Chapter 35 Caught in the spotlight

Chapter 35 Caught in the spotlight
Lena’s POV

My head was pounding. Not just a dull ache. It felt like something was clawing from the inside of my skull, dragging its way through my thoughts, tearing at every nerve.

I groaned softly, pressing my palm against my forehead as I blinked my eyes open.
The room was spinning.
“What the hell…” I muttered under my breath.

For a moment, I just lay there, staring at the ceiling, trying to gather myself. Fragments of last night flickered through my mind.

And then… Nothing.
I sat up slowly, wincing as the movement made the headache worse.

Zara.

My eyes darted across the room immediately. She was already up.
Not just up, she was fully dressed, standing in front of the mirror, adjusting her uniform like everything was perfectly normal.

“Zara?” My voice came out hoarse.
She turned to look at me, and for a split second, something about her expression felt… off.

Too bright. Too alert. Too… perfect.
“Morning,” she said, way too cheerfully.

I frowned slightly, rubbing my temples. “Are you… okay?”

“Of course I am,” she replied quickly. Too quickly.

I narrowed my eyes at her. “You sure? After everything that happened yesterday… you should still be resting.”

“I said I’m fine, Lena.” Her tone was light, but there was something underneath it, something forced. That made my chest tighten.

Zara wasn’t like this. She was always energetic, yes… but this? This felt different. Like she was overcompensating. Like she was trying too hard to act normal.

“Zara…” I started again, softer this time.
She cut me off.

“I’m going to class. You should hurry up too or you’ll be late.”

And just like that, she grabbed her bag and walked out.
I stared at the door long after it closed.
“…That was weird.”

But my headache wasn’t giving me room to overthink.

With a sigh, I dragged myself out of bed.
After a quick shower, I stood in front of my wardrobe, hesitating.

For some reason… I cared. I cared about how I looked today. And I hated that I knew why.

Adrian.

My lips pressed into a thin line as I pulled out a simple school sweater and jeans. Nothing fancy. Nothing that looked like I was trying. Definitely not trying.

I exhaled slowly.
“Get it together, Lena,” I muttered.

Then I grabbed my bag and left the room.
The moment I stepped into the lecture premises, something felt… wrong.

Eyes. Everywhere. People were staring.
Whispering. Gossiping.

I slowed down, my brows furrowing.
“What now?” I muttered under my breath.

It didn’t take long before I got my answer.
“Lena.”

I turned and saw Raphael walking toward me, his expression unusually serious.
“You okay?” he asked.

I frowned. “Why does everyone keep asking me that today?”

Raphael hesitated. That was already a bad sign.
“…What happened?” I asked, my voice sharper now.

Instead of answering, he pulled out his phone and held it up for me to see. My stomach dropped. It was a picture.

Adrian and Diane… Kissing.
In the school garden. Everything inside me went still. I didn’t move. Didn’t blink. Didn’t breathe.

“…Oh,” I said quietly.

Raphael watched my face carefully. “The whole school has seen it.”

Of course they had. Why wouldn’t they?

I let out a small, humorless laugh.
“Wow… that was fast.”

My chest felt tight. Too tight. Like something was pressing down on it, squeezing the air out of my lungs.

But I refused to break. Not here. Not in front of everyone. Not because of him.
Raphael stepped closer and pulled me into a hug.

His body was cold. Naturally. He was a vampire. But somehow… it helped.
Just a little.

I stood there for a second… then quickly pulled away.
“I don’t care,” I said, forcing a shrug. “It’s not like we’re dating.”

The lie tasted bitter in my mouth. Raphael didn’t say anything. Which was worse.
“Come on,” I added quickly. “We’re going to be late.”

We walked into class together, and the moment we stepped in, silence fell. Then whispers again. I ignored them. I had to.
My eyes scanned the room instinctively…
And landed on Adrian.

He was sitting in my seat. My seat.
My favorite seat. Of course he was. My jaw tightened. Without saying a word, I turned and walked to another seat, sitting down as far from him as possible.

Raphael sat beside me. The tension in the room was thick enough to choke on.
I could feel Adrian’s gaze on me.

Burning. Unavoidable.
A few seconds later, the chair beside me moved. I didn’t even need to look.

“Lena…”

“Don’t.”
My voice came out cold.

He ignored that.
“Let me explain,” Adrian said, his voice low but urgent.

Explain what?
That he kissed another girl?
That the whole school saw it?
That I was stupid for thinking he really liked me?

I let out a small, bitter laugh.
“There’s nothing to explain.”

“There is,” he insisted.

Before I could react, his hand wrapped around my wrist. Warm. Firm.
And it made something in my chest crack.

I yanked my hand away immediately.
“Don’t touch me.”

The words came out louder than I intended. The entire class went quiet.
All eyes on us. I didn’t care.
I stood up abruptly, my chair scraping loudly against the floor.

My chest was rising and falling rapidly now. I turned to Adrian, my eyes blazing.
“Do not touch me ever again.”

For the first time… Adrian looked shaken.
Good. He should be. Because I was done feeling stupid. Done feeling weak.
Done letting him affect me like this.

I grabbed my bag, my hands trembling slightly from everything I was holdi
ng in.

“I mean it,” I added, quieter this time. “Stay away from me.”

And without waiting for a response, i walked out.

The moment I stepped into the hallway, the tears I've been holding in finally fell