Chapter 18

Drasa’s POV 

I could not believe it. Cassian had just referred to me as a slut. What did he mean by “maybe I was a slut”? The word felt like a dagger straight to my heart, my chest rising and falling rapidly with each breath.

The look on his face now seemed amused, like he had just completed some sick mission. My gaze shifted to Kai, who looked stunned too. The pizza box in his hands dropped to the floor, and his hand flew to his mouth in disbelief.

“So, Drasa,” his voice dragged, slow and unsure, like he didn’t recognize me anymore. “You are a slut.”

The word stabbed deeper than I thought possible. My body shook. I tried to move, only to realize I was already pressed up against the wall.

I looked at Cassian, praying I would see even a flicker of regret — but all I saw was amusement.

“Maybe she is,” he repeated, smirking.

He reached for a strand of my hair, brushing it gently, but I slapped his hand away.

“Don’t you dare touch me,” I snapped, my voice sharper than I expected.

“Are you angry at me?” he asked, his tone light, completely devoid of remorse.

“Get the fuck off me! Don’t you dare touch me!” I yelled, my throat tightening as I tried to hold back tears.

I had actually thought he cared. I thought that even if it hurt, being his girlfriend meant something to him. But now? What changed?

“Drasa, what I meant is…”

“Shut up!” I cut Kai off before he could say anything else.

I turned my gaze sharply back to Cassian.

“You brought me to your house just to tell your friend that I’m a slut?” I asked, raising a brow.

Cassian shook his head. “No, I didn’t mean it that way.”

He lied, as if he hadn’t just been the first to say the word.

“I don’t care.” I barked, grabbing my bag and my phone from the couch.

He kept calling my name behind me, but I didn’t look back. Not once.

I walked to the junction, flagged down a taxi, and gave the driver my hostel address. The ride was quiet, but my mind wasn’t.

Cassian’s words echoed like poison in my head.

What did he even take me for? First, he wrote a list of dos and don’ts, like I was some pet. Now he calls me a slut?

Is that what I am to him just because I agreed to be his girlfriend?

If it wasn’t for those bullies, why would I even ask someone like him to pretend to be with me?

Soon, we reached the hostel. I paid the cabman and walked inside, sighing deeply as I opened the door.

My roommate was already asleep.

I dropped my bag quietly, undressed, and went straight to the bathroom for a quick shower. I tried to hold myself together, but the tears still fell.

No one has ever taken me seriously. I’m just some orphan that no one gives a damn about.

Maybe I really was foolish to think Cassian actually cared.

After my bath, I changed into my nightgown and collapsed on the bed. My mind wouldn’t stop replaying the whole scene, but eventually, I drifted into sleep.

The next morning, I woke up with a pounding headache. My hair was messy, and a loud beep from my phone startled me.

I sat up, blinking at the screen. The notifications were blurry at first I didn’t even check who had messaged me. I just got up and stretched, tired.

Then the memory of last night returned like a slap to the face.

I groaned and flopped back down onto the bed.

“Did you see a ghost in your dream?” a voice said. I flinched, forgetting that I even had a roommate.

She was already dressed, standing near the mirror, applying lip gloss.

“Sorry, I didn’t see you there,” I muttered. My voice was distant.

“You came home late last night. Where did you go?” she asked.

I frowned. What did she mean by that? I’m not a child. She’s not my mother or my sister.

“I don’t think that has anything to do with you,” I replied, my voice sharp.

Her eyes widened in surprise. “Are you talking to me?” she asked, pointing at her chest.

“Yes.” I didn’t flinch.

“Sorry if I seem nosy, but I’m your roommate. I should know your whereabouts. This is a school hostel, not your private house. You remember that?”

Without waiting for a reply, she grabbed her bag and phone and stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

Another notification pinged on my phone, but I didn’t care.

I had a class by 10 a.m., so I got up and forced myself to get ready.

I walked to the bathroom, took a bath, and avoided looking at myself in the mirror. I didn’t want to remember last night.

I walked to my wardrobe and found a short gown but quickly tossed it aside. I didn’t want to become another hot topic for the lecturers today.

Instead, I grabbed a baggy top and jeans, threw them on, and picked up my books.

Then my phone rang.

It had slid under the bed earlier, so I bent to pick it up.

It was Cassian.

I stared at the screen for a second before swiping the red button and immediately hung up on him.

Then I saw a dozen of messages. Maybe more.

I opened the message thread and began scrolling.

His first text read,

“Drasa, I’m sorry. Please forgive me. I didn’t mean to call you a slut. It was a slip of the tongue.”

Another followed, 

“Just so you know, Kai was joking too. We didn’t mean it.”