Ray froze. He didn't need to look up to know who it was. Nathan's voice was unmistakable, dripping with smugness.
Before Ray could respond, he was yanked to his feet by Ethan. "Let's take a walk," Ethan said, his grip bruising as he dragged Ray out of the library.
"What are you—let me go!" Ray struggled, but it was futile.
They led him to the back of the campus, where the dim streetlights barely reached. Lauren was already there, leaning casually against the wall, her arms crossed.
Nathan shoved Ray to the ground.
Lauren's presence at the scene had been a shock to Ray.
In the dim light, she looked calm, her features framed by the soft glow of a nearby lamp. Her brown eyes, once a source of comfort to him, now held something unreadable.
For a moment, Ray's heart wavered. Maybe she was here to stop this—just like before.
But something felt off.
"Lauren?" Ray's voice cracked, a mix of confusion and desperation.
She smiled faintly, almost apologetically, before glancing at Nathan and Ethan. "You didn't have to drag him here like this," she said lightly, brushing imaginary dust off her sleeve.
Nathan smirked. "Oh, come on, Lauren. You know this is the only way to get his attention."
Ethan laughed, his grip on Ray's arm tightening. "Yeah, your boyfriend here is always busy with his books. We had to make sure he showed up for the big moment."
Ray frowned. "Boyfriend?"
Lauren's lips quirked into a thin smile as she turned to Ray. "You're so gullible, Ray," she said, her tone suddenly cold.
Ray's stomach dropped. "What… what's going on?"
Nathan clapped his hands mockingly. "Poor Ray. Always so clueless. Don't you get it? Lauren was just playing along. She had a bet to win."
"A bet?" Ray whispered, his voice hollow.
Lauren's expression hardened, the warmth he thought he'd seen in her completely gone. "Did you really think I was interested in you? Do you know how pathetic that is?" she said, her words slicing into him.
Ray's knees felt weak. He stumbled back, only to be shoved forward by Ethan.
"Oh, don't look so heartbroken," Nathan sneered. "She was just bored. And you? You were convenient."
Ray's chest heaved, his mind reeling. "You… you lied to me? All this time"
Lauren shrugged, her voice dripping with indifference. "What did you expect? You're nothing, Ray. Just a sad little loser who thought someone like me could actually care about you And I also got all my assignments completed. Hah such a dumbass."
The sting of her words was almost worse than the shove that sent him sprawling to the ground. Ethan and Nathan wasted no time, their kicks and punches raining down on him with cruel precision.
"You've been getting way too comfortable, thought she will always protect you hmm" Nathan growled, delivering a sharp kick to Ray's ribs.
"Think you're better than us, huh?" Ethan added, his fists striking Ray's back.
Ray tried to shield himself, curling into a ball as their blows continued. But the physical pain was nothing compared to the betrayal that echoed in his mind.
Through the haze of pain, he caught Lauren's voice. "I told you this wasn't necessary. Just leave him already."
Nathan scoffed. "Oh, come on, Lauren. Don't act like you didn't enjoy watching."
She didn't respond, but her silence spoke volumes.
Lauren stepped forward, crouching beside Ray. She tilted her head, her expression mockingly sympathetic. "You really should learn to stay in your lane, Ray. It'll save you a lot of trouble."
She grabbed his face, forcing him to look at her. "But I guess you're too stupid for that."
She let go, and Nathan delivered one final kick before stepping back. "Let's go," he said, brushing off his hands like Ray was nothing more than dirt.
They left him there, battered and broken, lying in the gravel as the world spun around him.
----------
For weeks after that night, Ray couldn't look anyone in the eye. Every whispered conversation, every stifled laugh, felt like it was about him. His confidence—what little he had—was utterly shattered.
And the abuse didn't stop there.
Nathan and Ethan found every opportunity to humiliate him, making sure the entire college saw Ray as nothing more than a punching bag.
His assignments were stolen and submitted under their names. He was locked in the janitor's closet during exams, missing critical papers.
Once, they even got him drunk at a party, only to strip him and leave him passed out on the campus lawn, waking up to the sound of mocking laughter and flashing phone cameras.
Lauren, meanwhile, acted as though he didn't exist. She had gotten what she wanted from him—his help with her assignments, tutoring sessions, and the sadistic satisfaction of seeing his devastation.
Ray's nights were sleepless, his days a blur of dread. The thought of confiding in his parents crossed his mind more than once, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. They had sacrificed too much for him—working long hours, skipping meals, and pouring every ounce of hope they had into his future.
"Ray, we're counting on you," his father had said with pride during their last call. "You're going to make us proud, son. Just focus on your studies, no matter what."
How could he tell them that their hope was crumbling under the weight of cruelty he couldn't escape? How could he admit that he was drowning in a life they had worked so hard to give him? The guilt of burdening them with his suffering was heavier than the torment itself.
The trauma built slowly, like a dam ready to burst. But it was Nathan's final act of rage that broke him completely.
Nathan had always been the golden boy of their class, the heir to his family's pharmaceutical empire, and he thrived on getting what he wanted.
When he decided to propose to Ashley Clarke, the wealthy daughter of an industrial magnate, he was certain she would say yes.
He did it in the middle of their class, in front of everyone. Nathan stood confidently, bouquet in hand, and declared, "Ashley, you and I are the perfect match. Be mine."
The silence that followed wasn't what he expected. Ashley's laugh shattered it, high and cold.
"Are you serious, Nathan?" she said, amusement dancing in her eyes. "You're…not even my type. And even if you were, why would I want someone like you?"
The rejection was humiliating. The class watched in stunned silence, a few stifled chuckles breaking out here and there. Nathan's face turned red with fury, his pride shattered. But Ashley was untouchable—her family was too powerful, her status too high. He couldn't retaliate against her.
Instead, he turned his anger elsewhere.
That evening, Nathan and Ethan found Ray sitting alone in the library. Before Ray could react, they dragged him out to the back of the campus. Ray struggled, but Ethan's grip was ironclad.
They shoved him into a corner, the cold brick wall pressing against his back. Nathan's face was a mask of rage, his breathing heavy.
"You were watching, weren't you?" Nathan growled, grabbing Ray by the collar. "You were laughing inside, huh? You thought it was funny?"
Ray shook his head desperately. "No, I wasn't even—"
The first punch silenced him. Nathan's fist slammed into his stomach, knocking the wind out of him.
"Liar!" Nathan roared, landing another blow. Ethan laughed, egging him on.
"Come on, Nathan," Ethan said. "Teach this loser a lesson."
Ray tried to explain, to plead, but his words were drowned out by the sound of fists meeting flesh. Nathan's punches were relentless, fueled by humiliation and rage. Ethan joined in, his kicks landing on Ray's sides and legs.
By the time they were done, Ray was crumpled on the ground, his vision blurred, his body trembling with pain. Nathan spat at him, his voice dripping with venom.
"Next time, don't even look at me, you worthless piece of trash."
They walked away, leaving Ray in the dark, battered and broken.
The next morning, Ray couldn't face the thought of stepping back onto campus. His body ached with every movement, but the pain inside was worse.
He couldn't bring himself to tell his parents—they'd given up so much for him, and he couldn't let them see how far he'd fallen.
That day, he made his most difficult decision as of yet. He packed his bags and left the college, disappearing into obscurity.