Amelia's POV
As I watched Maya cower under Aiden's gaze, a wave of anger and determination washed over me. I couldn't just stand by and let him continue to bully and intimidate her. With a fierce resolve, I turned to face Aiden, my eyes locked on his.
"Leave her alone, Aiden," I demanded, my voice firm and steady. "This is between you and me. Don't drag her into it."
Aiden's smirk grew wider, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Oh, Amelia," he said, his voice dripping with condescension. "You really are so clueless. Maya here knows exactly what's at stake. Don't you, Maya?"
Maya nodded, her eyes still downcast, and Aiden's grip on her hair tightened. I could see the fear and resignation in her eyes, and it only strengthened my resolve.
"Let her go, Aiden," I repeated, my voice rising. "Now."
Aiden chuckled, the sound sending a shiver down my spine. "Oh, Amelia," he said, his voice dripping with malice. "You really don't know when to quit, do you?"
With a sudden jerk, he yanked Maya to her feet, his grip on her hair unyielding. Maya's eyes met mine, filled with a silent apology, and I knew I had to act fast.
Without hesitation, I launched myself at Aiden, determined to free Maya from his grasp. But Aiden was too quick, too strong. He easily deflected my attack, his eyes flashing with anger.
"You really are a foolish girl, Amelia," he sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. "You think you can take on me? I'll show you what happens when you cross me."
I stood my ground, my heart racing with fear, but my determination unwavering. "I won't back down, Aiden," I spat, my voice firm. "I won't apologize for something I didn't do."
Aiden's smile grew wider, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Oh, but you will," he said, his voice dripping with confidence. "You'll beg for my forgiveness, Amelia. And you'll mean it."
I snarled, my anger and frustration boiling over. "Never!" I shouted, my fists clenched at my sides.
Aiden chuckled, his eyes never leaving mine. "We'll see about that," he said, his voice dripping with menace.
And with that, he reached out and grasped my arm, his grip like a vice. I tried to struggle, but he was too strong, too relentless. He dragged me across the cafeteria, his grip unyielding, until we reached the entrance.
And then, in a move that made my heart race with fear, he pushed me to my knees, his grip on my arm unyielding.
"Say it, Amelia," he growled, his voice low and menacing. "Say you're sorry."
I glared up at him, my eyes blazing with defiance. "No!" I spat, my voice firm.
Aiden's smile grew wider, his eyes glinting with triumph. "Oh, but you will," he said, his voice dripping with confidence. "You'll say it, Amelia. And you'll mean it."
And with that, he leaned down, his breath hot against my ear. "Because if you don't," he whispered, his voice dripping with menace, "I'll make sure everyone in this place knows that they can do whatever they want with your dear Maya and let me tell you they are not a softie unlike you and make her bleed if they desire."
My heart raced with fear, my mind racing with the implications. I knew Aiden was capable of it - he had done it before, I have heard the stories. And I knew I couldn't take the risk.
I close my eyes as I say those words slowly, "I'm sorry."
I feel like I'm being torn apart inside, every word of apology slicing through me like knives. It's humiliating, standing here in front of everyone, forced to say sorry to Aiden. It's not fair, it's not right. Why should I have to grovel like this? But I have no choice. It's like my heart is being stabbed over and over, and I can't do anything but endure it. This is the worst feeling ever, and I'll never forget how low I've been made.
As those cursed words slipped out of my mouth, I felt like I was betraying everything I stood for. The shame weighed heavy on my chest, but I couldn't risk Aiden's wrath falling on Maya. I had to protect her.
With each apology, I felt like I was sinking deeper into Aiden's twisted game. But I had no choice. I had to swallow my pride and endure the humiliation.
When I finally finished, Aiden's smirk widened, his victory evident in his eyes. He released me, but the sense of power he held over me remained.
"Good job, Amelia, see that was not that hard," he sneered, his voice oozing with satisfaction. "You're learning your place."
I clenched my fists, seething with anger and resentment. But I knew I had to play it smart. Revenge would be sweeter when the time was right.
As I walked away, the fire burned within me. Aiden may have won this battle, but the war was far from over. And I swore to myself that I would make him pay for every moment of humiliation he had inflicted upon us.
A week had passed since that humiliating encounter with Aiden, and life had settled into a quiet routine. I kept a low profile, avoiding unnecessary interactions and focusing on my studies. But beneath the surface, a fire burned within me, fueled by anger and a thirst for revenge.
As Maya, Rose, and I sat in the tranquil garden of the university, Maya's words cut through the calm like a knife. "It's strange," she remarked, her voice tinged with confusion. "How Aiden threatened you with me, but not yourself that day."
Her observation struck within me, portraying his strange actions. Aiden had used his power like a weapon, using Maya as a pawn in his twisted game. But instead of threatening to hurt me, he chose to manipulate the situation, pitting us against each other.
"Yeah, well, Aiden's a coward, being honest" Rose interrupted. "He preys on those he perceives as weak."
I nodded in agreement, my jaw clenched with suppressed anger. Aiden's actions had left me feeling vulnerable and exposed, but I refused to cower in fear. I may be keeping a low profile for now, but I was biding my time, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike back with even greater force.
"Ignore him," France urged, sensing the tension in the air. "He's not worth our time." Well we managed to add another member to our friends group who was our class fellow, France. We happened to sit together in class one day, I already admired his blond hair and blue eyes, what a perfect match with his 5'9 height with slender yet fit body and that day we talked a bit, thanks to his personality friendship came the way naturally.
But I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered within me. Aiden may have retreated into the shadows for now, but I knew he was plotting his next move, waiting for the perfect moment to strike again.
As we sat in the university garden, lost in conversation, a sudden commotion shattered the tranquility. Without warning, a football came towards us, aimed directly at my head with alarming speed.
Before I could react, France sprang into action with lightning-fast reflexes. With a swift movement, he intercepted the ball mid-air, mere inches from colliding with my head, and brought it to a halt with a flourish.
Gasps of surprise echoed around us as we stared in awe at France, who stood before me, his chest heaving with exertion but a smile gracing his lips.
"Are you alright, Amelia?" he asked, his voice filled with genuine concern.
I nodded, still in shock from the close call. "Y-yes, thank you, France," I stammered, my heart racing with adrenaline.
France chuckled, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "No need to thank me, just glad I could be of assistance."
As the initial shock wore off, I couldn't help but feel a newfound admiration for France. His quick thinking and athleticism had saved me from a potentially painful encounter.
As we recovered from the shock of the near-miss with the football, Rose couldn't help but break the tension with her signature wit."France, mate, if you're looking for a career change, I think the goalkeeper might be your calling," she quipped, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "I've never seen reflexes like that outside of a cat video!" making France laugh lightly.
"If this whole university thing doesn't work out, you've got a solid career in football ahead of you." France chuckled, his grin widening.
"Well, I won't need that hopefully." he said, earning a round of laughter from us all.
I couldn't help but laugh, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. "Who needs bodyguards when you've got France?" I replied, shooting him a grateful smile.France shrugged nonchalantly, but there was a twinkle of pride in his eyes. "Just doing my civic duty," he said with mock seriousness.
"Hey, France," Rose said, breaking the comfortable silence, "you know, with those lightning-fast reflexes, you could probably join the circus as a juggler or something."
France chuckled, shaking his head. "As tempting as that sounds, I think I'll stick to being a humble university student for now." Earning our laughter.