"Oops."
Sabrina gasps, her voice dripping with fake innocence as she pours her icy bubble tea all over me.
I feel the cold seep through my uniform, clinging to my skin like an unwanted touch. The shock of it freezes me in place for a second, just long enough for the laughter to start.
I see her crew cover their mouths in mock horror, like they didn't plan this.
"You're not mad, are you?" she asks, tilting her head, a slight smirk playing on her lips.
The crowd thickens around us, their whispers buzzing in my ears like an angry swarm.
I breathe in sharply.
Rage ignites in my chest, sharp and all-consuming.
Before I can think, I lunge at her.
My fingers tangle in her silky, perfect hair as I yank with all the fury burning inside me. Every ounce of pain she has caused me , every rumor, every whisper, every dagger she's driven into my relationship with Dan fuels my grip.
Her fake gasp of innocence morphs into something real.
Fear.
"LET GO! SOMEBODY GET HER OFF ME!" she shrieks, struggling against me, flailing her hands like a child.
Her friends freeze, wide-eyed, useless. No one had ever seen me like this including myself.
Gasps ripple through the crowd, phones rise, cameras flash. Sabrina tries to pull away, but I hold on, not yet. Not until she feels just a fraction of the humiliation she's inflicted on me.
I lean in close and whisper, "Oops."
Then, with one final tug, I shove her backward. She stumbles, eyes wild with shock.
Silence.
Then the murmurs begin, the frantic tapping on screens, the low chuckles.
Suddenly, a strong hand grips my arm, yanking me from the scene. Laughter erupts from the crowd as they film my walk of shame.
"What the hell is going on, Helen?"
The sharp voice of Mr. Harold, my sports coach, slices through the noise.
The fire in my veins instantly cools.
I blink, suddenly aware of how hard I'm breathing. What just happened?
"First, it was Anna. Now it's Sabrina. What is wrong with you?" His voice is edged with disappointment, the weight of his stare pressing on my chest.
I drop my gaze to the tiled floor.
'Maybe I went too far'.
"The last time, I told the clinic nurse not to say a word to Mrs. Edwina," Mr. Harold continues. "But this time, I'll make sure she hears every detail."
My stomach knots.
I should beg him, plead for him to let it go, but I won't. Because if given the chance, I'd do it all over again.
He storms off, leaving me to collapse onto a nearby chair.
A slow smile creeps onto my face.
I pull out my phone, already searching for the videos. The notifications flood in.
A message from Selena pops up:
"Where are you?"
"What happened back there?!"
"You're a badass! Never knew you had that in you. Now tell me where you are."
I grin, typing my location.
Moments later, Selena arrives, laughing.
"Girl, you should see the comments! You're the most talked-about person right now," she cackles, waving her phone.
I beam at her.
"From Miss Bookworm to Miss Popular," Selena teases dramatically.
I laugh. "I thought you'd scream at me or something."
"Mad? Girl, you don't know me at all." She smirks, scrolling through the comments.
"Never knew she had that in her."
"Sabrina had that coming for a long time."
Selena pauses. "Okay… you might not like this one."
I shrug. "Read it."
She hesitates, then sighs. "Don't tell me all this was because of Dan. That slut."
I roll my eyes.
Selena grins. "Don't beat me up, please. I'm just the messenger."
Another comment catches her eye, and she practically shouts, "Super proud of that queen! Glad she's finally standing up for herself."
I raise an eyebrow. "Who posted that?"
Selena smirks. "You'd never believe it."
I wait.
"It's Dom." She squeals out in excitement
I blink. "Dom Bells?"
"Yup. And you know he never comments on anything." Selena goes on
A slow smile spreads across my face.
Selena catches it instantly. "So… does this mean no more Dan? Are we officially crushing on Dom Bells now?" She waggles her eyebrows.
I roll my eyes, still smiling.
"You know that boy has been dropping hints. What do you want? A message in the sky declaring his love?". She writes dramaticay on a imaginary sky
"Did Dom pay you for this?" I ask, amused.
"Come on. Even a blind person can see the signals he's sending." Selena grinning,
I hesitate. "He's Dan's cousin." I watch her face as I drop the bomb.
Selena's smile drops.
"Hell no." she's almost screaming.
I nod. "That was my reaction, too." I tell her.
"They don't even speak to each other," she says, still processing.
"That's because they hate each other's guts." I let her know.
Her mouth opens, then closes.
"I met Dom's mom the other day. She's dead drop gorgeous, big revelation is that Mrs Tay and Dan's mom, Mrs Bonfire are sisters."
I go on, explaining how they both are related.
Selena shakes her head. "I need a moment."
"A lot happened on valentine's ," I admit.
"Was that why you fought Sabrina?" Selena asking, still confused.
I exhale. "I don't know. Maybe she's just being petty."
Selena drops her bag on the chair, next to me.
"Start from the beginning." she sits, listening
So I do.
I tell her about going to Dan's house, the unexpected arrival of Dom and his mom, the gifts, the flowers and I go into the full details
Selena gasps. "He gave you flowers?"
I nod, as a picture of that flower flash through my mind, and hoping Selena do not ask me about the flowers.
"And Dan thinks Dom is just messing with you to get under his skin?" she asks again
I nod again and also sigh in relief.
Selena scoffs. "I don't believe that for a second. Do you?"
I hesitate. "It just makes sense. Dom knows flirting with me will piss Dan off." I say to her.
Selena stays quiet.
After a moment, she asks, "So what actually triggered the fight?"
I exhale, frustration bubbling up again. "Sabrina has been giving me dirty looks all day, whispering with her little crew every time I walk by.
Then, when I went to get a drink, she and her minions appeared. And just as I was about to leave". I pause, my jaw tightening.
"She poured hers on me."
Selena whistles. "Well then, she deserved what she got. But I still can't believe Dan and Dom are cousins."
She pulls out her phone, diving into detective mode.
Then my name booms through the school's speakers.
My chest tightens.
I meet Selena's gaze. Fear flashes in her eyes.
I force a smirk. "Mr Harold must have reported the fight."
I grab my bag and head to the principal's office.
Inside, Sabrina sits with crocodile tears in her eyes, spinning a story to Mrs. Edwina, who watches her with pity.
I stand there, my hands trembling.
"How did I just now find out that you put Miss Anna in the hospital?" Mrs. Edwina removes her glasses, placing them on the desk.
My chest pounds. I say nothing.
"And now, your next victim is Miss Sabrina." She gestures to her, her tone laced with disappointment.
I glance at Sabrina. She smirks.
Victim?
Anger floods me again. I clench my fists, resisting the urge to wipe that look off her face.
Mrs Edwina sighs. "You're suspended for a week, Helen."
Shock slams into me.
I haven't even explained my side, and she's already made her decision.
Sabrina gasps. I barely register her fake expression.
I've brought honor to this school. I've won medals, awards. And now, just like that, I'm being discarded.
Mrs. Edwina's voice cuts through my thoughts.
"And least I forget, Dom Bells will be tutoring you during your suspension." Mrs Edwina drops the bomb
My stomach drops.
"No. Not him". I murmur slowly,
What is it you say? ". Mrs Edwina looks at me in shock, this was the first time , she's heard my voice in a while.
" Can someone else do the tutoring? ". I manage to speak loud.
" Dom's already assigned to tutor me for a course, can't someone else do it this time". I chip in immediately, maybe she'd change her mind.
" You don't have a choice here, I've discussed it with your Parent, and they've both agreed". Mrs Edwina tells me as I sit quietly and boil in anger.
'How could they be making decisions without asking me if I wanted it or not '.
I crash on the back seat as I think to myself.
I take a look at Sabrina, she's there thanking the principal for doing something about the fight.
Mrs Edwina looks at my direction, "You can leave now". She tells me and she returns her eyes to Sabrina.
I walk out of the office dejected, stunned and mortified.