chapter five

The weekend had flown by in a blur, and a whole new week was already staring me in the face.

​ Standing in front of the mirror, I quickly adjusted the collar of my school uniform. My thoughts kept drifting back to Ethan. A heavy wave of guilt settled deep in my chest. Sure, he had helped me get the ultimate revenge on Cole, but what he wanted in return was just too high a price to pay. I knew playing his girlfriend would secure his career defining Nike deal, but my own heart was at stake. I was already bruised; I couldn’t afford to be shattered.

​ Before my thoughts could go any deeper, my phone vibrated sharply against the table.

​“I’m outside, girl,” the text from Janice read.

​I grabbed my school bag and hurried out the door.

​"Hey, girl," Janice greeted me with a warm smile as I slid into the passenger seat.

​"Hi, Janice," I murmured, leaning my head back against the headrest.

​ She pulled out of the driveway and merged into the morning traffic, casting a worried side glance at me. "How are you holding up?"

​"Just surviving," I admitted, offering a faint, tired smile. "How about you? How are things?"

​"Good! Brandon is actually coming over this weekend," she said, her eyes lighting up with genuine joy. Brandon was her perpetual on and off boyfriend, but whenever they were 'on,' she radiated happiness.

​"I'm really happy for you, love," I said, leaning into the warmth of her excitement.

​But our little bubble of peace popped the second we pulled into the St. Julian’s Academy parking lot. The moment my feet hit the pavement, the atmosphere shifted. Whispers erupted around us like wildfire.

​“Look, that’s her.”

“That’s Ethan Vance’s supposed girlfriend.”

“Does she seriously think she’s his type?”

“Please, she’s just a weekend fling.”

​Every harsh word pierced straight through me.

​“Shut your mouths, the whole lot of you!” Janice suddenly roared, glaring down a group of girls as we pushed through the hallway. She kept a protective arm around my shoulder, guiding me toward her locker. “Don’t let these irrelevant people get to you, Kat,” she muttered, spinning her combination lock.

​“Well, it's not as if I'm deaf,” I whispered back, my voice trembling slightly. “Honestly, Janice... I just regret ever meeting him in the first place.”

​Janice pulled out her textbooks and slammed her locker shut, turning to face me with a serious expression. “So, have you actually decided what you're going to do?”

​I let out a long, defeated sigh and shook my head. “I don't know. My pictures are plastered all over the internet. There's no escaping it.”

​“Which is exactly why you should just give in and accept his deal,” Janice argued gently, walking with me toward our classroom. “Do it and completely shut these people up.”

​“And what if I fall in love with him?” The question slipped out before I could stop it, heavy with the fear of being broken all over again.

​Janice paused, giving me a reassuring look. “That’s impossible, babes. You know going into this that it’s purely business. You’ll keep your guard up. I really think you should just accept it. Besides, you’re helping him out too.”

​“I just... I don't think I can do it,” I murmured as we reached the classroom door.

​“Hey, it’s your choice at the end of the day,” she said softly, pushing the door open.

​The second the door swung wide, a suffocating silence fell over the room. Every single head snapped in our direction. Dozens of eyes burned into me, but Janice and I kept our chins held high, ignoring the stares as we walked toward our usual desks.

​“Whore!”

​Bella’s sharp, venomous voice sneered from across the room. She stood up from her corner, her queen-bee entourage flanking her as she strutted toward us. We tried to ignore her, pulling out our notebooks, but Bella wasn't having it.

​“Are you deaf, Pierce? I’m talking to you!” she snapped, invading my personal space.

​Something inside me snapped. The days of humiliation, the heartbreak, the endless whispers it all boiled over. I stood up so fast my chair scraped loudly against the floor.

​“I have had absolutely enough of your pathetic insults!” I yelled, staring her straight in the eyes. “What is wrong with you? If anyone in this room is a whore, Bella, it is you!”

​A collective, gasp echoed through the entire classroom.

​Bella’s face contorted with pure rage. “How dare you!”

​Before I could even register the movement, her palm connected with my cheek, the force of the slap stinging my skin and echoing off the walls.

​But before I could even raise my hand to retaliate, Janice forcefully shoved me behind her back. In one fluid, explosive motion, Janice swung her hand and slammed it right across Bella’s face, delivering a loud slap of her own.

​“No, how dare you lay your filthy hands on my best friend!” Janice screamed, her voice shaking the room.

​Bella stumbled backward, clutching her bright red cheek in absolute, paralyzed shock.

​Right at that exact second, the classroom door swung open and Cole walked in. Seeing the commotion, his eyes widened. Bella immediately broke into theatrical, sobbing tears and ran to him, tightly gripping his arm. “Babe! Look at them! They just attacked me!”

​Cole looked at the crying Bella, then turned his gaze to Janice, and finally, his unreadable eyes locked onto me. The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife. For a long, agonizing second, nobody moved. Then, without saying a single word, Cole turned right back around and walked out of the classroom.

​“Cole! Cole, wait!” Bella shrieked, her victim act completely dropping as she scrambled after him, loudly ranting down the hallway.

​My chest suddenly felt incredibly heavy, suffocatingly tight. The walls were closing in, and the urge to escape was overwhelming. “I’ll be right back, Janice,” I choked out, grabbing my phone.

​Janice looked at me, her fierce expression softening into concern. “Don’t tell me you’re going to go hide and cry about her?”

​I forced a weak, fragile smile. “No. I just... I really need to use the restroom before the teacher gets here.”

​She nodded reluctantly, and I bolted from the room.

​ The moment I crossed the door of the girls' restroom, the dam broke. I rushed over to the sinks, gripping the edge as hot, angry tears spilled over my cheeks. I stared at my reflection, completely hating my life. My heart had just been brutally broken by the boy I loved, and now, the entire school thought I was trash. I didn't deserve any of this agony. I was a good person. I had loved Cole with everything I had, and I was still bleeding from his betrayal. And now his psychotic girlfriend was trying to ruin what little dignity I had left. I was just so, so tired.

​My hands shook uncontrollably as I reached into the pocket of my school blazer. My fingers brushed against a thick, heavy piece of plastic.

​I pulled it out. It was Ethan’s matte-black personal card.

​If I perish, I perish, I thought bitterly. No more letting people walk all over me.

​Without letting myself hesitate for even a fraction of a second, I unlocked my phone and dialed the number.

​It didn’t even ring twice. He picked up on the very first second.

​“Who is this?” his smooth, deep voice baritone echoed through the speaker, instantly cutting through the quiet of the restroom.

​I cleared my throat, forcing the tremble out of my voice. “Hi, Ethan.”

​There was a brief pause on the other end, followed by a low, chuckle that vibrated straight through the line.

​“Changed your mind already, Love?”