The hallway felt like a void, an isolated space where the echoes of our argument would hang long after we were gone. I yanked Melly away from the noise of the bustling cafeteria, my heart racing with a mix of anger and disbelief. As I pushed the door shut behind us, the muted chatter faded into silence, leaving only the sound of my ragged breath and the heavy weight of impending confrontation.
"Melly, what the hell was that back there?" I nearly shouted, the words bursting from me like a dam breaking. My fists were clenched, shaking with pent-up frustration as I confronted her. "You can't just treat Seira like that. She hasn't done anything to you!"
Melly's face hardened, and she glared at me with a mix of disdain and contempt. "I hate it when I see you walk with her!" she spat, her voice dripping with venom. "What's so special about her? You're making a fool of yourself."
I took a step closer, feeling the anger boiling over. "Seira is a good person. Why can't you just leave her alone?" My voice trembled with intensity as I tried to rein in my emotions. "This isn't just about you!"
"Oh, so now you're defending the weak girl?" Melly laughed, a harsh sound that echoed in the empty corridor. "You think she's special? She's just some nobody playing the victim. You don't even realize how pathetic you sound!"
The disdain in her tone stung, but I couldn't let her get to me. "You're wrong. You're so blinded by your own insecurities that you can't see how cruel you're being. You think you own this school, but you're just a bully," I said, my voice steady despite the storm brewing inside me.
Melly scoffed, shaking her head as if I was beneath her. "A bully? You think that's what I am? I'm the prom queen, Seth. I'm beautiful, I'm perfect, and everyone loves me. You're lucky to even be seen with me."
Her words felt like a slap to the face, igniting a fire of anger within me. "If that's how you feel, then maybe we should break up," I said suddenly, the words escaping my lips before I could second-guess myself. The moment they hung in the air, the gravity of the statement hit me like a freight train.
Melly's eyes widened in shock, disbelief etched on her face. "You can't be serious! After everything we've been through? I miss the old you!" she exclaimed, her voice wavering between desperation and anger.
I took a deep breath, forcing myself to stay calm. "The old me trusted you. The old me fell for your charm and your beauty while ignoring the truth about you."
Memories flooded back—of the betrayal that shattered my heart, the countless nights spent wondering what I had done wrong. I had thought I found love with Melly, only to discover she had been unfaithful after I graduate. And then there was Emily, who had entered my life like a beacon of hope, only for her to shatter my heart again when she cheated on me with my boss. Both women had taught me the same bitter lesson: love and trust were fragile things, easily broken and painfully hard to mend.
"I can't believe you're doing this," Melly said, her voice low and quivering with disbelief. "You think you're so smart now? You think you can just walk away from me? What about us?"
"I'm not walking away. I'm choosing to protect myself. I'm tired of falling for the wrong person. I can't keep pretending everything is fine when it's not," I replied, feeling the weight of my decision settle over me like a cloak.
Her expression twisted into a mask of fury, and she stepped closer, her eyes burning with a fierce intensity. "If you break up with me, I swear I will make Seira's life hell. I will bully her until she wishes she never crossed paths with me."
My stomach churned at her threat, a wave of anger crashing over me. "You think you can intimidate me into submission? No way. You don't get to decide who I care about," I shot back, feeling the heat of the moment surge through me. "If you ever even think about bullying Seira, I'll do something far worse than you can imagine. I won't let you hurt her."
Melly stared at me, her face a mixture of shock and disbelief. She opened her mouth to retaliate, but I was done listening. I turned on my heel and walked away, leaving her standing there, seething in the quiet hallway. The anger radiated off her like heat from a flame, but I didn't look back.
As I stepped back into the vibrant chaos of the school, I felt an unfamiliar sense of freedom coursing through me. I had taken a stand, and no one, especially not Melly, could hold me hostage anymore. Her beauty and status no longer mattered to me.
In the past, Jack had aimed at Seira, but it was never serious bullying—just the usual mockery that came with high school. But now, the thought of Melly using her influence to torment Seira filled me with dread. Seira was not someone to be bullied; she was the girl who stood up for her friends, who fought against injustice, and who had a fire in her that could not be extinguished.
As I made my way through the throngs of students, I felt a new determination blooming within me. I would protect Seira. I would ensure that Melly's reign of terror ended with me. No more would I let fear dictate my actions or allow the opinions of others to cloud my judgment. I had made my choice, and I was ready to stand by it, no matter the consequences.