THE HEARTBREAK SOCIETY

➶ 5

AIMLESSLY WANDERING through the left-wing, the sudden realization dawned that I hadn't asked where to meet, concluding that I was lost. I had left my iPhone in my dormitory since I decided that there would be no use of it. With a sigh, I adjusted the half-ponytail and wiped the edge of my bottom lip from the thin layer of gloss.

When heavy footsteps neared, I had expected the blonde female, only to be greeted by unfamiliar oxford shoes and dark brown eyes filled with scorn. Muscular arms tightly wrapped around my torso, a towel pressing against my nose and mouth. My movements grew slow, attempting to free myself with weak arms. I felt drowsy, feeling myself surrender to oblivion. I was falling, and all I could see was darkness.

My fingers twitched, and my eyes lazily fluttered open as a violent gust of air nipped at my skin. It roused to back to reality, where I found that my wrists and ankles were bound in triple knots. Hastily blinking, my eyes adjusted to the light where I involuntarily shivered, recognizing where I exactly was. "W-What am I doing here?" my voice croaked out, searching the rooftop of the academy. When I connected eyes with Liana, she had looked anything but friendly.

"The view is gorgeous, isn't it?" she remarked casually, "You were treading on thin ice when you decided to attend, but you crossed the line when you spoke out of place."

I swallowed the anxiousness that rose in my throat, "I have learned my lesson," I assured her, suddenly regretting my decision to accept her invitation, "So, untie me,"

"You couldn't possibly think that tying you up was the only thing going to happen, did you?" she ridiculed, inching forward, tossing an egg into the air and catching it with ease. "No, Calista, this is the tip of the iceberg." Aggressively, she smashed it onto my head, the cracked shells stuck to my skin while the liquid ran down my cheek.

Another egg was aimed towards my forehead as I resisted the urge to hiss out in pain. Were these eggs made of stainless steel?! Since my skin was naturally sensitive, I didn't doubt that bruises would soon form.

I peeked a glance upward to find Daniel striding towards me with a golden bucket, lifting it above my head with a satisfied grin. Void of any hesitation, he poured the thick brown substance all over me, lowering my head to prevent it from sticking to my face. Expired food was thrown at me as my senses deceived me. I gagged out in disgust, swallowing the need to barf.

The male, who I recognized as my abductor, began to approach me calmly, tauntingly swinging the bucket he held in his hands. I closed my eyes, feeling the substance run down my cheeks, which I noticed was brown paint. It showed that I was nothing compared to them, and I always would be.

In appalling embarrassment, all I could do was endure it as I sat in the uncomfortable wooden chair. I refused to cry—I wouldn't, not in front of these people. When soft fingers roughly grabbed my chin, forcing me to look up, I glowered in the eyes of Liana, who held repulsion and apathy. In her perfected manicured hand, she twirled the permanent marker between her fingers.

Onto my tanned cheek, she began to boldly write where I could do nothing but allow her to humiliate me. "There," beamed Liana brightly, "In your place, where you belong." she flipped her blonde, strawberry hair over her shoulder, swaying her hips away. As soon as she was out of aim, wrappers, papers, and more unfinished food were all thrown over me. "With the trash."

Flashes of camera flickered, but my head remained lowered in shame. The pungent smell was nauseating. I wouldn't give her the reaction that would satisfy her, for I was better than that. "She was lying about your wealth, wasn't she Daniel?" a voice asked out of curiosity.

"Of course she was," he denied it, rather quickly, "Look at her, she craves the attention!"

Laughter echoed in all directions, and I desperately wanted to cover my ears. "Stay in your place, bitch," a familiar female voice countered, one that I vividly remembered as Evelyn.