章節 17: chapter 16. Play like a fiddle
[chapter 16. Play like a fiddle]
trigger warning: bullying
Envy is one of the seven deadly sins- ingrained in the wretched souls of all humans. It was up to us whether we accepted it or not. But everyone at the Imperial Academy envied the new girl, that was for sure.
After only three days at the Imperial Academy, she had made friends with the elite group. Hernandez, Walsh, Harrington, Spade, Mariano, and a fucking Sullivan.
A group made up of big names who were known for their glory. The elite group. The sweet and harmonious group, full of friendship and love. Hehe. Bullshit. Only a few could see through the laughter and how each used the other for their gain.
It was the dark truth of high society. You never know who would stab you in the back as you puke the betrayal in crimson. Or maybe fresh green notes.
Selena sat in the Data Structure class, listening to the students gossip behind her. Her head lowered, and her ears perked up.
"I saw her come with the young Mariano today too."
"What?!"
"As per my research, she is Wilson's illegitimate daughter. The man who is known as the loyal dog."
The new information caused the students to gasp, lowering their voices as they proceeded to speak.
Few pitied her birth, while others ridiculed it.
Taking out a notebook, she scrolled her phone until the teacher arrived. Oh, what an eventful morning it was, her lips curled.
"Garold," Selena sighed, getting out of the car. "My father is a dedicated man to the clan's ethics. I need to live up to that. It's not easy, but I will try," she forced a smile. The blue-haired man scowled. Why was she in such a foul mood?
She could see everyone's eyes widening as they talked. She thanked Garold and exited the car on her way to the class.
Garold shouted at her. "Selena, please wait." Selena turned around. "Let me know if someone bullies you because of your past," he whispered, looking around. "I will take care of them." Everyone acted oblivious.
He could see the poor mood on her face. He was concerned it was because everyone made fun of her past. The wealthy were pretentious, and he knew that well.
"Thank you," she said as she squeezed his hand with warmth in her heart. "I'll get going."
"Guys, do you remember when we heard the driver call her by her name in the morning? No way would the Mariano clan princess get addressed by her forename," the boy scoffed.
"She described her father as the most devoted member of the Mariano Clan. It's Wilson. He is seen with Chairman Mariano quite often."
"Oh my, it makes so much sense.
They were all gossiping, disregarding the idea that the most dedicated person to any company is the owner himself.
"Gosh, servant coming to college with the owner. Quite a lucky girl."
"Even seating with the same table as the top group. Ugh bitch."
Their comments continued.
Unbothered, she giggled at the new meme, forwarding it to Hayate. "Pay attention to the class, moon." She rolled her eyes at the message. Hayate was such a bore. She had not forgiven him for snitching on her, even though she knew it stemmed from goodness.
"Fuck you," she texted back.
Mirelle walked chin up and her eyes haughty, garnering everyone's attention. The young heiress had a charm that left everyone in awe. She was so high that she made everyone strive to touch her and bask in her aura. So elegant like a fleeting dove. "Selena," she chirped, sitting next to the new girl. Her smile stretched when Selena turned to her.
Selena glanced at the walking charm. "Mirelle," she smiled. "It's good to see you," she greeted with formality. "Gosh, how formal, Selena. We became close friends last time, don't speak in such a stiff manner," she teased, playfully punching Selena's arm. Everyone observed them in shock.
Selena laughed softly. "Oh, that was my mistake. Sorry," Mirelle shook her head at the words. Her face turned serious as she held Selena's hands.
"I've heard some gossip about students cursing at you. Tell me, and I'll take care of those imbeciles. My friends should not get treated as such." Mirelle's words were threatening and determined. They contained a promise. Sullivan was a possessive person. Mirelle smiled at others who looked away.
Selena's eyes lowered, warm and comforted by Mirelle's words of protection.
Mirelle Sullivan commanded the students' attention. When she laughed, she was a girl to look up to; everyone swooned over her ethereal smile. With good grades, good looks, and even a good personality, it's no surprise everyone adored her.
They both smiled at each other, but none of their smiles reached their eyes.
Mirelle behaved like a good friend protecting her from the rumors. But her actions brought so much ire to Selena. How could those students let go of Selena when they wished to be friends with Mirelle Sullivan from day one, and a new girl just got it like that?
Mirelle was a goddess always so kind to others. Selena did not deserve this. Jealousy, envy, and contempt rose in their hearts as Selena felt a target on her back.
The class ended.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket. Taking the vibrating object out and looking at the lit screen, her eyes darkened for a split second before she glanced at Mirelle. "I have to take this call. Please excuse me; I'll be in the cafeteria in a minute," she excused herself. Why was big brother calling her in the middle of the day?
Mirelle frowned but replaced it with an understanding look. Unless, no, stop thinking about it, Selena.
Mirelle nodded as she watched Selena turn around and move to a less congested area. Her eyes darkened as her fist crumpled the ironed skirt. She approached the table. "Who spread the rumor that Selena is an illegitimate daughter? She is a friend who deserves to get treated with dignity," she hissed harshly. Her brown eyes narrowed into thin slits.
Except for the elite group, no one could change the tides among the students. They made sure of it.
Viktor turned to face the enraged girl. "Elle. It was only a friendly misunderstanding. Why are you so concerned about her?" he laughed. Declan frowned at the rumor. Why was he not aware of this? It made him feel weird.
Declan dropped his head and sipped some water.
Selena appeared to be a frail and demure young lady. It sparked his protective instincts. He could see how oblivious and gullible the girl was; he could still recall how she put others ahead of herself. She did not eat with them that day because Samuel cursed her. A girl who was worried about things other than herself. It moved him.
"Don't tell me it's you, Viktor," she snarled. Viktor sat up; his face flushed with panic. "No. I would never do anything to displease you, Elle," he tried to approach her, gently grabbing her hand before she swatted it away. His face crumpled.
His eyes seethed when he saw Mirelle sit beside Kai; her eyelashes fluttered as she talked with the boy. Viktor's fist clenched.
----
"You are nothing more than the new girl. The popular group will use you as their new toy and discard you when bored. Keep an eye out. They are not the people you should associate with," the girl with two pigtails warned her.
"It's better to stay in your league than to join the top group. Their world is not as forgiving as they portray it to be," when the girl noticed Selena's eerie smile, her eyes widened.
"Should I let you in on a secret?" Selena asked, leaning in close to the busybody girl. As she approached, the pigtails bounced. Selena brushed the girl's braid and brought her lips up to her ear. Her warm breath fanned over the caramel skin, turning her ears red. Her lips brushed lightly against her ears. The sensation made the girl shudder.
"I don't care," Selena purred. As she moved away, the girl exclaimed, her eyes widening and her breath becoming heavy. "You," she slapped her hands on her mouth, scanning the space to see if anyone had noticed them.
"What's your name, braids," Selena mused. "A-Anika," the girl stammered out. "So dear Anika. Watch how I play the top group like a fiddle," Selena smirked, watching Anika's warm skin turn pale.
"You will keep this a little secret from everyone, right?" Selena cooed. "Our little secret," she inched closer to the shocked girl.
"Yes," Anika's head bobbed furiously.
"Such a good girl."
Selena winked and walked away. She had observed that Anika was a girl who kept her thoughts to herself. In a class full of whispers, the braided girl never opened her mouth, her head focused on the book, and only once looked at her in concern when Mirelle approached her.
As she approached the table, her legs came to a halt. She sat next to Declan- unaware of how his body stiffened and relaxed.
"Hey," she said with a smile, watching his ear turn red as he nodded and turned away.
Jaden walked towards the table, his body swaying as he fell asleep on it without warning. Declan grimaced in response to the loud thud. Jaden had only hit his head on the marble table and slept like a baby.
"Are you sure he didn't get a concussion?" Declan paused when he detected the sweet scent of strawberry near him. She was too close. Too close, his body hardened, and he stopped breathing.
"Wait, what?" His voice was shaky, but no one was paying attention. Selena tilted her head, innocently blinking, and pointed at the sleeping man. "Is he okay?" she inquired. "Huh, yes," he said, clearing his throat. "Jaden, of course, is alright. The man enjoys sleeping anywhere." He shifted his weight away from her.
Why was his heart racing so quickly? While Selena sipped her strawberry milkshake, he ignored the loud thumps in his chest.
"Sammy, how was the practical session?" Mirelle inquired, moving closer to the boy with glasses. His shoulders sagged as he sat to the left of the school's belle.
"Boring," came his bland reply. Kai was now paying attention to their conversation. Selena's lips twitched as she noticed sparks between the first and second-place scorers. Each desire to bring the other down.
Her lips curled. Kai was even studying during his lunch break. Someone is attempting to overtake my brother, eh? What a spectacle that will be.
Brother? Selena ignored her mind as usual and taunted her mind. Her mind was a bitch.
In any case, she was paying attention to the group.
"The semester exams are quickly approaching. Why don't we study at my house?" Mirelle offered to assist.
"I'm in," Viktor said almost instantly.
"I'll sleep- I mean, study at home," Jaden yawned before replying, then fell back asleep.
Kai nodded in agreement and turned to face Samuel, waiting for his response. "I will, Elle," Samuel agreed. Selena and Declan both said yes.
"By the way, I heard you are Wilson's bastard. Is this correct?" Mirelle gave Viktor a glare when he didn't mince his words. Selena stiffened in response to his questions. Her lips wobbled, and her eyes trembled.
Selena waited for Samuel to correct Mirelle for a second, but he didn't. "Yeah, you're right," she nodded, her voice hesitant. "I am Wilson's daughter." Declan's heart clenched as she put up a strong front. He locked his gaze on Viktor.
"You should be careful with your words, Walsh," he hissed.
Viktor laughed arrogantly as he leaned back in his chair, brushing his hair. "And what if I don't, Harrington?" he pondered. When did the boy get the courage to oppose him?
Kai's only two words were "Declan Viktor," and they both returned to normal. After all, neither belonged to the five families, and Kai Spade would be their leader. Someone superior to them. It was appropriate that they listened to him now.
They showed their respect to the Big five families.
The same goes for Jaden Hernandez. Despite being the only heir to the tech tycoon, the older son mostly slept and lacked leadership skills. The top group pushed him down, making Kai their boss. As for Samuel. First, he was younger than them; second, the boy lacked a spine; he was like a bunny seeking attention, which they provided in their perverse way.
Bullying him gave them a feeling of superiority. Boys from 'normal' wealthy families were playing with someone from one of the Big Five families. It felt so good.
"My linguistics class is about to begin. You better watch out, boys," she smiled sweetly at them, making each of them flinch except Jaden, who was sleeping.
"Bye, Selena," she said, grinning.
"Bye, Mirelle," Selena said, smiling back.
Viktor hurled a handful of papers from his bag at Sameul's face. "Complete them before we meet at Elle's," he said, smiling as Samuel nodded and placed the papers in his bag.
He poured the soup from his lunch plate onto the floor, a few drops splattering on his shoes. "They're filthy. Come clean them," he flicked his leather boots.
"You must be used to doing such things at the orphanage, right?"
"Come on, don't make me wait any longer," he said. Viktor's antics made Kai sigh. The boy picked up his books and walked away, knowing that the drama would cost him a lot of points. He was better off studying.
Stupid people.
Selena gave a forced smile to Viktor. "It's an n-nice joke," she chuckled nervously.
"Come here and wipe my shoes. If I repeat, I'll have you walking around campus on your knees," Viktor contoured his lips into a mangled smile.
"Ask your young master. He did it."
Selena's head snapped at Samuel, who looked down. What? Her fist clenched beneath the table. She stood up, trembling.
He smiled as he watched her tremble, not recognizing she shook with rage rather than fear. Her eyes glinted as she watched the maid approach with plates.
Unaware, the maid concentrated on her job, cleaning. She slipped at the fallen soup on the floor, losing her balance and slipping with the plates in her hand.
Selena jerked back, her back pushing the maid as she grabbed the maid before she fell. With a loud clash, the plates collided with the ground. Viktor backed up as his footing slipped. Selena extended her hand to help him.
But by mistake, she pushed him in the same direction as the falling plates. Viktor collapsed to the floor, all the leftovers falling on his body but none on her.
Viktor stood up, grimacing at the gravy dripping from his styled hair and the onion on his blazer. Anger washed all over him.
"You bitch," he said, grabbing Selena by the collar and pulling her face closer to his as his fingers clenched into a tight fist aimed at her face. Veins burst on his face.
Outrage erupted in his head, oblivious to the girl's cold stare. Declan grabbed Victor's hand before it could touch Selena. Selena closed her eyes and whimpered softly.
"Don't make a fool of yourself. Look at you," Declan said as he pushed Viktor away and pulled Selena behind him. Viktor looked around to see how everyone was staring at him. People afraid of him looked down, and a few laughed, mocking his appearance.
His pupils constricted, and he noticed a few of them secretly filming. Each one of them was a traitor. They curry his favor when he is at his best. They made fun of him at the worst. Everyone in this world was a fake.
When he saw his filthy clothes, disgust filled him. "Fuck," he hissed as he stormed away. "Stop looking," he yelled down the way.
Declan turned back to see Selena, a jumbled mess. "I-I only wanted to protect him f-from that," she hiccupped, unable to form proper words. Her hand shook, and her body flinched back when Declan tried to touch her.
"Hey, shush," he cooed. "It's okay," he said, avoiding touching the shaking girl. His words soothed her trembling body.
Selena let out a sob. "Viktor, h-he," her panicked voice made his chest tighten. He moved closer to her. "Viktor won't be able to hurt you," he promised.
"It was just a little jest. Don't take it seriously," Declan said. "Selena, make sure you don't tell what happened today to anyone. Not your parents, and especially not Mirelle," his words made her eyes dim.
"I won't," she bit her lip. "I don't want the elite group fighting within themselves," she said as the blonde's eyes widened at her words.
Did his words come out like that?
"No, Selena," he yelped. "I mean," he scratched behind his neck. "Mirelle admires you, but she and Viktor have been friends since they were children. I don't want any miscommunications between friends. And I'm not blaming you in any way," in an awkward stance, he said.
Selena lowered her head. "I understand," she said meekly.
His heart clenched at her sight. She looked like a kid who refused their favorite candy. Somehow his irritation for Viktor grew. They fought like cats and dogs, yet they were still friends from childhood who would cover for each other. He would never put a new girl before his childhood friends, right?
"Here," he handed her some tissues.
She covered her face with her hands, wiping away her tears as her lips curled up into a smirk.
It was just the beginning.
~~~~
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