Chapter Seven

Kiara’s POV

I should have known that my nightmare wasn’t anywhere near over; it had only just begun.

The moment I stepped out of the class and into the hallway, all eyes turned on me as laughter filled the air. People were whispering too loud—like they actually wanted me to hear it, their words cruel and filled with mockery. 

“Did you see how desperately she was begging for it?”

“You should’ve seen her face when the door was opened. It was priceless!”

“I can’t believe that she believed that Xavier would stoop as low as liking her.”

I kept my head down as I forced myself to keep walking, my hands balled into fists. I thought maybe if I walked fast enough or maybe if I acted like it didn’t affect me, then it would all go away, and they'd stop talking about it. 

But luck wasn’t on my side. 

“She should even be happy someone touched her,” Cassie said loudly, her voice venomous. “I mean, if I was the one with saggy titties, I would be so embarrassed to take my shirt off.”

They burst into laughter again, the sound echoing off the wall. Tears burned my eyes and I turned with the intent of going to the administrative building to sign a transfer letter and leave the school. 

But before I could take another step, my mother’s voice echoed in my head. “I’m working so many jobs just so I can afford to pay your fees.”

My mother had worked herself to death for this, and I wasn’t going to let their bullying stop me from fulfilling my mother’s wishes.

I wanted to disappear. I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me. I started walking faster, trying my best to avoid all of them when I heard his voice. 

“Hey, whale.”

My blood turned into ice as I turned. Xavier was leaning against the lockers with folded arms and his signature smirk on his lips. Cassie and Aurora were standing beside him, their eyes sparkling with amusement. 

“Why are you walking so fast?” He asked with much curiosity. “Are you trying to avoid me now?”

I swallowed as I tried my best to hold back my tears. “Leave me alone, Xavier.”

He laughed slowly as he straightened and walked towards me. 

“Why should I?” He mocked. “So what we had wasn’t real? Or are you just a desperate fat slut?”

More tears welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision. I ignored him and walked away as fast as I could. 

I wasn’t going to satisfy him by crying in his or any of their presence. 

But when I got to the main hallway, I saw that everyone was gathered in front of the announcement board while they whispered excitedly. 

Curiosity overshadowed my misery, and before I knew it, I was peeking to see what was happening. 

The cast list was out. And it was for the play I had auditioned for. 

I skimmed the list and I realized that my name was on top—I had gotten the lead role. My heart stopped. 

“No. No, this can’t be happening,” Cassie yelled as she shoved people out of her way. She didn’t care who it was, her eyes were wild and angry like she was watching her entire world crumble right in front of her.

She angrily pulled the paper away from the board and ripped it apart with shaky hands. She then crumpled the thin pieces of paper between her fingers.

“This is you guys fault!” She angrily snapped at the boys, her eyes red with anger, her voice shook and her frustration was evident. “Kiara won because of you!”

She turned to me with a venomous look in her eye, and every other person turned to me, too. My breath caught in my throat, and my chest tightened so painfully it made it hard for me to draw in air. 

I couldn’t breathe. 

My head started ringing as my vision blurred. This couldn’t be happening. It was wrong, so very wrong—this was a mistake. 

I needed to fix it. I had to.

My heart pounded against my chest as I stumbled backwards, panic coursing through me. My legs acted before my mind could catch up, and before I knew it, I turned and ran away from the stares, the whispers, and the judgmental looks.  

I kept running and I didn’t stop until I got to the theatre classroom, my breath coming out in sharp and painful bursts. My hands fumbled with the doors but I finally pushed it open and walked into the room with trembling legs. 

Mr Hart, the theatre teacher, was sitting at his desk, going through some documents. He barely looked up as I burst into the room. 

“I’m not interested,” I said. 

“What?” He asked, cocking an eyebrow as finally raised his head to look at me.

“The lead role for the play,” I replied breathlessly. “I don’t want it. Give it to someone else.”

He sighed, folding his arms together. “You chose the extracurricular, Kiara. And you even auditioned for the role, so you can’t back out.”

“But—“

“If you want out,” he cut me off, looking at me with a bored expression, “then you’ll be getting an automatic F for the semester. Once you choose an extracurricular, you can’t leave.”

I paled and clenched my fist. 

An F? That was something I couldn’t afford. 

I closed my eyes and took deep breaths, trying to calm myself. 

I was trapped. i couldnt leave, no family, no money. this was my only choice. to stay.

“Don’t forget, rehearsals start tomorrow. And don’t be late,” Mr Hart said with a satisfied smile. 

I turned and made my way to the door when I heard the taunting voice again. 

“No out for you,” Xavier said, and my body froze. 

I turned to him, and he was resting against the wall, smirking. Beside him was Zade, who had never spoken to me. 

Until now. 

His eyes roamed over me, slowly studying each part of me. My skin tingled under the intensity of his gaze, and my heart pounded so hard I was sure they could hear it. When his eyes settled on mine, they turned ice cold, and I almost shivered under his stare.

“I’m looking forward to seeing how you’ll try to pull away when I kiss you.” His voice was a low and cold sneer. “Unlike Kai and Xavier, I don’t bother pretending I care. I just like to break things.”

My stomach churned at the bitterness in his voice. There was no joke in his words, just pure, calculated hate. He wasn’t like Xavier, who made his cruelty obvious. Zade’s hate was colder, sharper, and just as painful. Maybe even worse.

“And I would break you into worthless pieces, Kiara. With pleasure.”

I couldn’t form any words. I was supposed to be wary of them, but his words left me breathless. I looked away from him, not being able to bear the intensity. He hated me for just existing?

Why couldn’t they just leave me alone?

But I didn’t say anything. Not after all they had done to me, not after they had made me the subject of gossip. 

But then, he slightly tilted his head as something dark flashed across his eyes. 

“And try not to kiss back like a starved animal when I do kiss you.”

My breath caught, and I stiffened. 

Humiliation washed over me, and heat rushed to my face. 

What else did they want from me?

A sob caught in my throat, and for the millionth time, I turned and ran. I made my way to the girl's bathroom and stumbled into one of the stalls. Before I locked the door behind me, I finally let the dam break. I cried and let everything out.