Another love

chapter 8

Chapter 8

News of my face injury had spread like wildfire. Great, just great. I muttered to myself, my eyes scanning the crowdy hallway. I could feel the weight of curious eyes on me as I tried to avoid eye contact, wishing the ground would swallow me to save me from this embarrassment. I was talking about trying to make myself invisible. I guess this new attention seems strange; at least it was not my beauty they were focusing on. Though it wasn't just my new looks that changed, Atlas's behavior towards me had taken a 360° turn to the worst. Gone was the charming, overprotective, loving boyfriend, now replaced by a total stranger—a cold, distant, and nonchalant stranger.I tried brushing it off, saying to myself that he's busy with school and work, but deep down within me, I knew the truth: my injury made me ugly in his eyes, so ugly that he could not bear to look at me anymore, but it was not my fault in the first place. Why am I being punished? As I moved through the walkway, my body was heavy from all the embarrassment I've gotten since my accident.Whispers and stares follow me like a shadow, making me feel like a clown in a freak show. I just wanted to run, hide, and disappear into the thin air.But it was more difficult to escape the feeling I was getting from Atlas. I mean, we were practically inseparable, and now he could not bear to look at me. He was more like my best friend, but now he feels like a stranger, and I'm the stranger with a disfigured face and a bruised ego.I felt a heavy lump in my throat as tears gathered and threatened to fall from my eyes as I thought about it. Was I really ugly to him now? Was I just a trophy for him? My injury—had it taken away my worth in his eyes? Was he ashamed of me?I pushed my thoughts aside, trying to focus on getting through my day without feeling worse than I already feel. It was hard to shake off the feeling of being abandoned by someone you love.'Stella'..... A soft voice whispered my name echoing through the air as I entered the classroom. I turned to a strange voice as my eyes locked on a familiar face—a strange girl. Oh!! One of those hybrid kids I recalled. What did she want with me this time? I wondered; they never seemed good, at least to me.Her eyes gleamed with a strange, intense look as she approached. Hey, Stella, she called again as she moved closer. How are you?Hello, how can I help you? I said, being a little defensive.The hybrid kids are never good news, I thought. Relax, Stella.She said with a smile, I'm just checking up on you. I know it's pretty hard with all the things you're going through, your boyfriend, your scar, and everything else. It's quite hard to handle. But "I need to tell you something." Her voice trailed off like a moving car on the desert road, as if the words were too dangerous to speak aloud, leaving an unknown secret in the air. My heart began to race in panic, a sense of foreboding setting in. 'What about him?' I pressed, my voice barely above a whisper, tumbling...The girl's eyes darted around the room as if she were scared of being watched. ' I have something to show you... I don't know if I'm doing the right thing. I know I should be minding my business, but you're actually someone I look up to, and I know you feel that way, that way, but look at this video. It's like a bombshell. I saw a video of Atlas and a girl having raw sex.The room around me began to spin as Atlas betrayal pierced my heart and soul like a dagger. I felt I was drowning in the sea of deceit and lies, with no room for escape.He's cheating on me. That was the only thing ringing in my heart.***********************All the air sucked it out of me, leaving me gasping for breath. The room was spinning like a vortex, threatening to pull me under. Is this betrayal?? I can't breathe... "Help!" my heart screamed in desperation, shattering into a million pieces. I felt all the air leaving my body,The image of the video keeps playing on repeat in my head over and over again, taunting me with the bitter truth. Making me rethink if that was my once-loving and gentle boyfriend.The guy in the video felt like a stranger—a s*x-starved animal devouring another girl with reckless abandon. The video made my stomach churn and my vision blur.I felt the whole room shake, or was it just me?I felt I was falling into an empty pit, a dark abyss, as my world reduced to rubble. The hybrid girl's voice was like a distant tone; her words of concern barely registered. "Are you okay?" She asked, supporting me to my seat. I was lost , All I could say was "thank you." My voice was barely audible, as the storm in my heart seemed to be louder than the real world.I'm very sorry you heard it this way, but I could not stand and watch you make a fool of yourself with Atlas. Stella, listen to me. She said, holding my already bruised shoulder, that Altas is not who you think he is, please think about what I'm saying very well and with that, she left. "He is not who you think he is," "the images, the girl's screams and moans in the video," all playing simultaneously in my mind.Tears welled from in my eyes falling from like raindroplets from the sky.How could my day get any worse as I ran to the bathroom and cried my eyes out in frustration? **************************** Andrew Wait, where are you going? Dominic My beta shouted, panting and running out of breath. Where are you going? Andrew Fine I understand You want to save her, but not this way; you can't just run up to her like a wild animal; you will scare her. Think about it, Andrew.I felt he made some sense.Dominic's words of caution echoed in my mind, but my heart was racing with a dangerous urge to protect my mate; she's in danger, and one would want to scare his mate on their first meeting. Ok, so what's the plan? How do I get to her without scaring her off?'I can't just leave and abandon my mate; I can't take it anymore, Dominic. I need her.Dominic's eyes narrowed, and his expression began to be thoughtful. We need to approach her calmly, and slowly,remember she's human and not like us,She don't understand anything about the supernatural and we need to show her we are not a threat. I nodded, my mind racing with possibilities and ideas on how to approach her. I will do it, my voice firm. 'I'll make sure she knows I'm here to help and support her as my mate."