6

Chapter 6 - The bullies

Aria’s POV

Girlfriend.

The word alone made me want to throw a pillow at the wall.

Me?

Luca Silver's girlfriend.

Fake or not, it sounded completely ridiculous.

I dropped onto my bed and stared at the ceiling. For the first time in days, nothing was immediately falling apart. Mylo was back in treatment. His appointments were booked, the best doctors were handling his case, and the right medication had finally been arranged. Mother's rent was covered too.

I should have been relieved.

I was.

For about ten minutes.

Then my brain reminded me of the other problem.

Luca.

Apparently, I was now his girlfriend.

I was used to fighting with him over the shower, arguing about workout routines, stealing back my cereal after he helped himself, and threatening to break his nose whenever he annoyed me.

I wasn't used to pretending he was my boyfriend.

What exactly did a fake girlfriend do?

Text him good morning?

Hold his hand in public?

Smile at him like I actually liked him?

I groaned and covered my face with both hands.

No.

The more I thought about it, the more ridiculous it became.

And worse, I couldn't afford to get comfortable with the arrangement. Fake or not, spending more time with Luca meant there was a chance my feelings could stop being fake too.

I needed something else to think about.

Something that didn't involve Luca Silver.

The boxing ring would do.

Practice always cleared my head.

At least, that was what I told myself.

The room smelled like old sweat and floor cleaner. The training hall was empty; even Coach wasn’t in sight. I grabbed my boxing gloves and began practicing, every punch an attempt to get the thought of being Luca’s girlfriend out of my mind.

The punching bag swung violently.

Left hook, right hook, and jab.

Every punch carried Luca's stupid smile.

Every kick carried the contract I'd been foolish enough to sign.

I was halfway through drills when I felt eyes on me. Immediately, I realized someone must have stepped into the training room.

I raised my head up, and that was when I saw two girls walk into the room. I looked closely to see if they were part of the boxing team, but I didn’t recognize them.

"Look who it is,” one of them said, walking towards me. She had long blonde hair in a tight ponytail. "The charity case.”

The other one let out a loud laugh. I looked at her, confused. "So this is what a homewrecker looks like…Didn't know scholarships also covered stealing other girls' boyfriends.”

"Sorry, who are you?” I demanded.

"I should be asking you that instead.” The first girl said, crossing her arms across her chest.

"I'm only here to practice.” I said, going back to boxing.

"Yeah? I'm sure practice keeps your hands off other people's guys?"

She stepped closer.

I tightened my grip around the boxing gloves.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

Kayla's lips curled into a smile.

"Of course you don't."

She pulled out her phone and shoved it toward me.

My stomach dropped.

There I was.

Luca and me.

Walking out of the room together.

I was wearing his hoodie.

The picture had already been posted in the school chat.

Hundreds of reactions.

Dozens of comments.

Some called me a homewrecker.

Others called me a gold digger.

One person had even written that I had barely arrived at the academy before setting my sights on the most popular guy in school.

My face burned.

"That's not what it looks like."

"Then what does it look like?" Kayla snapped.

I opened my mouth, but no explanation came.

Not one I could give without exposing the contract.

She laughed.

"Exactly."

"I didn't steal anyone's boyfriend."

"Really?" Her eyes narrowed. "Because that's exactly what it looks like from where we're standing."

"I'm not interested in Luca."

The lie left my mouth too quickly.

Kayla's smile widened.

"Then you should have thought about that before putting on his clothes."

My jaw tightened.

"Stay out of my business."

"Your business became everyone's business the moment you decided to make a move on him.”

My face went hot, then ice cold. "That's not what it looks like.”

"Then what does it look like?” She snapped. "Because it looks like you moved into the academy and decided to go for the hockey captain next.”

"That's not true,” I said, and my voice shook. I hated that it shook.

She didn’t care. Cold coffee exploded across my face before I could move. The room smelled bitter as it dripped down my eyelashes. My shirt clung to my skin.

Somewhere… I could hear laughter.

I choked on it. It dripped into my eyes. I saw the other lady lift her hand to hit me on the face. I braced for it but just then, someone stepped between us.

"Put your hand down, Kayla," a voice said in a flat tone. "Unless you want everyone to see that video of you wiping out at regionals.”

Kayla froze and dropped her hands to her sides.

"Don't act like you don’t know what she did!”

"Well, don't act like you don’t know the punishment that comes with preying on a new student.”

The girl in front of me had curly hair and the kind of stare that made people move. She didn’t even look at me. She just stared straight at them.

"Leave," she said.

For a second I thought they’d swing anyway. Then Kayla muttered something, and they both walked off, but not before the other girl looked back at me like she was memorizing my face for later.

My hands were shaking.

The girl turned around and held out wipes. "You've got coffee in your eyebrows.”

I took them. "Thanks."

"I'm Lily.” She nodded toward the door. "That's Kayla and Maren. They think they run this academy. Don’t let them get to you…. You box right?”

I stared at her a bit shocked. "Yes."

"Good. Next time don't let them throw coffee first," she said.

I dabbed at my face. It still burned. "Why'd you help me?”

Lily shrugged. "Because you looked like you were about to punch those two. And that would set a bad record for you as a new student.”

"It won’t. Not for a while.” She bumped my shoulder with hers.

"Just don’t get into trouble with Kayla and her friends.”

And with that, she turned around and left the room.

~~~~~~~~~

When I stepped into the room, the smell of chicken soup hit me.

Luca was sitting at the table with a tiny pot in front of him. He looked up the moment I entered.

His expression immediately changed.

"I've been calling you. Where were you?"

"Practice."

I dropped my bag beside the bed and tried to walk past him.

"You're late."

"I had no idea I had a curfew."

His eyebrow lifted.

"It wasn't stated in our dating contract, but apparently I need to start knowing where my girlfriend disappears to."

"I'm fine."

I reached for the soup.

Then I noticed his eyes on me.

Not my face.

My shirt.

The coffee stains.

Then my hands.

They were still shaking.

I quickly curled them into fists.

"Aria."

"I'm fine," I repeated.

He stood.

His chair scraped against the floor.

"Look at me."

I didn't.

"Aria."

Something in his voice made me finally raise my head.

His eyes moved over my face, taking in my red eyes and the coffee still caught in my hair.

His expression hardened.

"Who did this to you?"

I swallowed.

"No one."

"Don't lie to me."

I looked away.

His jaw tightened.

"Who hurt you?”