I ran out of the classroom, my chest tight with anger. I could hear Hudson calling my name behind me, but I didn't stop.
"Charlotte, wait!" he called.
I pushed his hand away when he tried to grab me.
"Don't touch me!" I snapped.
I hurried down the quieter hallway toward the girls' bathroom. I didn't notice at first that someone was following me. When I got inside, I locked myself in one of the stalls. My hands were shaking as I splashed cold water on my face.
Anger kept replaying in my mind. The video. The embarrassment. The whispers. I stepped out of the bathroom after a few minutes, trying to calm down, That's when I saw him.
Michael, He was leaning against the wall near the corner of the hallway, like he had been waiting. My heart dropped.
"Why are you following me?" I asked.
He walked closer slowly. "You're very beautiful," he said. "I've always noticed you. Those legs… Why would you want someone like Hudson?."
I felt disgust rise in my throat.
"I need to go," I said firmly. "Move."
He didn't move. Instead, he stepped forward and pushed me back toward the wall near the bathroom entrance.
"What's wrong with you?" I said, trying to push him away. He leaned closer. I slapped him.
The sound echoed in the empty hallway. His expression changed instantly. Without hesitation, he slapped me back. My cheek burned. Before I could react, he grabbed my arm and dragged me toward a small unused storage room near the stairwell.
I struggled. I kicked him. I tried to scream.
"Let me go!" I shouted.
He covered my mouth with his hand and forced the door open.
Just then, I saw Zack walking down the hallway with someone, hope rushed through me. I tried to scream his name.
Michael pressed his hand harder over my mouth.
Zack paused.
He turned slightly, like he heard something.
"Did you hear that?" Elizabeth asked, the girl beside him
Zack frowned and looked around. But he couldn't see us clearly from where he stood. After a few seconds, he started walking again.
Tears filled my eyes as Michael dragged me fully inside the storage room and shut the door.
I fought harder, hitting him, scratching, kicking anything I could.
Suddenly...
BANG! Someone hit the door from the outside.
BANG! BANG!
"Open this door!" Zack's voice shouted. Relief flooded through me. Michael froze.
The door handle shook violently.
"I know you're in there!" Zack yelled.
Before Zack could push the door open completely, Michael pulled out a small knife and pressed it against my neck.
"If you move one inch," he shouted toward the door, "I'll slit her throat!"
Michael's hand tightened around my arm, the knife still pressed against my throat.
"Tell him to go away," he whispered harshly into my ear. "Now."
My voice trembled. "Z-Zack… just go."
"No." Zack's voice was firm. Not loud. Not scared. Just steady. "What's this all about Mike? Are you insane"
"Shut up! I want her and I will do it the hard way zack" Michael snapped. The knife pressed closer. I felt a tiny sting against my skin.
"Listen to me," Zack continued, stepping slightly into the doorway. His eyes locked on mine for a split second. Calm. Focused. Like he was trying to tell me something without words.
Michael's breathing was heavy. Unstable.
"Can't you stop?" Michael shouted. "she's a murderer...she claims to be innocent" Michael chuckles
"I believe she's innocent mike, just let her go," Zack said slowly. ."
"what?" Michael barked.
"You touch her, it's over," Zack said quietly. Expulsion, you will go to jail, Your future. All of it."
The word jail made Michael hesitate. Just a second, But a second is enough.
Zack moved, It happened so fast I barely saw it.
He grabbed a metal chair that was leaning against the hallway wall and slammed it hard against Michael's arm. Michael screamed, and the knife dropped.
I fell forward, crawling away as fast as I could.
Michael swung at Zack in anger, tackling him to the ground. The two of them crashed into the lockers with a loud bang.
Punch, Shove, Grunt!
Zack blocked a hit and shoved Michael back, but Michael was wild now swinging without thinking.
"Stop!" I screamed.
Michael lunged again, reaching for the knife on the floor.
Before he could grab it, Zack kicked it hard across the hallway. It slid far out of reach.
Michael charged at Zack again, but Zack stepped aside this time.
Michael stumbled. Zack shoved him hard.
Michael hit the lockers and slid down to the floor, dazed. Breathing heavy. Defeated.
Zack stood his chest rising and falling, watching to make sure he wouldn't get back up.
Michael stayed down, not unconscious, but finished.
The hallway was quiet except for our breathing.
Zack turned to me slowly.
"Are you hurt?"
My legs gave out, He caught me before I hit the ground.
And suddenly all the fear I had been holding inside came out at once. I started shaking.
"I thought…" my voice broke. "I thought he was going to..."
"I know," Zack said softly. "But he didn't." He looked down the hallway.
"Should we report this."
"No we shouldn't report this," I said quickly. "Let's just go."
Zack looked like he wanted to argue, but before he could say anything, Michael slowly stood up.
He didn't look at us, he didn't say a word He just walked away down the hallway, leaving us there alone.
My knees still felt weak. "I'm scared," I whispered.
Zack stepped closer. "Relax. He's gone."
I tried to steady my breathing. That's when I noticed something. Zack wasn't looking at me, He was staring at my lips.
"What?" I asked softly.
Instead of answering, he leaned in and kissed me.
It wasn't soft. It wasn't slow.
It was deep and sudden, like he had been holding it in for a long time.
I froze at first, too shocked to react.
When he pulled back slightly, his eyes dropped to my lips again.
Then he kissed me again deeper this time, more intense, He pulled me closer as if my body could magnet his. My mind was spinning.
I pushed back just enough to look at him.
"What's that ?"
His jaw tightened. "Now I want to know something," he said quietly.
"What?"
"Did he kiss better than me?"
My heart stopped, I wanted to laugh but I controlled it.
"I saw the video," he continued. "I saw everything. Why Hudson?"
My breath caught. "What? W-what?" I stammered. "You saw it?" I asked as if I didn't know he did saw the video.
"Yea I saw it saw it," he repeated, his voice darker now. "And I don't get it. Why him?"
I was too stunned to think straight.
"You think that meant something?" I asked. "That video wasn't supposed to happen. I didn't even know someone was recording."
Zack's expression shifted confusion replacing jealousy.
"But you kissed him."
"You think I wanted it spread around school?" I snapped, hurt rising in my chest. "You think that was some big love story?"
Silence fell between us. The tension wasn't fear anymore it was something else.
"You could've told me," he said finally.
"Told you what?"
"Why Hudson?"
He just stared at me, and I said, "It's not your business. I'm moving on, so you should move on too."
"I know you're not," he said quietly.
"I know you have a girlfriend" I sneered
"But have you ever seen me with a girl? Like dating them? My last was my late girlfriend."
I didn't know how to respond. "I… I don't know. It's just... your business."
"But you know I'm not the one, I did that in self-defense. Your girlfriend wanted to kill me, and you know that if I allowed this, she would kill me"
"That's in the past. I don't want to talk about it anymore."
Then he asked something that froze me "Did you… did you had sex with him last night?"
I couldn't respond. I just nodded..
"See you later," I said, and be dragged me back
"You are now fucking around with boys right? It's not even up to 3 months we broke up, and you...." He couldn't finish up
"Zack are you jealous? You look cute when you're Jealous" I asked with a smile
"What? No I'm not" He said and left embarrassed