The cafeteria buzzed with murmurs and whispers after Gabriel and Andrew’s bold move. Mia’s once-unshakable confidence had been visibly rattled. She tried to act unfazed, but the panic in her eyes betrayed her. Gabriel and Andrew exited the cafeteria, their plan set in motion, leaving a tense atmosphere behind.
Elena, who had been quietly observing from a distance, felt a knot tighten in her stomach. She wasn’t used to being the center of attention-especially not like this. As much as she appreciated Gabriel stepping in, the fear of retaliation from Mia lingered in the back of her mind.
Gabriel leaned back in his chair in the common area, his arms crossed over his chest. Andrew sat opposite him, scrolling through his phone.
“What’s the next step?” Andrew asked, looking up.
Gabriel smirked. “Patience. Let her stew for a bit. She’ll crack under the pressure.”
Andrew nodded, though he seemed slightly uneasy. “You sure she won’t try something else? You know how Mia is-she’s not the type to back down easily.”
Gabriel’s smirk faded, replaced by a serious expression. “If she tries something again, she’ll regret it. She’s on thin ice as it is.”
Andrew chuckled. “Man, you’re scary when you get like this.”
Gabriel didn’t respond. His thoughts drifted to Elena, her pale face and trembling hands when he found her at the pool. He clenched his jaw, the image sparking a protective rage within him.
Elena sat in the library, her books spread out in front of her, but her mind was elsewhere. She couldn’t concentrate-not with everything that had happened. Gabriel’s words kept echoing in her mind.
“No one bullies you except me.”
She didn’t know what to make of him. One moment, he was teasing her relentlessly, and the next, he was defending her like it was his personal mission. His presence confused her, and it scared her how much her heart seemed to react to him.
“Elena?”
The soft voice startled her, and she looked up to see one of her classmates, Rachel.
“I just wanted to say… I’m sorry about everything,” Rachel said, wringing her hands nervously. “I didn’t know Mia would go that far. None of us did.”
Elena blinked, surprised. “Oh… thank you,” she said softly, not knowing what else to say.
Rachel hesitated before continuing. “If you ever need anything… you can count on me. A lot of us are starting to see Mia for who she really is.”
Elena gave her a small, grateful smile. “That means a lot. Thank you.”
In her dorm room, Mia paced back and forth, her phone clutched tightly in her hand. Her gang sat silently on her bed, unsure of what to say.
“Do you have any idea what will happen if that video gets out?” Mia hissed, glaring at them.
“We didn’t know someone was recording,” one of the girls muttered.
Mia groaned in frustration, running a hand through her hair. “I can’t let this ruin me. Gabriel thinks he can just walk all over me? He’s got another thing coming.”
Her phone buzzed, and she quickly opened the message. Her eyes narrowed as she read it a text from an anonymous number.
“Meet me at the old lecture hall. I have information you’ll want.”
Mia frowned, her mind racing. She didn’t trust the message, but she was desperate enough to follow through.
Later that evening, Gabriel found Elena in the common area, sitting by the window. She looked lost in thought, her knees pulled up to her chest.
“Hey,” he said, his voice softer than usual.
Elena turned to him, her eyes wary. “What do you want now?”
Gabriel smirked faintly, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Relax. I’m not here to annoy you. I just wanted to check if you’re okay.”
Elena raised an eyebrow. “Why do you care? Isn’t this all just a game to you?”
Gabriel sighed, running a hand through his hair. “You really think I’d go through all this trouble for a game?”
She looked away, unsure how to respond.
Gabriel sat down next to her, leaning back against the wall. “Listen, I know I can be a jerk sometimes-most of the time but I’m serious about this. No one gets to treat you like that. Not even Mia.”
Elena glanced at him, her expression softening slightly. “Why, though? Why do you care so much?”
Gabriel hesitated, his usual confidence faltering. “I don’t know. Maybe I’m just tired of seeing good people get hurt.”
Elena stared at him, searching his face for any sign of insincerity. But for once, Gabriel seemed completely genuine.
Before she could say anything, Andrew appeared, his usual grin in place.
“Am I interrupting something?” he teased, looking between them.
Gabriel rolled his eyes. “What do you want, Andrew?”
Andrew held up his phone. “Mia’s on the move. She got some mysterious text and is heading to the old lecture hall.”
Gabriel’s expression darkened. “What the hell is she up to now?”
Andrew shrugged. “No idea. But it feels shady.”
Gabriel stood, his jaw set. “Let’s go. I’m not letting her pull any more stunts.”
As Gabriel, Andrew, and Elena approached the old lecture hall, they kept to the shadows. Inside, they could see Mia pacing, her phone in hand.
“What is she doing?” Elena whispered.
Gabriel didn’t answer, his eyes narrowing as he observed.
Suddenly, the door slammed shut behind Mia, and a figure stepped out of the shadows. Gabriel’s breath caught as he recognized the person.
“Is that…?” Andrew began, but Gabriel silenced him with a look.
The chapter ends with the mysterious figure confronting Mia, leaving Gabriel, Elena, and Andrew watching in tense anticipation.