My Hot Billionaire Bestie.

Chapter 5

Christian.

As I waited for Victoria, I noticed she was taking longer than usual. I headed toward the girls' changing room and nearly bumped into a group of football players, laughing like they'd just heard the funniest joke of their lives. It unsettled me.

Victoria emerged a moment later. She looked... off. Disheveled, her hair and face wet, and her eyes red and puffy like she'd been crying.

"Sorry I took so long," she muttered, avoiding my eyes.

On the walk home, she was strangely silent while avoiding my eyes. Usually, she couldn’t stop talking about the shows she watched or the latest thing she'd read. But now, she walked beside me like a ghost.

When we got back to my place to work on homework, she was distant. She stared blankly at the paper in front of her, not even pretending to focus.

"Vicky, are you okay?" I asked, my voice filled with concern.

"Mmhh, yeah. Just tired," she replied, barely above a whisper.

"You know you can talk to me, right? I'm always here for you," I said softly, hoping she'd open up. Instead, she rested her head on my shoulder, her voice a broken whisper.

"Oh, Christian... I hate school," she admitted, her words heavy with exhaustion. She closed her eyes, slowly drifting into sleep.

I watched her, concern gnawing at me. She took off her glasses, curled up on the bean bag, and fell asleep. Maybe she really was just tired, I thought, though deep down I knew something was wrong.

As I tried to focus on my notes, my phone buzzed. I almost ignored it, assuming it was another pointless video from some of the idiots at school. But then, something made me pause. I clicked it.

The video showed a girl cradling herself in the corner, surrounded by familiar faces—the football team. I felt the blood drain from my face. That girl... she looked like Victoria.

No... no, it couldn’t be.

I watched, my hands shaking. The camera zoomed in as they stripped her towel away, reducing her to nothing. She tried to cover herself, but they overpowered her. Laughter echoed in the background. My heart raced as they forced her into the most unspeakable acts, her sobs piercing through me like knives. The look in her eyes—broken, devastated—was something I would never forget. They touched her, slapped her, made her...

I dropped my phone, unable to watch any more.

Victoria slept peacefully beside me, but I knew now why she was different. Why she'd seemed hollow. And I had failed her. Again. I should have been there. I should have protected her from those monsters.

Rage filled every fiber of my being. I wanted to hurt them—to make them pay for what they'd done to her. They took her innocence, her happiness.

But what haunted me most were her screams. They echoed in my head, and I knew they would never leave me.

Mom's face turned pale as she watched the video, her hand trembling as it covered her mouth. She looked horrified, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"Good God, this is horrific! How could something like this happen? Where is she?" she asked, her voice urgent.

"She's asleep in my room," I replied, my voice breaking with guilt. "I had no idea what happened... She just seemed off, but I didn't push her. I should’ve known, Mom. I should’ve protected her."

Mom looked at me, her expression softening for a moment as she reached out to touch my shoulder. "Christian, this is not your fault. Those boys... those monsters are the ones responsible. I'll handle this. We'll make sure they pay for what they did. But right now, we need to focus on Victoria." Her voice was shaking with anger, but I could tell she was trying to hold it together, if only for me.

"I need your phone," she added, her eyes burning with a fierce determination. "This video is evidence. We’re going to report this right now, and I’m going to make sure those bastards regret every second of it."

I handed her my phone without hesitation. I could see the rage boiling under her calm demeanor—Mom was furious, and I knew she wasn’t going to let this go. She was always someone who fought for justice, and now it was Victoria she was fighting for.

"Stay with her," she instructed, her voice softening again. "When she wakes up, let her know she’s not alone. We’re going to get through this together, Christian. You did the right thing by being there for her, even if you didn’t know what had happened."

I nodded, feeling a knot of emotion tighten in my throat as I looked toward my room, where Victoria lay, still asleep. I vowed to myself right then—I wouldn't let anything like this happen to her again. I've been too kind, next time it will be someone's funeral.

***********

Victoria.

Accepting to do this took a while, and I knew it would leave lasting scars. I sat on the waiting bench, flanked by two police officers, while Mrs. Woods sat beside me. The news was out, and I despised that it was. What those boys had done to me was now public knowledge. I was used to the bullying, but I never imagined they would force themselves on me in such a brutal way. Mason had been behind the camera that night, the very same one who had touched me and slapped me. He had tormented me for years, shoving me into trash cans, throwing dirt on me, and punching me on occasion. I just never expected they would forcefully shove their d***s in my mouth. Atleast they spared my vajayjay

The memories of that day in the changing room flooded back, igniting a fresh wave of embarrassment.

When we entered the principal's office, I watched Mrs. Woods take charge. "What happened was inexcusable. This poor girl was traumatized, and we will not only sue the school but also press charges. The fact that this was recorded and leaked is a disgrace. Shame on this institution for failing her," she declared, her voice a mixture of anger and sorrow.

I remained silent, observing Principal Luke. Beads of sweat trickled down his forehead; he understood the weight of what was at stake for the school. "I sincerely apologize, Mrs. Woods," he stammered.

"Don't apologize to me; she's the victim here," she retorted, pointing directly at me. Damn! Mrs. Woods was far more caring than my own mother.

Principal Luke, visibly shaken, got up from his seat and knelt before me. "I am so sorry we couldn't protect you from those boys. Please forgive me. I’m deeply sorry," he said, tears welling in his eyes.

I nodded in response, overwhelmed. The boys were expelled, and while I received a settlement, I wouldn’t see it until I turned eighteen. My parents? They were indifferent to my suffering. That experience had turned me off to intimacy completely. It took time to heal; I battled nightmares, panic attacks, and an intense dislike for being alone in any room at school.

Yet, with Christian by my side, the fear began to dissipate. Each day felt like a gift; life was worth living because of him. Even though things were gradually returning to normal, not everything was smooth sailing. The boys who had assaulted me were popular, and many students believed I had fabricated the story to ruin their lives.

Some claimed I was merely seeking attention. But that was a lie. I never wanted their lives destroyed; I just wanted to be safe. The vitriol directed at me was overwhelming—I struggled to focus on my studies, and death threats made it impossible to feel secure at school.

Because of this, I missed prom. On the bright side, my parents finally divorced, a change I welcomed with open arms. I was tired of their constant fighting and wished they had made that decision long ago.

They shared custody, which meant I was constantly moving from one place to another. Surprisingly, it was a welcome change; the noise levels at each house drastically reduced. However, the competition between my parents didn’t fade, especially when it came to my 16th birthday party. I ended up having two celebrations—one at Dad's and the other at Mom's—each trying to outshine the other. It was a bit ridiculous, but in the end, I had a great time.