5

The whole crowd whispered in laughter and mockery as tears blurred my vision. This was not what I wanted for Danny, I never wanted to humiliate him…but here I am, damaging his reputation.

The way he is looking at me in fury and anger, I knew that even if he wanted to accept me…he would never do that now that his name is on the mud.

I felt like it was going to be the end of the world when out of nowhere, someone stepped in beside me and pulled me closer to himself. I looked up and my eyes widened in shock and disbelief, it was Frank his hands were on my shoulders squeezing it gently and he winked at me. What the fuck is he doing!?

“Hey, what’s going on? Why is everyone staring at her like that? Why are you bullying her about a story?” His voice was calm, yet authoritative. I looked up at him, stunned. My heart skipped a beat, staring at him, and the whole crowd gasps and murmurs.

With a swift movement, he grabbed the novel from Sandra’s hand and that was when the laughter from the crowd died down into whispers and confusion.

Danny and Sandra’s faces twisted as well in confusion and Sandra immediately said to him, “well, she wrote an erotic story about her stepbrother….she has a crush on him. That's disgusting!” She said everyone roared in agreement but Frank laughed out suddenly to my surprise and said to her.

“A crush? That novel was written about me, clowns! So was this the cause of the whole bully?” When he said that my stomach twisted into knots and the words came like a punch.

Is he trying to protect me?

Danny’s eyes furrowed and he said, “Wait… why would Mimi write a love story about you?” he asked Frank.

Frank’s expression was calm but then with a smug smirk he said, “Oh, you haven’t heard? Let me just brief the whole thing to you…”He said and turned back his gaze at me like he was trying to make a decision and then…

“The fact is, Mimi is my girlfriend. We are dating.”

My stomach dropped. DATING!?

The words echoed in my head like a storm, unbelievable! The chaos and uproar that came after he said made my legs weakened and I staggered back. The voices around me sounded hollow and my vision blurred as I tried to process what had happened.

Everything is happening so fast that my mind refuses to keep up. For a moment it felt like the embarrassment, the fear and the heartbreak paused as my eyes were stuck on Frank. The world tilted and I was caught between terror and relief…unsure of which way was up.

My hands were still shaking from the shock as my hair dropped with water…the crowd murmured in shock and curiosity were on anyone's eyes as if waiting for the next gist.

Somehow, I felt overwhelmed by his actions…I felt protected and cared for. It was obvious he was doing that to protect me, but why will he do that? Even after I slapped and insulted him earlier.

Danny’s eyes were still locked in mine and I could see the confusion in them, as well as…something that feels like a glare of jealousy. I couldn’t tell, it was like he wanted to say something but wasn't ready to face it.

My throat was dry and if I try to say something right now, it will come out hoarse…even if all of that was happening, I felt a pang of hope in me that at last, it seems like everything is shifting to my favour.

Frank’s hands were still tightened around my shoulders, clinging me to himself as if I would break if he let go. Maybe this was a way out of the whole lie and humiliation.

Is this love? Or another way to take his revenge on me?

Frank’s grip on my shoulders tightened.

Then, without warning, he leaned down and whispered against my ear,

“Play along… or I tell them everything.”

My breath hitched.

Because I had no idea what everything meant.

Before I could even process what Frank had said, Danny stepped forward.

His jaw was clenched, his eyes dark in a way I had never seen before.

“If that’s true,” he said coldly, staring straight at Frank,

“then why did she beg me not to read that book?”

The entire crowd went silent.

And my blood ran cold.