Loving You Is A Losing Game

• C H A P T E R ~ 4 •

Of course.

She looked down at her now soup-soaked designer blouse, her expression a mixture of shock and fury.

"You-" she started, her voice rising with every word, "you did that on purpose, didn't you?!"

I blinked, taken aback by her accusation. "What? No! You bumped into me!"

Alice's eyes narrowed, her face turning red with anger. "Don't lie to me, you clumsy idiot! Look what you've done to my shirt!" She was practically shouting now, causing a few heads to turn our way.

"Listen," I said, trying to keep my cool. "It was an accident. You bumped into me. If anything, you should be apologizing for making me spill my lunch."

Alice's eyes widened in disbelief, as if she couldn't fathom someone talking back to her like that. "Apologize? To you?" she sneered. "You've ruined my day, and you think I should apologize?"

I could feel the tension rising, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mary and Eva watching nervously. But I wasn't about to back down. Not today.

"Yes, that's exactly what I think," I said firmly, standing my ground. "It was an accident, but if you're going to make a big deal out of it, then maybe you should watch where you're going next time."

That seemed to be the last straw for Alice. Her face twisted with rage, and before I knew it, she raised her hand, clearly intending to slap me.

But I was faster.

Before her hand could make contact, I grabbed her wrist and twisted it slightly, just enough to stop her in her tracks. Her eyes went wide in shock as she realized she wasn't in control of the situation anymore.

"Big mistake," I said, my voice low and steady. I leaned in a little closer, making sure she could hear every word. "If you ever try to slap me again, I'll make sure you regret it. You might be used to pushing people around, but I'm not the type to let it slide. So, let this be a lesson: think twice before you try to mess with me."

Alice's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, clearly taken aback by my response. I could see the surprise in her eyes-she wasn't used to people standing up to her, let alone in such a public place.

Slowly, I let go of her wrist, and she immediately pulled her hand back, cradling it as if I had hurt her. The reality was that I hadn't used enough force to actually cause any pain, but I wanted her to know that I wasn't someone to be trifled with.

She glared at me, her eyes full of hatred, but I didn't flinch. If anything, I felt stronger, more confident than I had in a long time.

"This isn't over," Alice hissed, her voice dripping with venom. "You'll regret this."

I raised an eyebrow, unimpressed by her threat. "We'll see about that."

With that, Alice stormed off, her heels clicking angrily against the tile floor. As she left, the tension in the cafeteria slowly dissipated, and I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.

Mary and Eva were still staring at me, their eyes wide with a mixture of shock and awe.

"Wow," Mary said, finally breaking the silence. "That was... intense."

"Yeah," Eva agreed, nodding slowly. "You really stood up to her. That was amazing, Alia."

I smiled, feeling a rush of pride. "Thanks, guys. I just... I couldn't let her get away with that."

"Well, you definitely made an impression," Mary said with a grin. "I don't think anyone's ever stood up to Alice like that before."

"Maybe not," I replied, sitting back down and picking up my sandwich. "But someone had to."