Chapter Five

Riley slowly turned to look at Olivia, her heart thumping loudly. Zachary chose her?

 Then the chatter resumed, diverting attention away from Olivia.

"It's not the nerd!"

 "Everyone, to the old basketball court!"

"Whoot!"

"Get the eggs!"

 The students dashed out of the classroom in pure excitement, pushing aside the teacher who was about to walk in. Olivia released a relieved breath.

"That was close." Riley placed her hands on her heart where it was beating wildly in her chest, her braided pigtails falling behind her. When she stood up, Olivia looked up at her— the classroom was now empty.

 "What's it, Riley?"

 "Let's go see." Riley's voice was barely audible.

 Olivia's mouth hung open, her glasses almost slipping off. Then she folded her arms defiantly. "You have got to be kidding. No, Riley."

"Please, please, please."

"I said no!" Olivia snapped. Why does this girl love trouble?

 Riley's face fell, and she sat down slowly. "I'm sorry..."

 "I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't have raised my voice, but this is dangerous," Olivia said softly, her brown eyes filled with guilt.

 "It's fine," Riley mumbled.

"Let's do something fun." Olivia pulled out her laptop. "I'm trying to come up with a plot twist for my novel, and I want you to—"

 Her words trailed off when she realized Riley was no longer beside her.

 "Don't tell me she... Oh my goodness!" Olivia quickly dashed out of the classroom.

Old Basketball Court

Riley staggered her way into the already packed court and was about to weave through the crowd when a firm hand gripped her tightly.

Alert, she spun around—only to meet Olivia’s scowl.

"I'm..." Riley tried to think of an excuse. She knew Olivia was upset.

"What’s wrong with you?" Disappointment flashed across Olivia's pretty features.

"I'm sorry," Riley muttered, mentally scolding herself.

"You know what? Do whatever you want." With that, Olivia turned to leave.

Riley quickly grabbed her arm. "I'm sorry, please... I—I don’t know what came over me."

Before Olivia could respond, they were shoved into a corner as two hefty, mean-looking guys in uniforms dragged a tall boy with glasses and dark, messy hair into the center of the court, forcing him to kneel.

 The students erupted in jeers and excited whispers.

"Poor boy!"

  "It's another nerd!"

 "Will he stand up to Zachary as well?"

 A mocking laugh rippled through the crowd.

Suddenly, deafening screams filled the court—louder than before. Phones were held up, recording.

 "It's him!"

  "Oh, kill me now!"

 "Zachary is so hot!"

 "Look at his face. He's ready to kill."

 "Oh my God…Kyleeeeee!"

"Noah!!!! Just one night, please!"

 Noah winked, and more screams followed.

 Kyle's face remained blank, while Zachary stood with his hands tucked in his pockets. His uniform’s buttons were undone, exuding effortless confidence. Even with his serious expression, his silver earring glittered under the lights, a matching chain dangling around his neck.

 Olivia scoffed from where she stood.

 "The students sure have a lot of energy. They must eat a lot every day just for this," Riley commented, her eyes fixed on Zachary.

 Olivia almost laughed but remembered she was still mad at her. Riley sighed softly when Olivia remained silent.

 With slow, measured steps, Zachary stopped in front of the kneeling boy, whose head remained bowed.  Kyle and Noah flanked Zachary, while the guys who had dragged the nerd forward stepped back.

 "Owen Moreno..." The name rolled smoothly off his lips, but Owen didn't raise his head. Zach let out a low, dark chuckle.

 The students kept recording.

 "The rules were simple. Every recording taken in this school stays within the group chats and the school walls."

 The court fell silent. Everyone was focused, eager to listen to Zachary's deep, magnetic voice. Then he began pacing in slow circles around Owen, each step more deliberate than the last.

"But... the mighty Owen didn’t just record—he sent the videos to the internet."

 A collective gasp echoed through the court. So, the anonymous video meant to ruin Zach’s reputation—the one that was taken down a few days ago—was Owen’s doing?

  "I can't believe this asshole dared to offend my Zachary!"

  "He deserves his punishment!"

 Owen suddenly raised his head, his eyes hidden behind his glasses. His face was bruised, likely from the guys who had dragged him here.

 "I did the right thing—exposing your beastly side to the world," he said in a low voice.

 Zach grabbed his collar and threw a hard punch. A loud cracked sounded and blood spurted from his nose.

 "Woahhhhh!"

 "That was intense!"

 At the front, the BB girls sat majestically, popping their gum as they watched the scene unfold with pleasure. Irene focused like a laser on Zachary, while Madeline bit her lip, staring at Kyle. Ava, on the other hand, was looking at Noah.

Riley held her breath—Zachary was truly terrifying. Now she understood why Olivia was trying to protect her. Olivia could do nothing but clench her fists as Zachary delivered a torrent of punches to Owen, turning him into a bloody mess.

 Noah grinned devilishly, while Kyle looked bored. Scarlett and Ruby watched from high in the bleachers, pity evident on their faces.

 Liam, alone in his private suite, observed the event through the live school chat, his gray eyes flickering with something unreadable.

 When Zachary was done, he casually wiped his bloody hands with a white handkerchief and lifted his gaze to the crowd. Olivia's heart froze when their eyes locked. Beads of sweat formed on her brow as a smirk curled on his lips before he strode out of the court, his friends following behind.

Time ticked on. One by one, the students dispersed, but not before dumping trash onto Owen’s unconscious body. No one cared if he was dead. The school authorities wouldn’t do anything anyway—not if it was Zachary Maverick who did it.

 Olivia remained standing, Riley beside her. She was scared—really scared.

 "We need to help him," Olivia finally found her voice, and Riley blinked.

 "Didn't you say we should avoid trouble?"

 "Just this once," Olivia muttered, sympathy for Owen overwhelming her.

 Shrugging, Riley followed Olivia as she made to the unconscious boy on the floor.

 "My goodness, he's so heavy," Riley groaned as they tried to lift Owen.

 "Quit complaining, Riley," Olivia scolded, helping her lift him.

Hallway, Sixth Floor

 Riley was hurrying to the school infirmary to meet Olivia when she was suddenly pulled into a classroom.

 "Let me go!" She struggled against the strong grip, but a handkerchief was pressed over her nose. She took a deep breath in her panic and darkness took over.

 When Riley’s eyes fluttered open, she jolted upright, alert. She scanned the empty classroom, then rushed toward the door.

"Take another step, and lose your legs."

 She froze. Slowly, she turned to meet the piercing blue eyes burning into her skin. Zachary sat on a table, legs crossed elegantly, his gaze locked onto the shivering girl.

"What... what do you want?" she stammered, gripping her skirt tightly.

"Simple. Bring Olivia to the party I'm throwing soon. Make sure she comes." His voice was calm, almost lazy, but the ice in his eyes made her blood run cold. "You don't want to know what will happen if you fail."

 Her eyes widened in horror.