Chapter 3 The queens sting
Chapter 3: The Queen’s Sting (Liam’s POV)
"I can't believe you’re actually letting that thing live in your guest cottage, Liam. It probably has fleas."
I leaned back against the leather booth at The Crease, the local hangout for the Northview elite. My girlfriend, Chloe, was currently filing her nails, her eyes fixed on the door with a look of pure disgust. Chloe was the head cheerleader, the daughter of a Senator, and someone who treated the school hallways like her personal runway.
"It’s a housing deal, Chlo," I said, swirling the ice in my soda. "My dad wants the PR for the school board. It’s not like she’s living in my room."
"Still," Jax chimed in, laughing as he tossed a fry at me. "I saw her in the hallway today. She was wearing a sweater that looked like it was made from a recycled rug. How does it feel, Vance? Having a 'Ghost' as a roommate?"
"She’s not a roommate," I snapped, feeling a weird prickle of irritation. "She’s a tutor. And she’s annoying as hell."
"If she’s so annoying, why haven't you broken her yet?" Chloe asked, her voice dropping to a sweet, dangerous purr. She leaned over, tracing the line of my jaw with a manicured nail. "You usually have girls like that crying in the bathroom by second period. Are you getting soft, Liam?"
"I'm not getting soft," I growled.
"Prove it," she smirked. "Look who just walked in."
I turned my head. The bell above the diner door jingled, and Elena Vance stepped inside. She looked completely out of place in her faded jeans and a hoodie that was two sizes too big. She was holding a stack of library books and looking around like she was searching for someone.
"She’s here to meet me for the session," I muttered. "I told her to meet me here because I didn't want to go back to the estate yet."
"Perfect," Chloe whispered.
As Elena spotted our table and started walking over, Jax stuck his leg out. It was a classic, childish move, but it worked. Elena, focused on the books in her arms, didn't see it. She tripped, her books flying across the floor, and she landed hard on her knees.
The entire diner went silent for a heartbeat, then exploded into laughter.
"Oops," Jax said, not even trying to hide his grin. "Watch your step, Scholarship. The floors here are a bit too high-class for your shoes."
Elena didn't say anything. She just started gathering her books, her face flushed a deep, burning red. I felt a weird tug in my chest—a mix of embarrassment and something else—but I didn't move. I couldn't. Not with Chloe and the whole team watching.
"Oh, honey," Chloe said, leaning over the edge of the booth. She reached out and grabbed one of the books Elena had dropped. " Advanced Calculus? Is this supposed to make you look smart? Because it just makes you look desperate."
Chloe opened the book and "accidentally" tipped her strawberry milkshake over the pages. The pink, sticky liquid soaked into the paper, ruining the text.
"Oh, no! My hand slipped," Chloe pouted, her eyes glinting with malice. "I guess you’ll have to pay the school to replace that. What is it? Eighty dollars? That’s probably like three months of food for you, right?"
Elena stood up. Her knees were scraped and bleeding through the holes in her jeans, and her hand was shaking as she took the ruined book from Chloe. She looked at the mess, then she looked at me.
I expected her to cry. I expected her to run out of the diner like every other girl Chloe had targeted.
But Elena didn't cry. She looked me dead in the eye, and for the first time, I saw a flicker of something that wasn't just hate. It was disappointment.
"Is this what you do for fun, Liam?" she asked, her voice low and steady. "You bring me here so your friends can play with their food?"
"I didn't—" I started, but Chloe cut me off.
"He didn't have to do anything, sweetie. You’re a joke to all of us. Now, be a good little servant and go find a table in the back. You’re ruining the vibe over here."
Elena didn't move. She took a deep breath, wiped a smudge of milkshake off her hand, and then did something I never expected. She walked right up to Chloe, leaning down until they were eye-to-eye.
"Your breath smells like expensive coffee and insecurity, Chloe," Elena said clearly. "And if you ever touch my things again, I won't go to the Principal. I'll go to your father’s campaign manager and tell them exactly how his 'perfect' daughter treats the underprivileged students he claims to protect in his speeches."
Chloe’s face went white. She opened her mouth to scream, but Elena was already turning to me.
"Session is canceled, Liam. Since you clearly have enough time to sit here and watch your friends be bullies, you clearly have enough time to fail your History quiz tomorrow. Good luck explaining that to your father."
She turned and walked out of the diner, her head held high even as she limped slightly.
"What a psycho!" Jax laughed, but it sounded forced.
Chloe turned to me, her eyes narrowed. "Are you going to let her talk to me like that? Liam! Go after her and tell her she's finished!"
I looked at the door, then back at the ruined book on the table. My father’s words echoed in my head: One 'F' and I sell the Porsche.
I stood up, grabbing my jacket.
"Where are you going?" Chloe demanded.
"To save my car," I said, but as I walked out, I knew it was more than that.
I caught up to her half a block away. It was starting to drizzle. "Elena! Wait!"
She didn't stop. "Go away, Liam."
"Look, I didn't know they were going to do that," I said, grabbing her arm to stop her.
She whirled around, ripping her arm back. Her eyes were wet now, but her voice was like steel.
"You didn't stop them either. You sat there and watched. You’re just like them, Liam. You think people are toys. But here’s the plot twist you weren't expecting."
She stepped closer, pointing to the estate gates in the distance.
"Your dad gave me a key to your house, but he also gave me something else. He gave me the password to your private academic portal to 'upload your assignments.' And while I was looking for your History essay this afternoon, I found something else in your hidden files. Something your 'hot girlfriend' and your 'loyal friends' would love to see."
My heart stopped. "What are you talking about?"
"The video from the party last summer, Liam. The one where you weren't the 'King.' The one where you were crying because your father told you you'd never be good enough for the NHL."
I felt the blood drain from my face. That video was supposed to be deleted.
"You want to play games?" Elena whispered, a cold, dark smile touching her lips. "Let's play. You keep your friends away from me, or I hit 'send' to the entire school group chat."
