Mated to Three, Marked by One

Chapter 4

The cafeteria fell silent as the bowl of spaghetti landed squarely on Armani's lap. Sauce splattered across his immaculate uniform, creating a dramatic contrast against his pristine white shirt. For a moment, no one moved or spoke, stunned by the unexpected turn of events.

Armani stared down at the mess with a mixture of disbelief and annoyance. His piercing blue eyes flickered up to meet mine, and I froze, feeling a surge of dread wash over me. The smirk had vanished, replaced by an icy stare that seemed to bore into my soul.

Slowly, he stood up, his presence commanding attention as he wiped the sauce off his clothes with a napkin handed to him by one of his admirers. The cafeteria remained eerily quiet, every eye fixed on the unfolding scene.

Finally, Armani spoke, his voice calm but laced with an underlying intensity that sent shivers down my spine. "You," he said, his tone carrying an edge of accusation. "You're going to regret this."

I swallowed hard, unable to find my voice as the weight of his words settled in. What had started as an ordinary day had suddenly taken a terrifying turn, and I could only wonder what consequences awaited me now.

The cafeteria remained eerily silent as Armani stood there, his gaze sweeping over the students with a sense of authority. His expression was unreadable, and a sense of unease settled in the room as everyone awaited his next move.

"It's been a long time since I've had some fun," Armani declared, his voice carrying an unusual edge that sent a ripple of curiosity and apprehension through the gathered students. Many exchanged uncertain glances, unsure of what he meant by "fun."

I couldn't help but feel a knot tighten in my stomach. What was he planning?

Armani's gaze locked onto me, his blue eyes shining with a strange intensity. "At the count of ten," he began, his voice clear and commanding, "you all start throwing food at her." He pointed directly at me, his directive cutting through the air like a blade.

A collective gasp swept through the room as his words sank in. My heart pounded in my chest, and panic surged through me. I looked around frantically, hoping to find some sign of protest or reluctance among the other students, but many looked torn between obeying Armani and feeling uneasy about the situation.

As the seconds ticked by, I felt trapped, unsure of what to do next as the countdown began in ominous silence.

Time seemed to slow down as Armani’s directive hung in the air, the cafeteria frozen in anticipation. Fear gripped me as I stood there, helpless and vulnerable under the scrutiny of Armani’s command.

"One..." Armani started the countdown, his voice steady and chillingly authoritative.

I looked around desperately, hoping for a sign of solidarity or defiance from my fellow students, but instead, I saw hesitation and uncertainty in their eyes. No one dared to challenge Armani, the unofficial ruler of the school.

"Two..."

My heart pounded louder with each passing second. A few students shuffled uncomfortably in their seats, exchanging uneasy glances but making no move to disobey.

"Three..."

The tension in the room was palpable, the air thick with anticipation and dread. I felt exposed, a target of Armani’s whim.

"Four..."

Time seemed to stretch on indefinitely. I could feel the weight of everyone’s gaze on me, waiting for the inevitable command to be carried out.

"Five..."

Suddenly, a voice cut through the silence. It was Ben, standing up from his seat with determination in his eyes.

"Stop this, Armani!" Ben’s voice rang out, breaking the spell of fear that had gripped the cafeteria. His words echoed with defiance, resonating through the stunned crowd.

Armani turned to look at Ben, his expression unreadable. The room held its breath, waiting to see how Armani would respond to this challenge to his authority.

Armani walked up to Ben, his blue eyes piercing with disdain. "Since when do lowlifes talk?" Armani sneered, punctuating his words with a series of slaps to Ben's face. I watched, unable to bear the sight of Ben's humiliation, but what could I do?

Armani shoved Ben to the ground and began his countdown. "Five... four... three..."

Ben flinched, but didn't move.

"Two... one..."

When Armani reached zero, every single student present began throwing food at me.

"He said this before pushing me to the ground and walking over me, leaving me behind in the cafeteria to wail in my own pain. As the students filed out, their laughter echoing, I was left alone with my tears.

---

In the bathroom, I cried my eyes out, struggling to comprehend what had just happened. "Crying won't solve anything," a voice suddenly said. I hadn't even noticed the girl standing there.

I turned to look at her, my eyes puffy and red.

She walked slowly towards me, holding a napkin. Gently, she began to wipe the stains from my cheeks. "If I were you, I wouldn't let Armani see me again," she said as she continued to clean my face.

"Why is he so wicked?" I asked, my voice trembling.

She chuckled softly. "No one knows," she replied, handing me a new uniform.

I stared at the uniform, wondering how she could just give me such an expensive item. She must be one of the elite, probably higher up in the social hierarchy.

"Thanks," I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper. She smiled warmly before leaving me alone in the bathroom, the new uniform clutched in my hands.

---

Sports time came, and I was in my gym wear. I headed to the field, where girls were playing volleyball. As soon as I arrived, all eyes turned to me, making me look down uncomfortably.

"Isn't she the one?" one girl whispered to her friend.

Isn't she the one? What does she mean by that?

Suddenly, a girl approached me with a smile on her face. "Hi, I'm Kaila," she said, giving me a hug. I recognized her as the blonde girl from the cafeteria earlier.

"I'm Catherine," I replied.

She sneered, "That's Suzy," Kaila announced, pointing to a brunette girl who gave a sarcastic wave.

"Sasha," Kaila introduced a girl with black hair. "And as for the rest, not important," she added with a chuckle, the other girls muttering under their breath.

"Well, we were playing a game. Wanna join?" Kaila asked me.

"Sure," I said hesitantly.

She gave me a sinister smile, and the game began. At first, I was enjoying it, but then Kaila suddenly threw the ball directly at me, hitting my nose and causing me to fall to the ground.

"Oops, sorry," she said, laughing along with the other girls.

I could feel blood running from my nostrils, my head spinning. "Hey, are you okay?" a voice asked. I looked up to see the most perfect boy ever before my world turned black.