Chapter Five
1286 Words
"Please don’t drop me off right at the school gate," Annabelle said, her voice steady but tinged with quiet urgency. She glanced sideways at the man behind the wheel, forcing herself to suppress the memory of Derek's attitude this morning. If she let it linger, it would consume her.
The young man hesitated, his hands tightening on the steering wheel. “Ma’am, the boss specifically told me to—”
“What’s your name?” she interrupted, her tone was soft but firm as she was trying to steer the conversation away from his objections.
He hesitated, glancing at her in the rearview mirror. Finally, he answered, “Sebastian, ma’am.”
“Okay, Sebastian.” Annabelle leaned forward slightly, her sincerity very obvious. “Stop the car here. Derek doesn’t need to know. It’ll be our little secret, just between you and me.”
Sebastian frowned, his discomfort evident. “But, ma’am, I was given clear instructions—” he tried to repeat.
“I’ll take responsibility,” she pressed, her voice a little bit loud than usual, “Please. I really need this.”
For a moment, silence filled the car, broken only by the hum of the engine. Then Sebastian sighed, pulling the car to a stop a few blocks away from the school gate. He stepped out, opening her door. “It’s a deal, then. Between you and me,” he murmured, as if afraid someone might overhear.
Annabelle climbed out of the car, her fingers brushing against the door handle as if she wanted to delay the moment. Her faint smile barely reached her eyes.
“Thank you, Sebastian. See you later today,” she said softly, her voice steady even though her heart wasn’t.
She adjusted her old, worn-out bag over her shoulder, clutching it tightly as if it could shield her from the world. The bag looked like it had seen better days, but Annabelle didn’t care. She had hidden it from Derek on purpose.
“He doesn’t need to get me anything I don’t need,” she muttered under her breath, quickening her steps toward the school gate.
Her eyes scanned the area, darting from one face to another, her pulse racing with every familiar figure she recognized. Her thoughts were louder than the chatter around her, spinning faster than her feet could move.
“No one here can know I’m married,” she thought, her grip tightening on the strap of her bag. Her stomach churned as she slid her wedding ring off her finger, tucking it deep into her pocket.
The memory of whispered insults and jealous stares burned fresh in her mind.
“They already hate me for being top of the class,” she murmured to herself. “If they find out who I’m married to…”
Her breath hitched, and for a second, her legs felt like they were rooted to the ground. The weight of what could happen pressed on her chest, but then, the sharp sound of the school bell interrupted her thoughts, pulling her back to reality.
“I’m late again,” she groaned as she broke into a hurried jog, her bag bouncing awkwardly against her side.
“Perfect,” she muttered sarcastically. “Another reason for...” she was about to say when she immediately buried it. “Not today, please, not today.” she thought as she continued running.
It didn’t take her long to find her first class. Bursting through the door, she was already preparing to apologize to her favorite professor. But the words caught in her throat as a loud thud sounded, and something heavy rained down on her. Banana peels. A pile of them tumbled onto her head, scattering around her feet.
The laughter erupted immediately.
“Were you out selling fruits again because of your dying mother? Is that why you’re late this time?” a voice jeered from the back of the hall.
“No, no, get it right,” another chimed in from across the room. “Her artificial mother, remember? Her real parents didn’t even want her.”
More voices joined in, each throwing in their cruel laughter and taunts. The room was alive with mockery, every angle filled with sneering faces.
Annabelle’s lips pressed into a thin line. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, but she stayed silent. She guessed it earlier, but didn’t hope she’d have to face this again today. She had fought back before, countless times. It never stopped. It never changed. So she stopped fighting.
“What is wrong with all of you?” a sharp voice cut through the chaos. “Don’t you ever get tired of this? You’re college students, not some immature high school bullies.”
Annabelle’s heart leaped. That voice was familiar—Flavia.
“Oh, Flavia,” one of the bullies sneered, their tone dripping with mockery. “Mind your business for once, will you? Just because your parents shield you from everything doesn’t mean you can butt in.”
The group laughed louder, emboldened, but Flavia didn’t flinch.
Annabelle didn’t lift her head. Her chest tightened painfully, but she knew Flavia’s words wouldn’t stop them. It never did.
This wasn’t an ordinary college. It was a prestigious private school, funded by the wealthy parents of most students. Power and privilege dominated every corner, and anyone who didn’t fit that mold became an easy target.
Annabelle was a scholarship student. Worse still, she was the best in her class. It was enough to make them hate her. To them, she didn’t belong here. She was an outsider in their world of privilege, and they never let her forget it.
“Come here,” Annabelle heard her best friend’s voice beside her trying to pull her.
“Flavia, it’s fine,” Annabelle said softly, trying to calm her down. “I’ll handle this.”
Flavia turned to her with a sharp glare. “Fine? You call this fine? No, Annabelle. You don’t deserve this crap.”
Before Annabelle could respond, Flavia grabbed her wrist again and pulled her to the front of the classroom. The eyes of their classmates were glued to them, and the laughter that had filled the air moments before started to die down.
Flavia’s voice cut through the silence like a blade. “If you’re involved in this, you better step up and apologize. Right now. Because if you don’t, you’ll be dealing with me and my family. And trust me, that’s not a fight you want.”
The tension in the room was thick, but one of the boys, who had been laughing earlier, leaned back in his chair and smirked. “Do your worst, Flavia,” he said with a cocky tone. “She’s not getting anything from me. I did it. Yeah, I did it! And I’d do it again to show her that she doesn’t belong here. I don’t know why you waste your time on her.”
Flavia’s eyes flared with rage, and the air seemed to crackle with the unspoken threat of a fight. Annabelle tugged at her friend’s arm, whispering, “Flavia, don’t—”
But it was too late. Flavia stepped forward, her fists clenched. “Say that again, you—”
Suddenly, the door to the classroom slammed open with a loud bang, startling everyone. The chatter stopped instantly. Heads turned to the doorway, and gasps filled the room.
“Why is he here?” someone murmured, their voice barely audible. The question rippled through the room as a tall figure stepped in, his presence commanding an eerie silence.
Annabelle’s breath hitched as she stared at the figure that strode in.
"Really?" She immediately thought.
- Writer
