Chapter 2

Maya's POV

I was looking down at my book, trying to get the calculations of my statistics right, but my hand was shaking. I couldn't even control it.

Not with Micah's glares boring holes into my skin. It was foolish, I never should have come to the cafeteria for lunch. I should have avoided it like I had been doing all week.

I peeked at my lunch tray, it had been switched with dirt and garbage by one of Micah's accomplices. The entire place reeked and anybody who passed by squinted their noses before walking away hurriedly.

"Move," I silently pleaded with my legs, but I couldn't find the courage nor the shame to get up.

I didn't want to see him win.

Two weeks into Crystal High, and I had realized just what a horrible person my mate was, or ex mate rather, and I found myself thankful for the rejection. There was no way I would enjoy being stuck with such a horrible human.

He found several means, excuses to bully me. I tried avoiding him. I tried getting a new class schedule done so I would never have classes with him. I tried to avoid the cafeteria, I tried leaving school late so I wouldn't have to see him nor his pack of friends who made everything worse.

But it seemed I couldn't avoid him. Every time I walked down the hallway, my heart would sink because he would be there, alone, as if waiting for me. He was in my classes. He was there at the school driveway, in the corner I had turned into my lunch spot, he was every where!

His eyes would bore into mine, filled with malice and contempt. Brooding, ready to do or say whatever he could to ruin my day.

"Are you going to eat that, freak?"

I jumped. When had he moved? He stood before me, I could feel the heat of his gaze and I tried to ignore him, hoping he would just go away.

"Why are you looking down? Are you too scared to look me in the eye?" Micah taunted, pushing the tray off the table and onto the floor, causing me to get up in shock.

"What do you want Micah?" My eyes met his for a second before I locked gaze with Juliet who had a triumphant grin spread across her face.

Within a second, Micah caught hold of my arm and pulled me close to him roughly. A little bit closer and I would have ended up with a sprain.

"Come on, pup," He growled, grabbing my arm, "Stand up for yourself! Oh wait, you probably can't even do that, can you?"

Tears stung my eyes and I tried to wrench my arm away from him, still avoiding his gaze.

"Look at me," he hissed. "Look at me, damn you!"

“Perhaps she is shy, Micah," One of the students said.

“Shy? Or a pathetic omega?” Another person said.

I kept my head low. What could I say? How could I defend myself from a pack of wolves who were determined to tear me apart?

"Micah," Juliet's whines pierced the air, "Leave the omega alone and come feed me will you?"

I heard him grumble under his breath before he freed me from his grip, sending me skidding to the floor.

The cafeteria shook with laughter and I kept my head down with my eyes focused on the floor.

"Son of a bitch!" I muttered loudly to his hearing before hauling myself out of the cafeteria before he got the chance to get a hold of me again.

I couldn't understand why Micah continued to bully me and make sly comments. He didn't spread the one thing that could probably make me withdraw from the school – he hadn't told the whole school about us being mates. About him rejecting me.

It was hard to focus in classes when all I could think about was how he had rejected me. How he had hurt me.

The day passed by quickly and without waiting, I dashed out of class, racing to the front door, wanting to be out of the damned place.

And then I tripped.

My face kissed the floor sending a sharp pain through my head.

"Oh my, I'm so sorry, didn't see you there," Juliet snickered.

Of course. I had so many questions. How on earth had she gotten out of class before me? Had she been waiting for me?

I groaned picking myself off the floor. " Juliet, what do you want?”

“I want you to stay away from my man. It's not even rocket science!"

I fixed her a glare. "What are you talking about?"

Her hand found my face in a smack. "You keep drawing him in. I know that. Admit it you bitch! You like the attention he gives you!"

"You're crazy!" I shrieked. "He humiliated me in the cafeteria! Why would I like that?!"

She curled her lips in disgust. "You tell me, freak! Do you really think Micah would ever be interested in someone like you?" Juliet sneered, her eyes glittering with spite. “You're just embarrassing yourself by chasing after him. You should stay far away from him before you make an even bigger fool of yourself."

When she said that, for a moment I thought Micah might have told her about the fact that I was his mate.

I clenched my fists, the sting of tears threatening to spill over, but I refused to let her see my weakness. "I don't know what you're talking about. I do not chase after Micah."

Juliet's laughter pierced through me, like a blade through my already wounded heart. “You don't? Please, Maya. You're all gooey eyes, Everyone has seen you two together. You're practically throwing yourself at him. It's pathetic."

I could swear the blonde had definitely hit her head on a wall. It was literally the other way around! I was doing everything I could to avoid him!

If anyone was throwing themselves, it was him. It was her damned boyfriend!

Juliet's smirk grew wider, her eyes narrowing in triumph. "Oh, you're desperate for attention, and you'll do anything to get it. I own Micah, and that better be sink into your thick skull!"

With a parting mocking glance, Juliet turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, feeling ashamed, sad and angry.

I shook all the horrible scenes out of my mind. It would be fine. I would get to my aunt's house, curl up with a cup of cocoa and read a book. Everything would be fine.

As I made my way to the exit, I suddenly collided with something. It was as if I was pushed. I laid on the ground, my heart heavy as I heard Micah's cruel laughter echoed in my ears.

Great. He and his girlfriend were definitely taking turns in humiliating me.

“Micah, what was that for?!” My eyes were red, he must have seen it too but he didn't care. I could feel the animal instinct in me threatening to spill out as I rose on my feet.

Micah sneered above me, "What's the matter, Maya? The floor seems to suit you just fine!"

I clenched my fists, willing myself to stay silent and not lash out all the curses I wanted to scream at him.

"Look at you, pathetic," he taunted, kicking at my scattered belongings. "Little wonder nobody likes you. I can't believe you're my mate. There has to be another loser out there for you.”

I bit my lip, feeling the sting of tears threatening to spill. I closed my eyes, trying to block out his hurtful words. “I'm not your mate Micah, I rejected you too, remember?"

"Why don't you just disappear? No one would even notice," Micah continued, his voice dripping with malice as he shoved me to the ground again.

"Just stay down where you belong. You're nothing, Maya. Just a waste of space," Micah spat, his voice growing distant as he walked away.

I stayed there, the tears streaming down my cheeks freely. The echoes of his words reverberating in my mind. I felt alone, defeated, and utterly broken, I was tired, I wanted to kill him.

As tears threatened to spill from my eyes, a voice cut through the noise of the bustling hallway. It was a voice that struck a chord deep within me, causing my heart to flutter in a way I couldn't quite understand.

I hesitantly looked up, my vision blurred by tears, to see a hand extended towards me.

“Are you okay?" the voice asked, filled with a mixture of concern and familiarity.

I blinked in confusion, trying to make sense of the situation. And then, as my eyes focused, I saw him. It was a boy. I got up and began packing my bags.

“Here to taunt me too huh?!” I screamed. I was suddenly tired.

“No.” The boy's voice remained calm and very familiar.

I blinked, staring at him, my eyebrows furrowing. "D-Daniel?" I whispered, disbelief colouring my voice as I recognized the face of my childhood best friend.

As I struggled to find the right words to say, he looked at me, his eyes holding a depth of emotion that I couldn't name.

Before I could inquire about his sudden return, Daniel began to walk away. Panic gripped my chest as I called out to him, urging him to stay.

"Wait, Daniel, please," I pleaded, my voice filled with a mixture of longing and confusion.

But he didn't stop and I didn't run after him. I just watched him, leaving me standing there.

What was Daniel doing here? In Crystal High?