Dangerous Love

Chapter 8

When we got back to the room, Frea immediately met me halfway, grabbing some of the papers I was carrying.

"Girl! You've got an issue!" she whispered urgently.

"Issue? What are you talking about?" I asked, confused.

As soon as we stepped inside, the entire class turned their eyes on me, particularly the girls. Their stares felt like lasers, as if I'd committed some kind of unforgivable crime.

"Seah, look at this." Rai handed me his phone with a mischievous grin.

My jaw dropped as I stared at the screen. There it was-a picture of Matteo and me. Not just any picture, but one where I was clinging to his back like my life depended on it.

"Wait, what?! When was this taken?! That was in the faculty earlier! Who the heck is behind this?! Who even took this?!" I practically yelled.

Frea leaned closer, smirking. "Girl, you do realize this is Mertyle Academy, right? Issues here spread faster than fire."

I groaned, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Ugh! I knew that spider was bad luck! Bwisit talaga!"

"You're scared of spiders pala, Ms. President? I never would've guessed!" Rai teased, laughing so hard he had to hold onto his desk.

"Rai, shut up before I strangle you," I said, glaring at him.

"Alright, alright, I surrender!" He raised both his hands in mock defeat, and I couldn't help but crack a small smile despite myself.

Irene leaned closer and chuckled. "Honestly, Seah, the picture's kind of cute. You and Matteo? Hmm..."

"Excuse me?!" I said, cutting her off with a death glare.

Frea giggled and nudged me playfully. "I don't know, girl. The way he was holding you back there looked like something out of a Wattpad story. Maybe this is fate!"

"Fate my foot," I muttered, slumping into my seat and covering my face. "This is just another day of my bad luck. I swear, that man is nothing but trouble!"

But as the whispers and teasing continued, I couldn't help but remember the warmth of Matteo's back, his annoyed yet amused expression, and that stupid smirk that kept playing in my mind.

Trouble or not... he was getting under my skin.

"Frea, ask someone to find the person who took those photos. They're spreading fake news," I ordered, my voice steady but firm.

Frea nodded immediately, her expression serious. "Got it, Ms. President. I'll handle it."

I glanced around the classroom, my gaze locking with a few of the girls who were still whispering. The whole situation was getting out of hand, and I wasn't about to let anyone mess with my reputation, especially not with Matteo involved.

"I'll make sure this stops here," I muttered under my breath, my jaw clenched in determination.

Rai leaned in and whispered, "You sure you want to go after whoever did this? It could make things worse."

I shot him a look, a mix of annoyance and resolve. "Let them try. I won't let anyone mess with me. Not like this."

Rai raised his hands again in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. I'm not messing with the boss."

I couldn't help but rolled my eyes at his antics, but deep down, I was thankful for his support. This wasn't over-not by a long shot.

Nakakainis ang araw nato.

"Nasaloob ang kulo. So pathetic," I heard from one of my classmates, and instantly, my hairs stood on end at the accusation.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. How could they be so quick to judge? I could feel my heart racing in frustration as I tried to control my emotions. It was like they didn't even care to know the truth. The words lingered in my mind, fueling the anger that had been simmering all day.