WARNING. THIS CONTENT DOESN'T ENCOURAGE BULLY.
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TASHA POV
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Before all this, scarf girl never mattered. Just another quiet presence blending into the background of our buzzing hallways. But then Jade started paying attention to her- and that changed everything.
Charlotte and I sat in the front row like we always did, owning the space with our perfect notes and quiet snickers. But our eyes were always drifting back- always watching Jade.
Jade, the ultimate flirt. He was smooth and careless, never serious about any girl. He'd toss out compliments like confetti, hook up behind the gym, and ghost them by Monday. But had a constant thing with Melissa.
But recently?
He was consistent.
With her.
He sat beside her. Leaned in when he spoke to her. He even reached out once to fiddle with her scarf, a soft teasing gesture that lingered too long.
And her reaction? It was awkward- rigid even. Like she wasn't used to being seen. But I saw something else in her eyes. A flicker. A quiet pull.
"Again," Charlotte whispered, nudging me.
Sure enough, Jade brushed the edge of scarf girl's sleeve like it was nothing.
"He's doing it on purpose," I muttered.
"We should tell Melissa," Charlotte said.
I agreed. Melissa didn't take kindly to competition- especially not from someone like her.
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Melissa's POV
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They found me by the lockers, already in a foul mood.
I wasn't expecting to hear 'that' name. Her. The girl who barely spoke and always looked like she wanted to disappear. Scarves in summer, seriously?
"She's been sitting next to him," Tasha said quickly.
"And he's touching her scarf," Charlotte added.
My jaw clenched.
Jade and I weren't exactly dating- but he was mine.
He said so, in his own way. We had our arrangement. We had 'nights'. No one else mattered.
Except now they did.
"He's never like this with anyone else," Tasha repeated.
"He doesn't even sit with us anymore," Charlotte pouted.
I hated how my stomach twisted. I hated that I cared.
"Before she leaves the classroom we will follow her. And ..." Tasha said.
My hands curled into fists.
"Perfect," I muttered.
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ARK POV
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Class was nearly over, and I could feel his gaze burning against my scarf.
Jade.
He leaned in close, voice low and casual. "Why so quiet?"
I kept my eyes on my notebook.
He didn't stop.
"You always this tense?"
His fingers brushed against mine, and my entire body went rigid. He noticed- of course he did- and smirked.
"Do I make you nervous?"
My chest felt tight. I didn't answer.
He chuckled under his breath. "Thought so."
I hated how my heart reacted before my brain could shut it down.
When the bell rang, I stayed back. Let the crowd pass. The hallway emptied.
I needed to take the quiet way- the back corridor. It helped me breathe. It helped me feel invisible again.
But I wasn't invisible this time.
Footsteps echoed.
I turned and froze.
Melissa. Charlotte. Tasha.
They blocked the way like shadows stretching over concrete.
Melissa's voice was cold. "I warned you."
My mouth opened. "W-What d-do you mean? I..."
Her fist collided with my jaw.
Pain. White-hot. Blinding.
Then another- straight to my stomach.
I gasped and collapsed. The concrete scraped my palms.
Tasha laughed. Charlotte smiled faintly.
Melissa crouched next to me, her expression ice.
"You think you're special?" she hissed. "Am warning you for the second time. Stay away from Jade. Next time I would be this gentle. Oh. Never mind that. There won't be a next time, right."
She yanked at my scarf, and I gripped it back with trembling hands.
"You don't belong here. And you 'definitely' don't belong with him."
They left. Just walked away like I wasn't even worth another glance.
I stayed curled on the floor, my ribs throbbing, my throat too tight to cry.
The worst part?
She might be right.
I approached the gate slowly, each step sending a flare of pain through my jaw and stomach. I looked across the street and saw my mom waving at me. I straightened up immediately, willing my spine to hold firm, forcing a neutral expression, because my mom can see through me even thou I had a scarf on me. She just had that one thing about her of reading a person by just looking into their eyes.
She opened the door for me and I stepped in.
But I knew that she noticed. She just decided to stare at me and say nothing.
At home, I tried to keep my posture normal, tried to hide the winces. But the pain in my jaw pulsed with every step. My mom was looking at me closely. She was studying my face. Her smile long gone.
"Had a long day?"
I didnt answer her. I wanted to tell her everything. But I was hesitant.
"Are you okay, baby. Did something happen?" She asked gently.
My throat felt dry. "Am okay. Just tired."
She didn't press. But I could see it in her eyes- something in her knew. She didn't have the full picture, but she sensed the hurt beneath my skin.
I made my way to the bathroom with careful steps, closing the door behind me. The soft clack of the lock gave me permission to fall apart.
I turned the tabs and let the water rise, the steam curling around my body like a blanket. I stripped off my clothes slowly, every movement aching. My jaw throbbed with every breath.
When I sank into the hot water, a sob escaped before I could catch it.
The warmth should've comforted me- but all it did was expose how cold everything else had became.
I tested my head slowly on the edge of the tub and let myself float, barely above the surface. My limbs felt too heavy to move.
Finally, I let go.
Tears mixed with the water as my body sank deeper, pain curling around me like vines. I closed my eyes and let myself float, wishing I could disappear into the quiet
Here, in this quiet, I didn't have to pretend.
Finally, I let go.
Tears mixed with the water as my body sank deeper, pain curling around me like vines. I closed my eyes and let myself float, wishing I could disappear into the quiet.