Chapter 3

The next morning, I woke up with puffy eyes and a heavy heart. The memory of Jake's cruel words and Victoria's relentless taunts still lingered, making my stomach churn.

As I dragged myself to school, the weight of my emotions threatened to suffocate me.

The hallways, once familiar and comforting, now seemed like a never-ending gauntlet of ridicule.

The school’s gossip mill seemed to be working overtime. The news of our breakup had spread like wildfire, and everyone seemed to be watching me, whispering, and snickering.

"Hey, Kae-pig, heard Jake finally realized he was dating a whale," someone jeered.

I quickened my pace, but the comments followed me. They were everywhere.

"Looks like someone needs to go on a diet," another voice chimed in.

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.

Not here.

Not now.

I spotted Emily, my former friend, whispering to a group of classmates.

"Did you hear Jake said she was too fat for him?" Emily giggled.

The group erupted into snickers, and I felt a stab of betrayal.

We used to be friends, sharing secrets and laughter.

Now, she was just another face in the crowd, mocking me.

I reached my locker, fumbling with the combination.

As I opened the door, a handwritten note slipped out.

"Fat and ugly, inside and out."

My heart sank.

Who wrote this?

I crumpled the note, shoving it into my pocket.

The bell rang, signaling the start of class.

I took a deep breath and stepped into the fray.

Throughout the day, the mockery continued.

In every class, every hallway, every corner.

“Kae-pig got dumped," someone whispered on my way to the next class.

I buried my face in my hands, tears streaming down my face.

Why wouldn't they leave me alone?

Didn't they know I was already broken?

But it was relentless.

Even some teachers seemed to pity me, their expressions a mix of sympathy and disdain.

By lunchtime, I was exhausted.

I entered the cafeteria, scanning the room for an empty table.

That's when I saw Victoria, holding court at her usual table.

She caught my eye and smirked, and my heart fell to the pit of my stomach.

"Look what we have here," Victoria announced, her voice carrying across the room.

"The dumped whale."

The cafeteria fell silent, all eyes on me.

Victoria stood up, her gaze locked on mine.

"Good thing Jake finally realized he was dating a beached whale before you swallow him like you swallow everything you see," she cackled.

The room erupted into snickers and laughter.

I felt my face burn with shame.

Victoria's eyes sparkled with malice.

"Hey, Kae-pig, how does it feel to be rejected because of your weight?" she taunted, not letting up.

The laughter grew louder.

I spotted Jake in the corner of the room from my peripheral vision, watching the scene unfold, and just like all the other times, he ignored.

Victoria's smile twisted.

"And to think, you thought you were worthy of Jake."

She picked up a carton of spoiled milk from behind her.

"This is what you're worth – rotten and disgusting."

With a flick of her wrist, she dumped the spoiled milk all over me.

The stench was overwhelming.

The room gasped, but Victoria's friends cheered.

"Wow, Victoria, that's epic!" someone shouted.

Tears streamed down my face as I stood there, humiliated.

The milk dripped from my hair, soaking my clothes.

Victoria's laughter echoed through the cafeteria.

I couldn't take it anymore.

I turned and ran, escaping the cafeteria's mockery.

The spoiled milk stained my clothes, a constant reminder of Victoria's cruelty.

I hid in the library, seeking refuge among dusty books and silence.

But even here, the echoes of Victoria's taunts lingered.

"You'll never be loved, Kae. You'll always be alone."

The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch.

I gathered my belongings, steeling myself for the rest of the day.

But the damage was done.

My heart felt shattered, my soul crushed.

I was alone, broken, and humiliated.

I breezed through the rest of the day on autopilot, but my mind was racing with various thoughts till I excused myself from the last class and walked out.

I stood atop the school's roof, the wind whipping my hair into a frenzy. The spoiled milk had long since been washed away, but the stench of humiliation lingered.

Below me, the world seemed to spin, a chaotic blur of laughter and mockery.

Victoria's words echoed in my mind.

"You'll never be loved, Kae. You'll always be alone."

Tears streamed down my face as I gazed out at the abyss.

Why bother?

Why keep fighting?

I took a step forward, the edge of the roof beckoning.

Just one more step.

And it would all be over.

The pain would stop.

The shame would fade.

But as I raised my foot, a voice pierced the silence.

"Hey, is that really a good idea?"

I froze.

Who?

Max.

He leaned against the rooftop door, his eyes narrowed. "You're not thinking this through," he said, his tone aloof.

"What's to think through?" I spat, my voice trembling.

"Your life?" Max suggested, his expression unreadable.

"You don't understand," I whispered, tears streaming down my face.

"Try me," Max said, his voice still detached, but his eyes sparkled with curiosity.

"You don't know what it's like," I said, my voice cracking.

"To be constantly mocked? To be rejected? To be alone?" Max shrugged. "Maybe not. But I know what it's like to hit rock bottom.And this?"

He gestured to the edge of the roof.

"This isn't the answer."

His words struck a chord.

Something within me hesitated. "Why not?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Because," Max said, pushing off from the door. "You've got more to lose than you think."

He walked toward me, his eyes locked on mine.

"What do I have to lose?" I asked, my voice laced with despair.

Max stopped in front of me. "Your chance to prove them wrong."

His words hung in the air.

Prove them wrong?

Could I?

Should I?

For the first time, a glimmer of doubt crept into my mind.

Maybe there was more to life than this darkness.

Maybe.