𝐁𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐒 ~ 𝒛𝒅𝒉

Chapter Five: He doesn't know what's coming his way

"I'm guessing Jonah and his friends made it as revenge. And I think the whole school has seen it."

Paige's words are echoing in my head. Did the entire school see this? Is that why they were looking at me like that? Like I'm a slut?

Suddenly, my heart feels like it's pounding out of my chest, and my breathing is out of control. I try slowing it down, digging my nails into my palms to get the pain to distract me, but it doesn't work. My vision's blurry, everything is spinning, and my body's about to faint. I squeeze my eyes close, trying to make everything disappear.

I'm definitely having a panic attack.

"It's okay, Harley. You're okay." Paige's voice sounds like she's miles away from me, when in reality she's standing right next to me, patting my back and trying to comfort me. She's been with me while I was having a panic attack before, and seems to know how to handle this. I don't. I have no clue how to handle all of this.

"Try slowing down your breathing. Inhale, exhale. You're safe, I'm with you." The peace in her voice calms me down a little, but my hearts still pounding like crazy. I try taking a few deep breaths like she told me to, as I drop myself on the floor, my back against my locker.

I take a last deep breath, and then open my eyes again. Paige's looking insanely worried at me, still rubbing my back.

"It's okay. You had a panic attack, but it's over now. It's okay," she whispered, gently brushing my hair behind my ear.

Slowly I hug my knees, trying to face what just happened. I can't even remember the last time I had a panic attack.

Paige seems to be thinking the same thing. "It's been awhile since you had a panic attack. When was the last time? On your mom's birthday?" she softly asked.

"I don't know," I shrug, my voice still shaking. "I think maybe the anniversary of her death."

We both stay silent for a moment, overwhelmed of what just happened. But then it hits me again. The reason of this whole panic attack. My privacy, on the internet, for everybody to see. Jonah's revenge.

Suddenly it feels like my stomach is turning  upside down. I jump up and run to the bathroom, trying to avoid puking all over the floor. I don't even care about the people who I bump in to and look at me weirdly, they already think I'm a slut anyway.

I run into the closest toilet and drop on my knees, throwing up everything that's left in my stomach. Paige runs into the toilet as well to hold up my hair, to avoid it getting everywhere.

With everything I am I try throwing up all the shame and embarrassment, out of my body, into the toilet to just flush away, but as soon as I'm done and sit up again, I know it's still there. I still feel ashamed and embarrassed.

"I can't believe they did this." I let myself fall against the wall again, burying my head in my hands.

"I'm gonna kick those three in the balls so hard they won't be able to pee for a week," Paige growled.

"I could've expected it, after he called me a slut," I shrug.

"He did what?" Paige yelled in disbelief.

"He got so angry after I broke up with him, and claimed I used him and played with his feelings, when you and I know damn well that's not what happened. But of course I couldn't tell him that, so he called me a slut and kicked me out of his car in the middle of the night," I quickly summarise everything for her.

"He's so dead." Paige's almost fuming from anger.

"I understand why he was mad at me, but this? This makes me sick to my stomach. I don't even know how I'm ever gonna face people again, after they saw that Instagram page." Suddenly tears well up in my eyes, but I try fighting them.

"How did they even get that many pictures and videos from you?" Paige wondered.

"That doesn't surprise me, honestly. We both know I've hooked up with a lot of boys at a lot of parties, and I was never discrete about it. After all, I didn't expect it to end up on the internet," I admit.

"But Harley, you know what they're saying isn't true, right? You aren't a slut, they're just trying to mess with you. You did nothing wrong," Paige claimed.

"But what if it is true? I know I've dated a lot of boys, but that was only because I wanted to avoid committing to one. I thought I was protecting my heart, but what if I broke other's hearts?" I ask, more myself than Paige.

"It isn't true, and you didn't. You aren't responsible for how other people treat their feelings," Paige softly said.

"But I am responsible for what happened with Jonah's. I thought he knew, but he didn't, and that's my fault."

"Don't you dare defending that jerk. What he and his friends did is absolutely disgusting and horrible, and he needs to know that. We need to fight back," Paige commanded fiercely.

Paige is right. Even though I made mistakes, this is the last thing he should've done. We do need to fight back. He can't win this. "You're right. We have to make him suffer, like he made me suffer."

"Exactly. Now let's get out of this school. I won't allow you walking through these halls today, you need distraction. Let's go drink some hot chocolate and come up with a plan," Paige instructed.

We both stand up and walk out of the toilets, back into the now empty hallways. Classes have already started, but Paige is right. I can't be here today, not when everything's so fresh.

"Let's take Jonah Marais down, once and forever." I smirk at paige. "He doesn't know what's coming his way."

"Exactly." Paige gave me a high-five with a huge grin on her face.

But then, a sudden voice makes us realise we aren't alone in this hallway. "Jonah Marais, taken down? Hell yeah. I'm in."