The school felt colder than usual. I dragged my feet down the nearly empty hallway holding my books tightly to my chest. My shoes squeaked faintly on the marble floor and my eyes flickered sideways looking for any sign of danger. Who knows? Tania might have changed her mind and leaked my secret.But fate had something else in store for me and honestly, I'm not sure which is better. A figure stood in my path, blocking my way. I stood still at once, my heart thudding violently against my ribs as I lift my eyes slowly to see who it was.Emily stood in front of me with her arms folded over her chest and a smirk on her glossed lips. Her short blonde hair was neatly tucked behind her ears, and her blue eyes sparkled not with happiness, but wicked intent."Going somewhere, teacher's pet?" she asked, smiling.I stiffened, shifting my weight awkwardly from one foot to the other. "Move, Emily," I muttered as I tried to walk past her.She caught my arm and dug her nails deeply into my skin. I s
The days went by slowly after thatEvery morning, I will wake up with a knot in my stomach, trying to dodge school. I dread what Emily would have me do next. I soon learned that resisting only made things worse. If I'm absent in school, my workload will be doubled by the time I show up in school. Following her commands, no matter how painful it is made life easier for me.Most days started the same."Pet!" Emily would shout on the top of her voice the moment she saw me standing across the hall. Her voice was always bubbly and loud like we were best friends playing some ridiculous game that only she liked.I forced my legs to move, kicking them reluctantly forward against the tile until I could stand before her and her group. "Carry this" Chloe would command, throwing her jacket over my shoulder."Carry my books" Alexa would interrupt, offloading all her books into my arms before I could even say a word.By the time the first bell rang, I will be buried under their stuff with my own b
Derek's POVI stood against the doorframe with my arms folded behind me. As I watched the students walk past me in the hallway, I searched for one person in the crowd.Lydia Martins.I finally found her near the lockers, dragging her feet like she was carrying the whole world on her fragile shoulders. Her backpack hung loosely over her left shoulder, her uniform was in disarray, and her hair was a mess as if she didn't even take the time to brush it.But that was not all. She walked after Emily, Chloe, and Alexa, carrying their bags. Not one, not two but three backpacks.I found myself raising an eyebrow.They laughed and walked ahead of her, tossing their hair back not minding Lydia who was struggling to carry the bags. She looked like some kind of personal maid.Something pulled taut in my chest and I left my position and struggled through the crowd to catch up with her."Lydia" I shouted when I reached her. She heard but refused to slow down. "Lydia" I shouted again, this time loud
Derek's POVI watched as the parking lot emptied out. Students ran towards the gates as if their lives depended on it, laughing and screaming at one another.Lydia came out of the building. Her eyes was swollen like she had been crying and her usually pink lips looked pale. I saw how she tightened her grip on the books in her hands and how she flinched whenever someone walked past her.Emily walked behind her with her head held up high and Chloe and Alexa bringing up the rear like loyal soldiers.I clenched my teeth in anger. They don't even try to hide that they're using Lydia anymore. Lydia was carrying Chloe's gym bag, Alexa's schoolbooks, and Emily's annoying designer bag. All at once. Like a damn luggage carrier.And nobody seem to care. Nobody. They all stared at her without utter a word. The rumor that Emily has the whole school in her palm all made sense now. 
Derek's POVThe moment I found out about the truth from Chloe, guilt weighed heavily on me.This is all my fault. Lydia is going through all this because of me.I shoved my hands into my jacket pockets and started pacing the hallway waiting for Emily–the queen bee. The devil wearing a designer blazer and a short skirt.I took a quick glance at my watch. Classes were almost over. If I'm lucky, I would find her alone. I stepped away from the wall and took long strides down the corridor, my shoes echoing on the marble floor.***I did not have to search hard. I saw her outside, leaning against the science block, with a cigarette in her hand.She was giggling at something on her phone screen and I clenched my fists. She looked so innocent from a distance. If only the world knew what venom she had behind that perfect smile. I walked towards her, keeping my expression blank."Emily" I called out.She looked up sharply, her blue eyes lighting up in an instant. She tilted her head and smiled i
Lydia's POVI stared at the cold, untouched plate of food on the table in front of me, paying little attention to the loud noise coming from the students in the cafeteria. My hunger was long gone. In fact, it has been for days now.In the corner of the room behind me, I heard Emily laughing at something Chloe whispered into her ear. Alexa flipped her hair and did the same.I kept my head down wishing I could dissapear. It is not the laughing. It is not just that. It was their glance that lingered at my back wherever I went.I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw a text. The sender is Chloe. I didn't bother to open it. I knew better. They probably took funny pictures of me again.I drew my lips into a thin line and looked away, returning my phone back into my pocket. "Just breathe, Lydia. Just breathe." I tried telling myself."Hey," A soft voice sounded behind me jolting me back to the present.I lifted my chin and looked up. Jess stood in front of my table, wav
Lydia's POVI sat on my bed staring into space instead of the book in front of me. I've stopped reading for a while. The words blurred together, forming meaningless sentences and I couldn't focus, no matter how hard I tried to.For several days now, Jess had tried to reach out to me, and I ignored her every single time. I haven't been able to shake off the guilt that I was a bad friend to her. It's so unfair and she doesn't deserve that, especially not when she's just trying to be nice.A knock sounded on my door jolting me out of my thoughts. I quickly dried my hands on my jeans and said to the person at the door. "Come in."Jess stuck her head slightly through the door with a mischievous grin on her face. Her hair was packed into a messy bun and her giant sweatshirt slipped off her right shoulder. She looked so hot."Hey, are you busy?" she said as she moved further into the room.I closed the book, pretending I had been reading. "Yeah," I said, sitting up a bit straighter.Jess wal
Lydia's POVThe bass from the speakers shook the floor as I walked into Evan's party. There were flashes of colored lights in every corner, bathing everyone in blue and purple light. The room was packed with kids from our school, some from schools nearby, and even some older kids that I have never seen before. Most of them were dancing and those that are not were playing drinking games at another corner of the room. It was loud, chaotic and alive. Much better than I expected.Jess's grip on my hand tightened. "Welcome to freedom, nerd princess." she said, yelling over the music.I laughed, feeling the tension in my chest ease a little. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad.Jess pulled me towards the kitchen where drinks were laid out on a table. There was sodas, cups, and an obviously spiked punch bowl lined side by side. She poured herself a cup and poured me one too."I’m your bodyguard tonight. No creeps allowed." I took a slow sip of the drink. It tasted suspiciously sweet — too sweet.
Derek's POVAs I sat at my desk, staring at the stack of papers to mark, I couldn't help thinking about anything else other thanLydia.It was pathetic, really. A man my age, being this disturbed about a teenage girl who barely throw a glance in my way these days. Ever since she screamed at me to leave her alone, she had been ignoring me like I was a piece of paper. No smiles and no lingering glances. Just ice cold silence.And I deserved it. I know that. I let this happen by letting things get too far between us. But the way she looked at me sometimes in class while I was teaching, it said otherwise.She did miss me too. She just wouldn't admit it.I sat back in my chair, raking a hand through my hair in frustration. God, what's wrong with me? I'm losing my mind.After school hours, I saw her walking across the school parking lot. Jess accompanied her, and she was laughing lightly at something she said as they walked to her car. I shouldn't have followed them. I know that. But I did.
Lydia's POVThe bass from the speakers shook the floor as I walked into Evan's party. There were flashes of colored lights in every corner, bathing everyone in blue and purple light. The room was packed with kids from our school, some from schools nearby, and even some older kids that I have never seen before. Most of them were dancing and those that are not were playing drinking games at another corner of the room. It was loud, chaotic and alive. Much better than I expected.Jess's grip on my hand tightened. "Welcome to freedom, nerd princess." she said, yelling over the music.I laughed, feeling the tension in my chest ease a little. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad.Jess pulled me towards the kitchen where drinks were laid out on a table. There was sodas, cups, and an obviously spiked punch bowl lined side by side. She poured herself a cup and poured me one too."I’m your bodyguard tonight. No creeps allowed." I took a slow sip of the drink. It tasted suspiciously sweet — too sweet.
Lydia's POVI sat on my bed staring into space instead of the book in front of me. I've stopped reading for a while. The words blurred together, forming meaningless sentences and I couldn't focus, no matter how hard I tried to.For several days now, Jess had tried to reach out to me, and I ignored her every single time. I haven't been able to shake off the guilt that I was a bad friend to her. It's so unfair and she doesn't deserve that, especially not when she's just trying to be nice.A knock sounded on my door jolting me out of my thoughts. I quickly dried my hands on my jeans and said to the person at the door. "Come in."Jess stuck her head slightly through the door with a mischievous grin on her face. Her hair was packed into a messy bun and her giant sweatshirt slipped off her right shoulder. She looked so hot."Hey, are you busy?" she said as she moved further into the room.I closed the book, pretending I had been reading. "Yeah," I said, sitting up a bit straighter.Jess wal
Lydia's POVI stared at the cold, untouched plate of food on the table in front of me, paying little attention to the loud noise coming from the students in the cafeteria. My hunger was long gone. In fact, it has been for days now.In the corner of the room behind me, I heard Emily laughing at something Chloe whispered into her ear. Alexa flipped her hair and did the same.I kept my head down wishing I could dissapear. It is not the laughing. It is not just that. It was their glance that lingered at my back wherever I went.I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw a text. The sender is Chloe. I didn't bother to open it. I knew better. They probably took funny pictures of me again.I drew my lips into a thin line and looked away, returning my phone back into my pocket. "Just breathe, Lydia. Just breathe." I tried telling myself."Hey," A soft voice sounded behind me jolting me back to the present.I lifted my chin and looked up. Jess stood in front of my table, wav
Derek's POVThe moment I found out about the truth from Chloe, guilt weighed heavily on me.This is all my fault. Lydia is going through all this because of me.I shoved my hands into my jacket pockets and started pacing the hallway waiting for Emily–the queen bee. The devil wearing a designer blazer and a short skirt.I took a quick glance at my watch. Classes were almost over. If I'm lucky, I would find her alone. I stepped away from the wall and took long strides down the corridor, my shoes echoing on the marble floor.***I did not have to search hard. I saw her outside, leaning against the science block, with a cigarette in her hand.She was giggling at something on her phone screen and I clenched my fists. She looked so innocent from a distance. If only the world knew what venom she had behind that perfect smile. I walked towards her, keeping my expression blank."Emily" I called out.She looked up sharply, her blue eyes lighting up in an instant. She tilted her head and smiled i
Derek's POVI watched as the parking lot emptied out. Students ran towards the gates as if their lives depended on it, laughing and screaming at one another.Lydia came out of the building. Her eyes was swollen like she had been crying and her usually pink lips looked pale. I saw how she tightened her grip on the books in her hands and how she flinched whenever someone walked past her.Emily walked behind her with her head held up high and Chloe and Alexa bringing up the rear like loyal soldiers.I clenched my teeth in anger. They don't even try to hide that they're using Lydia anymore. Lydia was carrying Chloe's gym bag, Alexa's schoolbooks, and Emily's annoying designer bag. All at once. Like a damn luggage carrier.And nobody seem to care. Nobody. They all stared at her without utter a word. The rumor that Emily has the whole school in her palm all made sense now. 
Derek's POVI stood against the doorframe with my arms folded behind me. As I watched the students walk past me in the hallway, I searched for one person in the crowd.Lydia Martins.I finally found her near the lockers, dragging her feet like she was carrying the whole world on her fragile shoulders. Her backpack hung loosely over her left shoulder, her uniform was in disarray, and her hair was a mess as if she didn't even take the time to brush it.But that was not all. She walked after Emily, Chloe, and Alexa, carrying their bags. Not one, not two but three backpacks.I found myself raising an eyebrow.They laughed and walked ahead of her, tossing their hair back not minding Lydia who was struggling to carry the bags. She looked like some kind of personal maid.Something pulled taut in my chest and I left my position and struggled through the crowd to catch up with her."Lydia" I shouted when I reached her. She heard but refused to slow down. "Lydia" I shouted again, this time loud
The days went by slowly after thatEvery morning, I will wake up with a knot in my stomach, trying to dodge school. I dread what Emily would have me do next. I soon learned that resisting only made things worse. If I'm absent in school, my workload will be doubled by the time I show up in school. Following her commands, no matter how painful it is made life easier for me.Most days started the same."Pet!" Emily would shout on the top of her voice the moment she saw me standing across the hall. Her voice was always bubbly and loud like we were best friends playing some ridiculous game that only she liked.I forced my legs to move, kicking them reluctantly forward against the tile until I could stand before her and her group. "Carry this" Chloe would command, throwing her jacket over my shoulder."Carry my books" Alexa would interrupt, offloading all her books into my arms before I could even say a word.By the time the first bell rang, I will be buried under their stuff with my own b
The school felt colder than usual. I dragged my feet down the nearly empty hallway holding my books tightly to my chest. My shoes squeaked faintly on the marble floor and my eyes flickered sideways looking for any sign of danger. Who knows? Tania might have changed her mind and leaked my secret.But fate had something else in store for me and honestly, I'm not sure which is better. A figure stood in my path, blocking my way. I stood still at once, my heart thudding violently against my ribs as I lift my eyes slowly to see who it was.Emily stood in front of me with her arms folded over her chest and a smirk on her glossed lips. Her short blonde hair was neatly tucked behind her ears, and her blue eyes sparkled not with happiness, but wicked intent."Going somewhere, teacher's pet?" she asked, smiling.I stiffened, shifting my weight awkwardly from one foot to the other. "Move, Emily," I muttered as I tried to walk past her.She caught my arm and dug her nails deeply into my skin. I s