Who Breaks First (Clearwater University)

“You are the most fucked up person I know, Emma Holloway,” Trent seethes.

It takes me a moment to focus on him, because my gaze is still stuck on West and Reese. I don’t know why, but seeing them here hurts the most.

It hits me in a flash. They’re always going to take his side. Just when I thought things were changing and there was a chance for us to be friends, maybe even more than that, Reese and West have proved there’s only one side they’ll ever be on.

Dragging my attention away from them, I glare at Trent. “I think I can say the same for you,” I reply, standing tall.

“Did you think you were going to get away with it?” he bites out

I just shrug, still holding his gaze.

It occurs to me that I have to not talk about it. There’s no way to prove I’m the one that posted that video, and if all the guys are recording this conversation right now, they can hold it against me.

Trent glares. “You thought your life was hell before this? Just wait for what happens now.”

“Is that supposed to scare me?” Fury is building up inside me, along with a deep, soul-crushing sadness. I’m exhausted, and not from staying up all night. I’m tired of this. “My life can’t become any more of a hellish nightmare than you’ve already made it, thanks.” I give a low laugh, although there’s no humor in it. “Besides, if they kick me out of school, how do you plan to get back at me? How can you ruin my life if I’m not here?”

“I’ll find a way,” Trent promises, and he has the audacity to grin. It twists his face in a way I hate.

But even as we glare at each other, my body still aches from the memory of the dream—and of what we shared in real life. When I glance back at West and Reese, the same horrible feeling of want fills me.

But that desire is dangerous at this point. If I ever make myself vulnerable to any of them again, there’s no telling what the consequences would be.

“You know, this isn’t over by a long shot,” I tell Trent, forcing a grin to my face to match his. “You do realize that we’re not nearly even yet? You may think that what happened to you is bad, but it’s nowhere near as bad as what you’ve done to me.”

“Yeah. Sure.” Trent snorts, but I see a flicker of something in his eyes.

What is it? Regret? Worry?

“And I’ve got a lot more fight in me,” I add, gripping the edge of the door so hard my knuckles hurt. “So if you think that this was bad, maybe you should bow out now before things get really ugly. You’re such a delicate flower, I’m not sure you can take it.”

With that, I slam the door in their faces and lock it.

I’m half-expecting them to beat it down and come after me right now, but they do nothing.

My heart thuds hard and heavy in my chest as I go back and sit on my bed, my entire body shaking with adrenaline. Although I won this round, the victory is nowhere near as satisfying as I hoped it would be.

My heart is broken, I’ve been kicked out of school, and my father is furious with me.

What’s more, I have to admit to myself that I’ve been falling in love with a man who has ruined my life, and with the two friends who have chosen his side over mine every single time.

I feel like crying. I feel like curling up in a ball and pra

ying for this all to be over. But I don’t. I straighten my spine and harden my resolve. Trent, West, and Reese have hurt me, they’ve betrayed my trust and bruised my heart beyond recognition.

But I am not broken.

This game isn’t over yet. I’m only getting started.

And when the battle is done and the dust settles… we’ll just see who has the last laugh.

To Be Continued…

They say revenge is a dish best served cold...

But I'd rather serve it hot, with a side of humiliation.

The Icons got what they wanted. My life is a smoldering wreck because of them.