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Lahat ng Kabanata ng THE GIRL NEXT DOOR ISN'T INNOCENT!: Kabanata 31 - Kabanata 40

89 Kabanata

31

Abigail’s povThe moment I left the restroom, my chest felt like it was tied with a rope; each breath felt tighter than the last. I tried to stay calm, but my thoughts spun in circles around Abigail. Her face, her small nervous smile, the way she always tries to hide her fear even when she’s trembling inside.And Miranda—every time I think of her near Abigail, my stomach knots in a way that makes my hands shake.People think Miranda is just another spoiled rich girl, but they don’t know what I know. Her father isn’t just wealthy; he’s a man with connections that spread like invisible wires across this entire city. He’s also my father’s closest political ally.That’s why I’ve kept my distance from Abigail in public. No one can know we’re step-siblings. If Miranda ever discovered the truth, it would be more than gossip—it would be dangerous for Abigail. A girl like Miranda doesn’t stop at humiliation. She destroys.But even knowing all that, my heart betrays me every day. The more I try

32

32Abigail’s povI couldn’t even breathe for a second.Was Alex really saying all of that for me, or was he just putting on a show so Miranda’s group would back off? My thoughts twisted in a thousand directions. I couldn’t tell if his words were real or if he was only protecting me to escape the chaos.A part of me wanted to believe him, because the way his voice rang out was low, firm, and so sure, it carried something more than simple defense. The way his eyes locked on mine when he said those things… it felt like a quiet promise. But then again, how could it be true? We are practically family.Even though his father never officially adopted me, he took me in as the child of his wife. Alex and I have lived under the same roof for years, sharing awkward breakfasts, stolen glances, and the kind of quiet care that made boundaries feel blurry. That’s what makes this so dangerous. If he really means what he’s saying, if he really wants me, then we are standing on the edge of something imp

33

Abigail’s POVMy heart pounded in my chest as if a drummer had decided to play inside me. The hallway smelled faintly of disinfectant and old books, but all I could taste was the sweetness of victory.Fascinating!Only saying that word wasn’t even enough anymore to describe my excitement. This wasn’t just fascinating. It was delicious. Sweeter than sugar, sweeter than anything I could ever describe.Watching Miranda...their so-called perfect Miranda, finally drowning in the same bitter energy she always dished out, felt like watching the universe finally remember my name.My eyes followed every twitch of her face and every ripple of panic that crossed her expression like cracks forming on glass, even the way her glossy lips trembled when Alex spoke to her, and even with her carefully brushed hair, the color of melted caramel, clinging to her sweaty forehead.For once, the mighty queen of Saint Francis Campus looked like a frightened child. I could almost hear the snap of her pride bre

34

Abigail’s POVEven though the air outside was so cold on my face when I stepped out, it wasn’t enough to cool the storm swirling in my chest. My heart was still hammering from everything that had happened, and yet, strangely, there wasn’t a single drop of regret inside me.I didn’t feel sorry—not for Miranda, not for the other girls who joined her. Why should I? They were all smiles when they thought I was their prey. They were all excited when the trap was set for me.Now they were the ones bleeding inside their perfect shoes, and every cry they let out was nothing but justice for me. If Alex hadn’t come in when he did, who knows what would have happened to me?I might have been gone and vanished without a trace while they laughed about my disappearance. No one would have asked questions. No one would have cared.So no, I wasn’t sorry. Not for a second.But my breathing still hitched when Alex’s warm hand tightened around mine. We walked side by side, with his jacket hanging loosely

35

Abigail’s POVI still couldn’t believe it. My mind kept replaying the entire scene in endless, maddening loops. Professor Kendra—of all people. The woman who, on the very first day, I’d seen kissing Alex in her office, her fingers brushing his wrist.The one I suspected had been sleeping with him just to keep his grades neat and shiny. She was the one who dared to call my mother to school.She was the one who stood there pretending to care about my education, pretending to worry about my focus in class, when in truth she had no idea who she was dealing with.It felt like betrayal on every possible level. My stomach twisted as I thought of her cool, measured voice talking to my mother about me, as if I were a project to be graded.And worst of all, she didn’t even know who my mother was. She had invited the lioness into the den without realizing she was about to be bitten.But nothing shook me as much as my mother herself. I kept seeing her face when she warned Miranda, the way her eye

36

Abigail’s POVThe kiss… it sent a shiver racing down my spine, a rush of warmth that spread through me like an electric storm. I had imagined this moment in quiet fragments of my dreams, but nothing….i wasn't having the nerve or being prepared me for the reality of it.My lips had found his before my mind even caught up. My heart beat so fast it felt like it might burst, and for a second, I didn’t care about the world outside, about rules, or about the consequences waiting like shadows beyond this night.But then—like a cruel reminder of the world we lived in, my mother’s voice cut through everything, sharp and furious, her words like knives slicing through the fragile bubble Alex and I had created.She grabbed my wrist so suddenly that I gasped, her fingers biting into my skin as she yanked me towards her.“Abigail!” Her voice cracked like a whip. Her eyes, dark and blazing, locked onto mine with a rage I had never seen before. “Are you sick in the head? What is wrong with you? Alex

37

Abigail’s POVHe didn’t understand exactly what was happening, or why I was saying things the way I did. All he knew was that I wanted him. The memory of that question, the one he asked about feelings, kept replaying in my head. When he had asked if I saw him as an older brother, I hadn’t been ready to tell the truth. I hadn’t wanted to admit it—not to him, not to anyone. That was why I had deflected, and told him to focus on the assignment, knowing he wouldn’t fully get it. I knew him too well. He was difficult, stubborn, precise and impossible sometimes.But now, everything had changed. My mother had shown up, and now he knew. I couldn’t hide anymore, and I couldn’t lie to myself either. What I felt for him wasn’t going away, and pretending it could had become impossible. My heart had no patience for secrets.Yet, when I finally spoke the truth, he had rejected me. Not harshly, but with a quiet, unwavering firmness that cut deeper than any harsh words could. He had said, we are ste

38

Abigail’s POVI needed to clear my head. Everything was a mess, and the chaos inside my chest was unbearable. I didn’t understand why Alex was acting as if I had forced him into this, as if I was the one pushing, and the one desperate.That wasn’t true. From the very first day I stepped into this house, he had been the one falling head over heels for me. I remembered it clearly—the way his gaze lingered at me, the subtle gestures he gives me and the small kindnesses that made my chest flutter.But now… now, it felt like his interest was fading, like I was chasing someone who had already pulled away. And that frustration, that burning sense of injustice, propelled me straight to the bar.I wanted to show him that I wasn’t desperate, that I had options, that I could move on if he refused me. That was why I drank, one strong glass after another, each swallow igniting a fire in me that I couldn’t quite put out. I wanted to feel free, and bold.And then I saw him…Robert. He was handsome, c

39

Abigail’s POVActually, I didn’t expect things to turn out the way they did. Deep inside me, I had been bracing for something completely different—maybe some possessive jealousy, a heated argument, him chasing me around the bar like before.That’s what I had pictured. But instead, he did something even more shocking. He was trying to beat up another person for my sake again, without even thinking of the consequences.The way he moved very fast, and mercilessly, the way he was reminded me of the night he went after Liam. That night had ended with blood on the floor, Liam clutching his side, his lips trembling, and muttering like he wanted to die.The memory haunted me. And now here it was happening again…another man in danger,and another fight because of me.My stomach twisted with dread. I didn’t want him to kill someone because of me. I didn’t want another tragedy. I didn’t want anybody to die. My heart beat so fast it felt like it would punch through my ribs. My palms grew slick, tr

40

Abigail’s POVWhen I said, “I can’t believe I fell for the fucking bad boy,” I wasn’t joking. Not even a little. If someone had whispered to me last year, or even a few months ago, that I would truly fall for him, I would have laughed in their face.It would have sounded like a bad joke, something out of a teenage fantasy rather than my life. But here I am. His presence has captured every bit of me. It makes me so weak that sometimes I feel like I can’t even control my own emotions.The way he kissed me still lingers on my lips. He’s a pro. His mouth moved over mine like he had practiced for years, like he could read every shiver, every tremor,and every part of me.For a moment, I even wanted to stop him and ask where he had learned how to kiss like that. But could I really ask that? Was it supposed to be a question? Of course he knew how. He’s Alex.The same person I had once seen with Teacher Kendra, his hands on her waist, his lips so close. If he had been with her, then of course

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