Jay's POV
Cold water dripped from my hair.
Down my face.
Down my uniform.
Onto the floor.
The hallway was silent for a moment… then whispers started spreading like wildfire.
Students were gathering.
Phones coming out.
People pointing.
Within seconds, a small crowd had formed.
I could see familiar faces in the crowd.
Grace.
Mika.
Students from different classes.
Almost the whole school.
Except one class.
3-E.
Of course.
My jaw tightened.
In front of me stood Freya and Matilda.
Freya had her arms crossed, looking satisfied.
Matilda looked even more smug.
Water was still dripping from my sleeves.
My hands slowly clenched.
I looked at them both.
My voice came out low.
Cold.
"…You two must be very proud of yourselves."
Freya tilted her head slightly.
"Oh please," she said with a fake smile. "You dare insult me… and you thought I would just forgive you?"
My eyebrows slowly furrowed.
"Insult you?"
She stepped closer.
"Yes. You think you can walk around this school like you own it?"
Then Matilda spoke, stepping beside her.
"And how dare you try to take Keifer from me."
I blinked once.
Then laughed.
A short, humorless laugh.
"You people are actually insane."
The crowd murmured.
Freya's smile faded.
Matilda frowned.
I wiped water from my face.
Then looked directly at them.
"First of all," I said sharply, "I never insulted you."
My eyes moved to Freya.
"And second… I have absolutely zero interest in stealing anyone."
Then I looked at Matilda.
"Especially someone with your level of drama attached."
The crowd whispered louder.
Matilda's face darkened.
Freya scoffed.
"Oh please, don't act innocent."
"Innocent?" I repeated. "You just dumped a bucket of water on me in front of the entire school."
Freya shrugged.
"Consider it a warning."
I stepped forward slightly.
"And consider this your last moment of peace."
The tension in the hallway thickened.
Students leaned closer.
Grace whispered something to Mika.
Matilda suddenly stepped forward.
Her eyes burning with anger.
"You really think you're something special, don't you?"
I stared at her calmly.
"No."
She raised her hand.
And before anyone could react—
SLAP.
The sound echoed through the hallway.
My head turned slightly to the side.
The entire crowd gasped.
For a second everything went quiet.
Very quiet.
My cheek burned.
Slowly…
Very slowly…
I turned my head back.
And looked at her.
My eyes were colder now.
Much colder.
Then suddenly a familiar voice cut through the crowd.
"What is this?"
Aries.
The crowd parted slightly as a group pushed through.
Aries.
Keifer.
Yuri.
David.
Felix.
Ci-N.
All the boys from 3-E.
They had just arrived.
Aries looked around the scene.
The water on the floor.
My soaked uniform.
Freya holding the bucket.
His eyes hardened.
"Freya," he said seriously. "What is going on?"
But I wasn't looking at Aries.
I was still staring at Matilda.
My fingers slowly curled.
Then Keifer spoke.
His voice sharp.
"Matilda."
Everyone looked at him.
He stepped forward.
"What is all this?"
Matilda crossed her arms.
"She deserved it."
Keifer frowned.
"Is this what you came to school for?"
His voice grew colder.
"How dare you hit someone."
Matilda looked shocked for a moment.
But I spoke before she could respond.
"Keifer."
He looked at me.
"You better control your girlfriend," I said quietly.
The boys stiffened.
My voice dropped lower.
"Because if I lose my control…"
My eyes moved back to Matilda.
"…she might never continue with life."
The hallway gasped again.
Aries stepped forward quickly.
"Jay," he said firmly. "You're not going to do anything."
Before I could respond—
Another voice came from the crowd.
"Actually… I wouldn't be so sure."
Everyone turned.
A tall guy stepped out from the students.
Matteo.
This time he was wearing the proper school uniform.
Looking like any other student.
But I barely reacted.
I didn't care.
Freya suddenly spoke again.
Her voice sharp.
"How dare she call me ugly and think she can just walk away free!"
I turned to her slowly.
"…Are you sick?"
The hallway went silent again.
"When did I call you ugly?"
Freya hesitated.
I turned back to Matilda.
"And you."
My voice was colder now.
"What right do you think you have… to hit me?"
Matilda smirked.
"I can hit whoever I want."
She looked at my wet uniform.
"Especially a poor girl like you."
Before I could respond—
Keifer snapped.
"Enough, Matilda."
His voice was dangerously serious.
"Keep quiet."
Matilda turned to him angrily.
"What? Am I lying?"
I laughed softly.
"Listen carefully."
Everyone looked at me.
"You know nothing."
My eyes hardened.
"Absolutely nothing about me… or my brother."
"So it would be better…"
I stepped slightly closer.
"…if you keep quiet."
Matilda opened her mouth to argue.
But Matteo suddenly spoke.
"Matilda."
His voice was calm.
"Apologise."
She turned to him.
"No way."
Then suddenly she stepped closer to me.
And grabbed my jaw.
Hard.
Her nails pressing into my skin.
My anger spiked instantly.
She leaned closer and hissed,
"I will never apologise to this bitch."
That was the moment.
The very last moment.
I slapped her hand away.
Then before anyone could react—
My hand shot forward.
And grabbed her neck.
The crowd screamed.
Matilda's eyes widened as my fingers closed around her throat.
I pulled her slightly closer.
My voice dropped into a dangerous whisper.
"You really don't know how to stay in your limit."
Aries rushed forward.
"Jay!"
His voice urgent.
"Let her go!"
But I kept looking at Matilda.
Her hands were grabbing my wrist now.
Trying to pull it away.
I spoke quietly.
"Everyone has a patience level."
She struggled to breathe.
"Mine…"
My grip tightened slightly.
"…is very small."
"Jay!" Aries said again. "Let her go!"
The crowd was panicking now.
Freya looked shocked.
Students were whispering everywhere.
Aries kept talking quickly.
"You might kill her!"
I looked at Matilda.
"You see the way you're struggling with my grip?"
She gasped weakly.
"Imagine if I tighten it."
Aries shook his head.
"You won't do that."
I looked at him calmly.
"…Yet."
Then Keifer stepped forward.
His voice serious.
"Jay."
I looked at him.
"Let her go."
He pointed at Matilda.
"She's already finding it hard to breathe."
For a second…
Two seconds…
I stared at her.
Then finally—
I released her.
Matilda collapsed slightly, coughing violently.
Students rushed toward her.
Freya looked furious.
But I didn't care.
I turned to Matteo.
"You better keep your sister away from me."
My voice was ice cold.
"If you want her to live."
Aries quickly stepped beside me.
"Jay, calm down."
He handed me a bottle of water.
"Drink."
But before I could open it—
Freya shouted.
"Keifer! How can you just stand there?!"
She pointed at me.
"She needs to be punished!"
My hand tightened around the bottle.
The plastic crunched loudly.
Then I squeezed it.
Hard.
Water spilled everywhere.
Then I threw the bottle on the floor.
"Unbelievable."
Aries sighed.
"Jay… calm down."
I shook my head.
"I'm going home."
Ci-N looked surprised.
"But class isn't over."
I gestured to my soaked uniform.
"Can't you see I'm wet?"
My voice softened slightly.
"I can't continue like this."
Then I walked past them.
"See you tomorrow."
Aries called after me.
"Jay! Wait!"
But I didn't stop.
I didn't turn back.
I just walked straight down the hallway.
Past the students.
Past the whispers.
Past the staring eyes.
And out of the school.
Behind me, I could still hear Aries calling my name.
But I kept walking.
End of Chapter 18 📖🔥