Chapter4
1028 Words
Nyxara’s POV
The cafeteria was packed. Students filled almost every table, and conversations echoed from every corner.
For the first time since arriving at Hawthorne University, I felt almost relaxed.
Zephyra sat across from me, eating fries.
"You're staring into space again."
"What?" I blinked.
"That." She pointed a fry at me.
I rolled my eyes. "You point with food too much."
"And you think too much."
I laughed.
The tension from the previous night hadn't left me.
I picked at my food and Zephyra narrowed her eyes. "You're definitely thinking about something."
Before I could answer, the cafeteria suddenly went silent.
I frowned. That was becoming a pattern in this school.
Every time people stopped talking, it usually meant someone important had arrived.
I turned.
Three figures entered the cafeteria.
Malrik Graves.
Kaelor Graves.
Ravien Voss.
Students immediately moved aside, some lowered their heads, others pretended not to look. The atmosphere changed instantly.
"Don't stare," Zephyra whispered.
"Why?"
She looked horrified. "Because that's Malrik."
I looked anyway.
His expression was cold, like everyone around him was beneath his notice.
Kaelor followed behind him looking bored. Ravien looked even less interested in the crowd.
The three of them headed toward their usual table.
Then disaster struck.
Zephyra had stood up with her drink too fast. Her foot caught the leg of her chair and the cup slipped.
The drink splashed across the floor. A few drops landed near Malrik's expensive shoes.
The entire cafeteria froze, stomachs dropped and Zephyra's face turned white.
"Oh no."
Malrik slowly lowered his gaze. First to the stain, then to Zephyra. He says nothing for a long moment. Then, very quietly, “How lovely.” His voice is the kind of quiet that is louder than shouting.
Zephyra opens her mouth. “I — I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean —”
"It was an accident." Zephyra immediately stepped forward.
No response.
"I'm really sorry."
Malrik stared at her without expression. “Get down,” he finally said, “and clean it.”
Zephyra blinks. “I — there’s — I can find something —”
“I didn’t say find anything.” His eyes didn’t move from her face. “I said clean it.”
"Of course." Zephyra nodded immediately.
She grabbed napkins from a nearby table. Before she could bend down, Malrik spoke again.
"Not with that." His voice was calm.
The room went still.
Zephyra froze. "What?"
Malrik's eyes remained on her. "Use your tongue."
My blood ran cold, Nobody laughed, Nobody reacted as if this was normal.
Zephyra's eyes filled with tears."I..."
Kaelor smirked.
Several students looked away, Nobody wanted to be involved.
"Please." Zephyra's voice shook. "It was an accident."
Malrik didn't care."Then you should have been more careful."
I looked around and nobody was helping. My hands clenched beneath the table.
Zephyra slowly bent toward the floor. Humiliation burned on her face.
My chair scraped against the ground and the sound echoed through the cafeteria. Every head turned, including Malrik's.
"Stop," I said as I stood, my heart beating against my ribs like it was trying to get out.
The hall didn't move, all eyes were already on me, and then Malrik turned his head.
“Zephyra.” My voice stayed even. “Get up.”
She looked at me from the floor with fear and didn't move.
“Get. Up.” I said it more softly this time, just to her. She rose slowly, like someone waking up.
I looked at Malrik and he was already looking at me with no expression.
"She had already apologised," I said and stepped forward.
Malrik stared without saying anything.
“She apologised,” I continued, “and that wasn’t enough for you, so you thought the next appropriate step was to make her kneel on a cafeteria floor.” I paused. “In front of everyone.”
Kaelor lets out a low sound that might be a laugh, but I kept my eyes on Malrik, because looking anywhere else right now is a kind of weakness I cannot afford.
“I’m curious,” I continued, “what it must feel like — to need that. To need a person on their knees before you feel like you’ve been respected.” I tilt my head. “I’d guess it feels a lot like having nothing real.”
The whole class gasped, someone dropped a fork, and another student nearly choked.
Zephyra looked seconds away from fainting.
Malrik's expression darkened. "You should sit down."
"No."
I said the word before I could stop it and the cafeteria became even quieter.
Malrik slowly stood up and took a step forward, the movement alone sent fear through half the room.
"You don't seem to understand who you're speaking to."
I looked at him."And you don't seem to understand basic decency."
Malrik's eyes narrowed, and for a moment, I thought he might actually lose his temper.
Instead, he smiled which was worse because it didn't reach his eyes. "Interesting."
"What's interesting?" I frowned.
"You."
The answer caught me off guard.
"Most people are smart enough to stay out of things that don't concern them." He continued.
I looked at Zephyra and then back at him. "Most people aren't cruel enough to demand that someone lick their shoes."
"Very well." He nodded and stepped closer. Close enough that only I could hear his next words.
“You should have stayed invisible.”
A chill slid down my spine but I refused to show fear.
Malrik stared at me for another second, then turned away.
"Let's go."
Kaelor immediately followed.
Ravien lingered, His eyes briefly met mine. Something unreadable flickered across his face then he left too.
The moment they were gone, the entire cafeteria exploded with noise. Students started talking all at once.
Zephyra grabbed my arm.“Nyx, what did you just do?”.
"What?"I blinked
"You challenged Malrik Graves in public."
I glanced toward the exit, and the three heirs had already disappeared.
I looked back at my plate.
You should have stayed invisible.
I pressed my fork down against the ceramic until my knuckles went white.
Too late for that now.
- Writer
