Queen of the zodiac ( zodiac city duology #1) [ undergoing revamping]

-vier-

Brooke

As I woke up that morning, the weight of the tension between Maylee and me already hung in the air. My normal morning routine felt oddly heavy, like I was preparing for a battle instead of just getting dressed. Paris was sitting at her desk, and I couldn't help but share my worries.

"Paris, have you seen Maylee?" I asked, my voice carrying my genuine concern.

She looked up from her desk, her kind eyes meeting mine. "No, Brooke, I haven't seen her. But I'm sure you can work things out. Just talk to her," she advised, her words reassuring but not enough to calm the storm inside me.

I nodded, determined to find Maylee and fix whatever had gone wrong between us. My heart raced as I entered the classroom, scanning the room for any sign of her. I wondered how I could make things right and bridge the gap that had grown between us.

And then, there she was, entering the classroom a few minutes later. Her presence filled the room with tension, and I couldn't help but approach her, hoping to start a conversation that would mend our fractured friendship.

"Maylee," I began hesitantly, "can we talk? I want to make things right."

But Maylee's reaction was not what I expected. She gave me the cold shoulder, ignoring my attempts at dialogue. Her icy silence made my stomach churn with worry and frustration.

Desperate to understand what was happening, I pushed further, trying to engage her in a conversation. But Maylee's anger boiled over, and she erupted in a fit of shouting, showing me a picture on her phone. It was the image of me and Damien, captured in an intimate moment.
I fucking knew it.

"What is this, Brooke?" Maylee's voice shook with anger as she held up the picture for everyone to see.

My heart sank as I recognized the image that had caused this uproar. Gasps and whispers spread throughout the classroom as Ramon, Jamal, Paris, Rene, and others looked at the photo, their expressions a mixture of shock and disbelief.

Desperation clawed at me as I tried to explain, my voice trembling. "Maylee, it's not what you think. I was having trouble breathing, and Damien was trying to help with CPR."

Maylee's sarcasm cut through the tension like a knife. "Oh, so CPR involves kissing now?" She glanced at Damien, who had risen to defend me, and added, "And of course, you're here to speak for her."

I looked at Damien my eyes pleading for him to stay out of this.

"Brooke this is bad, like really bad " Paris said looking at me with sad eyes.

Renee shook her head in disappointment. I turned around to look for Celeste but she wasn't here. She always ditched class except potion and self defense and attack. Of course she's not here

" Maylee let me explain, please."

Maylee's anger had reached a boiling point, and there was no stopping her. Her fists clenched, ready to unleash her fury. I decided not to dodge, to let her hit me if it meant getting through to her.

As Maylee swung her fist at me, I stood my ground, taking the punch to my shoulder. Pain shot through me, but I didn't react, I couldn't let this escalate further into a full-blown fight. I could see the confusion and frustration in her eyes, but I refused to retaliate.

"Maylee, please, let's talk about this," I implored, my voice strained from the impact.

But she wasn't interested in talking. She swung again, and I braced myself, letting her land another punch, this time on my arm. Ramon, Damien, and Jamal rushed forward, attempting to intervene and break up the fight.