CHAPTER FIVE

Carolyn’s POV

I had never felt this alone before.

Even in the slums, where people whispered about my strange blue eyes and light skin, I had never been treated like this.

Like I was a disease.

Like I was nothing.

The classroom felt smaller, suffocating. Every pair of eyes was on me, waiting for me to snap, to cry, to break.

But I wouldn’t.

I couldn’t.

Tina sat beside me, gripping her pen so tightly that her knuckles were white. She was angry. Probably angrier than I was.

But she wasn’t the target.

I was.

Another paper ball hit my shoulder. I ignored it.

Laughter.

I heard someone whisper, “She thinks she’s better than us just because she’s smart.”

Another voice. “No, she thinks she’s special because she has blue eyes. Maybe she’s wearing contact lenses.”

I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood.

They were waiting for me to react.

I wouldn’t give them what they wanted.

Instead, I picked up my pen and continued writing down my notes.

---

J.J.’s POV

She was stronger than I thought.

I had expected her to cry by now. To storm out of class, humiliated.

But she didn’t.

Instead, she just… took it.

The whispers. The insults. The humiliation.

She sat there, calm, focused, her jaw clenched but her posture straight.

Most people broke after a few hours of being bullied.

Carolyn?

She was holding out longer than anyone ever had.

George sighed beside me, shaking his head. “She’s not gonna break.”

I smirked. “Not yet.”

Julius, on the other hand, looked miserable. He hadn’t said a word since class started.

It was funny—he had always acted like he hated her. Like she was beneath him.

But now that things were getting real, he looked like he regretted everything.

Pathetic.

---

Carolyn’s POV

Lunch break.

The moment the bell rang, Tina grabbed my hand.

“Come on.”

I blinked at her. “Where are we going?”

She hesitated. “The cafeteria, obviously. But…”

I understood what she wasn’t saying.

The cafeteria was J.J.’s territory.

And after what happened, it would be a battlefield.

Tina looked like she wanted to suggest skipping lunch, but I shook my head.

“If I avoid them, they win.”**

“If I act scared, they win.”**

Tina let out a sigh and nodded. “Okay. But if they do anything crazy, we leave.”

Agreed.

We walked down the halls, and as expected, the whispers followed us.

I kept my head high.

But when we stepped into the cafeteria, the noise stopped.

Everything went silent.

Hundreds of students turned to look at me.

I could feel the weight of their stares.

At the center of the room, lounging like a king on his throne, was J.J.

His arms were crossed, his cat-like eyes watching me with amusement.

He was waiting.

Waiting for me to run. To break.

I refused.

Tina and I walked forward, ignoring the stares, ignoring the murmurs.

We got our food and searched for a table.

But every time we moved toward one, students would block us.

They were doing this on purpose.

Every table was “full.”

Every chair was “reserved.”

Tina’s face flushed with anger. “This is so childish.”

I let out a breath. “Come on. Let’s just go outside.”

We turned to leave, but before we could take a step—

A loud smack echoed through the room.

I felt something cold, wet, and sticky slide down my back.

I froze.

Gasps filled the room.

Tina inhaled sharply. “Carolyn…”

I turned around slowly.

Behind me, standing with an empty plastic cup, was Emma.

My cousin.

She had just poured a strawberry milkshake down my back.

Emma smirked, crossing her arms.

“Oops.”

The cafeteria erupted in laughter.

I clenched my fists. Anger. Humiliation. Betrayal.

J.J. was watching.

Waiting to see what I would do.

Emma raised an eyebrow. “Why do you look so upset? You should be grateful I cooled you down. After all, you look like you belong in the slums.”

More laughter.

My vision blurred with fury.

Emma thought she could humiliate me.

J.J. thought he could break me.

Everyone in this room thought I would stand there and take it.

But they were wrong.

So, so wrong.

I stepped closer to Emma, smiling sweetly.

She looked confused.

Then— I grabbed the glass of water from the nearest table and poured it all over her head.

Gasps.

Complete silence.

Emma screamed.

The water soaked her perfectly straightened hair, dripping down her expensive uniform.

She looked at me in shock, rage, and disbelief.

I leaned in, keeping my voice calm, sharp.

“Oops.”

The entire cafeteria exploded.

Half the students were cheering. The other half were stunned.

Emma shook with fury. “You… you little—”