Chapter 7: Acne Evie
Author POV
Eva took a deep breath, her hands trembling as she gathered her scattered books. Each one was a reminder of the cruelty she had just endured. She brushed off the dirt and dust from their covers and placed them carefully back in her bag. The pain of seeing her precious books treated so carelessly was almost too much to bear.
With her bag slung over her shoulder, Eva forced herself to walk away from the scene of her humiliation. She couldn't let Cassandra win by seeing her cry. As she hurried to her next class, she took a few more deep breaths, trying to calm herself.
When she entered the classroom, the stares and snickers from her classmates were impossible to ignore. The sand and dust from the incident had left her looking disheveled—her face smudged, her hair messy, and her uniform stained with water and dirt.
The class erupted into laughter, with some students pointing and jeering at her. "Look at her, she's so dirty!" one of them exclaimed. "What happened, Eva, did you roll around in the mud?" another chimed in.
Eva's face burned with embarrassment as she tried to ignore the taunts, holding her head high despite the humiliation. But the names and teasing continued—"Dusty Eva," "Dirty Girl," "Muddy Mess."
She felt like crawling under a rock and hiding. She couldn't believe that one incident had led to so much shame and ridicule. She wondered if things could get any worse and if she'd ever be able to escape the torment of her classmates.
"Hey, Eva, why don't you comb your hair? It looks like a bird's nest!" someone jeered.
"Yeah, and what's with those stains on your uniform? Did you spill paint on yourself?" another student chimed in.
Eva's eyes began to well up with tears as she tried to ignore the cruel words. But it was hard to shake off the feeling of being utterly humiliated.
"Look at her shoes, they're all scuffed up! Does she even own a pair of clean shoes?" someone else snickered.
The relentless mocking of her appearance left Eva feeling like she was under a microscope, with every flaw magnified for all to see. She wondered if she'd ever escape the constant barrage of insults and teasing. Was she forever doomed to be the laughingstock of her class?
"Eva, you're just a poor girl; don't forget your place in this school," one of them sneered. "You're only here because of a scholarship, and now you're looking like the poor girl you are, with your dirty clothes and messy hair."
The words cut deep, and Eva felt a sting of shame and humiliation. She tried to hold her head high, but it was hard to ignore the cruel reminders of her poverty.
"You don't belong here with us," another classmate chimed in. "You're just a charity case, a poor little scholarship girl who can't even afford to buy decent clothes."
Eva hesitated at the door, unsure if she could bear the ridicule of her classmates. She scanned the room, meeting the smug gazes of her tormentors. Her eyes locked onto Cassandra's, who was smiling at her with a triumphant glint in her eye. Eva's heart sank, realizing that Cassandra was the mastermind behind the cruel prank.
The pain and humiliation washed over her like a wave, and Eva decided she couldn't take it anymore. She turned to leave, but in her haste, she accidentally bumped into someone standing behind her, hitting her head hard on their chest. Apologetic, she looked up to see Garvin's face, another one of her bullies, staring back at her with a scowl.
"This just gets better and better," Eva whispered to herself, feeling like the universe was conspiring against her.
Garvin's expression darkened, and he growled, "Watch where you're going, clumsy!" before shoving her hard.
Eva stumbled backward, her feet flying out from under her, and landed on the ground with a thud, her butt smarting from the impact. She sat there, dazed and humiliated, as Garvin loomed over her, his eyes flashing with anger.
"Get up, Eva," he sneered. "You're not worthy of taking up space in this school."
Eva felt a surge of tears, but she refused to let them fall. She slowly got to her feet, her eyes locked on Garvin's, and whispered, "I hate you."
"What did you just say?" Garvin asked, leaning in closer to Eva, his voice menacing.
Eva didn't repeat herself, still trying to process the humiliation and pain. She just looked up at Garvin, her eyes flashing with anger and hurt.
Garvin sneered, "Never mind, I don't need to hear a word from your smelly mouth." He took a step closer, his eyes scanning her from head to toe. "You look like you just rolled out of the garbage. You're dirty and ugly, inside and out."
Eva felt a sting from his words, but she refused to let him see her cry. She stood her ground, her eyes locked on Garvin's, her heart heavy with sorrow and anger.
Garvin's friends snickered and laughed, egging him on. "Yeah, Eva, you're a total mess," one of them chimed in.
Garvin's gaze roamed over Eva's disheveled appearance, his expression twisting in disgust. He coughed, as if the sight of her was unbearable. "You're worthless, Eva," he sneered. "You don't deserve attention from anyone, especially not me."
He took a step closer, his voice dripping with contempt. "You're always seeking attention, trying to get me to notice you. But newsflash, Eva: you're not even on my level. Look at yourself—you're dirty, messy, and pathetic. What could I possibly see in you?"
Eva felt a stinging sensation in her eyes as tears threatened to fall. She tried to look away, but Garvin's words held her captive.
"You want me to look at you with admiration? With desire?" Garvin laughed, a cold, mirthless sound. "You're delusional, Eva. I wouldn't look at you twice if you weren't so pitiful."
Eva tried to speak, to find the right words to defend herself, but they caught in her throat. Her lips trembled, and her voice faltered. The words she wanted to say—the words that would make Garvin stop, that would make him see her as a person, not an ugly girl—refused to come out.
Garvin's sneer deepened, his eyes glinting with triumph. "Can't even speak up for yourself, Eva? Pathetic."
The word "pathetic" hung in the air, a challenge, a taunt. Eva felt frustration, humiliation, and helplessness wash over her, but something inside her snapped. She found a spark of courage, a glimmer of defiance, and spoke out.
"I'm not ugly," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, but firm.
Garvin raised an eyebrow, amused. "Oh, really? Then why do you look like you just crawled out of a dumpster?"
Eva's heart raced, but she stood her ground. "I'm not ugly," she repeated, her voice growing stronger. "I may be dirty right now, I may be messy right now, but I'm not ugly. And I'm not pathetic."
Garvin's laughter echoed through the room. He held his stomach, doubling over in amusement. "Oh, Eva, you're killing me!" he gasped, tears streaming down his face.
Eva's face burned with shame and anger as Garvin's laughter continued. He finally straightened up, wiping his eyes. "You're the ugliest creature I've ever seen," he sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. "Look at your face, it's covered in acne. What a troll!"
He pointed at her, his finger jabbing accusingly. "Acne-Evie, that's what we'll call you from now on. Acne-Evie, everybody!"
The room erupted into laughter again, with everyone in the classroom chanting, "Acne-Evie! Acne-Evie! Acne-Evie!" Eva felt like she was going to collapse under the weight of their ridicule. She wanted to disappear, to vanish into thin air and escape the torment.