Chapter 10: Ashford Academy

Audrey's POV

I woke at six in the morning, had breakfast with Milos at seven, and arrived at the University gates by eight.

Milos reached over to smooth down a stray lock of my hair. "Hey, baby, don't look so miserable. You are sophomore year, I know you can handle the coursework and graduate early, right?"

"What I'm worried about is that after these past few days, you might already be carrying our baby."

I swatted his hand away as it drifted toward my stomach. "Man, if I can get pregnant while on birth control, I'll sue the manufacturer for false advertising."

"But you know I'm strong—maybe that one-in-ten-thousand chance will hit us?"

"Absolutely not."

Milos sighed in resignation. "Okay, baby, you'd better get inside before you're late."

I adjusted my dress and walked through the gates. On the way, I kept my head down and walked toward the main building. Around me, students whispered to each other, occasionally glancing in my direction. A group of girls to be scandalously kept staring at me with unmistakable hostility.

When I went to the restroom, they followed.

The sound of the bathroom door locking behind me set off warning bells in my head.

I turned to find a girl with light brown hair grinning at me, teeth bared. "Elizabeth, Mary—looks like our little pet came back."

Those familiar names and that tone dragged up memories I'd buried deep.

In my past life, and prior to my rebirth. Elizabeth, Mary, and Anna had tormented me relentlessly throughout my time at university. I'd tried to fight back, but I'd been too kind, too unwilling to use my pharmaceutical knowledge to actually hurt them. I'd complained to teachers and called my grandfather, but Elizabeth held too much influence at the school—teachers and administrators sided with her. Every call to my grandfather was intercepted by my grandmother, who warned me not to cause trouble.

The students at Ashford University were beyond my station, she said. Without a mother and with a father who wouldn't defend me, I had no choice but to endure their bullying, over and over again.

But starting now, that will never happen again. I will never let anyone walk all over me!

My expression hardened. "Anna, what do you want?"

Anna expertly lifted a bucket of filthy water. "Just welcoming you back, sweetheart. Let this holy water wash over you and cleanse all that filth from your body."

But as she moved to dump it on me, I simply stepped forward and twisted her wrist hard. The bucket tipped uncontrollably, drenching all three of them instead.

"Bitch!" Anna and Mary shrieked, pointing at me. Elizabeth's stockings had caught a few drops—she wrinkled her nose in disgust and walked out of the bathroom, but positioned herself to block the doorway.

Was she worried I'd run? I had no intention of leaving. I wanted them to understand that bullying doesn't always succeed. I would make them feel what it's like to be resisted, to be punished.

"Mary! Grab this slut—I'm going to slap her face raw!" Anna's features twisted with rage. Mary lunged at me, and I backed toward the janitor's closet at the far end of the restroom where cleaning supplies were stored—mops, plungers.

I grabbed a toilet plunger and, as they rushed forward, pressed it firmly against their chests. Perfect—their ample figures made excellent suction targets.

"Fuck! Audrey, you whore! Do you have a death wish?!" Anna trembled with fury. I yanked the plunger free and smacked it against her hand. "Hey, classmate, that's rude. Who told you to point your finger at my face?"

"And you, Mary—such a spineless lapdog. Are you comfortable being Anna and Elizabeth's pet? Want to see what bullying really feels like?"

I struck them repeatedly with the plunger, forcing them to retreat with each blow. But I wouldn't let them escape. Grabbing a fistful of each girl's hair, I shoved both their heads into toilet bowls.

"Since your mouths are always spewing filth, let me help you clean them out. How's that? All nice and clean yet?"

I dunked them under, let them surface gasping, then pushed them down again before they could speak. Unfortunately, their thrashing splashed dirty water all over my clothes. I'd have to call Linda—she could probably get me a clean uniform within ten minutes.

I found myself regretting that humans only have two hands. Elizabeth had escaped her turn.

I released Mary, intending to substitute Elizabeth in her place, but when I looked toward the door, I caught only the sight of Elizabeth's light brown hair flying behind her as she fled. What a shame.

"Too bad, dears. Your friend abandoned you."

Anna glared but didn't dare speak. They'd always used petty tricks to bully me before, and I'd never thought to retaliate, so they had no idea I was stronger than average. Especially since I'd past life learned some self-defense techniques specifically to resist their harassment—techniques I was now putting to excellent use.

Less than three minutes later, hurried footsteps echoed outside the restroom. Brown burst into the women's bathroom first, and upon seeing Anna and Mary's miserable state, he bellowed, "Audrey!"

Minutes later, I sat in the Dean's office. Anna sobbed theatrically in the corner. Mary had conveniently fainted when Brown appeared and was now in the infirmary. As for Elizabeth, who'd summoned the teacher—she hadn't participated directly in the incident and was currently in class.

I sat bored, watching Anna's hysterical performance as she painted me as someone who'd suffered a psychotic break, locked them in the bathroom unprovoked, and attacked them for no reason.

"Audrey, do you admit your wrongdoing?" The Dean's severe voice cut through Anna's wailing. Behind her square-framed glasses, her eyes betrayed undisguised contempt.

The old me would have believed she was a fair administrator. But I knew better now—she was just another of Elizabeth's family's dogs. Any respect I'd once held for her had evaporated completely.

"Wrongdoing? I admit nothing. They started it—I merely defended myself."

"Audrey, you dare lie!" The Dean slammed her hand on the desk, trying to intimidate me.

At that moment, Anna's father arrived. He shot me a venomous glare before rushing to embrace his weeping daughter.

Wilson, Anna's father, spoke sharply. "Dean, my child has been assaulted. I demand this vicious girl apologize and compensate Anna publicly—in front of the entire school. Otherwise, as her parents, we will pursue this matter to the fullest extent."

I continued wiping water spots from my jacket with a tissue, my tone bored. "Fine. Then I'll call the police and have them investigate everything you've done to me in the past."

The Dean's expression shifted. "Audrey, student disputes don't require police involvement. You'd be wasting law enforcement resources."

"I'm sorry, Dean, I don't understand what you mean. As a taxpaying citizen, reporting a crime to protect my rights is hardly a waste of resources, is it?"

I looked at her with feigned innocence. Behind me, someone began to clap slowly, accompanied by a familiar, steady voice.

"Excellent point. I support calling the police."