Chapter Thirteen – Clarissa's attack
The afternoon sun was high, casting long shadows across the courtyard as students moved in groups, laughing and chatting. Alice clutched a paper cup of coffee in one hand, balancing her books against her chest with the other. She had rushed between classes all day, and this little break was all she had before heading to her part-time shift.
Her thoughts were a million miles away, drifting between assignments and the brief, lingering moments with Brian she couldn't stop replaying in her head. She hated that he slipped into her mind so easily. One smile, one glance, and she was undone.
She was so distracted that she didn't see the figure turning the corner until it was too late.
The coffee slipped.
A dark stain spread across a flawless cream-colored dress, silk shimmering under the sun.
Alice froze, her heart dropping into her stomach. The cup tumbled from her hand, clattering onto the pavement. Her breath caught as her eyes met the furious glare of Clarissa.
For a heartbeat, the courtyard fell silent. Students slowed, whispers starting even before Clarissa's sharp intake of breath cut the air.
"You clumsy little bitch" Clarissa's voice was venom, her manicured hand clutching at the ruined fabric. She looked Alice up and down with pure disgust. "Do you even realize what you've done?"
Alice's lips parted, panic bubbling in her chest. "I... I'm sorry. It was an accident. I didn't mean to.
The words were cut short by the sudden sting across her face.
The slap rang out, echoing through the courtyard. Gasps rippled through the crowd. Alice staggered, her books slipping, one falling open at her feet. Her cheek burned, heat spreading across her skin, but the humiliation seared deeper.
She blinked rapidly, fighting the tears that blurred her vision. She would not cry here. Not in front of all of them.
Clarissa sneered. "Sorry doesn't buy me another dress. This is worth more than you will ever see in your entire pathetic life." She tugged at the stained silk as if even touching it now disgusted her.
Alice bent quickly, gathering her fallen book, her hands shaking. She opened her mouth to speak again, to beg this moment to end, but Clarissa wasn't finished.
"You really think you can play in circles you don't belong to?" Clarissa's voice rose, cutting through the courtyard chatter. "You're a nobody. A charity case. Accidents like you don't bump into people like me unless they're begging for scraps."
The words landed like stones. Alice's chest tightened, shame wrapping around her like a chain.
Clarissa leaned closer, her tone low, sharp enough for only Alice to hear. "Stay away from Brian. He is mine. Always was, always will be. You? You're nothing but a shadow."
The tears Alice had been holding back stung her eyes. Her throat ached with the effort of swallowing them down. She gripped her books tighter, wishing she could vanish into the crowd.
And then...
"Wow. If the shoe fits, huh?"
The voice was casual, mocking, but laced with steel. Alice turned to see Sophie striding into the scene, her sunglasses perched carelessly on her head, her bag slung over one shoulder. Her presence was enough to shift the air immediately. Students leaned in, eager, knowing Sophie's reputation for sharp words and fearless attitude.
Clarissa stiffened. "Of course. The family name with a mouth too big to match."
Sophie smirked, stepping between Alice and Clarissa with deliberate ease. "Funny coming from someone throwing a public tantrum over a little coffee. You'd think you'd be used to stains, considering how dirty your attitude is."
A ripple of laughter broke through the tense air. Clarissa's eyes narrowed, her hand twitching at her side.
"Stay out of this, Sophie," she snapped. "This is between me and her."
Sophie tilted her head, her voice dropping into something quieter, deadlier. "When you slap my best friend in front of half the campus, you make it my business. And trust me, Clarissa, you don't want me as your business."
Clarissa's face twisted. "She humiliated me."
"No," Sophie cut her off sharply. "You humiliated yourself. Everyone here saw it was an accident. Everyone saw you strike her like a spoiled child who didn't get her toy. And everyone here now knows just how ugly you can be."
The silence that followed was thick, broken only by the shuffle of feet and the murmur of students agreeing under their breath. Clarissa's chest rose and fell rapidly, her eyes darting around the courtyard, seeing no ally, no one willing to speak for her.
Her lips curled into a bitter smile. "You'll regret this," she hissed, her gaze cutting from Sophie to Alice.
Sophie only smirked, unbothered. "The only regret I'll have is wasting any more words on you."
Clarissa straightened her spine, smoothing her ruined dress with cold grace. Her eyes lingered on Alice, filled with venom, before she spun and stormed off.
The crowd slowly dispersed, buzzing with the aftermath. Some threw sympathetic glances Alice's way, others whispered, but no one dared say more in front of Sophie.
Alice stood rooted, her cheek still burning, her chest tight.
Sophie turned to her, her sharp expression softening immediately. "Hey," she said gently, brushing her hand against Alice's arm. "Don't let her get to you. She's nothing but noise."
Alice's voice trembled. "Everyone saw..."
"And everyone saw me put her in her place," Sophie replied firmly. "So keep your head up. She doesn't get to break you."
Alice nodded, blinking back tears. She leaned into Sophie's steady presence, grateful and shaken all at once.
But deep down, she knew Clarissa wasn't done. That look in her eyes had promised more.
This was only the beginning.
