THIRTY-ONE
Aliya
PRESENT
As I open my locker and grab my books, I can’t shake the unsettling feeling gnawing at the pit of my stomach. The usual taunts and insults from my classmates are strangely absent today. Ever since I stepped onto school grounds, everyone’s been looking at me differently. Not in the usual way.
And there aren’t any unwanted notes in my locker anymore, either.
Could this sudden change mean that something worse is about to happen? Or is it just a temporary break?
“Aliya!” Adena’s shrill voice pulls me out of my thoughts. I turn to her in surprise. The last time I spoke to her, she indirectly called me a slut and then tried to hook up with Milan at the party.
“You look great!”
“I look the same as always,” I answer dryly.
The image of her and Milan kissing flashes in my mind, instantly fueling my anger. The nerve of her to talk to me.
After a moment, she just shrugs. “Well, I think you look amazing. You should wear your hair down more often.”
She reaches out to touch a strand of my hair, but I freeze at the unexpected contact. Immediately, I step back, causing her smile to falter.
“Listen, Aliya, I just wanted to apologize for what happened the other day,” she says quickly. “I acted stupidly. I judged you, and then I made a complete fool of myself at the party. I was drunk.”
The Adena I know wouldn’t apologize unless there was something in it for her or if she was looking for the latest gossip.
“Okay,” I reply hesitantly.
“Good, now that we’ve sorted that out. You have to tell me about the video with you and McKinney! Everyone’s talking about it!”
I freeze. The video?
Swallowing hard, I try to keep my composure. “Video? What video? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, come on,” Adena continues. “Don’t play dumb. You know exactly what I’m talking about!”
A lump forms in my throat as she holds her phone up to my face. As expected, the video shows the situation when McKinney pushed me into a corner. The clip ends shortly after Shin shows up.
“Oh, that must’ve been so awkward. But at least now everyone knows McKinney’s at fault and not you. And I guess it was the same with Shane, wasn’t it?”
Now it makes sense why everyone suddenly backed off. Why I’m no longer called the school slut.
My name has been cleared.
But who …?
My eyes fall on Silver’s light blonde hair. She’s standing with a guy from her class, laughing about something.
I know she’s the one responsible for releasing the video. After all, she showed it to me at the party. But why would she want to clear my name? After all, I turned down her offer.
“… which is why I’ve always known you were innocent.”
I haven’t listened to a word Adena’s been saying, but honestly, I couldn’t care less about her two-faced act.
“Excuse me for a second.”
“Hey, where are you going?” she calls after me as I walk toward Silver, determined to get answers. When she notices me approaching, she quickly says goodbye to the guy she was talking to and turns to face me.
“Hey,” she speaks before I can even say anything. “Before you start yelling at me about the video, I want you to understand why I did it. I couldn’t just stand by and let McKinney spread lies. I even muted the video to make sure you wouldn’t get in trouble, since your words … well, they could be taken the wrong way. I really don’t want any trouble.”
“Thank you.”
Her eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “What?”
I give her a soft smile. “Thank you for standing up for me.”
I know she didn’t expect me to respond this way, but it’s the truth. I’m genuinely grateful. Those comments and notes in my locker had been chipping away at my last bit of strength, and I honestly don’t know how much longer I could’ve held on.
“You’re welcome,” she replies, her tone full of sincerity.
Loud murmurs in the hallway catch our attention. We both turn toward the source of the commotion. A small group of students has gathered in the hallway, whispering and looking excitedly in one direction.
“What’s going on here?” I ask.
“Oh, you don’t know yet.”
Confused, I look to Silver, but before she can answer, McKinney steps out of the crowd and walks straight toward me. I flinch as his face comes into view. It’s all bruised and swollen, with a thick nose that looks like it’s been broken and poorly fixed.
And I can already tell who’s responsible for that.
As McKinney approaches, the crowd falls silent. Whispers and shocked gasps echo down the hallway. Even Silver seems taken aback by his appearance.
“Sierra, I …” he begins, his voice choked with humiliation. “I need to talk to you.” He hesitates for a moment before continuing. “Alone.”
“I think it’s good here.”
Damian amused voice rings out from the crowd. He’s leaning against the lockers, a smirk plastered on his face.
A small smile also plays on Shin’s lips, but there’s no sign of Milan anywhere.
McKinney shoots Damian a look of pure hatred before turning back to me. His expression is now pleading, as if silently begging for my sympathy.
“Well, go ahead. We’re all ears.”
McKinney presses his swollen lips into a thin line, his jaw clenching in frustration.
My eyes widen in shock as he suddenly drops to his knees in front of me.
But I’m not the only one panting for breath. Silver and the others also seem unable to believe what they’re witnessing.
“What the hell? Is he serious?” someone whispers behind me.
“I’m sorry,” McKinney mutters quietly, his gaze cast down.
“We couldn’t hear you. What did you say?” Damian calls out to him.
I almost feel pity for him, but then I remember that because of this bastard, I lost my chance at my dream college.
“I’m sorry, Aliya,” he says again, a little louder this time, but he avoids making eye contact with me.
I can’t even imagine what Milan and the guys did to make him endure this humiliation.
“I don’t think he’s begged enough yet. What do you think, Shinichiro?”
“Beg a little more. Make us believe you’re really sorry,” Shin chimes in.
McKinney’s cheeks flush with embarrassment, but he doesn’t back down. He raises his head slightly and forces himself to meet my gaze. “Please … I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t have spread those lies and I shouldn’t have harassed you like that. Forgive me.”
Shin purses his lips. He exchanges a meaningful glance with Damian before nodding.
Damian can’t suppress a comment. “Aww, looks like arrogance finally caught up to you, huh? What’s wrong? Did you tuck your tail between your legs?”
I wince as McKinney quickly gets up and pushes his way through the crowd. It’s only now that I notice all the phone cameras following him, capturing his every move. This is probably going to haunt him for life.
“Wow,” Silver exclaims. “That was very … unexpected.”
I nod, indicating to her that I’m just as surprised. I never thought John McKinney would be begging me for forgiveness.
On his knees.
I glance back at Damian and Shin as they disappear. I wanted to ask them where Milan is. I’m sure he’s behind all of this, but why isn’t he here?
“Are you looking for Shane?” Silver’s knowing gaze rests on me.
I bite my lower lip. “Do you know where he is?”
She gives me a small smile. “He got suspended.”
My jaw drops. “What? Suspended?”
He’s never been suspended. None of the Legions have ever been suspended, no matter what they’ve done. Their families are far too powerful for that. So how is this possible?
“This morning, he started hitting McKinney in the locker room before basketball practice. Well, you saw for yourself how he wrecked him. Coach Lenning had to pull him back with great effort. Principal Nelson suspended Shane right away.”
He beat up McKinney and took a suspension for it. All because McKinney harassed me. I feel a wave of warmth spreading across my cheeks.
“There’s something else,” Silver adds. “McKinney’s car was found destroyed in the parking lot. Rumor has it, Shane was the one who did it. But there’s no proof since the footage was deleted. Without evidence, the school council can’t hold him accountable.”
My eyes widen in shock as Silver mentions that Milan likely had a hand in messing with McKinney’s car. Not only did he beat him up and make him beg for forgiveness, but he also took the time to humiliate him further by vandalizing his car.
A shiver runs down my spine at the thought of how far Milan is willing to go for me.
It’s both terrifying and … kind of sweet?
He made it very clear yesterday how frightening his possessiveness can be. In his eyes, I belong to him, and that’s why he retaliated against McKinney. It has nothing to do with wanting to protect my honor. After all, he hasn’t treated me any better than McKinney has.
“You must really mean a lot to him.” Silver examines me thoughtfully.
“What do you mean?”
“I always thought of Shane as an arrogant jerk.” She pauses for a moment, seemingly contemplating her next words. “But I won’t lie, I was kind of glad that McKinney finally got what was coming to him. And Shane did it for you.”
For me.
My heart races. I feel a small flame of excitement ignite in my chest. He did all this just for me .
And maybe I have to finally admit to myself that I don’t want to kill him as much as I once did.
Maybe something has actually changed between us.
Yet I can’t ignore the fact that his behavior is still unsettling.
His possessiveness, his obsession with getting what he wants.
But even as I try to convince myself that I should be scared, I feel a strange kind of thrill. Maybe I’m just imagining all of this.
Despite my confusion, one thing is clear: Milan Shane is a mystery I can’t escape.
“How was school today?” My mother’s voice breaks the silence, and I freeze with my fork halfway to my mouth.
Images of McKinney on his knees begging for forgiveness flash through my mind.
“It was fine,” I mumble. “Nothing out of the ordinary.”
Daniel isn’t home.
I hope he doesn’t come back, wherever he is, even though I know his absence is only temporary.
“I left some food in the fridge. If you get hungry later, you can heat it up. Robert and I are going out with the Smiths to Kerrytown, and we won’t be back until tomorrow morning.”
As if reading my thoughts, she confirms my worst nightmare.
“You’re leaving me alone with Daniel?”
Her expression hardens. “Don’t be so dramatic, it’s not like I’m leaving you alone with a stranger.”
Don’t be so dramatic.
With trembling hands, I put my fork aside and push my half-eaten lunch away.
Don’t be so dramatic, Aliya.
Don’t overreact, Aliya.
You’ve misunderstood, Aliya.
She brushes off my fears like they’re nothing. Again.
“Can’t you just stay at home? Robert can go alone.” I plead, my voice shaky as I nervously wring my hands under the table.
Mothers are supposed to protect their children, right?
They wouldn’t want them to be afraid, right?
But her face remains imperturbable. “I’m not canceling my plans just because you’re being a little paranoid. You’re not a child anymore, Aliya. I don’t want to hear this nonsense anymore.”
Paranoid.
I swallow the lump in my throat. Why am I even trying?
After all, I already know I can’t turn to her for safety or comfort. And that will never change.
“Thank you for the food. I’ve lost my appetite,” I emphasize my words sharply. I rise from my chair and head straight for my room. As I walk away, I can feel my mother’s heavy gaze on my back, but I refuse to look back.
Normally, I would be spiraling into a panic attack by now. I’d be hurting myself just to escape my chaotic thoughts. But I’m so used to my mother’s behavior that I don’t even feel the need to find a balance for the emptiness inside me.
Sometimes I wonder if it would’ve been easier for me if my parents had died together and I had to grow up as an orphan.
At least then, no one would’ve disappointed me.