Chapter 41 The walk of shame
Chapter 41: The Walk of Shame (Elena’s POV)
The basement was damp, and the air felt like it was made of lead. I hadn't slept for a single second. Every time I closed my eyes, I felt the phantom pressure of Liam’s lips on mine and heard the deafening roar of the crowd at the lake house.
By six in the morning, I was already dressed in my school uniform. I didn't have a mirror in this cramped room, so I had to use the reflection in my darkened phone screen to straighten my tie.
"You can do this," I whispered to myself. "It’s just a school day."
But as I limped up the narrow stairs and out into the main kitchen, the whispers started immediately. Two maids were huddled over a tablet, their eyes widening when they saw me. They didn't even try to hide it.
"That's her," one whispered. "The one from the video."
I kept my head down and headed for the driveway. I didn't wait for the Vance driver. I knew I wasn't welcome in that car anymore. I walked to the end of the long, winding estate and caught a public bus, my leg throbbing with every step.
The moment I stepped off the bus at the Northview gates, the world tilted.
It wasn't just a few whispers. It was a wall of noise.
"There she is!" a guy shouted from the parking lot.
"Hey, Elena! Was he as good as the rumors say?" another girl laughed, holding up her phone as I passed.
I clutched the handle of my cane so hard my palm went numb. I walked through the main doors, and it felt like walking into a gladiator arena. Students were lined up along the lockers, tapping their phones and showing each other the screen.
The headline on the Northview Blog was splashed across every device: SCHOLARSHIP PREDATOR: THE GHOST SEDUCES THE KING.
They had edited the library footage. They made it look like I was leaning into him, like I had lured him into that corner. It didn't show him pinning me; it showed me "trapping" him.
"Nice move, Marycynthia," Sarah, one of Chloe’s followers, said as she blocked my path. "We all knew you were desperate, but trying to sleep your way into a trust fund? That’s a new low even for a charity case."
"I didn't seduce anyone, Sarah," I said, my voice cold. "Move out of my way."
"Or what? You'll tell Liam on us?" she mocked. "I don't think your boyfriend is going to save you today. Have you seen him? He looks like he wants to scrub his skin off."
I pushed past her, my heart racing. I needed to get to the library. The library was the only place where I felt like I could breathe. But as I turned the corner, I ran straight into Jax and a few guys from the hockey team.
"Whoa, easy there, Cinderella!" Jax caught my shoulder, his grin wide and mean. "The whole team is talking about you. We’re thinking of making you the official mascot. You know, since you’re so good at 'motivating' the Captain."
"Let go of me, Jax," I snapped, shaking him off.
"Come on, don't be like that," he leaned in, his voice dropping so the others couldn't hear. "If you’re giving out freebies to Liam, the rest of us want a turn. What’s your price? A new pair of shoes? A ride in a car that isn't a bus?"
I slapped him.
The sound echoed through the hallway like a gunshot. The entire hall went silent. Jax’s head snapped to the side, and a red handprint began to bloom on his cheek.
"Don't you ever speak to me like that again," I hissed, my body shaking with rage.
Jax didn't look angry. He looked delighted. He wiped his mouth and turned to the crowd. "See? I told you she was feisty! No wonder Vance is losing his mind."
"Elena!"
I turned and saw Liam. He was standing at the end of the hall, looking like he hadn't slept either. His hair was a mess, and his tie was loose. He looked at me, then at Jax, and then at the crowd of people filming us.
"Liam, tell your dog to get out of my face," I said, my voice trembling.
Liam walked toward us, the crowd parting for him like he was still the King. But he didn't look like a King. He looked like a man walking toward a firing squad.
"Jax, back off," Liam said, but there was no strength in his voice.
"Why? I’m just welcoming the new member of the family," Jax laughed. "She’s got a mean right hook, Cap. You should have warned me."
"I said back off," Liam repeated, his eyes fixed on mine.
I looked at him, hoping for something—a sign that he was going to stop this, a sign that he was going to tell the truth. But Liam just stood there. He didn't tell them the video was fake. He didn't tell them he was the one who pinned me. He just looked at me with those pained, cowardly eyes.
"Is that it?" I asked him, the tears finally stinging my eyes. "You're just going to let them say these things? You're going to let that video stay up?"
"Elena, my father... I'm trying to fix it," Liam whispered.
"You're not fixing anything!" I shouted. "You're standing there watching them drown me! You're the one who kissed me, Liam! You’re the one who started this! Tell them! Tell them the truth!"
The crowd was leaning in, phones poised.
Liam looked around at the cameras. He looked at his teammates. Then he looked at Chloe, who was standing a few feet away, her arms crossed, waiting for him to choose.
"It was just a dare," Liam said loudly, his voice echoing in the hall. "The video... it’s just a misunderstanding. She was tutoring me, and things got a bit out of hand. It’s not a big deal."
"Not a big deal?" I whispered.
I felt like someone had punched me in the stomach. He had just confirmed their story. By calling it a "misunderstanding" and not defending me, he had basically handed them the rope to hang me with.
"I hate you," I said, the words coming out clear and cold. "I hate you more than I’ve ever hated anyone in my life."
I turned and limped away as fast as my leg would allow. I didn't head for the library. I headed for the girls' bathroom. I burst into the last stall, locked the door, and finally let the sobs out.
I sat on the floor, clutching my knees, the cold tile pressing against my skin. I was the "Predator." I was the "Thief." I was the girl who had tried to trap the King. My scholarship was as good as gone. My reputation was ruined. And the boy who did it to me was out there right now, probably making jokes with his friends to save his own skin.
A knock came on the stall door.
"Elena? Are you in there?"
It was a girl's voice, but it wasn't Chloe or Sarah. It was Maya, a quiet girl from my AP English class who usually sat in the back.
"Go away," I sobbed.
"I saw the whole video," Maya said softly. "The real one. Not the edit."
I froze. "What?"
"I was in the library that night, hiding in the back corner trying to finish my essay," Maya said. "I saw him pin you. I saw how he wouldn't let you leave. I have the full recording on my phone, Elena. The unedited version."
I stood up slowly and unlocked the door. Maya was standing there, holding her phone out.
"Why didn't you say anything?" I asked, wiping my eyes.
"I was scared," she admitted. "It's the Vances. But seeing what they’re doing to you today... it’s not right. Do you want it?"
I looked at the phone. It was the truth. It was the evidence that could clear my name and destroy Liam’s "Golden Boy" image forever. It would show the world that the King was the one who wouldn't let go.
"Yes," I said, my voice hardening. "Give it to me."