One Temptation

Zora vs Madison? (Chapter 21)

It was the next day now, and nothing had gone right since yesterday.

I'd seen plenty of fights throughout high school—hell, I'd even been in the middle of a few—but never anything that felt like this. Senior year was supposed to be different.

Normally, the senior class is the one that stays out of the drama, keeping a low profile because we've all just got one goal: to graduate without any bullshit. But clearly, our class hadn't learned a damn thing. 

Since year seven, our group had been notorious for starting shit.

And by "starting shit," I mean eight fights in year seven, six in year eight, and a record-breaking sixteen fights in year nine. 

Year ten? Absolute chaos.

It was like we got a high out of seeing who could push things the furthest.

Now, this fight was different, though. It wasn't just some random scuffle in the halls. This was deeper, more personal.

And, of course, the fight had already spread like wildfire. Everyone knew about it by now. There were videos all over social media, photos circulating faster than anyone could control. 

The MVH GOSS page was flooded with clips, angles of the punches, the shoving, West's fists, Jaxon's cocky smirk. 

The captions were brutal, people picking sides, talking shit about both of them—and our friend group alongside the basketball team and Zora's bitches, by association.

Teachers were scrambling to take the videos down, trying to track down who had been filming, but we all knew they weren't going to do shit. 

************

The aftermath of the fight had left the cafeteria feeling like a battlefield—scattered tables and knocked-over chairs.

My heart hadn't stopped hammering in my chest. I should have been used to the chaos by now, but this felt different. 

It was now second break, and Jake and Cole had been in the principles office all day, along with them were the others involved in the direct fight.

In the videos of the fight you can see who is actually fighting and who's just standing there. I caught a glimpse of it, and it was not pretty, in fact the even more close up's of the kicks and punches alongside the shouting was overwhelming. 

I could see myself in the video, me and the girls were not standing far away. And it's common knowledge that our friend group included Cole, Jake, West, and me and the girls. 

Since they were the ones included, sooner or later, the teachers would also question me and the girls.

My mind kept flashing to West—his anger, the way Jaxon's words had sliced through him. There was a part of me that hated Jaxon for it, but then, didn't I hate West too? 

I shook my head, trying to clear the confusion that was swirling inside me.

Before I could say anything, the locker way doors slammed open, and Cole stormed in with Jake close on his heels. Their faces were tight, tense with the kind of anger you could feel rolling off of them in waves. My stomach clenched.

Cole's eyes were burning as he stalked toward Lia, but it was Jake who spoke first.

"Well, that escalated," he muttered, "Principal Reyes is ready to fuck us all out."

Em stiffened. "What happened? Are they—?"

"They're both getting suspended," Cole cut in, his voice sharp as a blade. "But Jaxon's not done yet."