When The World Turns

Chapter 7 (Official)

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to-" 

Wait.. I look up, only to realize it's Adrianna nearly tripping, stumbling back a few steps. Coffee sloshed out of the cup, splattered right across her shirt

"You brainless bitch!" she snaps, looking down at the mess. "Could you not walk like you're blind!"

"Brainless your mother," I mutter, brushing myself off. "You're the one who stomps around like you own the place."

She let's out a dramatic scoff, inspecting her now stained shirt like her world was crushed in that instant. "This was limited edition! You freak!"

"You can literally wash it off," I exhale out, rolling my eyes.

"Oh, you're definitely paying for this," she snorts, tilting her head with a smirk, like the outcome was already set in stone.

I take a step back, the disbelief crashing over me like a wave. Is this real? I can't believe this is the argument we're having right now. This bitch is crazy. I blink, trying to make sense of the situation. I shake my head, clearly frustrated, "No, I am not."

Holding my ground, I shrug, almost like I'm trying to shake off the absurdity of this crisis. This is beyond me. Why am I entertaining this?

"Like hell you're not," she snaps, and before I can react, her hand yanks a fistful of my hair.

"Aug!-" I groan, stumbling forward from the force. The pain shoots down my scalp, sharp and nauseating.

She leans in, her breath brushing against my cheek as she brings her mouth close to my ear. "You're paying it one way or another," she whispers with a sick little smirk, her eyes raking over me, like she means something far worse than cash.

My stomach turns. Fuck no.

Before she can pull away, I spit right at her shoe. The thick splatter hits dead on. 

She gasps, a furious inhale. "You whore!" she shrieks, her hand flying across my face with violence.

"Fuck!" I drop to my knees, clutching my face and wincing at the sting, trying not to let the tear fall. My mouth tastes like blood and bitterness.

She doesn't stop.

Thud.

A kick slams into my side.

Thud.

Another. My body jerks with each one, and I can't even catch my breath.

"You little bitch! You think you're so tough!? You think you can disrespect me like that!?"

Thud. Thud.

I curl in on myself, shielding what I can, stomach screaming in raging pain.

Then, silence. Just the sound of her panting. I lift my head slightly, afraid of what's next. She exhales sharply.. and then starts to laugh. A laugh that doesn't sound real, echoing down the hall, wild and unhinged. Like she's actually enjoying this.

Her laughter cuts off as fast as it started. Her face locks in, dead serious now. No smirk, no wild eyes, just ice. Without a word, she lifts her cup and pours the little remaining coffee over me, amounting to about three sips of coffee. Splashing on me, running down my hair, cheek and my shirt. Then.. spit. Right at my face.

I jolt, breath catching in my throat. the sting of it, the humiliation, the fucking audacity of this Grinch.

And just like that, the smirk returns. Wide and deranged, like she's proud of what she's done. "I will make you pay for everything," voice low and venomous. "Don't forget that."

My mind spins, disoriented and confused. Everything? What is she talking about? And forget what? I want to ask, but my lips don't move. My voice is gone. All I can do is stare, dazed and burning.

She says nothing more. Just turns and storms off, heels echoing. Leaving me there, soaked, aching, and hollow. I can't move. I can't, not at first. I just lie there, gasping, sweating through the pain. Every inch of me screams, my stomach throbbing, my cheek burning. My whole body's trembling, fighting not to shut down completely.

After what feels like an eternity, I roll over, groaning. My fingers dig into the floor and I push myself up just enough to sit back on my heels. I hold my knees like my life depended on it, my body still quaking. I don't cry, but fuck, I want to. I want to scream until my throat explodes. But all I do is breathe, just breathe.

That's when I feel it, this shift in the air, his presence. 

My heart drops. I look up, already dreading what I'll see.

Ethan.

He's just standing there. Still and silent. Eyes on me, wide with shock. Like he's trying to piece together what the hell he just walked into. Like he can't believe what he's seeing, unable to move

Neither can I.

I freeze, humiliated, blood roaring in my ears. Did he see everything?

We don't say anything. But he knows.