Do it again

RUMOR

*trigger warning*: this chapter contains sensitive topic and language

The bell rang, ending another school day. Kelly packed her belongings quickly to escape the regular suffocating atmosphere of the classroom. As she stepped out into the hallway, a wave of noise and laughter crashed over her. A group of students, with their faces contorted, surrounded her locker, their phones held high.

Kelly's heart pounded in her chest as she realized what was happening. Across the field, Sarah was smirking as she manipulated a photo of Kelly, altering it to make her look in a way that is inappropriately flaunting. The crowd erupted in jeers and taunts, their words echoing in the hallway.

"Well, well, isn't it the slutty chutney of the town?" Sarah grinned, waving the phone in the air.

"Such a peasant!" another girl chimed in. "Have you no self-respect at all?"

"Chill out Jesse, if she didn't do any of that, we wouldn't know her true face, and a little fun drama."

"How could you do this Sarah? You were my friend, I trusted you." Kelly said with her eyes now red and spicy.

"Friends don't hide disgusting secrets, and you know you are just a whore who acts all that to jump on high horse."

"Shut up Sarah!"

Out of nowhere, a slap came across her face: "Shut your nasty mouth, bitch, don't let those birdies fly out of your throat. You love it, don't you? You love it when they shove it in and swirl up your bimbo. What a disgrace of society."

Kelly's cheeks burned with humiliation, her eyes welling up with tears. She longed to disappear, to vanish into thin air. But there was nowhere to escape.

When she was about to make another slap, a hand aggressively grabbed to stop her and threw her hand away. It was Scarlet, her best friend, her protector. Scarlet's face was a mask of fury as she glared at the tormentors.

"I told you to leave her alone, chokers."

The crowd fell silent, taken aback by Scarlet's sudden appearance. But Sarah, emboldened by the presence of Max, giant of the meanies stepped forward.

"Or what, Scarly? what are you gonna do?"

"I'll kill you." Scarlet gave him a long death stare

Max, a tall and muscular boy laughs in mockery, joins the taunts "Oh my, I'm so scared. Why do you care so much about this tramp, don't tell me that you already switched preference"

"Show your SMELLY BREATH again and I'll crush your larynx."

Kelly, overwhelmed by the humiliation and the fear, couldn't take it anymore. She turned and ran, tears streaming down her face. Scarlet watched her go, her heart sinking. She wanted to follow, to comfort her friend, but the crowd held her back, jeers and insults echoing in her ears.

As Kelly disappeared into the distance, Scarlet felt a surge of anger and determination. She would not let Kelly face this alone. She would find her and make sure she was safe.

Kelly's world was shattered when her secret was revealed, leaving her with shame and loneliness. Seeking solace, she turned to the intoxicating rhythm of a bar, where her despair threatened to drown her in a sea of alcohol. That desperation pulled her back to her back to the parallel hurricane that she was little aware of. Not only did she consume an amount of alcohol, she also showed moves of a typical clubber while the rest of the bottle poured on her shirt, the last thing she'd ever wanna do with a touch of sanity.

Just when another man took advantage of her intoxication to make a sexual act, Scarlet arrived in time to pull her back from the brink. Despite the haze of alcohol still clouding her mind, Kelly couldn't shake off the sting of betrayal.