Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Rhea's Pov

“It seems that your disability also includes you being hard of hearing, Kevin but for the sake of the feelings I used to have for you, I will repeat my words. And I ask you again, Kevin, do you really think that you are worth it?” I stepped closer to him, “Making me pay for your expensive drinks, making me pay your tuition fees, making me do your assignments, making me kneel and beg you just so that you could inflate your small ego, making me do all sorts of things because you wanted to feel like you had power over me, tell me, Kevin. What exactly did I see in you that made me decide that I wanted to chase after you? I chased you like a fool.” I went on, walking slowly toward him, each step sending ripples across the soaked floor, “I begged for your affection. Got humiliated in front of the whole school. And you know what the saddest part is? I thought you rejecting me, pushing me into a pool, was the lowest point.”

I stopped right in front of him, my chin lifted high.

“But the real humiliation?” I whispered, “Was actually loving you.”

Kevin blinked, “Rhea, what the hell are you talking about?”

I laughed, loud and sharp, the sound echoing through the hall and silencing the murmurs around us.

“You still don’t get it, do you?” I said, tilting my head as I looked him up and down with a smirk curling on my lips, “God, you’re even dumber than I gave you credit for.”

Kevin stiffened, “Watch your mouth…”

“Oh no, you watch yours.” I snapped, slicing through his weak attempt at dominance, “Because you’ve got nothing going for you except that pretty little face. That’s right, the only reason I ever liked you was because of your face. The minute you opened your mouth, you ruined it.”

He scowled, taking a step back, “You’re just being dramatic now.”

“Dramatic?” I snorted, “Please. I’m being generous. You want me to be honest? Fine. You’re lazy, entitled, emotionally constipated, and painfully average. The only thing you worked hard at was mooching off people and acting like a knockoff bad boy in a high school drama. News flash, you’re not the main character, Kevin.”

People were really staring now, phones out, mouths open.

“You talk big but let’s be real, your background is so tragic it’s almost pitiable. Your mom and dad almost cut you off for gambling because of your future, and then you latched onto me like a tick because I had some family money and a soft heart. Well, guess what? The heart’s gone, and the money? It's not for you, and never will be. The whole time that you have been receiving awards for your homework and parading it around, making people think that you were a genius or making your parents believe that you were a good student just because you got into this university?” I paused to take a breath and the look on Kevin's face was so pleasing that I wanted to take a picture but I continued either way.

“Please. I wrote every single one of your assignments, did you tell anyone that? You barely passed because you couldn’t tell the difference between your own opinion and a Wikipedia article. You were going around telling people how stupid and dumb I was for being intelligent but deep down, you know who the real dumb person is, Kevin. It's you, and it will always be you.”

Kevin flushed crimson, his fists clenched at his side.

“Oh Kevin, you're pure trash and a lot of people seem to know it other than you. Don't be so obnoxious next time, it's very annoying. And after today, I do not ever want to be associated with Kevin, nor do I want to hear any rumors about what just happened here, is that understood?” I questioned, glancing around and meeting each and everyone of their eyes.

Most of them nodded while others just stood there dumbfoundedly. I turned back to Kevin, looking at the gold necklace around his neck that I gave to him as a gift, without further ado, I reached out and pulled it off his neck, ignoring his painted yelp.

“I'll be taking this as it belongs to me. Goodbye Kevin, I hope you never show yourself in front of me again.” And with that, I turned around and left, not sparing him another glance.

My footsteps echoed through the stunned silence as I walked out of the hall, the heavy double doors closing behind me like the final act of a play. Once I stepped into the cool evening air, the facade shattered.

Tears slipped down my cheeks, silent, hot, and bitter. I stumbled to the edge of the street, hugging myself tightly as the past crashed over me in relentless waves.

All those years. All that love. All that trust.

Wasted.

I had given so much of myself to them, to him. I’d fought so hard to be seen, to be loved, to belong. And in the end, they killed me for it. My family, my lover, my so-called sister, they buried me while I was still breathing.

But not anymore. I wiped the tears away, my fingers trembling but my resolve hardening like steel.

“Never again.” I whispered to the wind, “You wanted me gone, and now I’m back. So watch closely, Ginny… Kevin… all of you.”

I looked up at the night sky, my voice a vow, “I will make you regret everything.”

Footsteps echoed behind me and I froze, my heart palpitating, did a stalker follow me here again? What should I do? My entire body started trembling and my feet refused to move, memories of getting stabbed flowing into my head once more.

“Rhea?” A small voice called out my name and perfume invaded my nose, “Rhea, are you okay? You're shivering.”

As if her voice was sent to calm me, I stopped shaking, then turned around to face her.

Ginny. A younger Ginny wearing a white dress, her hair in two space buns, and an innocent look in her eyes.

“Ginny…” I whispered her name like a prayer, smiling at her, “You can't even begin to fathom how happy I am to see you.”

“R… Rhea? What's wrong?”

Ginny oh Ginny, I really am so happy to see you fall by the time I am done with you.