Chapter 2 Two

I hadn't gone to the teacher to get the notes she had said she would give. 

I had been too embarrassed and went straight to my dorm.

I spent all night wondering who had placed that coat on the bathroom door. 

It didn't feel right having it; I had to find the owner and return it to her. I neatly folded the fur coat into my backpack before I left my dorm room. 

As one of the most elite high schools in the country, the compound was six large compounds combined; the students all had a dorm room to themselves, thank God. Imagine having to share a room with Regina.

Children of billionaires like hers didn't have to live in the dorms like the rest of us; they had mini apartments on the other side of the school. They didn't have to come in late because they all had cars.

I clutched my bag tightly as I walked into the main school building. I watched as the girls walked past me in the halls, studying their faces and wondering which one of them had left the fur coat with me. 

But no matter how hard I looked at them, I couldn't figure it out. They had all been mean to me at some point; why would they suddenly help now?

I sighed.

I suddenly heard my phone buzz in my pocket. I reached into it; it was Mom. She had texted that she sent me feeding money. 

I quickly checked my account; my shoulders fell with disappointment. The school already provided us with food; she struggled hard to put food on her own table. She didn't need to do all this. 

The school bell rang; immediately, I made my way into the classroom. The place was loud with chatter, as always. I bowed my head and walked to the back of the class to sit. 

Away from the rich kids and away from trouble.

My head flung up as I heard Regina's voice. She was dressed in the school uniform, a purse in her hand, heels clicking against the tilted floor as she marched in my direction with a smug look on her face.

Heads turned in my direction; why wouldn't they? Whenever Regina walked towards me, it always ended in trouble, and it amused them. I saw some of them pull out their phones, cackling as they hit records on their expensive phones. 

“Hey, rag!” The words vibrated through her throat, a line she meant to hurt me with. “You left this in the bathroom. " She tossed my clothes on the table before me.

The whole class erupted into loud laughter.

I quickly grabbed the shirt and placed it against my lap under the desk.

“Are those her gym clothes?” a student asked amidst laughter. “That must stink,” she laughed. 

“It doesn't!” I shouted defensively. Her face was blurred because of the tears that gathered in my eyes, and my throat tightened. The tears seemed to make them hungry for more of my suffering. 

“Did you walk out of the bathroom naked?" she laughed as she drew closer. 

Just then the teacher walked in. Immediately, the entire class fell silent. Regina turned around and walked to her seat in front of the class; her luxuriously styled blonde hair bounced as she walked. 

The female teacher's eyes met mine; immediately she looked away. I knew she saw the tears in my eyes; I knew she saw the sad look on my face, but she said nothing, just like always. She didn't dare to address the matter; none of the teachers dared to offend them. 

So I sucked in a deep breath and endured it like always.

Throughout that day I couldn't stop wondering who had given me the fur coat; was it by accident? Had the person left it there to come get it back, and I had taken it?

Would I be accused of stealing?

I could get kicked out of school for that; that would give Mom a heart attack.

This thought made a chill run down my spine. 

During my free period I rushed to the girl's bathroom, shutting the door. I brought out the cost from my bag. I wondered if it would be a good idea to put it back on the stall's door, but what if it got stolen?

I quickly folded it and placed it back in my backpack; my breathing was unsteady as I walked out of the bathroom, and my hands were sweaty as I didn't know who it was that had left it. 

I saw Katherine in the hallway. She was one of the wealthy kids. I saw her and Regina talking once in a while, but they weren't close. A few days ago I could swear I saw her smiling at me; maybe it was her?

She stood before her locker and ran her fingers through her brown hair. I slowly walked up to her. "Katherine?”

Her brown eyes moved to laugh as she scanned me from head to toe. “What do you want?”

“I wanted to know if you were missing a coat; it's black and …”

“What are you? The lost and found?" Her face twisted with annoyance as she spoke.

“I just wanted to know if …,”

“Get out of here before people catch you talking to me, you rag,” she spat.

My heart sank as I took a step back and turned away. What was I thinking? Why would Katherine Walker give me her expensive coat?

I looked around the hall, watching as students walked past; none of them were kind enough to give me their coat. Even the poor ones who had also come on scholarship avoided me. Regina had marked me; if you were a friend of mine, it meant you would also get bullied. 

Soon the bell rang for lunch.

The cafeteria was full of murmurs from students. I silently carried my plate of pasta from the lunch lady and moved to sit in a corner, alone like I always did. 

I saw Sophie walk past me; she used to sit beside me until she realized she was getting bullied because of me. Now she acts as if she doesn't know me; who can blame her? 

Soon all the students had settled with their food in front of them; the place was still loud with chatter. The girls talked about their new bags, their shoes, and their jewelry. Sometimes I would get jealous; it would be nice to own the things they did. 

As I chewed on my food, something suddenly slammed against my head. I watched as pasta dripped down to my lap. 

The whole place erupted with laughter. I turned around and saw Regina. “What are you doing!” I shouted. 

She leaned on her hip and tucked hair behind her ear; a smug smile played on her lips as she spoke. “I couldn't finish silently. and I thought I would throw it in the trash,” 

I ran my fingers through my hair, and pasta followed. 

Tears closed my eyes, and my throat tightened. “I don't have time for this." My voice shook as I grabbed my bag and walked past her.

“What? Are you too scared to fight?” She shouted, and I could hear her walking behind me. 

If she caused a scene and a fight started, I would be the only one who got in trouble; she would be safe because of her parents.

As I walked, her hand suddenly grabbed my bag and yanked me back. I panted, “Please leave me alone, Regina.” The pasta had made my hair stick to my face; I could feel a little in my eye, and it burned. I squinted. “Let me go.”

Her eyes landed on my bag, and her smug smile fell. She had seen the fur coat poking out of it; she reached for it and dragged it out.

Instantly, the whole cafeteria gasped.

“Is that a Pierre fur coat?” one of them asked in exclamation. 

Pierre? 

It was one of the biggest fashion brands in the country. Every student wanted something from their store; all the rich could shop there. 

“Where did you buy a Pierre fur coat?” Regina was silent. “Did you steal this?” She pulled it completely out of my back. 

"No, I didn't.”

“Even if you worked your entire life, you would never be able to afford something like this,” she said, a serious expression on her face. “Tell me, where did you steal it?”

I quickly tried to grab it from her, but she pulled it back and pushed me; I landed against the floor with a loud thud. 

I quickly stood up. Now the tears had strolled down my cheeks. “It's not yours, Regina. Why do you care?” 

I quickly reached for the fur coat again; she lifted her hand and moved it out of the way. I struggled to take it; the students laughed.

“I knew she was poor, but I didn't think she would steal,” another said. 

“I didn't!,” I shouted. 

As I struggled to grab the fur coat, a hand suddenly reached for it and yanked it off her hand. I turned back, my eyes widening as I saw Jace Hunter standing beside me. 

"Jace?” Regina said, and she quickly adjusted her uniform. 

Jace's brown eyes scanned me, watching as pasta sauce dropped down my body. “Did you do this?” he looked at Regina. 

“She's a thief," she quickly accused me. 

"No, she's not,” he said bluntly. 

“She has a Pierre fur coat; a rag like her could never afford it,” Katherine chipped in. 

“She didn't. But why would he lie for me when we didn't even know each other? We never spoke.

He turned to face me, his warm hand wrapped around mine, and he began to drag me out of the place.

The students followed us with their eyes. 

I gave it to her.” 

My head snapped up. "W…what?”

He gave it to me? 

“Jace gave her his fur coat?”

"Why would he do that?” the students murmured. 

My head tilted to the side as I observed him with a puzzled expression. 

Was it really him?

Why would he lie to protect me? We weren't even friends.