Chapter 2

An hour later, Ruby found herself standing in front of the massive mirror in the girls' bathroom, groaning in frustration and occasionally stomping her feet as she tried to remove the remnants of milkshake from her hair. Thankfully, her jacket had protected her t-shirt from being spoiled. She carefully wiped away the few drops that had dripped onto her jeans, and the previously empty dustbin beside her was now filled with discarded tissues.

It was impossible for Ruby to go back home, change, and return to school in time. Taking the city bus would consume two hours, and with only four lectures scheduled for the day, she would miss all of them.

Feeling frustrated and wanting to appear presentable in class, Ruby checked her watch and realized there were only ten minutes left in the first lecture. Physics was her favorite subject, and she had prepared diligently for this lesson. However, all her efforts had been in vain because of that infuriating guy, Caden.

Determined not to let this incident go unpunished, Ruby resolved to escalate the matter to the higher authorities. After ensuring she had done her best to clean up, she looked at herself in the mirror with a resolute expression and headed towards the office in search of the Head of the Department.

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The first lecture came to an end, and throughout the class, Caden smirked, his hand still pressed against his cheek. Paige couldn't help but notice that he hadn't paid attention and hadn't even answered Mr. Smith's question, which was highly unusual for him.

Paige turned to her group of friends behind her and asked, "What's going on with him?" Most of them shrugged, equally clueless about the situation.

"We're as clueless as you are, Paige," Olivia replied with a frown.

Paige rolled her eyes, harboring a deep disdain for Olivia, knowing that even if she had the answer, she wouldn't share it with her. The feeling of animosity was mutual.

She looked to Florence for answers, but Florence seemed too engrossed in sharing details of her latest trip with a disinterested Ella. On the other hand, Daniel, Ella's twin, was surrounded by girls, indulging in flirtatious banter. Paige even spotted some seniors in the mix. She sighed, aware that this was one of Daniel's many attempts to find "the one."

Amidst the commotion in the class, Paige turned to Caden again and teasingly asked, "Are you not going to tell me what happened? Who ruffled your feathers?" She giggled, knowing that it would push him further.

Caden, still pressing his cheek, turned and glared at Paige. She had a knack for pushing his buttons, but in that moment, as she took in his expression, a shiver ran down her spine, silencing her.

Ruffled his feathers? No, she had disrupted his life. No one had ever slapped Caden Miller and gotten away with it. Subconsciously, he began planning his revenge. He didn't know her weak spots yet, but they were classmates, and their paths would cross again soon.

"Why do you care?" he asked through gritted teeth, enduring the pain of her slap. It was excruciating to speak, but he managed to utter the words.

Paige burst into laughter. What kind of question was that? Pouting her lips, she linked her arm with his and said, "We've been dating for four years now. If I don't care about you, who will?" She fluttered her eyelashes, and her captivating doe eyes held his gaze.

Biting his lip, Caden tightened his grip around her arm. "Then tell me, what were you doing with that college guy in the canteen yesterday?" His voice came out softer than he intended, and he looked away, not wanting her to see how much it affected him. The pain was evident in his tone.

Paige held his chin and turned his face towards her. "I didn't know you had a heart for me to break," she grinned, continuing with a sugary tone. "You can't deny that you've been with other girls too." Her words hit him like a bitter truth, even though they were coated with sweetness. "But in the end, the whole world knows it's going to be you and me. Caden and Paige. Always." She finished her statement by planting a light kiss on the back of his hand, which was intertwined with hers.

Before he could respond, the classroom suddenly fell into silence. Tearing his gaze away from Paige, he looked ahead to where everyone's attention was focused. Standing there was Mrs. Cooper, their Chemistry teacher and the Head of the Science Department. Her arms were folded, and her expression appeared to be a mix of disappointment and irritation. Behind her stood the petite figure of the girl who had stained his cheek red in the corridor.

Mrs. Cooper stared directly at Caden, commanding his attention. "Caden Miller, report to my office. Now," she ordered before swiftly exiting the room.

Ruby was also watching him, her lips forming a satisfied grin.