Chapter 3

Soon enough, the day of the school anniversary performance arrived.

Once I'd finished my makeup and gone to change, there was only one dress left in the changing room, and it was way too small for me.

I glanced at the others, feeling awkward. "Can anyone trade dresses with me? This one's way too tight."

Before anyone could answer, Chloe just grinned and said, "Everyone's already changed. Just deal with it, okay? We're about to go on, so don't hold everyone up."

Even though Chloe was the new girl, she was drop-dead gorgeous, loaded, and had Ryan and Lucas in her corner. The other girls in our class wouldn't even think about messing with her.

No one stepped up to swap dresses with me. I bit my lip, feeling helpless, and after a Herculean effort, finally managed to squeeze myself into that tiny dress.

Soon, it was our class's turn to take the stage.

The girls kicked things off with a group dance, and then the guys jumped in with their own number.

Finally, everyone spread out, and the guys made their way to their partners, bowed, and reached out, inviting the girls, eyes closed, to join them on the dance floor.

One, two, three...

I still couldn't touch Lucas's palm.

Sweat broke out on my forehead.

The crowd erupted in a commotion, and I snapped my eyes open, my gaze shooting straight to Chloe at the center of the stage.

Ryan and Lucas were both by Chloe's side, each down on one knee, reaching out their right hands to her.

The crowd started whispering and murmuring, gossip spreading fast.

Someone said, "What's going on? Did they add an extra guy on purpose or something?"

Another voice chimed in, "No way. Didn't you see there's still a girl without a partner?"

Someone else clicked their tongue, "Tsk, everyone else is paired up, but her partner just ditched her for another girl. If I were her, I'd want the ground to swallow me whole."

Another person laughed, "Two guys fighting over one girl? I'm here for the drama!"

Whispers of doubt, pity, and jeers tangled together in the crowd.

I was frozen on stage, not knowing what to do, my face burning with shame.

I jerked back the hand I'd been reaching out for my partner.

The sudden movement made the button on my chest burst open.

In the next instant, both the front and back of my dress ripped open at once.

The auditorium went dead silent for a split second, and then the whole place erupted in deafening laughter.

"Isn't that the girl with the big rack from our school? Don't tell me she squeezed into that dress just to show off."

"Man, she's got no shame. If I were her, I'd never show my face again."

My face burned red with humiliation, and in that instant, all the noise faded away. All I could see were those twisted, laughing faces.

And finally, there were Ryan and Lucas, both looking at me with cold, disgusted expressions.

I started shaking all over.

Just when I wished I could disappear from sheer embarrassment, a guy in the front row suddenly jumped up onto the stage.

He shrugged off his jacket and wrapped it around me, then gently took my hand.

He spoke in a calm, steady voice that made me feel safe. "Let's keep going."

The music started up again, and he danced the whole duet with me.

When we finished and bowed, the audience erupted into thunderous applause.

I felt like I was floating, barely aware of what was happening as I followed him to the changing room door.

The host called out to him, "Ethan, we need you on stage for the raffle after the performance. Hurry up!"

Ethan gave me a quick nod and headed back to the front of the stage.

My mind was still spinning, barely able to process what had just happened.

Out of nowhere, someone yanked the jacket off my shoulders. I whipped around to see Chloe shooting daggers at me, her face twisted with fury.

"What's going on between you and Ethan Maxwell? Why did he step in for you today?" Chloe demanded.

Her voice was dripping with jealousy and bitterness.

Ethan was the student council president, the straight-A legend who'd been number one in our grade for as long as anyone could remember.

We'd gone to the same school for three years, but honestly, we were practically strangers.

He was the unattainable star everyone admired, while I was just the insecure nobody people mocked and brushed aside.

"There's nothing between us, I really have no idea..." I mumbled.

But my answer clearly didn't satisfy Chloe at all.

Suddenly, she grabbed my hair and shoved my head into the sink. She shrieked, "Nothing between you? Then why would he help you?

"I knew it! You're just a boy-crazy slut. You must've thrown yourself at Ethan.

"You think you're so proud of your big boobs, huh? I'm gonna strip you naked and toss you out there for everyone to stare at!"

She ordered her minions to hold me down, then started trying to pull my clothes off.