CHAPTER 1

Elissa's POV

“You are nothing but a bloody thief! To think I even trusted you.”

The words lodged in my heart like a poisoned arrow.

“Please Joe, you can't be serious. You know I wouldn't do such a thing.” My voice cracked as tears welled up in my eyes.

I couldn't believe it.

Why would they accuse me of theft?

I tried to reach out to my boyfriend but Joe moved back.

“Don't even dare. We all know you are the only one who has access to the safe. And what's worse, Vanessa saw you go into the room yesterday.” Joe snapped, hitting my hand away.

The tears I tried to hold back, fell immensely.

Yes, I was the one who held the key to the safe

But I hadn't gone there yesterday.

“She acted so suspicious, and I wanted to follow her, but my girls said we'd be late for the party.” Vanessa said in response, eyeing me maliciously.

“She's lying—”

The slap rang through the air, and the burn stung.

But compared to this embarrassment, the sting on my cheek was nothing.

“Keep your filthy mouth from defaming my character. We all know that you are a broke girl that can't even afford to buy new clothes.” Vanessa smirked, massaging the wrist of the hand she had used to slap me.

I was speechless.

“Exactly, Elissa.” Joe sighed, “There's no way Vanessa would be lying against you, what on earth would be her gain?” He said, frowning at me.

I wanted to speak but looking at all their eyes, I was basically an outcast.

“Look at her,” Vanessa snorted, “Her clothes are so old-fashioned. Of course, she'd steal a mere sum of fifty thousand dollars.” She said, and her group of friends laughed.

That wasn't the hurtful part.

What hurt me most was the way Joe didn't even think of standing by my side.

“Elissa. Stop making excuses and find a way to make back that money. I can't go around with the fact that my girlfriend is a thief.” Joe said, his eyes condescending me.

He wasn't giving me a chance to speak.

“Joe, you—”

“We are over, Elissa. There's nothing between you and me anymore! I thought you were better.”

And just like that, my relationship with my boyfriend ended.

Right in front of me.

Crumbling without a chance.

“You should have done this sooner, Joe. I don't know why you were sticking with such a lowlife.” Vanessa snickered.

The coach came up to me, “Elissa, your relationship issue isn't of my concern. Fifty thousand dollars is the team's needed fund for the transportation to Cambridge. You have to return it.”

I looked up at the elderly man.

For years, I had worked my ass off for this team, handling jobs at their beck and call.

“But Coach Adams. You can't really believe what they are saying.” My throat hitched, and my breathing was heavy.

“Unless you find a way to prove them wrong, I have no choice. Elissa you can come clean with me, if you took the money for your mother's overdue hospital drugs, just let the team know and we'd be able to cover it up.”

Adams gave me a small smile, as if he hadn't just designated me as the culprit.

I bit down on my lips.

Everyone of them was seeing me as the villain.

“No problem. If that's what you all think of me.” I said aloud, clenching my fists.

“I'd find the money, and then figure out who took it.” I stated, only to catch Vanessa mouth the words, ‘Good luck bitch.’

Her hands rested on Joe's shoulders and it clicked.

This was her sick plan all along.

But as of now, I had no proof.

Only my intuition.

Not waiting to be answered, I walked out of the room.

To hell with Joe!

To hell with Vanessa!

To hell with the whole bloody team!

“Stealing to pay up your dying mother's hospital bills would only bring you bad karma.” Vanessa's voice hit me in the back like a poisoned arrow.

The tears came again—

Hotter than before.

I was shaking with sobs and my eyes were blurry.

Ignoring the world, I pushed my way past the crowd.

I didn't want anyone to see me like this.

My vision was blurry and I opened the door to the restroom.

I couldn't see anyone else so I let myself lose.

Hugging myself tightly, I tried to piece everything together.

“There's no way I'd be able to find that amount in two weeks.” I said, “Even working more than two shifts won't be enough.”

“I can't believe Joe would do something like this to me.” My emotions were stormy.

I didn't even hear the footsteps behind me until I felt a touch on my shoulders.

“Hey, are you doing okay?”

My head looked back in an instant, even through my puffed eyes and watery nose.

“Jason Myers.” My breath hitched and I rose to my feet.

Standing in front of me was Jason Myers, captain of the hockey team. I didn't see him in the meeting. So this was where he was.

“I'm fine.” I wiped my eyes quickly, and wanted to turn around.

But it was my luck that my clumsiness had to make me look stupid today.

Stubbing my toe on the bench, I twisted and crashed into his body—

Full face into his perfectly sculpted chest.

Suddenly, a pressure filled me, sucking me into the moment.

I felt him grip my wrist.

At first I thought he was going to push me off, but it was more—

He was holding on to me, and I was unable to pull away.

“Mate.”

The rumbling of his chest caused my stomach to flip, and for a moment there, I thought I heard a growl before he started coughing.

“I'm so sorry,” I quickly said, pushing myself off his body, while my cheek turned a light shade of pink.

I wanted the ground to swallow me, and there was no way I was staying here.

“I hope you are okay, but I really have something to do.” The words escaped my mouth quickly, and I turned around, bolting out of the door.

I didn't stop even when I was outside, my legs took me out of the school, and through its gate.

Why was the universe suddenly after me?