The Contract Marriage

Chapter 4: The Drama

Katie POV

I stood still, gripping the order tightly, my knuckles turning white as their laughter rang in my ears. Madison Keys, the queen of high school gossip, was the first to strike. Her words, sharp and coated in mockery, hung in the air like a bitter cloud.

Before I could respond, Bryce Davis leaned forward from the front seat, his voice loud enough to draw attention from passersby. "No way," he said, a cruel grin spreading across his face. "Damn, talk about peaking in high school. Went from first in your class to flipping burgers now?"

The other three girls joined in, their laughter echoing like nails on a chalkboard. I knew them all too well, each one had played a part in making high school hellish in its way. Madison, Bryce, and the rest were still the same, thriving on others' misfortune.

One of the girls in the back seat, Tiffany, raised her phone and snapped a picture of me holding their order. She giggled maliciously. "I'm sending this to the senior group chat," she announced, her voice dripping with mockery.

Their laughter grew louder, a chorus of cruelty that echoed around me. I took a deep breath, forcing a smile to my lips as if their taunts didn't pierce through my composure. "Hey, you guys," I said, trying to sound casual. "It's been a while since high school."

Davis leaned out the window, his mocking smile broadening. "Wait a second... didn't you get a full ride into Princeton?"

Before he could finish, Madison cut in, her tone syrupy with fake concern. "Don't be rude, Davis." She turned to me, her eyes glinting with faux sympathy. "Everyone knows she dropped out. Awe, what happened, Katie?"

Their eyes were on me, waiting for me to break. But I stood there, holding their order, my heart pounding.

Madison leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms as she tilted her head mockingly. "What happened, Katie? Were the Ivy Leagues not as easy as you thought? Bummer." The others erupted in laughter, their jeers biting.

I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to stay calm. "I had to take time off from Princeton to take care of my sister. She has cancer."

Madison’s eyes widened in exaggerated shock. "Oh my gosh! Cancer? I had no idea that both of you were such f**k-ups." Her words cut deep, and the others burst into uncontrollable laughter.

The girl beside her gasped, trying to feign innocence. "Mads, you didn’t! Oh my god, Mads!" But her laughter betrayed her amusement.

As they continued to laugh, I felt a surge of anger rising.

Madison leaned forward, her eyes glinting with cruelty. "One kid is flipping burgers and the other one is busy dying. Poor parents." She paused, letting her words sink in before delivering the final blow. "Well, look on the bright side, they’re probably both happy that they’re dead."

The car erupted into more laughter, the others joining in with gleeful mockery. "Oh, Mads..." one of the girls chuckled as if Madison had just delivered the punchline of the century.

Madison’s laughter echoed, cutting through my nerves like a blade. Just as I was about to respond, a loud honk blared from behind their car.

“What’s the hold-up?” an irritated driver shouted, snapping me back to reality.

I clenched my jaw, forcing my emotions down as I handed the bag to Madison. “We’re in the middle of our lunch rush, so enjoy your meal. That’ll be $12.99,” I said, keeping my voice steady despite the storm brewing inside me.

Madison snatched the bag, her smirk widening. She peeked inside, then shot me a sly glance. “These burgers look kind of bland,” she said, her voice dripping with fake concern. “They need just a little splash!”

Before I could process what was happening, Madison grabbed a cup of soda and flung it at me. The icy liquid hit me square in the chest, soaking through my uniform.

I gasped, the shock and cold colliding. “Madison, that’s my uniform!” My voice wavered, caught between disbelief and anger.

Madison leaned back, feigning an innocent pout. “Watch the attitude, Katie,” she mocked. “You wouldn’t want to lose this prestigious job now, would you?”

The laughter that followed felt like daggers.

As I turned to leave, desperate to escape their taunts and regain some semblance of composure, Davis called out. “Hey, actually, hold on, Katie.”

I paused, dread pooling in my stomach. He stepped out of the car, holding a thick wad of cash—$5,000—in his hand. “I got something that’ll cheer you right up,” he sneered, his voice laced with mockery. “You know, for an ugly dork back in high school, you sure fill out that dress now.”

Before I could react, his hand reached out, touching my waist, sliding dangerously low. My body tensed in revulsion. “Davis, don’t touch me,” I snapped, my voice trembling but firm.

His grin widened as if he enjoyed my discomfort. “We both know you need the money, b***h,” he hissed, his grip tightening. He grabbed a fistful of my hair, pulling me closer, forcing my hands against his chest.

“Please, let me go,” I begged, struggling against his hold.

Davis’s eyes gleamed with a sick delight. “I love virgins,” he whispered, his voice dripping with cruelty.

Suddenly, a loud honk blared behind us. Evan, stuck in the hold-up caused by Davis’s car, was growing impatient. As he prepared to honk again, his eyes caught sight of the commotion. His gaze zeroed in on me, and for a moment, confusion crossed his face. But then he saw Davis, his hand on me, the way I was struggling.

Evan’s expression shifted instantly—confusion melted into shock, and then pure, unadulterated rage. His knuckles whitened around the steering wheel as he muttered, “What the hell is that guy doing with my wife?”