003

The house was quiet when I got home, so I went straight to my room and locked the door behind me. I slumped to the floor with my back against the bed and finally let the tears fall. I cried silently, tears rolling down my cheeks.

I hated him. I hated Kael Blackwood with every part of my soul. He had no right to treat me this way. He had no right to make me feel small and worthless. But he did, and the worst part was that I let him because I couldn't do anything about it.

A soft knock on my door made me lift my head.

"Elara?" It was my mother's voice. "Are you okay? I heard you come in."

I wiped my face quickly. "I am fine."

"You do not sound fine."

"Mom, please. Just leave me alone."

There was a long pause. Then she said, "Okay. But I am here if you need me."

I listened to her footsteps hesitantly fade down the hallway. Part of me wanted to run after her and tell her everything. But what was the point? She would only tell me to be patient. She would only ask me to understand Kael's side. And I was tired of understanding. I was tired of being the bigger person.

I stayed on the floor for a long time, staring at the wall. The room grew darker as the sun set outside my window. I did not turn on the lights. I just sat there, letting the shadows swallow me.

Then my phone buzzed.

I picked it up and saw a text from an unknown number.

"First day not so fun, huh? Maybe you should pack your bags and leave before things get worse."

My stomach twisted. I did not know how they got my number, but I had a feeling it was connected to Kael. I deleted the message and blocked the number.

A few minutes later, another text came from a different number.

"We do not want you here. Go back to the gutter where you belong."

I blocked that one too. But the messages kept coming, one after another, each one crueler than the last. I finally turned off my phone and threw it across the room. It hit the wall and landed on the carpet with a soft thud.

I buried my face in my hands and took a deep breath. This was high school all over again. The whispers, the laughter, the cruel notes. I had survived it once, but I was older now. I was supposed to be stronger. So why did it still hurt so much?

A loud bang on my door made me jump.

I froze.

Another bang. Harder this time.

I did not move. I did not breathe.

The doorknob rattled. Once. Twice. Then silence.

I waited, my heart pounding so hard I could feel it in my throat. The seconds stretched into minutes. But nothing happened. No voice. No banging. No footsteps.

He was gone.

I let out a shaky breath and crawled to my bed. I pulled the covers over my head and curled into a ball. I wanted to disappear. I wanted to wake up in my old apartment, in my old room, in my old life. But I knew that was not possible. This was my reality now. And I had to survive it.

The next morning, I woke up with a heaviness in my chest.

I checked my phone and saw more messages from unknown numbers. I did not read them. I just deleted them all and blocked the senders. Then I dragged myself out of bed and got ready for school.

I wore a plain black hoodie and jeans. I did not bother with makeup. I did not want to draw attention to myself. I just wanted to blend in and get through the day.

When I went downstairs, Kael was in the kitchen, leaning against the counter with a cup of coffee in his hand. He did not look at me when I walked in. He just kept scrolling through his phone like I did not exist.

I moved quietly to the fridge and grabbed an apple. I was about to leave when his voice stopped me.

"Richard wants me to drive you to school."

I turned. "What?"

Kael still did not look up from his phone. "He said something about bonding. I told him it was a waste of time."

"Then don't drive me. I can walk."

He glanced at me then, his eyes flat and cold. "And have Richard blame me when you show up late or get lost? No thanks. Be ready in ten minutes."

He walked past me without waiting for an answer. I stood there, gripping my apple, my stomach twisted in knots. The last thing I wanted was to be trapped in a car with him. But I had no choice. Not if I wanted to avoid another fight with Richard.

I grabbed my bag and followed him to the garage.

The car ride was silent. Kael drove with one hand on the wheel, his eyes fixed on the road. He did not speak. He did not look at me. He acted like I was invisible. And honestly, I preferred it that way.

But the silence was heavy. It pressed against my chest and made it hard to breathe. I stared out the window and watched the trees blur past. I counted the seconds until we arrived.

When the school came into view, Kael finally spoke.

"Get out before we reach the gate."

I turned to look at him. "What?"

"You heard me." His jaw was tight. "I do not want anyone seeing us together."

"Then why did you agree to drive me?"

He shot me a look. "Because I had to. Not because I wanted to. Now get out."

I stared at him, my blood boiling. "You are unbelievable."

He did not respond. He just pulled the car to the side of the road and unlocked the doors.

"Out," he said.

I grabbed my bag and opened the door. The moment my feet hit the pavement, he sped off, leaving me standing alone on the sidewalk.

I watched his car disappear through the school gates and felt the familiar sting of humiliation rise in my chest. Students were already milling around the entrance, and a few of them glanced my way. I kept my head down and walked toward the building.

Mia was waiting for me by the front doors. She saw my face and frowned.

"Rough morning?" she asked.

"You have no idea."

She linked her arm through mine and pulled me inside. "Come on. I will walk you to class. And if anyone says anything, I will kick them in the shins."

Despite everything, I smiled. "You would do that?"

"Absolutely." She grinned. "That is what friends are for."

We walked through the crowded hallway together, and for the first time in days, I felt a tiny spark of hope. Maybe I could survive this. Maybe I was not as alone as I thought.

Then I saw Kael at the end of the hall, surrounded by his teammates. He caught my eye for half a second, then looked away like I was nothing.