HUXLEE
8:10 AM
Today is already my second time arriving late to class, which means I’ll be stuck in detention again later. Just thinking about it makes my chest feel heavier. After everything that happens this morning, I still have to sit through an entire school day pretending that nothing is wrong. I actually arrive at school early, but I end up entering the classroom late because I break down in the locker room and spend several minutes trying to calm myself before facing everyone.
Throughout the lesson, I can barely hear anything our professor is discussing. The classroom feels suffocating. Instead of paying attention to the discussion, my classmates keep glancing in my direction before leaning toward each other to whisper. Some of them quickly look away whenever our eyes almost meet, while others don’t even bother hiding their stares anymore.
The rumor has probably spread through the entire campus already.
I lower my gaze to my desk and tighten my grip on my pen, trying to ignore the uncomfortable feeling crawling beneath my skin. No matter how hard I try to focus on the lecture, my mind refuses to cooperate. Right now, I just want to disappear without a trace.
And on top of everything else, I still can’t stop thinking about what Ciela says to me earlier in the hallway.
How are we even supposed to figure out who the admin of that group chat is? We aren’t fortune tellers. We don’t magically know who’s hiding behind a screen.
By the time the class finally ends, I realize I haven’t learned a single thing. My thoughts drift somewhere else the entire time, tangled together with fear, embarrassment, and endless questions. The moment our professor dismisses us for lunch break, the loud scraping of chairs instantly fills the room as everyone begins leaving their seats.
I quickly stand up and head toward the door, wanting nothing more than to get out of there as fast as possible.
But before I can even step into the hallway, someone suddenly jumps right in front of me.
I gasp softly and clutch my chest in surprise.
“Hi!” the guy says cheerfully, as if he didn’t nearly give me a heart attack.
I immediately recognized him. He’s the same person who interrupted me and Ciela earlier this morning.
Cyprus—the school’s well-known troublemaker.
I stare at him for a few awkward seconds, not saying anything, before casually walking past him.
I don’t want to deal with him right now. Honestly, I don’t even want to be associated with him at all. We’re not friends, we barely talk to each other, and this is literally the first time he approaches me on his own.
Isn’t that suspicious?
A thousand possibilities instantly flood my mind, each one worse than the last. Maybe after seeing the leaked video, he suddenly thinks I’m easy enough to become his next bed buddy. Or maybe he’s the admin behind the group chat, pretending to get close to me for some twisted reason.
At this point, the only person I trust is Ciela. No one else.
Even though I ignore him, I can still hear footsteps following behind me as I walk down the hallway. Cyprus doesn’t say anything, but his presence alone is enough to make me uneasy. I pretend not to notice him and continue heading toward Ciela’s classroom.
When I’m only a few feet away, I finally spot her standing near the doorway.
She’s talking to Cleovon.
My footsteps slowly come to a halt.
For a moment, I just stand there silently, watching the two of them from a distance while students continue passing by around me.
What are they talking about?
“Why did you stop?” Cyprus asks from behind me, his voice dripping with amusement. “Oh… is it because your lover is with your friend right now? Are you jealous?”
What kind of nonsense is this idiot talking about? My lover? Me, jealous? What the hell?
I let out a quiet scoff and roll my eyes, refusing to waste my energy answering him. I start walking again, wanting nothing more than to get away from his irritating voice, but before I can take another step, Ciela suddenly turns around.
Our eyes meet from across the crowded hallway.
She lifts her hand and gestures for me to come over, so I immediately walk toward her.
“Are we not going to eat yet?” I ask, purposely ignoring the man standing in front of her.
“We need to talk about something first,” Ciela says. Then her eyes shift toward the guy beside me, and her expression instantly darkens. Her brows pull together in irritation. “What the fuck are you doing here?” she asks Cyprus.
A grin spreads across Cyprus’ face, the kind that makes me want to punch him. “I’m eating with you guys.”
I don’t know. It just irritates me whenever I see him smile.
“And who exactly told you that you could?” Ciela asks, raising one eyebrow.
Cyprus casually points at himself with a smug look on his face. “Me.”
“Back off.” Ciela shoves her palm against his chest, but Cyprus barely even moves, like her push means nothing.
“What about him?” Cyprus asks, pointing toward Cleovon this time. “Is he eating with you too?”
I glance at Ciela, quietly waiting for her answer because, honestly, I’m curious too.
“No,” Ciela answers flatly. “We just need to talk about something, and you’re not included in it.”
Relief immediately washes over me. Eating with Cyprus around would probably feel suffocating.
As silence briefly settles between us, whispers suddenly drift from nearby.
“Look, they’re together.”
“So the video is probably true.”
“Tsk. She acts all innocent like some Virgin Mary, but she’s going after someone else’s boyfriend.”
I stiffen when I realize they’re talking about me.
Three girls pass by us slowly, openly staring as they gossip without even trying to lower their voices.
Ciela immediately turns toward them, her face hardening. “Who are you talking about?”
The girls stop walking and look back at her with mocking expressions.
“Who else?” one of them answers carelessly.
I can already see the anger flashing across Ciela’s face. She takes a step forward, clearly ready to lunge at them, but I quickly grab her wrist before she can do anything.
She sharply turns toward me, furious, and I gently shake my head.
“But they’re talking shit about you!” she snaps angrily.
“It’s fine,” I tell her softly. “I’m hungry already. Shouldn’t we just go eat?”
“Tsk. What a bother,” one of the girls mutters before the three of them finally walk away.
Ciela yanks her wrist out of my grip and glares at me. “You shouldn’t just let people talk about you like that.”
“It’s really fine,” I insist, even though the words still sting a little.
She rolls her eyes in frustration before letting out an annoyed sigh. “Whatever. Let’s go.”
Then she glances at Cleovon. “We’ll continue talking after we eat.”
Cleovon gives her a small nod.
Without another word, Ciela turns around and starts walking away. I quietly follow behind her while Cyprus trails after us.
In the end, Cyprus actually ends up eating with us. I still don’t know what that man’s real intentions are, and honestly, I don’t even want to figure them out anymore. One thing is certain though—I can’t stand him.
Just like Ciela said, we secretly meet up with Cleovon in the auditorium after lunch. The place is almost empty, the quietness making every little sound echo through the room. The dim lights hanging from the ceiling give the space a strange feeling.
And of course, Cyprus follows us again.
This time, Ciela doesn’t even bother trying to stop him. She’s probably already exhausted from dealing with him.
Cyprus casually looks around the auditorium before shoving his hands into his pockets. “So… what exactly are we talking about here?” he asks.
“You know what?” Ciela suddenly says, pointing toward the entrance. “Go stand by the door and make sure nobody comes in. You’re the lookout now. Go.”
Without waiting for an answer, she pushes him toward the exit.
So that’s why she let him follow us.
“Now speak,” she says as she gestures toward Cleovon.
Cleovon takes a deep breath before looking directly at me. His expression is unusually serious, and for once, there’s no arrogance in his eyes.
“First, I want to apologize to you, Huxlee,” he says sincerely. “I know what I did was wrong, and I’m willing to accept whatever punishment you want to give me. If you want to slap me, then do it. I won’t stop you.”
Ciela lets out a quiet sigh beside me. “He already confessed everything that really happened in that video.”
“Ciela…” I mutter softly while holding her hand.
“It’s okay,” she says, giving my hand a small squeeze. “I know it’s partly my fault too because I was the one who brought you to that party. So… I’m sorry.”
I quickly shake my head. “I wanted to go too, remember? So it’s not entirely your fault.”
For a moment, silence fills the auditorium again.
Then Cleovon clears his throat. “Anyway, I want to work together with you guys to catch the admin.”
I immediately frown. “But—”
“He knows someone with the initials C.M.Y,” Ciela cuts in before I can finish.
My eyes widen in surprise. “Really? Who?”
“Catherine May Yeager from Grade 12, Section E,” Cleovon answers. “I also checked her handwriting, and it matches the handwriting from the love letter I received.”
A chill runs down my spine.
“So when are we confronting her?”
I nearly jump out of my skin when a voice suddenly speaks right beside my ear.
I quickly cover my ear and turn around, only to see Cyprus grinning at me.
“What is wrong with you?” I snap while glaring at him.
His grin only grows wider. “I like it when your face turns red.”
“What the hell?” Ciela immediately pulls me away from him. “Pervert!”
Yeah. Definitely a pervert.
“Why are you even here?” Ciela asks irritably. “Didn’t I tell you to stay on lookout duty?”
Cyprus shrugs carelessly. “Didn’t you hear the bell? Class is about to start.”
Ciela lets out another exhausted sigh before rubbing her forehead. “Fine. Then let’s all meet outside Catherine’s classroom after class.”
Everyone nods in agreement.