2. IT ONLY GETS WORSE
1901 Words
~NYX
I was in denial.
I was in shock and my entire body trembled as I pounded hard— frantically, against the Dean's office door.
I needed clarity. I needed to hear it to my face. Why was my scholarship getting revoked? Why was this happening to me now of all times?
Tears had not yet begun to flow because I was not ready to believe that my life was already over when it had barely begun.
The door finally came open and I met a frowning Dean. "Why, might I ask, are you disrespecting the sanctity of my office? This isn't a street bar!"
I swallowed hard as I suddenly lost my words. "I— I—"
"You're not in kindergarten, Ms Black! What do you want?" She snapped and I flinched.
Partly because of her tone and because she knew my name. She knew who I was.
"It's my scholarship. I— it's gone!" I finally let out and as if saying it out loud meant that I had admitted it, the tears I had been holding back began to flow in heaps.
Let's not even get started with the fact that I had not yet recovered from Rylan's betrayal— even if it was indirect— but it was still a f*****g betrayal!
The Dean ran a disgusted stare over my sorry state before she stepped aside and let me in. That was when I remembered how wet I was and how much attention I must have drawn while coming here.
"Have a seat, Ms Black," she offered as she fell into hers.
A crazy idea told me to fall over her feet and cry my eyes out. But I did as she offered, it was too early for a scene.
Then she folded her arms and arched her brows at me. "I understand you have complaints about your revoked scholarship. Let's hear it."
I widened my eyes at her. Thus, she was well aware of the situation. I cleared my throat and forced myself to be calm so that I could speak properly.
"I— I don't understand why my scholarship has been revoked when I have barely begun. This isn't fair. I worked my ass off to pass all the questions in the exams. I—"
Dean Calanthé suddenly burst into laughter. "So you're under the notion that you got the scholarship through your efforts?" She laughed again and I suddenly felt stupid. "Do you really think that a nobody— an orphan like you who has nothing to offer the school— got into Isis Academy on your own?"
My lips began to tremble. "I didn't?"
Calanthé finally stopped laughing and she massaged her temple gently. "Oh dear, what a mess," she said more to herself than to me. "The only reason why you were given a scholarship was because you were believed to be Rylan Snow's mate. Doing the Snow family such a favor would put them in a debt to the school. I love it when Beta Raven Snow owes my school favors."
The sickening smile that spread across her face and the dreadful realization of my situation descended upon my chest like a hard rock and I suddenly found it hard to breathe.
"The moment I saw that video of you trending and I realised you were an imposter, I had to lay you off. There's no reason for you to keep the scholarship, I gave it to Mr Snow's real mate!" She exclaimed and my world crumbled apart.
I thought of all my dreams of success. I knew that this school held the keys to my future and I was so close to finding the keys— holding on to them and Dean Calanthé had snatched them from me after getting this far.
I released a shaky breath as I stared at her desperately. "My entire life— my future depends on this moment. Don't take it away from me. There has to be a way for me to remain in this school. Please. . ."
She corked her brows at me in disgust again. "Did you read to the end of the message?"
My pleas stopped halfway and I took out my phone to read through, realising I didn't.
"Your outstanding tuition fee amounts to Forty thousand dollars. The school requires a quarter amount— ten thousand dollars paid within the next three days if you want to remain a qualified member of the school."
I shot my head up at her in shock and she shrugged at me.
"If I were you, instead of disgracing your entire family begging helplessly in my office, I would be outside searching for how to arrange the money." Then she gestured at the door. "Have a nice day, Ms Black."
I wiped my tears away, shot to my feet and waltzed toward the door. I stopped halfway and turned to her.
"I will arrange the money and I will bring it to you," I vowed before walking out of her office.
I kept walking. I did not stop. There was no time to cry or think. I just needed to keep walking and hope that my feet would lead me to the money, somehow.
I exited the school building. It was still filled with freshmen who were hyped to be here and my heart instantly ached, knowing that I was about to lose it all.
Who was I kidding? There was no way that I could arrange ten thousand dollars in such a short time.
My resolve began to weaken and I was only a few seconds close to breaking down. I walked out the school's main large gates. I kept moving, I had no idea where I was going. I just had to go somewhere.
I had no idea how long I walked before my legs finally gave way. My clothes were only cold now, dried out with the dread and helplessness radiating from me.
When my knees hit the ground, I began to wail loudly. I hugged my knees tight and after so long, I missed my parents, even if I had no idea what they looked like or who they were. All I had was their name— the one they left for me.
Rylan had abandoned me and now, even Isis was abandoning me.
"Please. . . I'll do anything to stay here. I'll give anything," I cried.
And as if the heavens were finally working in my favor, a very cold wind blew at me, carrying dust with it that I had to squint my eyes to see.
Along with the wind, came a poster that hit me bare in the face. I grabbed it angrily and was about to tear it to shreds when I stopped at the dollar bills displayed at the very top.
"Need quick and fast money?" I began to read out loud. "Strippers are in high demand these days. Meet me at Blue Lake Club, let's have a chat and secure some dollar bills, honey!"
I frowned. I was not about to sell my body because of some wads of cash!
But I stopped again. I had just three days. There was no job that could pay me that much in five months, not to mention three days. No one I knew could loan me the money, not even the bank.
It was close to impossible unless I considered this option. I could negotiate a good price. At least, if I could make five thousand dollars in three days, I could go back to the Dean and throw myself at her feet until she agreed to give me more time.
"I'm doing this," I whispered in a broken voice and started heading to this mysterious club.
I eventually took a taxi cab as walking seemed next to impossible. It was already dark when we arrived and I paid the driver what I owed before hesitantly walking to the entrance.
"What do you want?" The bouncer at the door demanded, dressed in black.
I flinched and thought of running away but my big mouth opened and I spoke. "I— I saw this and I want to apply."
I showed him the small poster. He shot me a scrutinized glare for a few seconds before gesturing at me to follow him. We walked around the building in silence and he led me in through the back door.
"Get Evelyn," he announced to one of the girls standing in the hallway.
They were all half naked. Most were only clad in nets, leaving little to the imagination while some of them barely covered vital parts.
A woman soon appeared with crazy curves that she almost made me jealous. She had large boobs which were barely kept in the bra she wore. They were so close to spilling out. And her ass was another story to tell, barely held together in a tiny underwear.
"I'll take it from here, Sugar," the woman announced as she swept back her blond hair.
The bouncer bowed before walking away and she turned to me.
"So, have you done this before?" She asked.
I was not so much of a bad dancer. All I had to do was wear revealing clothes and dance for some crazy perverts. I could do it.
"N— not really but I'll do it," I muttered.
"Good, you're in luck because we're short of girls. He's rejected all the other girls, let's hope he accepts you." She led me to a room filled with other girls. Then she grabbed a tiny set of red clothes. "Wear this."
It was an order. I shakily took it from her. I had thought that we would be talking about price but it seemed working first was the priority.
I started to undress and to wear them. The top piece was just a bra and I realised the skirt was very short and free that it almost revealed my butt.
Evelyn grabbed a brush and went through my hair as quickly as possible. When she was done, she smiled mischievously at me before stabbing a syringe into my neck and I gasped. The rest of the girls broke into laughter.
"This is a cheat code. It will make the job even easier," she whispered while fear began to creep up my spine.
What had she done to me?
I felt dizzy and the world began to spin but Evelyn didn't let me recover, she started dragging me away through the hallways and only stopped when we reached a door.
She knocked once before pushing me into the dimly lit room and shutting it behind me.
"Evelyn!" I screamed and began banging on the door.
A low growl echoed from behind me, startling me and I turned instantly. When my eyes descended on what had made that sound, I gasped.
There was a man standing in the shadows. The room was dimly lit by a single candle but I could see his outline perfectly.
He was tall, the type of height that demanded authority from all who gazed upon him. He was naked with a promising but dangerously enticing body that caused my usually dormant wolf to stir from within my core.
His eyes glowed a crimson color and his gaze was fixed hungrily on me— like a predator about to pounce on its prey. . .
- Writer
