25

25
Mirella

I knew something was wrong the moment I stepped into school.

My chest was tight, my palms sweating even though I kept telling myself Kaelen’s plan would work. He promised the female legion wouldn’t touch me again. He’d said it with such calm certainty that I’d believed him.

But the moment I walked through those doors, my breath caught in my throat. She was there.

Standing in the middle of the hallway like she owned it. The female legion.

Her hair gleamed under the fluorescent lights, her perfect smile sharp enough to cut. A crowd surrounded her—students whispering, staring, like they couldn’t believe what they were seeing.

Neither could I.

She was expelled. Kaelen made sure of that. So how the hell was she standing there, alive, smug, and very much back?

She turned her head slowly, her eyes locking on mine. The smirk that spread across her face made my stomach twist. She looked… amused. Like she had been waiting for this moment.

My legs froze. Every instinct screamed at me to move, to run, but I couldn’t.

Then she started walking toward me. Her heels clicked against the floor in a rhythm that made my skin crawl.

My eyes darted around for Kaelen. I found him near his locker, leaning against it with his arms folded. For a second, relief washed over me—until I realized he wasn’t moving. He was just watching.

Watching.

The female legion stopped right in front of me, tilting her head slightly. “Miss me?” she asked, her voice soft and poisonous.

My mouth felt dry. “How are you here?” I managed to whisper. “You were expelled.”

She laughed, the sound sharp and cruel. “Expelled?” she echoed. “That’s what he told you?”

Confusion clouded my head. “What are you talking about?”

She smiled wider, her eyes glinting with mock sympathy. “Kaelen helped me. Didn’t he tell you?”

I blinked, my stomach dropping. “You’re lying.”

“Am I?” she asked, stepping closer. “His family has power, Mirella. More than you can imagine. One call, and my expulsion disappeared like it never happened. He did it for me.”

The hallway went silent. I could feel the eyes on us, the whispers starting to spread. But all I saw was Kaelen—still standing there, still not denying it.

I felt my world tilt. My chest ached so badly I thought I might cry right there, in front of everyone.

I pushed past her and marched straight to him. My heart was pounding, my vision blurring from anger.

“Tell me she’s lying,” I said, my voice shaking.

Kaelen looked at me then, finally. His expression was calm but sad, like he’d already prepared for this. “It’s complicated.”

I stared at him, disbelief burning in my chest. “Complicated? You brought her back, Kaelen! After everything she did!”

He tried to speak, but I cut him off, my voice rising. “You lied to me. You said she was gone for good. You promised you’d protect me!”

“I was protecting you,” he said quietly. “You don’t understand the whole story yet.”

“Then explain it!” I snapped.

He hesitated, eyes flickering with something—regret? Guilt? “Not here.”

I took a step back, my throat tightening. “Don’t bother. I don’t want to hear anything you have to say.”

People were whispering around us now, phones out, recording. I didn’t care. I turned and walked away, blinking back tears I refused to let fall.

Iris caught up to me halfway down the hall. “Mirella, wait—what happened?”

“She’s back,” I said bitterly. “And Kaelen helped her.”

Iris gasped. “That can’t be true. Why would he—”

“Because he’s just like her,” I snapped. “He lied to me this whole time.”

Iris fell quiet, her face pale. “Maybe there’s some reason. Maybe—”

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “There’s no reason that justifies this.”

Classes felt like torture. I couldn’t focus on a single thing. Every time I looked up, I caught sight of Kaelen across the room. He wasn’t looking at me, but I could feel his eyes on me sometimes—guilt heavy in the air.

I wished I could hate him. I wanted to. But the hurt sat too deep, mixed with disappointment and confusion.

By lunch, everyone knew. The female legion was back, and Kaelen Lancaster was the reason why.

She acted like nothing had changed—laughing with her old group, tossing insults at whoever crossed her path. Like she hadn’t been expelled, like she hadn’t destroyed lives.

At our usual table, my friends were furious. Dante slammed his tray down. “I swear, if Kaelen really did this—”

“Don’t,” I cut in sharply. “He’s not worth it.”

Dante frowned. “We should at least hear him out.”

“I already did,” I said bitterly. “He had nothing to say.”

Yuki sighed. “Still… this doesn’t make sense. Kaelen wouldn’t just—”

“Wouldn’t he?” I said, forcing a laugh that sounded too harsh. “He’s rich. He’s powerful. Maybe she reminded him what that feels like. Maybe I was just his charity case.”

No one spoke after that. The silence was heavy, uncomfortable.

After lunch, I went to the bathroom just to breathe, but of course she was there—leaning against the mirror like she’d been waiting.

“Don’t look so scared,” she said, smirking. “I just wanted to talk.”

I glared at her. “What do you want?”

She tilted her head. “Just to remind you that I always win. You? You were just a distraction. Kaelen belongs on my side.”

“Get out of my way,” I said, pushing past her.

But she stepped in front of me, smiling that cruel little smile. “You can fight me all you want, Mirella. But deep down, you know it’s true. He’ll always choose power over people. That’s why he chose me.”

I shoved her shoulder hard enough to make her stumble. “You don’t scare me anymore.”

“Then you should,” she called after me as I walked out. “Because this is just the beginning.”

Her words followed me down the hallway like shadows.

That night, Kaelen called. Over and over. I didn’t answer. My phone buzzed for hours until I turned it face down on my bed. When the messages came, I didn’t read them. I deleted everything without opening a single one.

Then I took off the silver bracelet he’d given me—the one I used to wear every day—and tossed it into my drawer.

It felt like cutting something off, something I didn’t want to grow back.

Iris called later. “Are you okay?” she asked softly.

“I’m fine,” I said automatically.

“You’re not.”

I didn’t answer.

When the call ended, I lay there in the dark, staring at the ceiling. My chest felt hollow, like something important had been scooped out and thrown away.

I had trusted Kaelen. Against my better judgment. I had believed him when he said he cared. When he said he’d protect me.

But he was just like everyone else—selfish, secretive, da
ngerous. Maybe worse, because he made me believe he was different.

I rolled onto my side, gripping my pillow tightly.

Never again.