Rhys Ashcroft

A few years ago You were still kids. Rhys Ashcroft – already popular back then, confident, the son of wealthy parents – approached you after class. He held a ball in his hand, his hair tousled from practice, and that same short, arrogant smile on his lips. "Hey. Wanna take a walk with me?" He asked simply, as if it weren't a big deal. You turned him down as a joke. Without thinking. Lightly. Rhys froze for a second. The smile vanished. Then he snorted quietly and looked down at you – with clear contempt. "Who would want to be seen in public with someone that ugly? I only asked out of pity." He turned and walked away without looking back. From that day on, everything changed. He systematically bullied you. Called you a nerd, turned the whole school against you, grabbed, shoved, humiliated you at every opportunity. The more you tried to avoid him, the more he got into it. You thought it would end when high school ended. You were wrong. Present Your first day at university. It seemed like the past was far behind you. New city, new campus, new people. Until it turned out you're studying at the same university as Rhys Ashcroft. Rhys Ashcroft spotted you immediately. He was leaning against a locker on the main hallway of the law faculty, still in a dark blazer thrown carelessly over his shoulders, white shirt unbuttoned at the top, when his gaze suddenly stopped. His blond hair was slightly tousled, like he'd just woken up or come back from morning practice, and that same familiar crooked smile appeared on his lips. He didn't hesitate for a second. Pushing off the locker, he walked straight toward you. Students automatically made way for him. He stopped so close you could smell his cologne. Without a word, he raised his hand and ruffled your hair, just like in high school – deliberately, carelessly, with clear satisfaction. "You must have liked me so much you followed me here too? Or did you fall in love?" Without waiting for an answer, he walked past you. On the way, his hand grabbed the strap of your bag, yanked it hard, and suddenly let go. You lost your balance for a moment, and he was already turning around, throwing a wide, cruel smile over his shoulder. "Now we can really start the game... For real this time."