Chapter 2
"Shh, remember what I said. Don't blow our cover," Alex whispered in a low, urgent voice to his friends. Then, he instantly switched to a look of surprise, as if nothing had happened.
He was the first to stand up and greet me.
"Mia, why didn't you tell me you were coming back? When did you get in?" Alex called out as he walked over with his arms wide open, clearly expecting a hug.
Just like before, Alex used to kiss me, hug me, and we even had something intimate between us.
I used to look forward to his hug, but now, it just made my skin crawl.
I instinctively took two steps back, avoiding his hug.
"I just got off the plane," I said, my voice cool and distant.
Anyone with eyes could see I was quietly sulking.
The atmosphere in the private room froze, and for a moment, awkwardness hung in the air.
One of Alex's friends tried to lighten the mood. "Mia, Alex has been missing you like crazy. Isn't he your crush? Come on, just give him a hug already."
As soon as that was mentioned, Alex's rowdy friends immediately started making a scene. "Hug him! Kiss him!" they shouted, laughing and cheering.
Alex stepped forward, pulled me close in a commanding way, cupped my face, and kissed me hard.
The crowd's teasing and laughter rose and fell, but Alex just held me tighter. His kiss was so intense that I could hardly catch my breath.
"You shameless brat!" I yelled, my voice trembling with anger.
I shoved Alex away and landed a fierce slap right across his face.
Alex was totally caught off guard when I blew up at him.
He clutched his cheek, which was turning red and stinging, glaring at me in disbelief. "Mia, what's gotten into you? Three years abroad and you're a whole different person."
Yeah, in Alex's mind, I used to be crazy about him. Just one kiss from him would make my day, and I'd be so thrilled that I'd keep the mark on my cheek all day, not wanting to wash it off.
Now, he probably thought I was sulking because he didn't bother to pick me up from the airport.
I didn't respond. Just as I was about to leave, someone showed up at the doorway.
"M-Mia? What are you doing here?" the person said, sounding surprised.
The woman in front of me was my lifelong nightmare.
Her name was Claire Evans.
It was back in high school. I went to a regular public high school, the kind with all sorts of people. A lot of the girls smoked, had tattoos, and dyed their hair.
Because of my family situation, and since I was living under someone else's roof, I kept to myself.
I became quiet and withdrawn.
Every day, I just buried myself in my books, thinking that if I could get good enough grades, maybe I could go to the same university as Alex.
Because I was so reserved and quiet, I became an easy target for the school bullies.
Claire was the ringleader.
She led her gang to tear up my homework, pour water all over my desk, and even catch a live rat and stuff it into my locker.
One time, after school, Claire and her gang cornered me in a dark alley on my way home.
She forced me to take off my clothes and beg them for mercy.
She even raised her hand, wanting to slap me across the face.
Over a dozen mean girls surrounded me, and I was so terrified that my legs felt like jelly. That kind of fear was something I could never put into words.
Just as they were about to rip my clothes apart, Alex appeared at the mouth of the alley, riding his bike.
The dim yellow streetlight cast a halo around him, like a hero descending from the heavens, and suddenly, I felt safe.
He'd been feeling sick and took the day off, but when I hadn't come home so late, even with a high fever, he forced himself to ride out and look for me.
And that was what he saw when he arrived.
He tossed his bike at them, snatched up a beer bottle from the ground, and smashed it right at them.
It was the first time I'd ever seen Alex, usually so gentle and refined, explode with such force.
He fought with a ferocity I'd never seen before.
His arm got sliced open by the glass, blood gushing out.
Claire and her gang shrieked in panic.
"Claire, if you dare lay a finger on my girl, I swear you won't make it to tomorrow!" Alex roared.
After that night, Claire finally chilled out and stopped bothering me.
But instead of leaving me alone, she set her sights on Alex.
He had everything—a wealthy family, killer looks, and he was a top student.
With all that, he was the school's heartthrob, famous for both brains and looks.
Claire had a thing for rich, handsome guys.
She kept sending Alex love letters, bringing him breakfast, and always trying to get him to study with her.
But Alex tossed all her gifts and letters aside, rejecting her without a second thought every time.
He once glared at Claire and said, "Stay away from me. You're disgusting!"
Now, Claire was standing right in front of me.
Were Claire and Alex really getting married?
"Claire, you made it." Alex went over to greet her.
He didn't even glance my way as I was about to leave, just walked right up to Claire and wrapped his arm around her waist.
He put on a show of tenderness for her, right in front of me.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of his arm, the one he'd hurt protecting me. Now, right over that scar, he had Claire's name inked.
How could someone be so two-faced?
What a twisted irony.