I lost the pendant in less than forty-eight hours. I probably deserved a prize.

I searched for it around every corner of my room and Kai’s but to no avail. I only took it off because it got tangled in my hair. Kai was going to be disappointed I lost an item that was highly valued emotionally and monetarily. Just because he had the cash, it didn’t mean he was willing to throw it around. I knew it cost a lot.

I debated whether I should make a dummy copy of it till I found it; I was that paranoid, but I knew he’d notice. Gold had a different shine, and he was born with a golden spoon in his mouth. He would know better. It wasn’t that small of an item, though—where could it have gone?

I wore a turtleneck at home and in school, basically all the time, to hide my bare neck. I even avoided Kai’s intimate pecks and hugs often to prevent myself from getting exposed. I felt irresponsible, terrible. Not one moment passed with me forgetting I lost it. I couldn’t enjoy eating or sleeping anymore.

My biggest concern was whether it fell in the hands of the wrong person: someone who could recognise its monetary value, then see my name on the back and be sure I wouldn’t be the one to buy it. Definitely, someone else would buy such an expensive item for me—someone like a wealthy boyfriend I shouldn’t be dating in the first place.

On Monday, I dealt with Massie to meet up in the library and study together again. I had no idea how to focus on her and whatever she was about to study with me, but I shouldn’t neglect my studies. I hoped I would be distracted a little as well.

While I was chewing on my pen’s head, Massie rounded the corner and came up to me, and then I found my lost item. My eyes widened in disbelief, and the world was still for a second. It was around her neck. It couldn’t be mistaken—that was mine. Yet, she came up to me with one of the biggest smiles I had seen on her face as if she knew what she was doing. I felt trouble running my way.

No, no! This isn’t the right time and place. This isn’t the right way for her to know!

“Massie…” I murmured, my lips gaping at her. My throat went dry, so I couldn’t say anything else.

“Melanie.” Something about the way she said my name was different; it made me shake in anxiety as I couldn’t predict her next move or word. She pulled the chair beside me and took a seat. The proximity suffocated me. The brunette head intertwined her hands together and probed, “How does it feel like to make a fool out of someone who did nothing but help you?” She sported a fake, menacing smile again.

I was tongue-tied, but I ought to try my best. Maybe it was time to try and tell her the truth. “Massie, I—”

She slapped me with all her might. “Shut up. I’ll do the talking here.”

Breathe, Melanie.

I held my red cheek and my tears in surprise. My face throbbed with the burning pain. I wished for the ground to split open and swallow me whole. I was not one to bear such encounters. No one ever raised their hand on me. I have never done something worth such a reaction. I didn’t know what to do, mainly because I knew I did wrong. I should’ve told her Kai and I had a thing running. If I were her, I’d feel like a joke too.

“Why was a necklace with your name on Kai’s bedside table?” She leant back, biting her lower. “Ah, lemme guess. Because you’re a whore. Have you got in Ryan’s pants as well?”

No, I was not that dirty. I was getting humiliated yet didn’t have a word in my defence.

“I confided in you. I —fúck, I thought you could fill Kim’s spot in the group!” her words came out strangled. She got up from the chair with a loud screech. “But you turned out to be as cheap as your mother—I knew that maid at theirs looked remarkably similar to you. She is your mum, no? That’s why you are often around Kai. You fúcking serve there.”

Only then I managed to give her a stern look. I didn’t know who that Kim was, and I didn’t care. She didn’t have the right to belittle my family’s status; it wasn’t something we could control. I got up as well and pushed her to the floor. She fell and growled in pain.

“The only cheap person here is you. Stop pushing yourself on Kai,” I dared, although I knew that wasn’t precisely the problem. My pride was hurt, so I needed to offend her back.

She glared at me through tears. “You don’t understand! I did not push myself on him! His mum pushed him on me.” She pointed to herself. “But your existence made me feel like a clown! How can you all do this to me? What if it ever went public?”

Massie got up and tore the necklace off her neck. My heart sank, apprehensive of her next move. I tried to stop her, but she was too determined, and her long nails clawed on my bare hands. She opened the window and threw it out to the trash bins on the ground three stories below us.

I pushed her to the floor again; my rage was uncontainable. “What did you just do!” I yelled. Only then my tears fell.

At that limit, the librarian and a few students started to gather at the loud scene, but it was just ending for me. While she didn’t have my necklace anymore, I didn’t want anything to do with her.

She laughed at my misery. “Run, bítch, run. Go back to where you belong. And don’t wait for Kai to come to save you—prince charming is busy today!”

I did run. I pushed through the students and sprinted downstairs from the third floor to the end of the building outside. I ran in the direction of the bins with uneven breaths, then bent down to look for the shiny object without hesitation. I didn’t care about my aching legs, my pounding heart, or people’s reactions.

I could feel eyes on me, drilling holes on my back. I heard whispers, mumbles, and, lastly, dirty names all directed to me. Who blamed them, though? I looked like a madwoman looking in the trash with loud cries.

“Mel, what are you doing?!” I heard Ryan from behind my back.

I didn’t reply—didn’t budge. I put myself on a mission I was determined to finish. He didn’t let me, however. He encircled my waist and pulled me away like an infant, uncaring for my squeals and squirms.

“Let me go!” I screeched through tears, but he didn’t. I coughed loudly after, choking on my tears.

Ryan dragged me to the toilet. He opened the girls’ and made sure no one was there. When he assured himself, he got us inside and urged me to wash my face. I still cried uncontrollably, but I willed myself to make no sound. When I felt fresher, he pulled a pile of tissues from the dispenser and helped me dry my face and hands.

“Why do you do this for me?” I asked, but he didn’t answer. He kept dabbing my face and hands with the tissues in such concentration. I walked away from him and leant on the sink. “Ryan,” I called monotonously, bending on the counter. “Why do you care?”

The guy was starting to raise suspicions within me. I would assume he might have feelings for me, but why would he help hand me to Kai back in the forest if he did? It didn’t make sense. Something was off with him.

“Because you look like you need help.”

Well, I did. I brushed off my thoughts about Ryan for the time being and proceeded with a crazy idea.

“Ryan, I’m a maid’s daughter,” I tested. I could see him from the wide mirror but pretended I didn’t.

“So?”

“So?! I’m the daughter of a maid at the Kingstons’, and I study here with a scholarship because I’m that poor,” I continued.

He kept a straight face. “And?”

He was unfazed as if it was no added information, or he didn’t care. I hoped everyone would be like him once they knew my truth. I turned around and looked him in the eye. “And Kai and I are dating.”

He giggled, didn’t bother to suppress it even when he knew I felt shítty.

My eyebrows narrowed. “What’s so funny?”

“You were looking for Kai in the trash, then?”

I started slapping his chest, the tears threatening to come back. “This isn’t funny! You’re sick!” I yelled.

“Shít, I’m sorry. Calm down!” He held my hands. “Look, Mel, I don’t care about your class. I care about who you are. You identify as Melanie González, not the maid’s daughter. Anyone who thinks otherwise should go fúck themselves for all we know. This is a campus of a respectful institute, not a high school drama scene.”

When his grip loosened on my hands, I automatically collided with his chest in a tired hug. Ryan held me closely, caressing my back. His words were right but too good to be true in a materialistic society. I should’ve never involved myself in their drama. I should’ve rejected the scholarship, to begin with.

“Should Massie go fúck herself, then?” I mumbled against his chest after a while.

“What happened between you two?”

I pulled away from his hug, replacing his hands with my own. I hugged myself and rubbed on my shivering sides. “Massie stole a gift Kai gave me and threw it outside the window,” I explained shortly.

“Oh… I understand now.” He cleared his throat. “Yeah, Mrs Kingston has been giving Massie some disturbing hints.”

I checked the time on my wristwatch. Even in my worst states, my schedules were tight and should never be affected. I couldn’t sit on my silky bed among the soft cushions and sob elegantly, but I could refrain from going to school the next day to save myself some embarrassment after the scene I had made.

“I… I need to go now. I have work. Don’t tell Kai this happened. Yet.”

He nodded. “I’ll take you there.”

Little did I know, after work, a bigger rollercoaster was awaiting.

. . .

Do you understand Massie's anger?

Predictions of who's Kim?

So, the next chapter is gonna be an emotional rollercoaster. Who's ready?

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