Deferred Freedom

Burning Satins and Silent Vows

Ulyssa’s Pov,

I closed Gemma’s door behind me and walked down the dimly lit hallway back to my room, my footsteps barely making a sound against the tiled floor.

A strange sense of satisfaction settled in my chest, warm and addictive, like I had just won the first round of a game only I knew we were playing.

She had believed me so easily,lol.

That sweet, forgiving smile.

The way she pulled me into a hug and said, “We’re good, babe. Don’t even stress.”

Pathetic.

I locked my door, leaned against it for a moment, and let out a long breath.

My mind was already racing ahead, planning the next move.

A fake i********: account.

That was the cleanest way.

I would call it something anonymous enough that nobody could trace back to me.

Something like @DominionTea or @CampusExpose.

I would message everyone in our department. Maybe even the entire school if I could get enough usernames.

Then I would sit back and watch the chaos unfold.

A small smile tugged at my lips as the image formed in my head.

Gemma, the girl everyone thought was so innocent and perfect, exposed for who she really was.

But first, I needed leverage.

That same night, around 11:15 p.m., I slipped out of my room again.

The dorm was quiet except for the distant hum of generators and the occasional burst of laughter from another room.

I already had an excuse prepared.

“I just wanted to borrow your pink hair straightener for tomorrow.”

Innocent.

Harmless.

I pushed Gemma’s door open slowly, my heart beating faster than before.

The room was supposed to be dark.

She was supposed to be asleep.

She was not.

Gemma sat cross legged on her bed wearing a pink crop top and matching shorts, holding her phone.

The white light reflected against her face as she giggled softly, that laugh, flirty laugh that always made boys weak.

Her thumbs moved quickly across the screen.

She bit her lip.

Smiled.

Typed again.

My stomach twisted.

She was talking to Kael.

The thought burned through me like acid.

I could picture it so clearly.

Sweet goodnight texts.

Late night flirting.

The same kind of attention he used to give me before deciding she was better.

My hands curled tightly into fists at my sides.

I wanted to scream.

I wanted to snatch the phone from her hands and smash it against the wall.

Instead, I backed out silently and closed the door without making a sound.

Jealousy flooded every inch of me as I hurried back to my room.

It felt like fire running through my veins.

Why was she always the one who got everything?

The attention.

The laughter.

The guy.

I was prettier.

I was smarter.

I had waited my entire life for freedom.

And somehow she was still the one shining brighter than me.

I threw myself onto my bed and stared at the ceiling, breathing hard.

Next week was Freshers’ Night.

That would be my moment.

The entire school would be there. Lights, music, dancing, awards for Best Dressed and Miss Freshers.

I was going to look unforgettable.

I was going to make every boy in the department forget Gemma even existed.

I had to win Best Dressed.

The next morning, I spent hours scrolling through i********: and Pinterest, saving dresses that would turn heads.

Red.

Black.

Something with a slit and a croset to snatch my waist.

Something bold enough to look confident without looking desperate.

I saved more than thirty options, comparing prices and delivery times over and over again.

During lunch, I sat with the girls pretending everything was normal.

When Gemma stepped away to get water, I leaned forward casually.

“So… what are you wearing to Freshers’ Night?”

Gemma’s eyes lit up immediately when she returned.

“I’m still deciding, but I have ideas.”

She unlocked her phone and showed me.

The dress was breathtaking.

Deep emerald green satin.

A plunging neckline.

A high thigh slit.

Thin delicate straps that would make her look like a goddess.

The price on the website made my eyes widen.

Almost $150.

“Where did you get money for something like that?” I asked with a forced laugh.

Gemma only shrugged mysteriously.

“A girl has her ways.”

The insult echoed loudly in my mind.

Of course she did.

No normal student spent that kind of money so easily, she probably follows different men for money, slut.

I forced another smile.

“It’s beautiful. You’re going to look amazing.”

Inside, I was screaming.

I could never compete with that dress.

Not with the money I had.

And then I realized something.

I did not need to outshine her.

I just needed to ruin her moment.

That night, while the girls attended a fellowship program, I finally got the opportunity I needed.

Gemma had left her phone charging in the common room.

She always used the same password. Her birthday.

I had watched her type it enough times to memorize it.

Heart pounding really fast, I unlocked the phone and searched through her hidden snaps.

There were private photos and videos saved there.

Enough to destroy her reputation if they ever became public.

I transferred everything to my device as quickly as possible before locking the phone again and putting it back exactly where I found it.

Two days later, her dress arrived in a fancy package.

During evening prep, while everyone else was distracted, I slipped into her room again.

I carefully removed the emerald gown from its packaging and spread it across the bed.

Then I pressed my hot iron, set to the highest heat, directly onto the fabric.

The satin melted instantly, leaving ugly brown patches across the chest and near the slit.

I added a few more marks before folding it neatly and placing it back exactly how it had been.

Nobody would suspect me.

The week passed in a blur of classes, fake smiles, and growing resentment.

Kael still ignored most of my messages.

Gemma continued glowing like she owned the world.

Every time I saw them laughing together, the jealousy inside me sharpened into something uglier.

Finally, the night before Freshers’ Night arrived.

The dorm buzzed with excitement.

Music played from different rooms while girls practiced makeup looks and curled each other’s hair.

Meanwhile, I stayed inside my room with the door locked and my laptop open.

I created the fake i********: account.

@DominionSecretsXxx

The profile picture was a blurry photo of campus at night.

The bio read:

“Spilling what y’all won’t say.”

Then I started compiling usernames.

Every student in our department.

Every guy who liked Gemma’s posts.

Every girl connected to our circle.

More than one hundred and eighty people.

I prepared the message carefully.

Came up with a caption designed to humiliate her.

My hands trembled slightly as I stared at the screen, ready to hit send the moment Freshers’ Night began.

I leaned back against my bed slowly, a dark smile spreading across my face.

Tomorrow, the entire school would finally see Gemma differently.

Tomorrow, everything would change.

And for once…

I would be the girl everyone noticed.