Sunset Lines on Notebook Paper

CHAPTER 2: THE RIVALRY AND THE NEW SHIELD

I stood there frozen, watching Elias flip through the pages of my most precious possession. My hands were trembling, and I could feel my heart pounding against my ribs so hard I thought it might burst out. That notebook held everything—my dreams, my fears, my memories from home, and all the pain I had been feeling since I arrived here. It was the only thing that made me feel safe, and now it was in the hands of the person who hated me the most.

“Please… please give that back to me,” I pleaded, my voice barely above a whisper. I tried to reach for it again, but he simply moved it further away, his eyes scanning the words I had written with amusement and disdain.

“Wow,” Elias scoffed, shaking his head as he read another entry. “You really have a lot of time to waste, don’t you? Writing all this nonsense. ‘I wish people would look past my appearance and see my heart…’” He looked at me then, his eyes filled with mockery. “Who do you think you are? Some kind of tragic heroine? News flash, Lila—no one cares about your heart. To everyone here, you’re just the clumsy transferee who brings bad luck wherever she goes.”

“Elias, give that back to her. You have no right to read that.”

A calm but firm voice cut through the tension. We both turned toward the door, and there stood Kian Delos Reyes.

If Elias was the king of sports and popularity, Kian was the prince of intelligence and integrity. He was also tall and handsome, but his aura was completely different. While Elias radiated power and intimidation, Kian gave off warmth and approachability. He was the Student Council President, a top scholar, and known throughout the school as someone who stood up for justice and fairness. Everyone knew that they were rivals—competing in every aspect of school life, from grades to leadership positions.

Kian walked steadily toward us, his gaze fixed on Elias. “I said give it back. That’s her personal property. Didn’t your parents teach you that it is wrong to take other people’s things without permission?”

Elias narrowed his eyes, his expression turning even colder. “And why do you care, Delos Reyes? Since when did you become the protector of nobodies?”

“Since you started acting like a bully,” Kian replied without backing down. He stopped right beside me, placing himself between me and Elias. “Give it back, Elias. Or do I need to report this to the discipline office? They would surely love to hear the news that the famous Elias Varela steals things and harasses his fellow students.”

For a moment, they stared at each other, the tension between them thick enough to cut with a knife. Everyone in the classroom was watching, holding their breath, waiting to see what would happen.

Finally, Elias let out a harsh laugh. “Fine. Take it. It’s not worth my time anyway.” He threw the notebook onto the floor right in front of my feet. “But mark my words, Kian. You chose the wrong side. Defending her won’t make you look like a hero. It will only make you look as pathetic as she is.”

He shot me one last glare before walking away, followed closely by Marco and Trina. As they passed by, Trina leaned close to whisper in my ear, “Enjoy the protection while it lasts, nerd. Kian won’t be there to save you forever.”

I bent down quickly to pick up my notebook, hugging it tightly against my chest. I felt so small and helpless, but then I felt a gentle hand pat my shoulder.

“Are you okay?” Kian asked softly, looking down at me with concern in his eyes.

I nodded quickly, wiping the tears that had started to form. “Y-yes… thank you, Kian. If it weren’t for you, I would never have gotten it back.”

“Don’t mention it,” he smiled, and it was like the sun coming out after a storm. “I know exactly what kind of people they are. Don’t worry, as long as I’m here, they will never be able to mistreat you that easily.”

That was the start of everything.

Because from that day on, Elias’ hatred toward me multiplied tenfold. What was once just annoyance and anger turned into something deeper—something mixed with jealousy and possessiveness, though he would never admit it even to himself. The fact that his biggest rival was defending me, talking to me, and treating me with kindness made him see me as even more of a threat.

And as for me, I found myself caught right in the middle of their intense rivalry.

The days that followed became even more difficult, but now I had someone who stood by my side.

Every morning, Kian would wait for me by the school gate and walk me to our classroom. During breaks, he would sit with me under the mango tree or in the cafeteria, making sure that no one bothered me. He would help me with my lessons, lend me books, and talk to me like I was an equal—something no one else here had ever done.

“You know, Lila,” Kian said one afternoon while we were reviewing for our upcoming exams, “you’re actually very smart. You understand lessons even faster than most students here. It’s just such a waste that you can’t show your true potential because they keep disturbing and harassing you.”

I looked down at my notes, feeling my cheeks heat up. “Thank you, Kian… but sometimes I just wonder why you go through all this trouble to help me. There are so many other friends you could have who are more popular and more beautiful than I am.”

Kian chuckled softly, tapping my notebook gently. “Because I don’t choose friends based on appearance or status. I choose them based on who they are inside. And I see you, Lila. I see how kind you are, how hardworking, and how much you endure just to get through each day. You deserve to be treated with respect and kindness.”

His words touched my heart more than he knew. For the first time since I arrived here, I felt like I belonged somewhere. I started to feel a little braver, a little more confident. But every time I felt happy or safe, Elias was always there to remind me that I was still his target.

And now, his attacks became more personal and intense, fueled by the sight of me and Kian together.

One time, we were in the middle of our History class. Kian and I were discussing a topic when Elias suddenly slammed his hand on the table, making everyone jump.

“You two are making so much noise over there,” Elias said loudly, looking directly at us. “It’s not like you’re talking about something important. Or are you just trying to get each other’s attention? That’s such a classic move, isn’t it? Using your studies just so you can spend time with the Student Council President.”

“We are not doing anything wrong, Elias,” Kian replied calmly, though I could see the tightening of his jaw. “We’re studying. Something you should try doing instead of wasting time finding faults in others.”

“Of course you would say that,” Elias smirked, his eyes shifting to me. “You always play the good guy. But everyone knows the truth. She’s just using you, Kian. She knows she has nowhere else to turn, so she approached you. Her only intention is to use you as her protection.”

“You’re wrong!” I found myself speaking up, surprising even myself. “I am not using him! He is just my friend!”

Elias looked at me, and for a split second, I saw something flash in his eyes—was it hurt? Or anger? But it disappeared just as quickly as it came, replaced by that usual coldness.

“Friend?” he scoffed. “Please. People like you don’t know the meaning of true friendship. You only know how to take advantage of others. Enjoy it while it lasts, Lila. Soon enough, he’ll realize what you really are, and then you’ll be all alone again.”

His words cut deep, and I felt my confidence crumble once more. I looked down at my desk, holding back tears, while Elias continued to stare at me as if waiting for me to say something else.

Trina, seeing how close I was getting to Kian and how much attention I was receiving even from Elias, became even more vicious. She started spreading rumors throughout the whole school, twisting the truth to make me look like the villain.

“Did you hear?” Trina whispered loudly to her friends during lunch, making sure I could hear every word. “They say she really did spill juice on Elias on purpose. Just to get his attention. And when Elias didn’t give her what she wanted, she moved on to Kian instead. She’s so good at switching from one guy to another, isn’t she? She acts like such an angel, but the truth is she’s nothing but a deceiver.”

“Is that really true?” one of her friends replied, feigning shock. “She has such a terrible personality. I really thought she was a nice person. But I guess the rumors are true. There’s no other reason why Kian would protect her so much unless she did something to trick him into liking her.”

“Exactly,” Trina continued, throwing me a hateful look. “You all better be careful around her. She knows exactly how to play her cards. She is not the innocent girl you think she is. She is someone who will do absolutely anything just to become popular and rich.”

The rumors spread like wildfire. Soon, students I didn’t even know started looking at me with judgment and disgust. They would whisper behind my back, point fingers when I walked by, and even refuse to sit near me in class. I became known as the “gold digger transferee” who used boys for her own benefit.

Every time I heard those words, I wanted to scream and tell them the truth. I wanted to tell them that I never wanted any of this, that I just wanted to study in peace. But I knew it was useless. Once rumors start spreading, it’s almost impossible to stop them. And what hurt the most was seeing Elias listening to all of it and doing nothing to correct them. In fact, he looked like he believed every single word.

The tension reached its peak during the annual School Sports Fest.

It was one of the biggest events of the year, where all classes competed against each other in various sports and activities. Elias was leading the basketball team, while Kian was in charge of organizing the whole event as Student Council President. I was assigned to help with the decorations and documentation, something I was actually good at.

I spent days preparing posters, banners, and designs for our team. I wanted to do my best, hoping that maybe this would show everyone that I was capable of contributing something good. I worked until late hours every day, putting all my heart and effort into every piece I made.

On the opening day, everything was set up perfectly. The gymnasium looked colorful and lively, filled with the designs I created. I was standing near the entrance, looking at my work with a small sense of pride, when suddenly a group of people approached me.

It was Elias, Marco, Trina, and their friends. They stopped right in front of me, blocking my way.

“It looks nice,” Marco said, looking around at the decorations with a smirk. “I really thought it was beautiful, until I found out you were the one who made it. Suddenly, it doesn’t look good anymore.”

Trina walked closer, circling around me like a predator looking at its prey. “You really are talented, Lila. Not just in playing games with boys, but in arts as well. I bet you use this skill too just to impress them, right? So that everyone will think how smart and amazing you are.”

“I am not doing anything wrong,” I said, trying to sound brave even though my hands were shaking. “I am just doing my job.”

“Job?” Elias spoke up, his voice sharp and cold. He stepped forward, towering over me. “You call this work? This is just another way for you to get attention. Everything you do has an agenda, isn’t it? You help here, you study there, you act innocent… all so people will like you and take your side. But I know who you really are, Lila. You’re fake. Everything about you is fake.”

“That’s not true!” I raised my voice, tears finally escaping my eyes. “Why do you always have to ruin everything I do? What have I ever done to you, aside from accidentally spilling juice on you? Why do you hate me this much?!”

Elias looked taken aback for a moment, as if he didn’t expect me to fight back. But quickly, his expression hardened even more.

“Because every time I look at you, I remember how you ruined my dreams!” he shouted back, making everyone nearby turn to look at us. “I worked so hard for those drawings! I was supposed to win that competition and get a scholarship to study arts abroad! But because of your clumsiness, everything was gone! And now you have the nerve to act like you’re the victim here?! You don’t deserve anything good in life, Lila! Especially not the attention you’re getting from Kian!”

The last part came out louder than he intended, and I saw his eyes widen slightly, as if he didn’t mean to say that out loud. But it was too late. Everyone heard it, including Kian who was just arriving at the scene.

Kian walked over quickly, his face filled with anger. “Elias, that’s enough. You’ve gone too far.”

“Too far?” Elias turned to face him, his eyes blazing. “You’re the one telling me that? You, who even though you already know what she is, still choose to protect her! Do you have any idea what people are saying about the two of you? That she is just using you! But it seems like you don’t mind at all! You actually enjoy playing the hero for her!”

“Unlike you, I know how to judge people based on facts and not just because of your own personal hatred,” Kian replied, standing beside me and placing a protective arm around my shoulder. “Lila is not like that. She’s one of the most genuine people I have ever met. And you’re just too blind with anger to see it.”

The atmosphere was explosive. The whole gymnasium had gone quiet, watching the confrontation between the two most powerful boys in school. It was clear that their rivalry had now reached a whole new level, and I was the reason behind it.

Trina, seeing how Elias was reacting and how close I was standing next to Kian, couldn’t hold it in anymore. She stepped forward, her voice filled with venom.

“You know what, Kian? You shouldn’t trust her so easily! I heard something… they say that maybe what happened that day wasn’t just an accident. Someone told me she actually had someone trip you on purpose, Elias. She planned the whole thing just to get your attention. And when it didn’t work, she moved on to someone else!”

My heart stopped. I looked at Elias, waiting for him to deny it, waiting for him to say that he knew it wasn’t true. But instead, he looked at me with eyes filled with doubt and disgust.

“Is that true?” Elias asked, his voice low and dangerous. “Did you really plan everything from the start?”

I shook my head vigorously, tears streaming down my face. “No! That’s not true! Why would I ever do something like that?!”

“But why are so many people saying it?” Trina pressed on. “Maybe the reason why you always try to get close to popular boys is because you only want power and fame. You don’t want anything else except to be noticed, right?”

Elias looked at me, waiting for an answer. But when I couldn’t say anything else besides my denial, he let out a bitter laugh.

“They are right,” he said, looking away from me like I was something dirty. “I should have known. Everything was too convenient. You came here, ruined my future, and then made everyone feel sorry for you. You really are good at this game, Lila. But I won’t let you win. I will make sure that you get what you deserve.”

He turned around and walked away, followed by Trina and the others, leaving me standing there crying in front of everyone. Kian tried to comfort me, but I could barely hear his words. All I could think about was how Elias believed those lies. How he chose to see me as the villain instead of the victim.

Little did I know that this was just the beginning of a much bigger storm. That the rivalry between them would only grow stronger, and that in the midst of all this hate and conflict, feelings were starting to grow—feelings that neither of them was ready to admit, and feelings that would only make everything more complicated.

And worst of all, I still had no idea that there was a betrayal waiting just around the corner—one that would break my trust completely and change everything I thought I knew.