Kindling Flame

3. Damsel In Distress

Rhiannon sincerely attempted to heed Aster's words and forget about Eric. 

'He's just another fish in the sea.' Rhiannon repeated it like a mantra each time she caught sight of him. While her feelings for Eric was more or less well-contained, her ill feelings towards Guinevere stayed. Everywhere she went, there would be news or gossip about Guinevere. Whether it was about her kind act for the day, her beauty, her gentleness, or how she was saved yet again.

'What's so good about a damsel in distress?' Rhiannon chomped on a piece of jerky to deal with her irritation. 'Does she even try to solve any of the issues herself? Some of the problems were created because she was kind to the wrong people. She does nothing but cause trouble to people around her.'

One day, Rhiannon came across Guinevere cornered by a group of girls and boys in a remote part of the school. It had to be fate that made their paths cross. Rhiannon hardly ever passed by this area and only did so today because she was running an errand for a teacher.

"I refuse to believe that a person as pure as you can exist in this wretched world." The girl at the front of the group spoke.

Rhiannon rolled her eyes. Oh well, someone would surely come to her rescue anyway. However, Aster's words echoed in her mind and her steps slowed down. She checked her watch. '...I have some time to spare anyway.' She might as well give Guinevere a chance to prove her wrong.

"Today is when we'll get to see your true face." The same girl smirked.

Rhiannon easily hauled herself up onto a nearby tree. Hiding among the leaves, she made herself comfortable on a large branch. 'What a pity that I do not have any popcorn.'

The only two boys present stayed on the lookout, while the girls verbally and physically taunted Guinevere. They called her all sorts of derogatory names and tossed baseless accusations. They pushed, shoved, slapped, and pulled Guinevere's hair. 

The entire time, Guinevere shut her eyes tightly and pursed her lips. She tightly gripped onto her skirt and refused to raise a hand against them. Even when they stuffed dirt into her clothes and threw bugs at her, Guinevere merely brushed them all off in a panic.

"Boys! It's your turn!" The same girl spat at Guinevere, then took over the boys' positions. 

The boys whispered sweet nothings to Guinevere. Their lips close to her ear and against her neck, sometimes brushing past her cheek. They put their arms around her, stroked her face, and shared all the dirty things they would love to do to her. 

Guinevere kept on her stern expression. Her gaze was transfixed on something in front of her. She refused to make eye contact with them. She squirmed and fidgeted each time it was too much but that was all. 

So, the boys took it a notch further. Their hands slid up her inner thighs and approached her breasts.

Her expression stayed the same, but tears began to trickle down her porcelain skin. She had also started to tremble like a leaf in the wind.

'Why the fuck is she putting up with this?' If it was Rhiannon, she would rather die than be humiliated this way. Her curiosity about the extent of Guinevere's tolerance was genuinely piqued. 

Guinevere's determination eventually caused the boys' hearts to waver.

"Hey... I don't think she is as you said... Is there a misunderstanding somewhere?"

"Yeah, where did you see her behaving haughty again? And who told you all those stories of her private life again?"

"Shut up! You can't even accomplish something so simple! Don't you see how she won you over!"