Heat and Cold

As the class ended, I started packing up my things to prepare myself to leave. Every move I make, every thing I touch, and every action I do, makes me feel like I will turn this man’s attention onto mine, and I will be bullied again. And I have to be careful not to even touch or disturb him.I experienced the bullying of Nathan, and it is a nightmare, and I do not want to know what experience I will be getting when Michael plays with me.But as much as how careful I am with everything I do, I accidentally spill his coffee when I get my bag but it is tied onto the foot of my chair, making my chair fell onto his, letting his coffee spilled out onto his….White shirt.“Fuck.”I could hear my classmates gasping and there “Oooohhhh” like they have been waiting all day for this entertainment to happen.“I... I am so sorry!” I apologize immediately, my voice shaking as I frantically grabbed a handful of crumpled tissues from my pocket. I leaned over, desperate to wipe the stain off his chest

I didn’t sleep a single wink. Every time I closed my eyes, my brain played a chaotic mashup of Michael’s bare chest, Nathan’s mocking laugh, and Hudson’s cold, piercing gaze, the reaction I will be getting once I step to Fiat. Everything is a chaos in my mind, and I do not know how to control it.By the time my alarm finally went off, my head was pounding, and the reflection in my bathroom mirror looked entirely ghostly.I carefully pulled Michael’s shirt out of the dryer. I had spent an extra hour meticulously ironing it, making sure it was crisp, spotless, and completely white, exactly as he had demanded. Folds perfectly aligned. Not a single trace of the dark coffee stain remained. I placed it gently into a clean paper bag, handling it like it was a live explosive device. Because if anything went wrong with it today, it might actually blow up my entire life.“You look like you’re walking to your execution.” a voice drawled from the kitchen island.I paused, clutching the paper bag

My chest did not calmed for the entire rest of the morning.Even though first period ended without any drama, my body stayed completely on edge. Every time someone opened a door loudly, my shoulders flinched. Every time a phone buzzed on a nearby desk, a horrible surge of panic shot straight down my spine, making me think Nathan had finally hit send. I spent three hours staring blankly at the chalkboards, taking notes I could barely read because my fingers kept trembling around my pen.And I can’t even understand any lessons taught today.By the time the noon bell rang, the hallways exploded into chaos.Loud laughter, slamming lockers, and the heavy smell of fried food poured out from the cafeteria. Most of the student body was crowding into the main hall or heading toward the glass viewing stands near the arena to watch the players skate. I could hear their loud voices echoing off the tall ceilings, but the thought of stepping into that crowded cafeteria made my stomach turn upside d

I did not sleep at all that night.Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Nathan's phone screen glowing in the dark, or Owen laughing with those guys from Fiat's Eagle Locke. I kept rolling over in bed, staring at the ceiling, feeling stupid for ever dropping my guard under that old tree.By the time morning came, my head was throbbing, and my eyes felt heavy and dry.I got to school early, walking with my head down, avoiding every single person in the hallway. I skipped going anywhere near the field during the morning break. I just hid in the library, sitting at a corner table behind a row of tall bookshelves, waiting for the hours to pass.When the noon bell finally chimed for lunch, my stomach twisted into a tight knot.I knew I shouldn't go back to the oak tree. It wasn't my safe spot anymore. But the cafeteria was packed with students, and the hallways were loud and suffocating. I couldn't breathe inside the building. So, holding my paper bag lunch tightly in my fist, I slipped throu

The Pathfit class ended and everyone already left. Since this is our last subject everyone already went home while me, I was left behind because I am packing up my things so I can go home too. I zipped my backpack shut, slinging it over one shoulder as the silence of the field settled around me. The sun was starting to dip lower, casting long, orange shadows across the empty bleachers. Until I felt a presence behind my back. My posture went rigid instantly. My grip tightened on the strap of my bag, a familiar, bitter tension coiling deep in my gut. Even without turning around to check who that person might be, I already know who’s presence it is. “What do you want, Nathan?” I turned my back only to be surprised it wasn’t Nathan at all. It is Michael. He was still wearing his sweaty practice jersey, holding his dark duffel bag over his shoulder. His dark hair was damp, sticking slightly to his forehead, and those cold, sharp eyes were fixed entirely on me. “Sorry, I thought you