2. Cognac

Innessa stepped out of her room as the door automatically locked.  

Her eyes darted to her neighbor, and it was Scarlett Walsh. "Hey," She chirped as soon as she saw Innessa. 

"Hey," Innessa greeted her with a soft smile. Innessa was wearing a beautiful sundress. Her hair was up in a ponytail, with a ribbon tied around it.  

"You headed to university?" Scarlett asked.  

The university was within walking distance of the dorms.  

"No, I'm headed to the church. I go there every Friday," Innessa said, earning a surprised nod of appreciation from Scarlett.  

"That's lovely. You seem like such a nice person. My roommate and I are planning to explore the town this weekend. If you want to join us, you're always welcome." 

"I'd love to," Innessa beamed happily.  

"Be ready by 1 in the noon tomorrow. I'll fetch you," Scarlett said, and the girl nodded before they headed out of the building together.  

Innessa made her way to the church while Scarlett headed to the university.  

Innessa went to the church. She prayed there and headed to the university.  

As soon as she stepped into the class, all eyes snapped at her, and she flinched, staring at everyone. Innessa couldn't understand why they were staring at her like that as she made her way to her desk, only to stiffen up.  

There were things written on her desk with a marker.  

'Poor.'

'Twat.'

'She licked the boots of the authorities for the scholarship.'

'Whore, what's your price?'

'S.L.U.T.'

'Filthy.'

Tears pricked the back of her eyes, and she didn't have the strength to look at the other students. Despite tears blurring her vision and her heart shattering apart, she retrieved her phone and clicked a picture. At the same time, the professor stepped in. Everyone took their seats while she stood there immobile.  

"What is wrong, Ms. Laskin?" 

"P... Professor, my... my seat," Her voice wavered as the professor stepped closer, only to frown, staring at the table.  

"Who did this?" The professor asked coldly, but no one said a word.  

"I asked who did this?" There was pin-drop silence.  

"I'll take the matters to the authorities," she said sharply, glaring at the floor, and dashed out of the class.  

She headed to the office, and they didn't let her in, so she showed the pictures to the secretary. She was escorted in, and the dean sat in the chair, going through some files. "Yes, Ms. Laskin. What's the issue?" 

Innessa showed him the picture and told him no one was giving the name of the culprit. The dean told her that he'd look into this matter and told her to go back to her class. Once she got back, the desk was being cleaned by the janitor, so she sat at the back quietly as the professor gave the lecture.  

She wasn't a kid; she had some idea who might be behind all this. After the class, she went to grab her books from the locker. As soon as she opened the locker, a bat flew out of it, making her scream as she fell back on the floor, breathing heavily with tears brimming in her eyes.  

She noticed a few of the students laughing while others pulled out their phones to film her. She quickly pulled herself to her feet and glared inside the locker. She pulled out the piece of paper and read it.  

"Dear Innessa, if you want to end this suffering, then go out with me. Sincerely, H❤."

What the hell!  

He was crazy. Why would he do these things just because she rejected him? She noticed that the bat was fake.  

Innessa clicked a picture of that note and kept it in her bag. Grabbing her books, she headed to her next class, and everyone was staring at her again. She hated all this unnecessary attention she was getting.  

She wanted to yell at them and tell them to stop staring, but she didn't dare to say so.  

She took her seat, and the class began. After class, she was heading to the cafeteria for lunch when someone grabbed her, and she was yanked into the empty classroom. The door closed, and she was slammed against it.  

Her heart scrambled out of her ribcage and her eyes widened when her gaze met with familiar brown eyes. "Missed me?" Henry mused, hovering over her as she tried to step back, only for her back to press on the door.  

"You... It was you who wrote all that on my desk and put that fake bat in my locker." 

"Aw, sweet of you to remember my love for you," He mused, and her jaw clenched.  

She was angry at him, but she was scared of him as well. Innessa was in an empty classroom with him. He was a man, taller and stronger. If she retaliates now, he might hurt her.  

"My offer still stands; you want to go out with me?"  

"No," She didn't even hesitate before answering.  

"Your loss. I'm the most popular guy in this academy. Girls die to be with me, and here I'm offering you to be my woman, but you're behaving like a twat. Name me your price, and I will buy you for a night, after all, everything has a price-" 

She didn't hesitate before raising her hand and slapping him. He was so dumbstruck that, taking advantage of the situation, she pushed him away and dashed out of there.  

She went to the girls' restroom. Locking herself in the stall, she let the tears out. This was not what she expected her new life to be. She wanted to make friends, enjoy her life, study hard, and graduate with flying colors. But it felt like she ended up making the biggest jerk of her enemy.  

How dare he ask her for her price? That man has no shame. She wouldn't tolerate this. She'll talk to the dean. After her last class, she went to talk to the dean.  

He frowned upon seeing her as she showed him the letter and told him it was from Henry Smith and how he cornered her. The dean seemed pissed at her.  

"Do you have any idea who Mr. Smith is? He's the son of a top-notch businessman. His father holds a great number of shares in this very academy. If he wants, he could throw you out just by requesting his father and cancel your scholarship. You shouldn't piss him off and stay out of his radar. You may leave now. I hope not to see you in my office again." With tears brimming in her eyes, she stepped out of the office and headed out of her department. It was dusk, and the sun was setting.  

She felt so alone and scared in this unknown country. She missed her mama and her dad. She wants to go back home so badly.  

Innessa wiped her tears and was heading to the dorms when a guy dressed in a black hoodie blocked her way. He was wearing a mask that covered his mouth and nose. She recognized those brown eyes, and her heart dropped because he wasn't alone. Two guys stood behind him in hoodies and masks.  

"Why are you crying, little girl? Wanna have some coffee with me?" He mused, and her heart galloped to her mouth, tears blurring her vision.  

Innessa didn't bother to answer Henry; her body had a mind of its own as she swiveled on her heels and broke into a sprint in the opposite direction, holding her books and bags to her chest.  

Her heart constricted in fear when she heard them running after her. To her mortification, there was almost no one around them.  

"Don't let me catch you, because if I do, you're dead," Henry yelled as tears streamed down her cheeks.  

Innessa didn't know where she was headed; she had lost her sense of direction in her haste, and now she was running to God knows where, though she was still in the university.  

If Henry were powerful and even the authorities couldn't say anything to him, then he might kill her, and they would dismiss the case with ease, and no one would know what happened to her. Where did her body disappear to? No one would be able to find the culprit.  

A cry tore through her lips when she felt his fingers touching her bag. He was close. Innessa fastened her speed; it was as if her heart had fallen into the pit of her stomach, and she couldn't run anymore.  

Innessa glanced over her shoulder to calculate the distance, but to her horror, they were too close.  

A muffled oomph left her lips as she crashed into a hard wall. Her books and bag fell on the ground as she stumbled back and fell on her bum.  

She craned her neck up to find a huge guy instead of a wall. He was wearing a cap, a black jacket, cargo pants, and boots.  

"Hey!" Henry yelled, running closer as she instantly scrambled to her feet and grabbed that man's hand, clinging to his arm for her dear life while looking at Henry and his goons, who came to a screeching halt.  

Innessa didn't even know what she was doing. 

She watched dumbfounded as Henry stepped back. The goons seemed horrified by God knows what as they sprinted off. Henry glared at her viciously before turning around, dashing out of there, and leaving her alone.  

Innessa was hyperventilating as she breathed slowly, trying to calm her heart down. Her legs were trembling, almost giving up on her with all the running to save her life.  

Innessa looked up at the man only for her breath to hitch when she found him staring at her. Her eyes met with the most beautiful shade of cognac brown hues she had ever seen.