"Ugh, Everly! What kind of boyfriends do you even date? It’s revolting!" Millie’s shriek pierced through the air just as I shoved my crumpled bed sheets into the washing machine.
Startled, Ella and Alina Foster darted out from their rooms, their faces confused and alarmed.
"My clothes! They’ve been moved! I didn’t leave them like this!"
Millie spun toward me, fury blazing in her eyes. "Everly! Are you doing vile things and dragging our clothes into it? You’re disgusting!" With exaggerated disgust, she yanked her shirt from the balcony rail and tossed it into the trash. "Gross! I don’t even want this anymore. You owe me a new one!"
Ella and Alina exchanged knowing looks before their piercing glares landed on me.
"Everly, aren’t you just the shameless one!" Ella spat, her tone dripping with venom.
My fists clenched at my sides, and my body trembled with barely contained anger. Words fought to escape my throat, but I knew nothing I said would change their minds.
Finally, I snapped, my voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "Ella, karma exists! Liars never get away unscathed!"
Ella’s eyes instantly glistened, and her bottom lip quivered as she donned her well-practiced mask of innocence.
"Everly," she said softly, her voice trembling just enough to sound genuine, "I’m your roommate! How could you blame me for the mess your boyfriend caused? Don’t you feel even a little guilty?"
"Yeah, stop being so shameless, Everly. Quit dragging Ella into your problems!"
"You’re disgusting! If you keep this up, I’ll make sure everyone knows exactly who you are!"
Ella came from wealth, and her father was a prominent figure in the school’s administration. It was no wonder Millie and Alina clung to her like moths to a flame, always rushing to her defense no matter the situation.
I drew a deep breath, forcing my trembling hands to still as I tried to keep my composure. "Ella," I said, my voice strained but steady, "the next time I date someone, could you not add them on WhatsApp?"
To my surprise, Ella didn’t falter. Instead, she smiled—a sly, confident curl of her lips.
"I’m just testing them for you," she replied, her voice dripping with self-assurance. "And now you’re blaming me? Really?"
"Over the past two years, I’ve helped you weed out so many bad guys. You should be thanking me!"
Then, with a casual shrug and a biting grin, she added, "But now, it looks like the bad guys were right after all. Everly, you’re just shameless!"
Her words cut deep, but she wasn’t done. "Doing such disgusting things in the dorm? If you can do it, at least have the decency to own up to it!"
"Exactly!"
Alina wasn’t far behind, her expression painted with mock horror. "She’s right! You’re unbelievable, Everly!"
Their words struck like daggers, the venom laced in every syllable suffocating me. The air around me seemed heavy, pressing against my chest as I struggled to breathe.
"Did you hear?" Millie whispered loudly enough for everyone to hear. "Everly snuck her boyfriend into the dorm last night!"
"That’s not all," Alina added gleefully. "I heard they were messing around! Right there in the dorm!"
"Disgusting," someone murmured. "I’d never want a roommate like that."
The whispers followed me to class the next morning, each one a nail in my coffin. I clutched my books tightly, keeping my head low as the judgmental stares burned into my back. The weight of their gossip pressed down on me, turning every step into a trial.
Just as I reached the classroom door, a sharp voice rang out behind me. "Everly! Stop right there!"
I turned slowly, dread pooling in my stomach. Samuel was storming toward me, his expression thunderous, his finger pointed like an accusation.
"Who told you to spread rumors about me?" he barked, his voice echoing in the hallway.
Before I could respond, he snarled, "You’re the one with no shame! Don’t you dare drag me into your mess!"
I stood there, speechless, my mind spinning. He and Ella had made the mess in the dorm, and now he was blaming me as the rumors spread.
Before I could finish, he interrupted with a cruel sneer.
"A woman like you doesn’t deserve to be my girlfriend!"
"Stop spreading lies about being with me!"
"And by the way, the guy you messed around with in the dorm wasn’t me!"
"If you keep running your mouth and ruining my reputation, you’ll regret it!"
Samuel stormed off with one final shove on my shoulder, not even waiting for me to respond.
The force of his shove sent me tumbling to the ground, my body stumbling awkwardly as I fell. Laughter erupted from the crowd of classmates, mocking and cruel.
Ella, in particular, stood out. Her eyes gleamed with a challenge as if daring me to retaliate.
I bit my lip hard, my anger rising so fast that I could almost feel my nails digging into my skin.
But deep down, I knew that if I stood up and confronted her now, I’d only make myself look pathetic.
No, I had to bide my time and come up with a plan to show everyone what kind of person Ella really was.
Half a month later, the opportunity arrived.
In the meantime, I had met an "ocean king" outside of school, and one morning, I casually mentioned our class was going on a hike, inviting him to join.
The hike was grueling, and by noon, when we reached the halfway point, we were all drained.
"I'm starving!" Millie whined, leaning on her knee as she spotted a buffet restaurant ahead.
"Everly, you’re treating us to lunch today!"
"Yeah, lunch is on you!"
They didn’t care to ask; they just marched ahead toward the restaurant.
"Why should I treat you?" I asked, taken aback.
Ella turned sharply, her gaze fierce.
"Letting you treat us is a privilege," she said coldly. "Unless, of course, you want to keep being the outcast."
"Yeah, Ella’s offering you such a great chance; why not take it?"
"Or is it that you can’t even afford to buy us a simple meal?"
Just as they finished their taunts, a handsome figure approached us.
His shirt clung to his body, soaked with sweat, highlighting the contours of his muscular frame.
I noticed the instant Ella laid eyes on him; her gaze flickered with obvious interest.
"Who’s this?"
Ella’s eyes roamed over him, her voice laced with curiosity.
I let a small smile slip onto my face and introduced him smoothly.
"This is Isaiah Gray, my new boyfriend."
