His Rival, His Mate

Chapter 4: Breaking Point

It felt like the floor was gone beneath me. Like I was floating through air that burned instead of breathed.

I wanted to scream. At the walls. At the hallway. At the students who kept whispering behind cupped hands like I couldn’t hear. At Melissa.

I wanted to yell at the top of my lungs—I didn’t do it. I didn’t cheat. I wasn’t some fraud who copied their way through life. But screaming wouldn’t fix anything. And it wouldn’t stop the tears brimming at the corners of my eyes.

I turned away from her—away from all of them—and ran.

My feet took me somewhere familiar. The girls’ restroom by the east wing, the one most people avoided because the lights flickered and one of the sinks sprayed like a mini geyser. It was empty. Quiet. Good. I needed quiet.

I nearly reached the door when I slammed into someone—hard.

“Ow—watch it—” I began, but then stopped when I looked up.

Adam.

He stood there, eyes wide, catching me by the arms before I could stumble back.

“Imogen?”

Of course it had to be him.

“Sorry, I—I didn’t see you—” My voice cracked.

He looked at me, really looked. Not like everyone else. Not like I was some walking scandal, but like… me.

“I heard,” he said, softly. “About the forum. About the cheating thing.”

I looked away, cheeks burning. “Yeah, well. Apparently I’m the school’s favorite villain now.”

“I don’t believe it,” he said firmly. “I know you, Imo. You’d never do something like that.”

Something about the way he said it made the sting in my throat worse.

“Thanks,” I mumbled. “But words don’t fix much right now.”

“I’m here if you ever need someone to talk to.”

That broke me. Not completely—but enough. I nodded quickly, forcing a smile, before I bolted into the restroom before my tears gave me away.

⸻

The restroom was dim, the air stale with citrus-scented cleaner. I ducked into a stall and closed the door, letting myself finally fall apart. Silent tears slid down my cheeks. I wiped them with my sleeve before pulling out my phone.

The forum was still up.

I tapped in.

And instantly regretted it.

“Cheaters never win.”

“She’s always been too perfect—it was fake all along.”

“Someone said they saw her looking at someone’s paper last month, too.”

“Lol. Her grades were too good to be real. Caught in 4K.”

Testimonies. Screenshots. Lies. Fabricated messages. All painting me as some desperate, pathetic girl who risked everything for one exam.

My fingers trembled. I was about to lock my screen when a notification popped up.

[Principal Harrow]: Please report to my office immediately regarding the results of your academic investigation.

I stared at it. My stomach dropped.

This was it.

I was going to be expelled.

I took a deep breath, ready to stand, but then—

Voices.

High-pitched. Laughing.

I froze.

The restroom door opened, and a group of girls walked in, chattering.

Melissa’s voice rang out above them all. Of course.

“I told you,” she giggled. “It was too easy.”

“What was?” one of her friends asked.

“Planting that evidence. Sending it to the admin account. Making sure it traced back to her. They totally bought it. That loser deserves it for clinging to my boyfriend.”

The girls cackled like it was a comedy show.

“She really thought Adam would pick her over you?” another girl said.

“He looked at her,” Melissa snapped. “He actually defended her. As if someone like Imogen is even on his level.”

They laughed again.

I couldn’t take it.

Every drop of rage, humiliation, and despair boiled over like lava in my veins. I pushed open the stall door, my steps loud and purposeful.

Their laughter cut off instantly.

Melissa turned.

“Oh,” she said. “Eavesdropping now too? You really are desperate.”

I stood tall. No more hiding. “I didn’t cheat. And you know that.”

“Aw, is the little liar sad that her lies are catching up to her?” she mocked. “Face it, Immy. You got caught. Cry about it.”

I clenched my fists. “No. You framed me. You think you’re clever? Think this will keep him with you?”

Her lips curled. “Adam is mine. He always will be. And you? You’re just a sad, little charity case trying to climb where you don’t belong.”

I stepped forward. “You’re threatened. That’s what this is. You see someone doing better than you, so you destroy them. But guess what, Melissa—I’m not scared of you anymore.”

“Oh, sweetie.” She laughed bitterly. “You should be.”

I didn’t know what came over me.

One moment, her smirk was inches from mine. The next, she shoved me.

Reflex.

I shoved back.

Hard.

Too hard.

Melissa stumbled, slipped on the wet tile—and the c***k her head made against the porcelain sink echoed like thunder in my ears.

The laughter stopped.

A beat of silence. Then—

Screams.

“Melissa!” one of the girls cried, rushing over. “Oh my God—she’s not moving!”

“She hit her! She—she slammed her!”

Another girl ran to the door. “Get a teacher!”

I stood there, paralyzed. My hand still halfway in the air. My chest rising and falling like I’d just sprinted a mile.

What just happened?

I didn’t mean to—

“She attacked her!”

“She tried to kill Melissa!”

“No, I didn’t—” My voice came out barely above a whisper.

Melissa’s body lay still, blood seeping slowly from the back of her head.

I backed away, horrified, shaking, as chaos erupted around me.