(Troy POV)

"Alright class, so next week, we will be having our monthly dyad quiz. I am going to be assigning your partners for today so this will give you more time to study together." Ms. Jam announced.

"Nicole, you will be paired up with Tony. Gwen, you will be paired up with Craig. Troy, you will be paired up with Jacob." She said.

Oh my God! I felt like my heart is in my throat right now. I don't want to have anything to do with him anymore so why the hell did Ms. Jam assign him to be my partner?

After dismissal, I rushed to Ms. Jam to ask her if there's any way I can switch partners.

"I'm sorry dear but you are going to have to adapt to the situation. In the real world, you are going to have to work with people you don't really like and there's nothing you can do about it."

"It's just that..." I stopped when I felt Jacob's arm wrap around me.

"No need to worry, Troy. I am not going to be preoccupied with my after class training. I am free the entire week." He said before winking at me.

"Oh, so you are worried about Jacob being a varsity and spending more time on sports than his academics?" Ms. Jam asked and at that point, I have no other option but to go along with Jacob's pretense because otherwise, I'll be dead if I tattle on him.

"Yes, that's my concern." I said looking down.

"Well, I know for sure that Jacob will not leave you hanging." She smiled and the minute, she turned her back on us. Jacob pinched my butt and whispered.

"My place tomorrow at 9 pm. If you don't show up, there'll be consequences." He said before walking out of the room.

I didn't even realize that I was already shaking. I just noticed when Gwen came up to me.

"Troy, is everything okay?" She asked.

"I...I...I'm fine." I stuttered.

"Are you sure? Do you need water or something?"

"I just need to breathe." I whimpered.

"Come on, I'll take you out for fresh air." She said.

Lunch time...

The moment I felt better, Gwen and I came back inside and had lunch together in the cafeteria.

"Gwen, did something happen to Ravine? Why was he all bruised up by the way?" I asked as I hadn't had the chance to ask Ravine myself.

"Oh...well, will you promise not to tell anyone because he's going to kill me if he finds out I told you about it?" Gwen said.

"I promise." I said as we intertwined our pinky fingers together.

"Well, he got beat up by a bartender in a local bar somewhere near the school." Gwen said.

"He did, huh?" Someone said behind us and to our surprise, it was Ravine's ex-boyfriend, Craig who was eavesdropping the whole time.

"Oh my God! You didn't hear anything, I didn't tell you that. You chose to eavesdrop." Gwen said to Craig.

Craig rushed out of the cafeteria to do God-knows-what.

"What do you think he's going to do?" I asked.

"I don't even want to think about it."

(Ravine POV)

I didn't go to school today due to a high fever so I just watched Netflix and ordered a Spinach Artichoke pizza.

Lo and Behold, my mother barged in again.

"Do you need some medicine for that?" She asked nonchalantly.

"Please, stop acting like that. It doesn't suit you." I said.

"I'm sorry that I am just doing my job as a mother. You should be grateful that I am still concerned for you after what you have done to me."

"Grateful that you're concerned for me? So you're saying that I should be thankful for you because you're just doing your responsibility as a parent. Listen here, mommy dearest. I don't owe you anything. Whatever you did for me, you did it because it's your job as a mother and you have no right to throw it in my face that you're taking care of me, you're feeding me, you're providing for me because it's what you should do and if you complain constantly about having expensive bills because of me and how expensive it is to raise me, then you have no right to call yourself a mother. I didn't choose to be born in this God forsaken world. You and dad chose to have me. You both chose to have sex and produce a child. Hell, if only somebody could've asked me if I wanted to be born or not! It's just so unfair that I was placed in this ugly world and got assigned to the worst mother of all time!" I ranted.

"No offense, girly boy but the feeling is absolutely mutual." She said.

"Thank God for that. Now, get out of my room. I can take care of myself. I don't need your help. Why don't you just read your bible and watch an Anita Bryant documentary?" I said.

She stomped her way out and slammed the door close.

In a way, I am both disgusted and proud of myself.

I am proud because I know I can hold my own against her and I am learning to fight back for myself. However, I am also disgusted because look how far we have fallen from respectability. We already normalized this toxic and hateful relationship we have. How far can we go?

This is beyond irreparable and only a miracle can change the dynamic of our relationship. I highly doubt that will happen.

Suddenly, my phone rang and it's Gwen.

"Hello Gwen?"

"Ravine!"

"I know I should have told you that I am not coming to school today. How about I make it up to you tomorrow?" I said.

"No, that's not why I called you." She said and she sounds frantic.

"What is it?"

"Craig has been detained for causing a brawl in a bar." She said.

"WHAT?!"