Chapter 54

Arabella's answer was immediate, her tone colder than ice. "Don't even think about it.Asher and I can never be together."

The second she finished her sentence, Colton left a palpable chill in the air,one that seemed to cling to Asher.

Colton had already been caught off guard several times today.

Seeing Arabella shut Asher down, Colton couldn't believe her boldness.

Without another word, Asher spun on his heel and strode off. Colton wasted no time, slipping away before he could get dragged into the awkward scene.

Curiosity flickered in Joshua's eyes, but Arabella offered him no explanation. "You have work to do. Go on," she told him firmly.

Joshua hesitated,then tried to lighten the mood "Fine, but if you start missing me, just give me

a call,okay?"

His reluctance was obvious as he turned to leave.

She didn't bother replying to his rambling.

Later that day, a major event was set to take place in the gym.

The idea of sitting through it held zero appeal for Arabella, and she was heading off campus when Elissa appeared in her path.

Hearing her name called, Arabella stopped. As Elissa drew near, a faint, sweet scent drifted between them. Arabella noticed it right away,thanks to her sharp senses.

She narrowed her eyes. "What do you want?"

In a gentle tone, Elissa made her case. "There's a show at the gym this afternoon. Would you watch it with me? I've been thinking about us since yesterday. My family was wrong before. I want to be like we were as kids-close, without all this distance."

"You act like a fox eyeing the henhouse,"Arabella replied, sarcasm dripping from her

words.

For a split second, Elissa's face twisted, but she quickly replaced it with a look of regret. "Say whatever you want. I'll accept it. I just want another chance for us to be friends again."

Arabella rolled her eyes, but before she could add anything else, a wave of dizziness washed over her. Her hand went to her forehead. When she noticed this, Elissa's eyes glinted. "Are you all right?" she asked, her voice honey-sweet.

"My head is spinning... Why do I feel so strange?"Arabella managed to mumble.

"That's odd," Elissa replied smoothly. "Let me help you sit down for a bit."

Dragging Arabella along, Elissa made a beeline for the gym.

Every attempt Arabella made to pull free failed -her strength just wasn't enough.

Once they arrived at the equipment room,Elissa's sweet smile faded. Ice replaced every trace of kindness in her eyes. With a sudden shove,she forced Arabella inside and slammed the door shut, locking it tight.

"No! Please, someone, help me! Let me out of here!" The voice drifted weakly from inside,its desperation muffled by the thick door that stood in the way.

A satisfied grin crept across Elissa's face.

She silently boasted, "Go ahead and challenge me, Arabella. You'll regret ever crossing me."

Excitement buzzed in the air as the performance drew near.

A famous guest had packed the house, and every seat pulsed with energy and expectation.

Joyce searched the room for Arabella but didn't spot her anywhere. That made her lips curl into a quiet, knowing smile.

A girl in the next row spun around to steal a look at her, whispering to a friend. The sight made her mood sour in an instant. She kicked the back of her chair. "If you've got something to say about me, let's hear it. Don't keep secrets."

Fear drained all color from the girl's face. She stared at Joyce as though she had seen something out of a nightmare.

Whispers of worry spread to the students nearby.

Watching everyone react like that only fueled Joyce's irritation.

Why did everyone insist on treating her like a villain?

The fact that Kenny was sitting next to her made the embarrassment sting even more.

"Well? Care to explain what you're talking about?" Frustration rising, Joyce kicked the girl's chair a second time.

Right then, the girl burst into tears.

Her friend had finally had enough. Embarrassed by the scene, especially with so many eyes on them, she snapped back, "You're seriously asking? Like you don't know? Haven't you made a habit of bullying people?"

Dirty looks were exchanged across the row as more students glanced over at Joyce.

Wasn't it just sad, someone her age still acting like a bully in college?

"She tried stealing my boyfriend, so of coursel stood up to her," Joyce snapped,not bothering to hide her annoyance.

A voice rang out from a few seats away-Kaitlyn challenged her. "Can you actually prove that? Remember how Elissaonce claimed Daisy was at her place, but it turned out Elissa had moved into Daisy's home instead?"

Every eye seemed to settle on Joyce, and her hands started to sweat. She raised her voice,desperate to convince everyone. "My boyfriend told me straight out. Isn't that proof enough?Kenny,back me up here!"

Attention landed squarely on Kenny, who looked uncomfortabole but nodded. "Yeah,that's what happened," he admitted, his tone resigned.

"I'm not buying any of this without real proof,"Kaitlyn said, dismissing the whole thing. "If someone wants to play the pawn, that's their own business, not mine."

Without waiting for a reply, she turned away and focused on the stage.

Most of the other students followed suit,returning to their own conversations and whispering behind their hands.

The girl Joyce had bullied kept crying, and her friend shot daggers at Joyce, eyes full of blame.

Defeat settled over Joyce like a heavy cloud.

Why couldn't they just see things from her side?One day,the truth would come out.

Moments before the show started, the staff hurried over to the equipment room, surprised to find the door locked tight.

"Who shut this door? Wasn't it supposed to stay open?" a staff member asked, puzzled.

Shrugs and head shakes circled the group."None of us locked it," someone replied.

Right then, faint noises seeped from inside-strange,distressed sounds that caught everyone off guard.

Muffled cries echoed behind the door, and realization spread silently across the group.Uneasy looks were exchanged as people understood what was going on.