Chapter 3

LARA'S POV 

I went from the unknown top student to being the school celebrity in just a day after the new year celebration. 

As seniors, we resumed back to school a week earlier than other students and damn, it's not easy a bit. 

Jeff has found out that the video is photoshopped but who will believe me that it's a photoshopped video? I was really tempted to yell everyone the kind of relationship I had with Reis but what evidence do I have to back it up? 

I had to live when the trauma of seeing the guy I love laugh at me while playing with his lover, Dad also get scorned in the neighborhood, for raising his daughter wrong. 

One week passed in a flash and by that time, the news isn't as fresh as before, but still no one can forget it and I still go back to being an outcast who can't even pass where others are sitting. 

Even if I was called by a teacher to answer a question in class, those mocking stares and smirks irk my ego so much that my weekly reports retention rate dropped to the lowest it could get and I couldn't do anything about it. 

Reis manipulated me more, wanting me to continue doing his assignments and all secretly just like before but I refuse to be used by him, not after everything he did. 

The Monday after the school start-up chaos and all that, the quiet storm ceased again as a new student arrived in school.

That day, I was in the library, busy with my arithmetic again when my phone starts beeping with several messages that surprised me. 

Checking it, I saw the school blog already jam-packed, as if a new scandal like mine has broke out. Curiously, I checked only to see messages Poppin in because some new student has arrived. 

I hissed in disgust, what new student is that, that caused the school blog to spike up again. Just as I continued working again, the door to the library cracked open. 

I didn't bother to look back, as I wasn't expecting anyone and a school public library is for everyone, but to my surprise, the fellow didn't make any noise which is so unusual in our library. 

It's scarce to see a student in the library but this time of the day that lessons is still going on, and in our senior class, none of them takes library this serious. I stood up from my chair, pack my books and thought of leaving after seeing whoever it was.

Just as I took a step away from my seat, that strange aura that seems very imposing hit me out of nowhere and I feel like I'm in the prescence of that guy from January 1st. 

I shook my head, trying not to believe my instincts so I proceed to still see which student is there during lesson hours only for me to got to a certain cubicle and gust of smoke hit me.

"Ewww, who smokes in the library?"  I cried, brushing off the smoke to see the offender. 

The fellow puffed out the smoke into my direction again and I started coughing. "Who are you!?" I screamed again, clearly offended by the smoke. 

He smoke goes down, and sitting before me was the handsome fellow I slept with on January 1st.

No. I shook my head, "No it can't be!" I tried reassuring myself again but yes, it's true. His features are just like that day. Bold, elegant and graceful just like a model and the type of man that I love.

He also seems to just recognized me, we both gasped in horror and point accusation finger at each other, "You....?"

He quickly dropped the cigarette and crush the end with his boot, all thanks to the fact that we're at the far end section of the library, the librarian would have ordered us out. 

I gulped hard and timidly, my brain swelling up with the heat and shock I just received. This is going to be the worst year in my life I'm sure enough now. 

First the betrayal, then the night stand and the fake news, and now... A new Nemesis? 

"What are you doing here?" He asked, his voice sounding kinda husky like the day I met him.

I wish the ground could open up and swallow me because I'm almost drowning in embrassment. Seeing the guy that too my virginity before me... Ohhh

I didn't answer his questions but I ran out of the library and bolt toward the classroom. I got to my seat, and the empty seat beside me is already occupied with a bagpack and books. 

I frowned but day down gently, to avoid attention.  But despite the silence I had ensured, they all seems to be looking my way and I wonder what it is this time. 

However, after the classes and no one showed up for the new seat, I gave up on guessing who owns the bag and books, I packed my bags to go home.

I got to the entrance and was stopped by Jenna, one of the girls in our class, also nerdy but still more social than me, standing there and giggling like she's won a lottery.

I shrugged and ignored her to continue walking but she stopped me, pleading look on her face as she asked politely, "Can you come with me to the hockey field, please?"

I frowned. "All of a sudden? Why?" 

"No. It's just..." She breathed erratically, "I want to confess to Luther before anyone does, so I don't know how to go about it and I heard he's joined the hockey team and is playing against Reis Armani tonight"

Her explanations made no sense to me. A girl that doesn't talk to me suddenly asking me to watch the hockey game with her because she wants to confess? 

Only if she knows what confessing first has done to me in the past. I hissed in disgust and try walking away but she held me back, "Lara please;" 

I stopped, "What are you scheming Jenna? I've never watched hockey and I don't like it" I clap back not giving her space to explain. The fact that she wants to confess first still angering me. 

"But it's Luther playing against Reis!" She  insisted.

I was still confused and kept in the dark because I don't understand anything from what she was saying.

"Jenna please.... I don't know who Luther is or what you're planning but..." 

"You don't know the new student sitting beside you is Luther? Luther Whitman?" 

My chest tightened, "What new student? No one came to the seat?" 

Her face lit up as she grabbed my hand, "Come with me" 

Before I could know it, she pulled my hand and forced me to the stadium with her. For the first time since being a student here for five years, I came to this stadium to watch hockey. 

"I'm really an outcast" I thought to myself and which is true.

We made our way through the crowd tj the first row of the seats which was overcrowded with alot of girls. I looked at the field, I understand nothing about hockey and it feels strange.

Jenna snapped me back to attention, "That's him. Luther Whitman, the new student sitting beside you" she pointed to a particular direction. 

My legs froze on the spot like I've turned to a mold of salt. Luther Whitman is the new student and the one sitting beside me? 

The and the Luther Whitman is none other than him — that I gave my virginity to!!