Chapter 18
765 Words
The two weeks of punishment passed in a blur of loneliness and silent tears. Mom barely spoke to me except to give orders, and Mia enjoyed every moment of my misery with hidden smiles and fake concern in front of our parents. I counted the days until I could return to school, hoping it would be better than being trapped at home with my twin.
But I was wrong.
The moment I stepped through the school gates on Monday morning, I felt every pair of eyes on me. Everybody knew. The fight. The suspension. The rumors about me and Lucian. Whispers followed me like shadows down the hallway.
“There she is the fat twin who stole Mia’s boyfriend.”
“She seduced him in an empty classroom.”
“Desperate much?
”
I kept my head down, clutching my bag tightly as I made my way to my locker. The new insults were already there fresh marker on the metal door. Homewrecker. Fat slut. Lucian’s pity f**k.
I swallowed hard and tried to ignore it.
During first period, the bullying became worse. Someone “accidentally” tripped me in the hallway, sending my books flying. Laughter erupted around me as I picked them up. In the cafeteria, my usual corner table was occupied, forcing me to sit alone near the trash. A group of girls walked past, one of them “accidentally” spilling juice on my uniform.
By lunch, I was already exhausted. I escaped to the bathroom to clean up, hoping for a moment of peace.
That’s when Max found me.
He was one of the popular guys Lucian’s rival in looks and status, with a bad reputation for being cruel. He leaned against the wall outside the girls’ bathroom, smoking a cigarette even though it was against school rules. As I tried to walk past him, he stepped in front of me, blowing smoke directly into my face.
I coughed, waving it away.
Max smirked, looking me up and down slowly. “So you’re the famous Lily. The fat girl.
He moved closer, his eyes traveling shamelessly from my breasts up to my face. “Tell me something is it your breasts he likes? Or does he like all this fat body?” He laughed loudly, the sound cruel and mocking. “Don’t feel too special, curvy girl. Lucian has almost dated every girl in this school. You’re just another notch on his belt.”
I felt tears sting my eyes, but I refused to let them fall in front of him. I pushed past him and hurried away, his laughter following me down the hallway.
The bullying escalated after that. In the afternoon, I was locked inside one of the toilet stalls by a group of girls Mia’s friends. They jammed the door from outside, laughing as they left me trapped.
“Let me out!” I shouted, banging on the door. “Please!”
No one came for what felt like hours. I sat on the toilet seat, crying quietly, wondering why no one cared. Not even my own mother had asked how I was doing when I got home from suspension. She only cared about keeping peace with Mia.
Finally, the door rattled. A soft voice called out. “Lily? Are you in there?”
It was Nora one of my few real friends. She managed to unlock the door from outside. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry. I heard what happened.”
She helped me out, hugging me tightly. “You don’t deserve this. None of it.”
I cried on her shoulder for a few minutes before pulling myself together. “Thanks, Nora. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
The rest of the day was more of the same whispers, laughter, and cruel jokes. By the time the final bell rang, I was completely drained. I walked home alone, my head down, wondering how much more I could take.
Lucian had kept his distance since the fight. I hadn’t seen him properly since that day in the classroom. Part of me missed him desperately. The other part was scared of what being with him would cost me.
Mia was waiting for me at home with her usual fake smile. “How was school, sis?”
I didn’t answer. I just went straight to our room and buried myself under the covers.
No one cared. Not really. Not even my own mother.
But I was starting to realize something important I couldn’t keep letting them break me forever. I must fight for myself
- Writer
