precinct and not a damn cockfight!"

"Percie, enough!" I yelled at him. Someone gripped my arms before I could get in the center to pull them away.

"You're saying?" It was Dad.

I stared at him in confusion and in disbelief with my mouth hanging open.

"I will sue you and let you rot in jail!" Adrian yelled at Percie with his bloody face. I didn't even feel pity for him in a bit. He deserved it after what their victims had gone through in their hands.

"Sure. Ward's daughter will file a complaint of assaulting her, and Miss Heights for kidnapping and drugging her. And wait, cyberbullying and bullying. We have all the evidence. Anything you might wanna say before us, you should call your lawyer?" said the officer on my left.

"You maybe are rich, kid, and pulled strings to cut you loose, but we, here, you can't bribe us. You better think about your move. After what you did to Hailey, you deserved more than punches." It was Dad's captain this time.

Adrian finally realized what he did, and what would happen to him if he planned on suing Percie. "Can I go home now?"

"You know your way out," the Captain said. "Party is over. Get back to work.

"Thank you." I thought my lungs just collapsed when Lexie threw herself into me.Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

I hugged her tight. "Shouldn't you be in the hospital?"

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She pulled away. Her makeup was smeared all over her face. She must have been crying. "I was so scared. I knew about their stupid game. Once you're under their radar, you can't escape. When I got snatched, I knew it was the end of me. Then you stood up and saved me. I realized how much you care for me, and you would do everything to help me even if it ends up risking your life in the end. I owe you my life, Hailey."

I hugged her again. "You did the same for me. I guessed we're now even." I giggled as I wiped my tears.

"Percie is gonna kill me," she murmured.

"You mean us?" At the corner of my eye, Percie was glaring at me while Dad was talking to him-if stare could kill, I was already ashes at this moment.

"I'll take the fall."

"Good luck with that. As if he didn't know the whole story." I kept my gaze glued at Percie.

"Like your new hair, though. And those shorts are to die for. What's changed?" she asked me. I thought no one would notice.

"Nothing." Percie was still glaring at me, but I saw a hint of admiration somewhere deep in those dark orbs.

"I see," Lexie said.

"What?"

She pointed at Percie behind her.

"No. He saw me after that party."

"Oh. That's why he's pissed off. I could literally see the fire inside his throat ready to toast us."

"I'll handle him."

"No, let me do it first."

I held Lexie's hand. "No, Lex. You've been through a lot for the past twenty-four hours. What you need right now is rest. And you might wanna talk to Megan. You wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her."

"I will. Thanks again." She kissed me on my cheek.

"Anytime, Lexie."

"Good luck with him."

"Oh, I need more than luck." I smiled at her. My nose still hurt, but according to the medic, thankfully, Adrian punched like a girl, it didn't do any further damages.

My pace towards Percie and Dad was calculated. "Dad, I wanna go home. Can Percie send me?"

He nodded to Percie without a word at me.

"Dad?" I called him urgently when he started walking away.

"Go home, Hailey. We'll talk at home."

I nodded even if it was against my will. I couldn't blame him for being mad at me. I made a terrible decision. I could have hurt more, humiliated that I couldn't get away with it. But done was done. It happened, and I couldn't take it back.

Percie hadn't said a word as we walked out of the precinct. His hands were in pockets, and he seemed to be in deep thoughts or fighting his urge to curse the hell out at me. The tension between us was frightening. The silence was deafening. I remained calm even if I was shaking deep inside.

I swallowed hard as we reached his car. For the first time, I didn't know what to say first or how to apologize. I knew it was my fault, but I had to do something for my friend. I didn't regret doing that.

"Percie" Before I could even start, I found myself pressed against his car, his hands cupping my head, his lips against mine as he covered my shock with a searing kiss.

He wrapped me with his tight embrace after that and whispered in a shaky voice, "Damn it, Lee. Don't do that again."