Rumored To Be His

Mia's POV I thought being dumped only happened in movies. Apparently, I was wrong. “Clean it up,” he said coldly. The words echoed in my ears as I stared down at the mess on my clothes. Around me, the hallway had erupted into whispers. I could feel everyone's eyes on me—their curiosity, their judgment, their amusement. I wanted to disappear. I couldn't lift my head. I couldn't cry either. My throat felt tight, and my chest burned with humiliation. So, instead of giving everyone the satisfaction of seeing me break down, I wiped the tears from my face and walked away. But his voice followed me. “Rooftop. Five p.m. sharp.” I stopped walking. For a moment, I wondered if I had heard him correctly. Slowly, I turned my head, but I didn't look back at him. Why was he doing this? Why couldn't he just leave me alone? The humiliation I had experienced was already enough. Everyone had watched. Everyone whispered. Yet somehow, that still wasn't enough for him. I clenched my fists. I just wanted to graduate peacefully. Why wouldn't he let me? By the time I reached the rooftop, the sky had grown darker. The wind was cold against my skin, and the smell of approaching rain filled the air. My heart was beating faster than usual, but I refused to admit that I was nervous. Then I saw him. Damon. He was sitting on a chair as if he had been waiting for me all along. I stopped a few steps away from him. Slowly, he looked up. “Come closer.” I didn't move. His eyes traveled over me from head to toe, and a faint smile appeared on his face. “Look at you,” he said. “Mia Black. Eighteen years old. Scholarship student.” My jaw tightened. He continued as if he hadn't noticed my irritation. “You work three jobs.” I stared at him. “What do you want?” For a moment, he said nothing. The wind moved between us, carrying the cold silence across the rooftop. Then he smiled. “You're interesting.” My anger immediately rose. “No one talks to me like that.” His smile widened slightly. “Oh?” “I don't know who you think you are,” I snapped, “but you don't get to embarrass me in front of everyone and expect me to stand here quietly.” For the first time, Damon looked surprised. I took a deep breath. I was tired. Tired of being humiliated. Tired of being judged. Tired of being treated as if I didn't matter. “You should learn to respect people,” I said, my voice quieter this time. His eyes narrowed slightly. Then, unexpectedly, he smiled. It was slow. Dangerous. “Give me your number.” I stared at him. “What?” “Your number, Mia.” I couldn't believe him. I didn't want to give it to him. Not after everything that had happened. Not after the humiliation I had just gone through because of him. But then I noticed movement near the rooftop entrance. People were beginning to gather. I didn't want another scene. I didn't want more whispers. Reluctantly, I gave him my number. Damon looked satisfied. Then, without another word, he turned around and walked away. Leaving me alone on the rooftop. I stood there for several minutes, staring at the space where he had disappeared. The cold wind blew against my face, but I barely noticed it. What had just happened? Why did Damon suddenly want my number? I shook my head and finally left the rooftop. I had more important things to worry about. Like work. Like school. Like surviving another day. After school, I went straight to work. I didn't have the luxury of going home and resting like most students. I was a scholarship student, but my scholarship didn't cover everything. Rent had to be paid. Food had to be bought. And there were always other expenses waiting for me, appearing when I least expected them. So, I worked. Three jobs. Sometimes, I barely slept. By the time I finished work that evening, my entire body hurt. My feet ached, my shoulders were stiff, and all I wanted was to go home and collapse into bed. Then my phone buzzed. I pulled it out of my bag. A message. Unknown number. I stared at the screen. Then another message appeared. Unknown: Are you ignoring me already? My heart skipped. I didn't need to ask who it was. Damon. I sighed and shoved my phone back into my bag. I wasn't interested in talking to him. Not tonight. Not ever. The next day, I tried my best to avoid him. Unfortunately, Damon seemed to be everywhere. Every time I turned around, I had the strange feeling that he was watching me. I saw him in the hallway, outside classrooms, and even across the library. when I thought I had finally managed to escape him. During lunch break, I sat quietly and hoped to eat in peace. Then someone dropped into the seat across from me. I looked up. Damon. My appetite immediately disappeared. “What do you want?” I asked. He leaned back in his chair, looking completely comfortable. “You didn't reply to my messages.” “I didn't know I was required to.” His lips curved slightly. “You're bold.” “No,” I replied. “I'm just tired.” For a moment, he stared at me. Really stared. It wasn't the usual look people gave me. It was as if he was trying to understand something about me—something I wasn't ready to let anyone see. Then he leaned forward. “Meet me after school.” I frowned. “No.” His eyebrows rose. “No?” “I have work.” “You always work.” “Yes,” I said, looking directly at him. “Some of us have bills to pay.” For the first time, the smile disappeared from his face. The silence between us became uncomfortable. Then Damon stood up. “Coffee shop. After work.” I stared at him in disbelief. “I already said no.” His smile returned. “We'll see.” Then he walked away. That evening, I went to work as usual. By the time I finally finished, I was exhausted. All I wanted was to go home, take a shower, and sleep for as long as my body would allow me. But as I walked past the familiar coffee shop, I suddenly stopped. Someone was sitting inside. Damon. Of course. He looked up the exact moment he saw me. As if he had been waiting for hours. I should have walked away. I should have ignored him. Instead, I found myself walking toward the door. The moment I entered, he smiled. “I knew you would come.” I folded my arms. “Don't flatter yourself. I was just curious.” “Curious about me?” “No.” His smile widened. I hated that smile. “Sit down, Mia.” I hesitated. Then, against my better judgment, I sat down. For a moment, Damon studied me silently. “You work too much.” I frowned. “You don't know anything about me.” “I know enough.” “You don't.” His expression changed. For the first time, he looked serious. “Then tell me.” I stared at him. “Why?” “Because I want to know.” My heart skipped. Immediately, I looked away. No one had ever asked me that question before. Not because they genuinely wanted to know. Most people only saw me as the poor scholarship girl—the girl who always worked, the girl who didn't have time for parties, expensive clothes, or the kind of carefree life everyone else seemed to enjoy. But Damon was looking at me differently. And that scared me. “I don't know you,” I whispered. “You will.” I slowly looked back at him. His eyes were fixed on mine. There was something dangerous about the way he said those words. Something that made my heart beat faster, even though every instinct inside me warned me to stay away from him. I should have left. I should have stayed far away from Damon. But deep inside, I already knew something had changed. Meeting Damon had changed everything. And I had no idea that he was about to become the biggest problem of my life.