Competitive Love 💕/ Why me?

Chapter 8: Echoes of Dissonance

Anna's heart raced as she paced the confines of her hostel room, the walls closing in on her with each step. Pooh's parting words, "I think this may be our last meeting. I enjoyed your presence here," echoed in her mind, not as a farewell, but as a premonition. "I hope Aggy arrives soon," Anna whispered to herself, her voice barely a plea to the universe.

Her phone lay silent, a stark contrast to the storm of calls she had made. With each unanswered ring, her anxiety burgeoned. Resigned, she packed her belongings, her hands trembling slightly. As she set out for college, the weight of countless stares bore down on her, each pair of eyes a silent judge, causing her to shrink inwardly.

Trevor's voice sliced through the murmurs like a knife, "Hey caterpillar! When are you going to become a butterfly?" The taunt was the last straw. Anna exploded, "All this is because of you both, you jerk brothers! You are a disgrace to this place. What do I have to answer her?" Her outburst left the onlookers stunned, their whispers turning into a cacophony of envy.

Trevor stood, taken aback by her fierce reply. "Can caterpillars become dragons?" he mused aloud, his tone mocking. Brody joined him, lamenting playfully, "You never wait for me. I might waste away because of you." Trevor shot back, "You! I bet even Hogwarts lacks a spell for that."

As they walked, Eleanor blocked their path with a coy smile, her presence an unexpected obstacle. "I think we need to take a leave today," Trevor declared abruptly. "Why?" Brody inquired, puzzled. "Because Eleanor graced us with her presence before our departure," Trevor explained, his words dripping with irony.

Eleanor's smile widened, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "You think you can't concentrate on work after meeting a beauty like me?" Trevor scoffed, "Dreamer!" and muttered under his breath, "Day-dreamer."

He sidestepped her, but Brody remained, captivated by her shy demeanor. Once Eleanor noticed Trevor's absence and saw Brody's smitten gaze, she departed with a look of disdain. Trevor had to drag Brody away, who was still murmuring, "Elea— Ele."

In the classroom, Andy sat observing the chaos with a detached air, his thoughts elsewhere. Cole, the teacher, stepped in to restore order. When Anna arrived late, Cole questioned her, but before she could answer, Wendy interjected with a snide remark. "She probably collided with somebody, as usual," Wendy said with a mean smirk. Cole silenced her with a stern shout, and Anna took her seat, feeling more isolated than ever.

Wendy watched Andy, pleased that he hadn't paid attention to the commotion. Anna had been late because she was in the garden, desperately trying to make a phone call. Finally, someone answered, "I can't come today; flights are stopped. It might take another day to reach you." Anna swallowed hard, trying to hold back her tears.

As the class ended, Wendy approached Anna with a smirk. "This might be your last day in college. Celebrate as much as you want," she taunted. Anna ignored her and retreated to her dorm, weary of the relentless hostility.

Trevor, sitting in Mason's class, couldn't shake off Anna's words. "How dare she yell at me? What did she mean?" he pondered, his thoughts disrupting Mason's lecture.

"Some people can't even live up to their names. They just find ways to waste time," Mason said, his gaze fixed on Trevor.

"But I think some people really do live up to their names (MASON-skilled at lifting stones)," Trevor added, his tone laced with sarcasm. Mason, annoyed at his attitude, continued the lecture.

The class ended, and Eleanor approached Trevor again, showering him with praise. Brody watched her with a flirty smile.

"Don't worry, Trevor. We'll teach a lesson to the girl who called you a jerk for messing with the elite," Eleanor said, giving an approving nod to someone before leaving.

Trevor realized the extent of the situation after seeing the hateful comments on the forums. Brody also felt bad. Andy, too, saw the forums and went into deep thought.

The entire school was abuzz with the news, and even the principal was informed. Mason was upset, "Are these students mad? It's clear Andy and Trevor were rude."

Cole added, "That's how it is here. Students don't care about the less fortunate. They only protect the elite."

Meanwhile, someone dragged Anna to an unknown place.

A new female teacher joined the college and went to the principal's office for her official letter. The principal saw the video of Anna on the phone (phones are not allowed in that area) and the forums. He decided to act against Anna but was shocked when he looked at her documents. The new teacher was puzzled by his reaction.

Anna was terrified when she saw where she was. Eleanor and Wendy appeared and threw water in her face. "Let me go," Anna demanded. "Oh, Miss Mute can talk now," Wendy mocked.

As they were about to throw something else at her, Wendy said, "Enjoy your farewell gift." But then, a dark figure appeared behind them. "How about a return gift?" it said.