UNVEILING AURORA

NOT FAIR

AURORA’S POV

The whispers hadn’t stopped.

It had been three days since Damien dumped me in front of the entire cafeteria, and the humiliation still clung to me like a second skin.

No matter where I went, I could hear the hushed voices, the laughter, the cruel amusement lingering in every corner of the school.

I felt raw.

Exposed.

Like a joke that wouldn’t die.

I kept my head down as I walked through the hallways, clutching my books so tightly that my knuckles turned white.

If I could just get through today, if I could just survive the next few hours without another public humiliation, maybe—just maybe—I’d be okay.

But, of course, this school never let me have peace.

As I turned the corner to my locker, I heard them before I saw them.

“She actually thought he liked her,” a girl sneered.

“God, can you blame him? I wouldn’t want to be seen with that either,” another voice added, full of laughter.

I knew who they were talking about.

Who else?

I swallowed hard, my pulse hammering in my ears as I reached my locker.

I kept my movements steady, deliberate.

If I didn’t react, if I pretended not to hear them, maybe they’d get bored and move on.

“Hey, fatass!”

Or not.

I stiffened, my fingers tightening around the metal of my locker door.

“Where’s your boyfriend?” Madison’s voice was syrupy sweet, laced with venom. “Oh, right. He finally realized he could do so much better.”

I inhaled sharply, willing myself to ignore her.

“She’s not even going to say anything,” another girl mocked. “Pathetic.”

“Maybe she’s still processing the breakup,” Madison continued, fake sympathy dripping from her words.

“I mean, she should be grateful Damien even looked at her.”

They laughed.

I could feel my heartbeat in my throat, the sting behind my eyes.

I wouldn’t cry.

Not here.

Not in front of them.

With shaking hands, I grabbed my textbooks, slammed my locker shut, and turned to leave.

But before I could take a step, something hit my back—hard.

A carton of chocolate milk exploded against my sweater, thick liquid dripping down my back.

The hallway erupted into laughter.

I froze.

The cold seeped into my skin, but all I felt was burning humiliation.

Madison gasped dramatically. “Oh no! I am so sorry. My hand slipped.”

More laughter.

I forced myself to breathe, my nails digging into my palms as I clenched my fists.

I wanted to scream.

I wanted to lash out, to throw something, to tell them all to go to hell.

But I did nothing.

Because what was the point?

I turned on my heel and walked away, my wet sweater clinging to my skin.

Each step felt heavier than the last.

I didn’t stop walking until I reached the girl’s bathroom.

I locked myself in a stall, chest heaving as I gripped the sides of my shirt, my knuckles white.

It wasn’t just about Damien.

It was about everything.

The constant bullying.

The way people looked at me like I was nothing.

The fact that no matter how hard I tried to be invisible, I was still the school’s favorite punching bag.

I took a shaky breath, staring at the ugly stains on my sweater.

This wasn’t fair.

This wasn’t meant to be my life.

But I didn’t know how to change it.

And worst of all…

I wasn’t sure if I even had the strength to try.