chapter 30 " Shattered in a second "

The hallway outside the music room was quiet—almost unnaturally so. The usual buzz of Brentford’s elite had dulled, replaced by something colder. More watchful.

Helena clutched her books tighter, her thoughts still spinning from the principal’s warning and the unease she couldn’t shake ever since Henry showed up. The boy was arrogant. Bold. Too bold.

And now she was alone.

She didn’t see him coming.

“Helena,” a voice said behind her.

She turned, and there he was—Henry Adedayo, the new transfer with the sharp smile and a crew that followed him like shadows. His uniform blazer was slung lazily over one shoulder, and a mischievous gleam lit his eyes.

“I’ve been looking for you,” he said, stepping closer.

Helena backed away slightly. “Why?”

“To give you something,” he said.

Before she could react, he grabbed her waist and kissed her.

It was fast. Hard. Unwanted.

She shoved him off, heart pounding. “What the hell is wrong with you?!”

Footsteps thundered down the corridor.

She turned—just in time to see Greg.

His expression crumpled. Hurt. Disbelief. Rage.

“Greg—no—wait, it’s not—”

But he was already walking away. Shoulders stiff. Head down.

“Greg!” she cried, running after him.

Henry watched, smug. “You should’ve kissed me back. That would’ve been more fun.”

Helena didn’t even hesitate—she slapped him across the face, the sound echoing down the empty hall.

“You ever touch me again, and I swear—”

She didn’t finish. She just ran.

Greg was fast, but Helena was desperate.

She caught up with him near the quad, breathless. “Please, Greg. Let me explain.”

He didn’t turn. “What is there to explain?”

“I didn’t kiss him! He ambushed me—I didn’t want it!”

Greg finally faced her, his eyes cold and wet. “Do you know what it looked like, Helena? Do you even understand what that did to me?”

“I swear—on everything—I pushed him away!”

He paused, jaw clenched.

Then whispered, “I believed in you.”

And just like that—he walked away.

Leaving Helena frozen.

Alone.

And somewhere, watching from behind the window of the library, Bianca smiled.

Cliffhanger Ending – Chapter Thirty

That evening, a photo was posted anonymously on Brentford’s student forum.

A blurry shot.

Helena. Henry. The kiss.

No context. Just chaos.

And under the photo, a caption in red font:

“The game resets now. One queen must fall.” 👑

Certainly! Here's the continued Chapter Thirty of The Bully Who Fell First, picking up right after the shocking hallway kiss and the emotional fallout as rumors spiral out of control.

Chapter Thirty (Continued): The Kiss That Broke Us

Helena stood frozen in the courtyard long after Greg walked away. The laughter from the school lawn felt muffled, distant—like a world she no longer belonged in.

Her cheeks burned. From shame. From anger. From helplessness.

She finally turned, walked back into the building, picked up her books with trembling hands, and made her way straight to the girls’ restroom.

She needed to breathe.

To cry.

To think.

But just as she pushed the door open, Bianca stepped out, phone in hand, fake sympathy stretched across her face like glossy lip gloss.

“Rough day?” Bianca asked sweetly. “Didn’t expect to see you locking lips with the new kid.”

Helena’s eyes narrowed. “You’re behind this.”

Bianca gave an innocent shrug. “I don’t control who you kiss, Helena. Or do you not remember it?”

Helena clenched her jaw. “He kissed me. I pushed him away.”

Bianca leaned in, her voice a poisonous whisper. “Doesn’t matter what you remember. What matters is what everyone else sees. And oh honey… they’ve seen plenty.”

Helena’s phone buzzed.

She pulled it out, heart sinking as she saw the group message notifications and comments flood in.

[Brentford Gossip Board]

@queenbee👑: Looks like Helena’s collecting boys like trophies.

@anontruthz: Greg dumped for the new hotshot Henry? Savage.

@BiancaRules: Some people move on fast. 🤷‍♀️

Her breath caught.

She pushed past Bianca, fury in every step.

Cafeteria – 20 Minutes Later

Tessy was sitting alone, earbuds in, poking at a half-eaten slice of apple pie, when Helena slid into the seat across from her.

“I need to talk,” Helena said.

Tessy blinked. “I heard. Greg… saw something?”

Helena exhaled sharply. “Henry kissed me. I didn’t ask him to. I slapped him the moment it happened, but—Greg saw it first.”

Tessy frowned. “And he just… walked away?”

Helena nodded. “Won’t take my calls. He’s gone radio silent.”

Tessy folded her arms. “Let me guess—Bianca’s already spreading screenshots?”

“I’m drowning,” Helena whispered.

“No,” Tessy said firmly. “You’re not. That girl has pulled this kind of manipulation before. And Greg? If he truly knows you, he’ll come around. And if he doesn’t—”

“I still love him,” Helena whispered.

Tessy reached across the table, squeezing her hand. “Then fight for him. Don’t let them rewrite your story.”

End of Chapter Thirty

Later that night, Greg sat on the hood of his car outside the Carter estate, scrolling endlessly through his phone. Photo after photo. Comment after comment.

His heart felt like it had been ripped out of his chest.

But one message stood out. From Theo.

THEO: Dude. Check your email. The photo was staged. I’ve got proof. Surveillance footage outside the art wing. Henry set it up.

Greg’s blood ran cold.

He clicked the file.

And what he saw… changed everything.

Would you like to move into Chapter Thirty-One where Greg confronts Henry, and Helena finds herself cornered by Bianca in a classroom—or would you prefer to dive into Greg’s POV next?

Helena stood frozen in the courtyard long after Greg walked away. The laughter from the school lawn felt muffled, distant—like a world she no longer belonged in.

Her cheeks burned. From shame. From anger. From helplessness.

She finally turned, walked back into the building, picked up her books with trembling hands, and made her way straight to the girls’ restroom.

She needed to breathe.

To cry.

To think.

But just as she pushed the door open, Bianca stepped out, phone in hand, fake sympathy stretched across her face like glossy lip gloss.

“Rough day?” Bianca asked sweetly. “Didn’t expect to see you locking lips with the new kid.”

Helena’s eyes narrowed. “You’re behind this.”

Bianca gave an innocent shrug. “I don’t control who you kiss, Helena. Or do you not remember it?”

Helena clenched her jaw. “He kissed me. I pushed him away.”

Bianca leaned in, her voice a poisonous whisper. “Doesn’t matter what you remember. What matters is what everyone else sees. And oh honey… they’ve seen plenty.”

Helena’s phone buzzed.

She pulled it out, heart sinking as she saw the group message notifications and comments flood in.

[Brentford Gossip Board]

@queenbee👑: Looks like Helena’s collecting boys like trophies.

@anontruthz: Greg dumped for the new hotshot Henry? Savage.

@BiancaRules: Some people move on fast. 🤷‍♀️

Her breath caught.

She pushed past Bianca, fury in every step.

Cafeteria – 20 Minutes Later

Tessy was sitting alone, earbuds in, poking at a half-eaten slice of apple pie, when Helena slid into the seat across from her.

“I need to talk,” Helena said.

Tessy blinked. “I heard. Greg… saw something?”

Helena exhaled sharply. “Henry kissed me. I didn’t ask him to. I slapped him the moment it happened, but—Greg saw it first.”

Tessy frowned. “And he just… walked away?”

Helena nodded. “Won’t take my calls. He’s gone radio silent.”

Tessy folded her arms. “Let me guess—Bianca’s already spreading screenshots?”

“I’m drowning,” Helena whispered.

“No,” Tessy said firmly. “You’re not. That girl has pulled this kind of manipulation before. And Greg? If he truly knows you, he’ll come around. And if he doesn’t—”

“I still love him,” Helena whispered.

Tessy reached across the table, squeezing her hand. “Then fight for him. Don’t let them rewrite your story.”

End of Chapter Thirty

Later that night, Greg sat on the hood of his car outside the Carter estate, scrolling endlessly through his phone. Photo after photo. Comment after comment.

His heart felt like it had been ripped out of his chest.

But one message stood out. From Theo.

THEO: Dude. Check your email. The photo was staged. I’ve got proof. Surveillance footage outside the art wing. Henry set it up.

Greg’s blood ran cold.

He clicked the file.

And what he saw… changed everything.