Prologue 2

I pushed open the door of the classroom and stepped inside. The moment I did, the whispers started again. They were louder this time. Even the teacher stopped writing on the board and gave me a dirty look. His eyes were full of disgust, like I was something dirty on the floor.

I couldn’t take it anymore.

I turned around and walked straight out of the class. I didn’t know where to go. I had no one left. I was an orphan now. My relatives had refused to let me see my parents’ bodies. They said I brought shame to the family. They didn’t even want me at the funeral.

Tears blurred my eyes as I walked through the school compound. My legs carried me without thinking. Before I knew it, I was standing in front of Cassian’s playhouse. Everyone knew this building. It was like his private kingdom inside the school. He never attended normal classes. He and his friends stayed here all day, doing whatever they wanted.

I didn’t knock. I just pushed the door open.

Inside, Cassian was sitting on a big couch with Hanna Andersson on his lap. Darren Fletcher and Hans Walter were there too, laughing and drinking from expensive bottles. They all looked up when I entered.

For a second, everything went quiet. Then they started laughing.

“Look who came to visit,” Darren said with a smirk. “The school slut herself.”

Hans leaned back and eyed me from head to toe. “Nice body you showed in that video, Marie. Too bad we had to blur our faces. You looked like you were having the time of your life.”

Hanna giggled and kissed Cassian’s cheek. “Baby, tell her to leave. Her smell is ruining the air in here.”

Tears fell down my cheeks again. My eyes hurt from crying so much, but I couldn’t stop them. I walked closer to Cassian and stopped right in front of him.

“Why?” My voice came out broken. “Why did you do that to me, Cassian? Just because I took first position in the mid-term exams? You ruined my entire life for that?”

Cassian looked at me with cold eyes. He didn’t even move Hanna from his lap.

I continued, my voice shaking badly now. “You could have just told me to step down. You could have beaten me like you always do. I wouldn’t have complained. I would have taken twentieth position, even last position if you wanted. But you didn’t do that. You decided to destroy me completely.”

I wiped my tears with the back of my hand, but more kept coming.

“My parents died in less than twenty-four hours after that video was posted. My father had a heart attack because of the shame. My mother took her own life. She left a note cursing me. My relatives won’t even let me see their bodies one last time. They say I’m no longer part of the family.”

I looked straight into Cassian’s eyes.

“Did you do it because you know the police can’t touch you? Because your father owns this school and half the town? Because you feel like you own the world?”

My voice cracked completely. “I hate you, Cassian Hale. I hate you with everything I have.”

None of them moved. They just stared at me like I was putting on a show.

I smiled through my tears. Then I started laughing. I laughed so hard that my stomach hurt. The laughter turned into sobs, and soon I couldn’t tell which was which. They were all looking at me now like I had gone crazy.

Maybe I had.

Losing everything in two days could make anyone mad.

My eyes landed on a small fruit knife on the table beside them. I reached out and grabbed it before anyone could stop me.

Hans jumped up first. “Marie, drop that knife right now!”

Darren laughed nervously. “Come on, crazy girl. Don’t do anything stupid.”

Cassian finally pushed Hanna off his lap and stood up. “Put it down, scholarship trash.”

I looked at all of them one by one — Cassian, Hanna, Darren, Hans. My hand was shaking, but my mind was clear.

“You all will feel what I’m feeling right now,” I said slowly. “The pain of losing someone you love. The pain of being betrayed. The pain of being humiliated in front of the whole world. Karma is a bitch. It might not come today. It might not come from me. But one day, you will be destroyed. It might take years, but it will happen. I swear it.”

Tears ran down my face as I pressed the knife against my wrist and cut deep.

Blood poured out fast.

Hans shouted, “Shit! Someone stop her!”

I dropped the knife on the floor. It made a loud clink. Blood dripped from my wrist onto the expensive carpet.

I turned around and walked out without saying another word.

Behind me, they started laughing again.

“She’s actually crazy!” Hanna said loudly.

“Stupid girl,” Darren added. “Did she think that would scare us?”

“Drama queen,” Cassian’s voice followed. “She’ll be fine. Just wants attention.”

I didn’t want to hear any more. I had been hurt enough.

I left the school building. I didn’t go back to class. I left my books, my bag, everything. I just walked out of the school gate.

The morning sun was warm on my skin, but inside I felt nothing but cold pain. My body hurt. My mind was a mess. My heart was broken into pieces that could never be fixed.

I walked all the way home. When I reached our small house, I didn’t go inside. I went straight to my father’s old car parked in front. I opened the door, sat behind the wheel, and pressed the start button. The engine came alive with a low roar.

My mind was a jumbled mess. Thoughts of my mom’s last words, my dad’s flatlined heart monitor, the video, the laughter — everything mixed together like a storm.

I drove without knowing where I was going. Hours passed. The sun moved across the sky. By evening, I found myself at the top of a lonely mountain road. The car stopped right at the edge of a high cliff.

I smiled.

I got out of the car slowly. My wrist was still bleeding. My lips felt dry and pale. My eyes were red and swollen from crying all day.

The wind blew strongly, carrying the smell of pine trees and fresh air. Down below, the valley looked peaceful and far away.

I freed my mind of everything. No more pain. No more shame. No more whispers.

“Finally… freedom,” I whispered.

I closed my eyes and jumped.

The air rushed past me as I fell.

For the first time in two days, I felt...... LIGHT.