The Web of lies.

•Chapter 2•

Rosalie's POV
I walked towards Kian's table. Anxiety consumed me to its fullest. I went and sat next to Kian, none of us spoke, silence was the loudest. I could spell his cologne, sophisticated, seductive, sexy. I never spoke to him directly after my conversation with Calvin about him a year ago, and I didn't think he was interested either. I'm still reeling, wondering what I ever did to deserve such cruelty. But maybe that's just who he is - a person capable of inflicting pain without remorse. The thought alone makes my skin crawl.

"Would you like to do something too or would you rather stare at me instead?" I heard Kian say,
I didn't realise I was staring at him the whole time. I haven't had a direct conversation with him in about a year, it just felt insane and unreal. I didn't answer him, but I helped him with whatever he was doing, even when he clearly doesn't deserve it. Elizabeth's eyes met mine, and I sensed a pang of sympathy. As we worked, our shoulders touched, sending a shiver down my spine. It was unexpected, the contact.
"Sorry." I whispered, not meeting his eyes.
My voice barely above a whisper, I sensed his surprise. He hadn't expected me to speak.

Kian's POV
I sat beside Rosalie, our desks pushed together as partners. It was a familiar setup, yet my mind wandered. For a moment, I forgot about the past and enjoyed the quiet companionship. Her presence was calming, and I found myself relaxing. But then, like a punch to the gut, memories flooded back. What she'd done to me, the pain and betrayal. My expression hardened, and I shifted away, creating distance. She seemed lost in thought, her expression distant.

At first, I noticed the beauty of her eyes, but it was quickly overpowered by a wave of resentment. "Would you like to do something too or would you rather stare at me instead?" I asked, breaking the silence.

Rosalie blinked, snapping back to reality. She didn't respond, simply turned back to the task. Her silence was unsettling.

I watched as she began to assist me, her movements efficient. But the tension lingered.

And then it hit me - we hadn't spoken in a year. Not since...everything fell apart.

The realization struck me like a blow. I hadn't confronted the depth of our rift until now. Her silence was a stark reminder.

Rosalie continued to help me, her movements fluid and efficient. Despite my hatred for her, her presence felt less antagonistic than expected. I couldn't explain why, but working together didn't feel as painful as I'd anticipated. Maybe it was the silence, the lack of confrontation.

As Rosalie leaned in, her shoulder brushed against mine, sending a jolt of unease through me. I tensed, instinctively recoiling from the contact.

I pulled back, creating distance between us, and refocused on the assignment.

"Sorry," she whispered, not meeting my eyes.

Her voice was like a gentle breeze, soft and sweet. I hadn't heard her speak directly to me in a year, and the familiarity was jarring. For a moment, I forgot to hate her.

Her hair fell in loose waves down her face, framing her features. A stray strand slipped across her forehead, and she absently pushed it back.

I grunted, accepting the apology without acknowledging it.

The moment passed, and my resentment returned, but the echo of her voice lingered.

As soon as the bell rang, signaling the end of class, I swiftly gathered my belongings and stood up.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Rosalie still seated, packing her bag with Deliberate slowness. Her eyes sparkled as she focused on packing her bag, and her lips curled into a subtle pout.

ROSALIE'S POV
The class got over, we went our own separate ways. But the fact this is going to be an everyday thing for at least 45 minutes is giving me nightmares. As I was going out, I saw a crowd of people, like something was going on, something big? I walk towards the crowd, making way myself to find out what's going on. I stepped out into the chaos, curiosity getting the better of me. The crowd was in a frenzy, shouting and cheering. I pushed my way through, my heart racing.
Oh fuck.
Amara and Emma were going at it, fists flying, hair pulling. They were a tangled mess of arms and legs, rolling on the ground.
"You think you can touch me and get away with it?!" Amara screamed, her face twisted in rage.
Concern filled me. I wanted to stop them, I could see Amara hurt. But it was too crowded, The two girls crashed into a nearby trash can, sending garbage spilling everywhere.
"Get off me!" Emma screamed out, kicking wildly.
Kian burst into the fray, grabbing Amara's shoulders. "Break it up, Amara!"
The next second,
Amara was struggling to break free, Emma's hands wrapped tightly around her throat.
I sprinted towards them, shoving through the crowd. "Get the fuck off of her, Emma!" I screamed with frustration in my voice.
I grabbed Emma's wrists, prying her fingers off Amara's throat. Amara gasped, sucking in air.
"I've got you." I said, helping her up.
I shot Emma a warning glance. "Don't ever try to lay hands on her ever again, Emma."
Kian's gaze locked onto mine, a mix of surprise and caution. But I ignored him, focusing on Amara.
"You okay?" I asked, inspecting her throat.
Amara nodded, wincing. "Yeah, I'm okay Rose. Thanks."
"Anytime." I replied, supporting her. "Let's get out of here."

Kian's POV
I sat with Nick and Emma, listening to them trash Amara, Rosalie, and Elizabeth. It was nothing new, but today they were relentless. Emma was losing her cool, screaming every two seconds. Nick and I tried to calm her down, tend to her wounds, but she was having none of it.
"You okay?" I asked, noticing the faint bruise on her cheek.

"Amara's got some spirit," Emma said with a sly smile. "But I'll be fine."

Nicklaus raised an eyebrow. "You sure? That was quite a scuffle."

Emma shrugged, her eyes flashing with amusement. "Just a few scratches. I'm hot, that's all."

I rolled my eyes, chuckling. "You're insane, Emma."

Nicklaus grinned. "That's why we love you."

Emma's smile grew wider, her gaze sparkling with mischief.

"Aren't you partnered with that bitch now?" Nick asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Rosalie?" I replied, clarifying.

Nick's eyes widened in surprise. "Rosalie? I thought it was Elizabeth."

Emma's voice shot up. "I said Rosalie, not Elizabeth!" She secured her hair in a bun, her eyes flashing.

I nodded at Nick. "Yeah, we're partners."

Nick shook his head. "Dude, that's a nightmare."

I nodded in agreement, but deep down, I wasn't entirely convinced. Sitting next to Rosalie wasn't all bad. There were moments when I forgot about the past, when her presence felt almost...comfortable.
But then reality hit me like a ton of bricks. Memories of her betrayal flooded back, and my expression hardened, and the hate flooded me.

Emma sauntered up to us, adjusting her designer handbag. "I'm okay, guys. Let's forget about Amara for now."

Her smile was radiant, but I knew better. Emma's sweetness was laced with venom.

"I need to do some shopping for that party," she announced, referring to the upcoming social event.

Nicklaus raised an eyebrow. "You're thinking about Sneha's party after that fight?"

Emma rolled her eyes. "Come on, we get a party every other weekend. It's time to unwind."

She grinned mischievously. "Drunk students, loud music, and zero inhibitions? It's exactly what we need."

I shook my head, chuckling. "You're ⚫ something else, Emma."

Nicklaus smirked. "Yeah, and we're stuck with her."

Emma playfully punched Nicklaus' arm. "Hey, I'm the life of the party."
Emma smirked. "Please, you're both begging for a makeover. Come on, let's go."

She looped her arms through ours, her grip surprisingly strong.

"Shopping therapy, guys. Trust me, you need it."

With Emma leading the charge, we headed out to indulge in some high-end retail therapy.

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