Lucy was silent for a while as Chelsea’s words settled heavily between them.
Her heart constricted as emotions washed over her—shock, rage, disappointment.
She looked at Chelsea, whose expression was blank, and she winced. She didn’t want to know how Chelsea felt.
She imagined that the hurt would be terrible. After all, Chelsea and Charles had been dating since high school.
"Chel," she called out softly, causing the latter to stare at her. "Do you want ice-cream?"
Chelsea stuck out her tongue, licking her lower lip. She was about to nod when she noticed Lucy’s appearance.
"You are prepared for class."
"I—"
"I don’t want to be the reason you miss class, Lu." She interrupted softly, and Lucy sighed.
"Would you be fine here alone?" Lucy asked, her eyes shone with worry.
Lucy glanced at her again. She opened her mouth to speak again.
"I swear to God, Lucy. If you don’t step out of this dorm —" she paused, glaring at Lucy to pass her message across, "—I’d throw you out myself."
Lucy giggled. "Okay," she raised her hands in mock surrender.
Lucy walked through the grounds of the campus towards her class.
She let out a soft breath, her mind drifting to Chelsea. She recalled the red-rimmed eyes, the messy aura, and her heart constricted in pain.
She had never seen Chelsea look that way... ever.
Just as she was walking, she bumped into something—or someone—causing her to take a step back.
Apology was already on her lips until she raised her head and saw who it was. Her words died down as her eyes darkened.
Lucy pursed her lips as she stared at the little group.
"Woah!" The one in the middle said, his voice dripping with amusement, "Well, if it isn’t Chelsea’s loyal little bodyguard."
Lucy stared at him without a change in her expression. "Don’t talk to me, Charles."
Charles chuckled. "So she ran crying to you already? I’m not even surprised."
"You are unbelievable," she muttered, staring straight into his eyes without backing down.
Charles shrugged. "She’ll get over it."
The two guys standing beside him barked out a laugh.
Lucy laughed—not because she found it funny, but because she genuinely couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
"You cheat on someone who you’ve dated for years, tell her to join your little circus, and you think she’d get over it?"
Her words attracted the attention of the other students as they stopped to listen, eager for the next gossip.
Charles immediately got defensive as he looked around. "Whatever she told you wasn’t the full story."
Lucy folded her arms. "Then tell me the version where suggesting a threesome makes you the victim."
"Wait... he actually said that?"
"That’s disgusting."
"His ex absolutely deserves better."
Discussions erupted among the students, a few of their statements falling into Charles’s ears.
He curled his hands into fists by his side, his expression darkening at a frightening pace.
"You know," he started slowly, his voice menacing. "Maybe that’s why your own boyfriend dumped you. You clearly think you are smarter than others."
Lucy narrowed her eyes, but she remained quiet, knowing that he had more to say. Guys like him? They always had something else to add.
"You walk around thinking you are the best," he paused, his gaze burrowing on her. "But let me tell you something Lucy, you are nothing. And that is why your boyfriend cheated on you."
"You are not all you think you are."
Lucy sighed. "Are you done?"
Charles stared at her, a wary look in his eyes. "Yes?"
"Now, if you’d let me speak." She began, her lips curving. "Do you know what your problem is?"
"You keep talking like someone owes you an apology. The only person owed one is Chelsea."
Charles frowned.
"You think being loud makes you right." She smiled. "No, it doesn’t."
"It just makes everyone notice how pathetic you are."
The whole crowd erupted in laughter. They weren’t expecting such a clapback.
"Now," Lucy patted his shoulders while his two friends remained silent. "If you’d allow me, I’d love to get to class. Some of us have better things to do than cheating on their partners and suggesting a threesome."
Without waiting for his answer, she walked past him with her shoulders raised high and a smile on her lips. Surprisingly, she felt the burden weighing on her leaving her almost immediately.
"That felt good," she murmured under her breath, her smile extremely bright.
Meanwhile, Charles stood rooted to the spot, his jaw clenched so tightly it hurt.
Laughter still echoed around him and his cheeks burned as though he had been slapped.
One of his friends shifted awkwardly. "Bro..."
Charles turned sharply. "Shut up."
His gaze followed Lucy’s retreating figure.
"Lucy Bennett," he muttered through gritted teeth. "You’ll regret this."
******
Lucy took a deep breath before she raised her hand to knock.
"Come in."
On receiving confirmation, she schooled her expression walking in with the attendance sheet in hand.
"Good morning, Professor."
"Good morning, Lucy."
She paused, her gaze landing on Kane who had replied without raising his head. Her brows drew together.
This was the second time he addressed her with her name.
Lucy.
She shook her head, throwing the thought to the back of her mind, not wanting to dwell on it.
"The attendance sheet, sir." She said and placed the file on the table.
Kane signed what was needed of him, before he finally raised his head to look at her.
"I’m impressed with your group."
Lucy’s lips parted, no words coming out. She shyly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, before mumbling a small "thank you."
She turned, about to leave when the next words made her stop in her tracks.
"Did something happen?"
Lucy snapped her head to stare at him.
"Excuse me?"
Kane’s gaze remained on her, unblinking. "You don’t seem like your usual self today."
Lucy forced a smile on her lips. "I’m fine."
"Are you?"
She laughed awkwardly. "Since when do professors ask that?"
"Since today."
She looked away, swallowing.
For a moment, silence reigned.
Then, Lucy sighed. "It’s... roommate problems."
Kane remained quiet, simply waiting.
Eventually—
"Someone hurt my roommate yesterday."
She talked more. And before she realized it, she had told him the full story from how she found Chelsea this morning to her confrontation with Charles.
Kane quietly listened to her.
Lucy froze.
"...I’m sorry."
Kane’s raised an eyebrow. "For what?"
"I think I just dumped all that on you."
He shook his head. "People tend to speak when they are upset."
Then after a beat of silence, he added,
"Being betrayed says more about the person who betrayed you than the person who was betrayed."
Lucy blinked.
"I... I should get going for class." She said, all flustered.
Just as she reached for the door—
"Lucy."
She stopped without turning to face him.
"Tell your roommate..." A pause. "...that what happened wasn’t her fault."