9

Chapter 9

Adele Wilson

‘90kg’

I exhaled as I stepped down from the weighing machine Jason had me stand on.

“Will this work?”

“If you are determined, it will.” Jason heard me even though I had whispered those words to myself.

“Since we are just starting, let's just warm up today. Five laps… and we'll call it a day. For today.”

My eyes widened as I looked around the track.

No, I can't do this.

I gave up mentally, but I knew I couldn't tell Jason, so it was no point.

“Okay…” I forced a smile.

His eyes roamed around my body. “What's with your clothes?”

I bit my lip as I looked down at the baggy shirt and pants I was wearing… My usual style of dressing.

“I'll get one later in the day.” I muttered, but deep inside me, I knew I couldn't afford it.

He looked away from me, stretching his body. “Let's go.”

He took off, and I followed.

First, it was jogging, and on the second lap, he increased his pace.

My heart pounded hard in my chest, my breath stuttered, and my legs weakened, begging for rest as I dragged them behind Jason, but I didn't stop. I couldn't give Jason the impression that I can't do this.

We barely finished the second lap when I collapsed to the ground with a loud thud.

My cheeks burned hot… with embarrassment.

“I can't do this.” I said, breathing heavily.

My throat dried as Jason’s footsteps echoed across the field, then the next minute, he was towering over me, his face was blank as always. “Who said it was going to be easy, Adele?”

“If you want to make a change in your life, then you need to challenge yourself.”

I forced myself to my feet, ignoring the pain that exploded through my body. “It's just that…”

My voice trailed off as the academy's loud whistle came on.

“You should go back to the dorm and shower. I'll join you for breakfast in the canteen…” he patted my shoulder, and I felt something spark inside me. “Good job.”

He gave me a small faint smile before walking away.

A smile spread across my lips as I stared after him.

‘You need to do a good job, Adele. Don't make Jason waste his time on you’.

I dragged myself out of the field, and headed back to my dorm room.

Viola wasn't in the room when I went inside, so I arranged clothes in the empty closet in the room, before leaving the room to go use the ladies’ washroom.

The noise coming from the washroom as I approached it, slowed down my pace, my hands tightened around my towel, and my heart twisted in my chest.

I couldn't imagine myself bathing with the other girls. I wasn't up for bullying. At least not this morning.

“I'll just shower later.”

I concluded, turning to go back to the dorm room, when I heard Viola’s voice behind me.

“Adele… Aren't you coming here?”

She stood in front of the washroom, waving at me. She had only a white towel wrapped around her chest.

“Uhm… I was…” my voice faded into silence, and I bit my lip.

She came to me, holding my hand. “You are going to be late for class. Let's go.”

She didn't wait for me to resist as she dragged me to the washroom.

A flush spread from my chest to my ears as I stepped into the washroom.

The other girls were there… including Chloe.

They threw me disgusting glares. As if I was a piece of shit.

Coming here was a bad idea.

“Look who we have here… if not the voluminous Adele!” Chloe gasped, and the other girls laughed.

I took a step back, swallowing the lump in my throat.

“Why are you here, fatty?” She grimaced. “Careful, Adele… the pipes might file a harassment complaint for overuse.”

I held my gaze low, clenching my jaw tightly as tears welled up in my eyes. I tried looking for the courage to talk back to her, but I didn't find any. I was too scared to.

“Why don't you leave while I'm being nice, Adele?”

My grip tightened around the towel. ‘Why do I have to leave when the washroom belongs to every student in the academy?’

But I couldn't ask her. Instead, I just turned around and started leaving.

Maybe I deserved this. Maybe if I’d just kept quiet all my life, no one would have noticed me.

“Adele is with me.” Viola's voice brought me to an abrupt halt.

I turned to find her standing in front of Chloe as if challenging her. “And why should she leave? She's also a student of this academy, and the last time I checked, the washroom is for all the ladies.”

Chloe clenched her jaw tightly and balled her fists, her eyes blazing with fury.

“Why don't you stay out of this, Viola?”

“Why should I stay out of it? Any reason?”

Chloe scoffed. Her expression gave her away. She felt defeated.

“This is not over yet!” She glared at Viola before leaving with her minions, pushing me out of their way.

“Who is she? I don't think I've seen her before.”

“Did she just dismiss Chloe?”

“Oh, my goodness! She's so beautiful. She's even friends with Adele.”

My stomach sparked with excitement as I heard the other girls in the washroom whisper, while throwing glances our way.

I turned to Viola. “Thank you for saving me.”

I still didn’t know how Jason had pulled strings to make Viola my roommate… or why she’d even agreed.

She smiled softly. “I only did what I had to do.”

“Come on, we are going to be late to school.”

We bathed together and headed back to the dorm to get ready for the day.

“Let's go have breakfast.” She held my hand and clasped her fingers with mine as we headed out of the room.

It felt weird. It was the first time someone was ever this close to me. Nobody has ever wanted to be my friend. I couldn't call her a friend, but the way she treated me… how she defended me. No one ever did that for me.

We arrived at the canteen, and she called out with a bright smile on her face. “Jase!”

I traced her gaze to Jason who was already waiting in the canteen.

Jase? Do they know each other before?