Chapter 15 – The Shaky Party
The campus was buzzing with energy that Friday night, the kind that made even the shyest students drop their books and rush to the dorm party rumored to be the wildest thing of the semester. Neon lights flickered through the windows of the main common room, music pulsed from hidden speakers, and laughter and shouting carved through the thick, sweaty air.
Emily and Riley stood by the entrance, a wall of noise and movement pressing in around them. Neither had planned to come—no classes tomorrow, and honestly, they both wanted to avoid the crowds. But the invitation from a few classmates, along with a nagging feeling that they needed to face the chaos head-on, had dragged them out.
The air was thick with cheap perfume and sticky floors, the kind of place where secrets got spilled and masks slipped off. Emily gripped Riley's hand tightly, their fingers interlaced but trembling under the pressure of everything still hanging between them.
They had spent the last week trying to rebuild what Dylan's slow poison had started breaking down. Riley's art was back in her hands, though not fully restored, and Emily's laptop had been replaced thanks to a generous donation from Ms. Halden, who had quietly started keeping an eye on them. But trust? That was a fragile thing, stretched thin like a thread ready to snap.
"Hey, you two!" A voice cut through the noise. It was Tara, a girl from their art class with a bright smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Glad you came! You guys have been kinda ghosts lately."
Riley smiled weakly, pulling Emily a little closer. "Yeah, just needed some time."
Tara's gaze flicked to Emily's hand, still holding Riley's, and then back up with a smirk. "Well, don't be ghosts tonight. People are talking, you know. And not in a good way."
Emily felt her stomach drop. She knew what Tara was hinting at—the rumor mill had gone wild after the leaked photo finally hit the campus chat groups last night. The intimate kiss between her and Riley wasn't private anymore; it was viral, dissected, and weaponized.
Before either of them could respond, the lights flickered, and the music stuttered, then cut out entirely. Murmurs spread like wildfire.
"Power's out?" someone shouted.
Suddenly, the sharp glow of phone screens illuminated faces twisted in shock and amusement. And then—loud laughter, cruel and biting—broke out.
Emily spotted Dylan across the room, leaning against the wall with that same cold smile. His eyes locked on them, unblinking, as if daring them to crumble.
Riley squeezed Emily's hand tighter, eyes flashing with a mix of fear and defiance. "Ignore them," she whispered.
But the damage was done.
Someone shoved past them, bumping Emily hard enough to stumble. "Freaks," the voice sneered, disappearing into the crowd.
Emily's heart hammered. She caught Riley's eye, and the fragile barrier between them cracked just a little.
Tara returned, dragging a boy behind her. "Look what I found," she said, voice dripping with mock innocence. "Our little art queen and her girlfriend, caught in the act."
Her phone glowed as she thrust it in front of everyone. The leaked photo.
Gasps and whispers flooded the room. Some faces twisted in disgust, others in curiosity, but the weight of exposure crushed Emily and Riley both.
Emily felt tears prick at her eyes but blinked them away. "Stop it," she said quietly, voice cracking but fierce. "This isn't who we are."
A boy sneered, stepping closer. "Isn't it, though? Bet you're used to hiding. Bet you think you can just pretend it's normal."
Riley stepped forward, her voice sharper than Emily had heard in days. "We're not pretending. We're real. And we're not sorry."
The crowd's energy shifted, some stepping back uncertainly, others leaning in with renewed venom.
Emily's chest tightened, the fight or flight thrumming through her veins. She looked at Riley—fear, pain, and stubborn strength burning in her eyes—and knew this was the moment they either fell apart or fought harder.
Then, a sudden shout from the back cut through the chaos.
"Enough!"
Ms. Halden pushed through the crowd, her presence commanding silence like a sudden storm. "This ends now."
She turned to Emily and Riley. "You don't deserve this. None of you do."
The crowd's momentum faltered, some lowering their voices, others exchanging guilty glances.
Ms. Halden's eyes burned with quiet fury as she fixed Dylan with a sharp look.
"This is your last warning. Any more harassment, and I'm bringing this to the principal."
Dylan's smile faltered, the room holding its breath.
Emily and Riley leaned into each other, trembling but unbroken.
The night was far from over, but maybe—just maybe—they weren't as alone as it felt.