A Tutor For My Bully

Chapter 17: Whispers In The Hallway

Akira's POV

The moment I stepped through the school gates, something felt... strange. It wasn't the usual rush of students hurrying to class or the chatter echoing across the courtyard. It was the way people looked at me. Some glanced at me before leaning toward their friends to whisper. Others didn't even bother lowering their voices.

"That's her..."

"The one from the party."

"I heard she followed Kael there."

"So shameless." I tightened my grip on my backpack and lowered my head. What were they talking about? Did I accidentally do something embarrassing yesterday? Trying to ignore the stares, I hurried toward the school building. As I walked past a group of girls, one of them giggled loudly. "I guess glasses girls can dream too."

Another laughed. "Dream? She's aiming way above her league." Their laughter followed me down the hallway. I swallowed hard and kept walking. Maybe they weren't talking about me...

Right?

"Akira!"

I turned around at the familiar voice. Camila jogged toward me, slightly out of breath. "Good morning," she greeted, but unlike her usual cheerful self, her smile looked forced. "Morning."

She stared at me for a few seconds. "You... don't know?" "Know what?" Her expression immediately changed. "Oh..."

She scratched the back of her neck awkwardly.

"I thought someone already told you." A knot formed in my stomach. "Told me what?" Camila sighed. "There are rumors going around school."

Rumors?

"About me?"

She nodded slowly. I felt my heartbeat quicken.

"What kind of rumors?" Camila hesitated. "I don't even know if I should tell you."

"It's okay."

"No... it's not." She bit her lower lip before finally speaking. "They're saying you purposely got the tutoring job because you've been obsessed with Kael for years." I blinked.

"What?"

"They're also saying you begged your teachers to pair you with him... and that you followed him to Adrienne's party because you're trying to make him fall in love with you." I stood frozen.

"What...?"

"Akira, I know it isn't true."

"But..." My voice cracked.

"I never..."

"I know."

Camila placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "I know you're not like that." My chest felt heavy.

So...

That was why everyone had been staring. They all believed I was some desperate girl chasing after Kael Blackwood. How could people believe something like that? If only they knew the truth...

If only they knew Kael practically forced me into his life.

"I think Linda started it," Camila muttered quietly. I wasn't surprised. Who else would? Before I could respond, loud footsteps echoed down the hallway.

Linda.

She walked confidently with her usual group of girls trailing behind her. Her eyes landed on me almost immediately. A slow smile spread across her lips which I knew was a pretentious one.

"Well, well..."

She folded her arms. "If it isn't Underwich Academy's newest celebrity." I lowered my gaze.

"I don't want any trouble, Linda." She laughed.

"Oh, really?" She took a step closer to me as if she was about to get even with me for something I did. "I heard you're very bold these days."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Really?" She leaned closer.

"Then explain why you keep throwing yourself at Kael."

"I don't—"

Before I could finish speaking, Linda deliberately bumped her shoulder against mine. My books slipped from my hands. They scattered across the hallway. Gasps echoed around us.

"Oh!"

Linda covered her mouth dramatically.

"I'm so sorry." She wasn't. Her smirk gave her away.

"I guess desperate girls are clumsy after all." Her friends burst into laughter. Someone behind me even clapped, Heat rushed to my face. I slowly knelt down and began picking up my books. I tightened my grips, but my fingers still shook.

I hated this.

I hated being laughed at.

I hated feeling so small. Why couldn't they just leave me alone? A shadow suddenly fell over me.

Another hand reached for one of my books before I could. I looked up.

Kael.

He picked up my mathematics textbook and dusted it off before handing it to me. For a brief second, our eyes met. His expression was unreadable. Then he turned toward the crowd. The laughter slowly died. His gaze swept across everyone.

Cold.

Sharp.

Intimidating.

"If any of you have enough free time to stand here gossiping..." His voice was calm, but every word carried weight.

"...maybe you should spend that time studying." The hallway instantly became silent. Nobody dared respond. Even Linda's confident smile faltered. She obviously hadn't expected Kael to interfere. He looked at her briefly. Not long enough for anyone else to notice. But long enough for Linda to understand the warning hidden behind his eyes. She clenched her jaw.

Kael finally looked back at me.

"You're late, Milky." His usual nickname, His usual bored tone. Anyone listening would think he was simply mocking me like always. Only I noticed the slight softness hidden beneath it.

"I..."

I didn't know what to say. He adjusted the strap of his backpack.

"Hurry up."

"I don't have all day." Without waiting for my reply, he walked past me. The students quickly moved aside to clear a path for him. No one laughed anymore, no one whispered. They simply watched him leave. Camila stared after him with wide eyes.

"Did..."

She looked at me.

"...did Kael Blackwood just defend you?"

"I don't know." Because honestly...

I didn't. He had embarrassed me countless times before. Yet lately...

He always seemed to appear whenever I needed help. First the party, then the rumors.

Now this.

Why? I gathered the last of my books and hugged them tightly against my chest. "I should get to class." Camila nodded absentmindedly. We walked together in silence. The whispers had stopped, but I could still feel curious eyes following me through the hallway. Nothing made sense anymore.

Kael was still my bully, he still called me names, he still ordered me around.

So...

Why did he keep protecting me? Before I could think any further, Camila suddenly grabbed my wrist. Her grip was surprisingly tight. "Akira..." I turned to her. Her face had gone completely pale.

"What is it?" She pointed toward the row of student lockers. My locker door was hanging wide open. Books, papers, notebooks...

Everything had been thrown onto the floor.

Right across the front of my locker, written in thick red paint, were three cruel words.

NERDS DON'T BELONG.

My breathing stopped. The hallway spun around me.

Who...

Who would do something like this?