Tangled Affections

6.

Becky's PoV

The next morning, I woke up with a sense of cautious optimism. Yesterday had been different, better. Meeting Yuki had been a small glimmer of light in the otherwise dark world I inhabited. For the first time in a long time, I didn't dread going to school. I took extra care as I ironed my uniform, wanting to make a good impression on my second day. The crisp fabric and clean lines felt like a small victory, a tiny piece of control in a life that often felt chaotic and unpredictable. I wanted to believe that today could be like yesterday—that maybe I could get through it without any trouble.

But as I walked through the school gates, my optimism quickly faded. There she was—Freen, standing in the middle of the courtyard, surrounded by her usual group of admirers. Her presence was impossible to ignore. She was the kind of girl who commanded attention, with her striking looks and confident demeanor. Her long, dark hair fell perfectly over her shoulders, and her uniform seemed to fit her like a glove. The boys admired her, and the girls envied her. Even as the school's president, she was far more than just a figurehead. She was someone people either feared or adored, and I wasn't sure which category I fell into.

I tried to slip past her unnoticed, but it was impossible. The moment I stepped into her line of sight, she locked onto me like a predator eyeing its prey. My stomach dropped as I saw the look in her eyes—a mixture of amusement and something darker, something that made my skin crawl.

Before I could react, she walked up to me, a bottle of ink in her hand. I froze, my heart pounding in my chest. She didn't even hesitate. With a casual flick of her wrist, she spilled the ink all over my freshly pressed uniform. I gasped, the shock of it making my body go rigid. The cold, wet ink seeped through the fabric, staining it instantly. My mind went blank for a moment, unable to process what had just happened.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Freen said, her voice dripping with mock sweetness. "I didn't mean to put ink on you."

But the smirk on her face told me otherwise. She stepped closer, her voice dropping to a whisper meant only for me. "It's for taking the attention I was getting! You... you don't take away my attention."

Her words cut deep, each one like a sharp blade slicing through whatever small confidence I had built up. I felt my eyes sting with tears, but I forced them back, refusing to let her see me cry. I wouldn't give her the satisfaction. Not here, not now.

Before I could muster a response, Yuki appeared beside me, her face a mix of concern and anger. She didn't say anything at first, just looked at me with those warm, caring eyes that made me feel like maybe, just maybe, I wasn't alone in this.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly, ignoring the crowd that had gathered around us.

Freen had already started to walk away, clearly satisfied with the damage she'd done. But I was still standing there, my uniform ruined, my pride in tatters.

As soon as Yuki's words hit me, the dam I'd been holding back burst. The tears I'd fought so hard to keep at bay spilled over, running down my cheeks in silent streams. I couldn't stop them. I didn't have the strength to hold them back any longer. Yuki's presence was the only thing keeping me from collapsing right there in the middle of the courtyard. She stepped closer and wrapped her arms around me, holding me tight. It was the second time she had hugged me, and it felt just as comforting as the first. Her touch was gentle, soothing, as she stroked my back, trying to calm me down.

"Why do they treat me so wrong?" I choked out between sobs. "All I did was help others... Why me?"

Yuki didn't have an answer, but she didn't need one. Her voice was soft, filled with determination. "It's okay, Becky. I'll protect you from now on. No one will bully you, I promise."

Her words were a balm to my wounded heart, but they were short-lived. Just as I began to calm down, I heard Freen's voice again, cutting through the air like a knife.

"Protect yourself first, asshole."

Before either of us could react, she flicked the remaining ink in the bottle at Yuki, splattering it all over her uniform as well. My breath caught in my throat as I watched the black ink soak into Yuki's clothes. It hurt me more than anything Freen had done to me. Yuki had tried to help me, to stand up for me, and now she was paying the price for it. The injustice of it all made my blood boil, but I was too shocked, too overwhelmed to do anything about it.

.........