My Bully Is My Fated Mate

CHAPTER 3

THE CRACKS

By Wednesday morning, my scholarship application had become the center of my entire existence, every thought and every breath. It followed me everywhere like a shadow I couldn’t escape.

I sat in the library during lunch break with my laptop open in front of me, rereading my personal essay for what felt like the hundredth time.

'Why do you deserve admission into Crestfall Prestigious University?'

The blinking cursor mocked me. I don't know? Because I need to escape, because if I stay here any longer, I think I’ll disappear completely, and because I want one thing in my life to finally belong to me. But Instead, I typed something polished and academic that sounded nothing like the truth.

A chair scraped against the floor across from me, and Veronica dropped into the seat dramatically with two bags of chips and an iced coffee. “You look like you’re preparing for war.”

“I am preparing for war.”

She leaned over to glance at my screen. “Still working on the scholarship?”

“I need it perfect," I said, barely making eye contact.

“Ellie, you already have perfect grades.”

“Grades aren’t enough for Crestfall.”

Nothing about Crestfall felt real to me.

It was the kind of place rich students with powerful families attended, the kind of school people like Adrian belonged to naturally.

Veronica watched me quietly for a moment.

“You know,” she said softly, “Sometimes I wish you could see yourself the way other people do.”

I gave her a tired look. “Other people barely notice I exist.”

“That’s not true.”

Before I could respond, my phone buzzed beside my laptop.

-Unknown Reader: 'PLEASE update tonight, or I’ll emotionally collapse.'

Despite my miserable self, I laughed quietly with satisfaction.

Veronica grinned immediately. “See? Your little internet fans love you.”

I quickly locked my phone. “They don’t know me.”

“Maybe they know the real you better than everyone else does.”

That hit harder than I expected, because it felt like she was right. Online, my words mattered, people listened when I spoke, and girls like me got happy endings.

The warning bell rang through the library and Veronica groaned. “If I fail calculus, tell everyone I died beautiful.”

“You were never beautiful," I said, rolling my eyes with sarcasm.

She gasped dramatically. “Unbelievable betrayal.”

I smiled faintly as we packed our things.

For a few seconds, life almost felt normal.

Then reality returned the moment I stepped into the hallway, and me and Veronica parted ways. Students moved around me in loud clusters while I adjusted the strap of my bag against my shoulder. I spotted Adrian near the staircase talking to another student. The second he noticed me, his face softened into that easy smile that always made my stomach betray me.

“Ellie," he greeted.

“Hi.”

God! Why do I always sound nervous around him?

Adrian stepped closer. “You disappeared after history yesterday.”

“Oh. I just had work to finish.”

“You doing okay?”

The concern in his voice felt genuine, and that somehow made it worse, because Adrian Cole was kind to everyone naturally, and stupidly, some part of me still wanted to believe I was different.

“I’m fine,” I said, controlling my nervoussnes.

His eyes dropped briefly to the folder in my arms. “Scholarship application?”

I nodded slowly.

“You’re applying to Crestfall too, right?”

“You say that like it’s surprising.”

“It’s not surprising.” His expression turned serious. “Ellie, I told you, you’re one of the smartest people in this school.”

Heat rushed into my face instantly.

“You actually think I have a chance?”

“I know you do," he said in a concluding tone.

His words were simple, but they settled somewhere painfully deep inside my chest.

Nobody at home had ever sounded that certain about me before, not even my own family.

Adrian smiled lightly. “Crestfall would be lucky to have you.”

And just like that, he ruined the rest of my day because now my heart wouldn’t calm down.

“Thanks,” I whispered.

He gave me one last smile before heading down the hallway, and I stood there for a second longer than necessary like an i***t. Then I heard that familiar heart-wrenching drawl.

“Well, this is embarrassing.”

My entire body stiffened instantly. Kael Beaufort leaned against a nearby locker with his arms crossed, his golden eyes fixed directly on me. I hadn’t even noticed him standing there. Two boys from the lacrosse team stood nearby snickering quietly, and my good mood vanished immediately.

“What do you want?” I muttered.

Kael tilted his head slightly. “You smiling like that was painful to witness.”

One of the boys laughed, and I tried walking past them, but that was a bad decision as he

stepped directly into my path.

My grip tightened around my folder. “Move.”

“What’s the rush?," he asked. His eyes flickered toward the papers in my arms before one corner of his mouth lifted slightly. “Scholarship application?”

I stayed silent, and then Kael suddenly snatched the folder out of my hands before I could react.

“Kael—”

He opened it casually, and my chest tightened instantly.

“Wow,” he drawled loudly enough for nearby students to hear this time. “Crestfall Prestigious University.”

Humiliation burned through me immediately.

“Give it back.”

“Crestfall?” one of his friends laughed. “Seriously?”

Kael’s gaze scanned the first page slowly.

Then his expression changed very slightly.

Something unreadable flickered through his eyes before it died out again.

“You actually think people like you get into places like Crestfall?” he asked coldly.

The hallway suddenly felt too hot and too crowded.

“I said give it back," I protested with gritted teeth, attempting to reach the folder. But Kael lifted the folder higher above my reach, and his friends laughed harder now. Even the standby students laughed and just watched.

And just like that, I was twelve years old again. Too quiet, invisible, too pathetic and weak to defend myself properly.

Sudden anger rose sharply in my throat. “Why are you so obsessed with ruining my life?” I snapped before I could stop myself, and the hallway went quiet. Even Kael froze slightly. The words surprised him. Good,

because I was surprised too.

For one long second, we just stared at each other. Then something dangerous flashed across his face, it wasn't cruelty or amusement this time. Something way darker.

“You think this is obsession?” he asked quietly.

The tone made my stomach twist, but before I could respond, another voice interrupted sharply.

“What’s going on here?” Principal Arden stood at the end of the hallway, looking furious.

Students scattered immediately, and Kael lowered the folder slowly.

I reached for it, embarrassed beyond belief. But Principal Arden was already walking toward us. “You two,” he said coldly. “Office. Now!"

Fantastic, absolutely fantastic.

The walk to the principal’s office was painfully silent. Kael walked beside me casually, like none of this bothered him at all. Meanwhile, I wanted the floor to open and swallow me whole.

Once we reached the office, Principal Arden turned toward us with an exhausted expression. “I am very tired of hearing complaints involving both of you.”

I blinked. “Both of us?”

“Yes, Miss Parker. Believe it or not, arguing back also contributes to conflict.”

Kael looked dangerously close to laughing.

God! I hated him!!

“So here’s what’s going to happen,” Principal Arden continued. “You will both sit here quietly until I decide whether suspension is necessary.”

My eyes widened immediately. Suspension?

For this? I can't possibly get a suspension now, that would look bad for Crestfall application. But I kept my mouth shut.

The principal disappeared into his office, leaving me alone with Kael in the waiting area.