CHAPTER NINE

KACEY POV

I desperately wished for Elijah's return even though I didn't deserve his friendship. I knew that the rumors weren't true but what hurt the most was to find out the identity of the one who was spreading them. Someone I chose to trust and love.

I stepped out of the bathroom and washed my face. My eyes were swollen from the crying. I deserved to feel this pain especially for what I did to Elijah. I pushed him away when he was just trying to look out for me.

Diamond and her friends walked in and they were laughing at me.

"Oh no, did I make you cry?"

"This is what you get for flirting with my boyfriend."

"Your boyfriend?"

"Do you remember the first day you showed up here and ended up getting lost?"

I remained silent.

"Maxwell helped you but he was dating me."

"Wait, you look surprised, didn't he tell you?"

I looked away.

"Wow, you must have played you well. I can't blame him, boys will be boys after all."

"But this is just a little warning. I want you to stay away from my boyfriend and secondly you should know your place. Did you think that a nobody like you could date a handsome guy like Maxwell?"

"You must be mistaken sweetheart."

"I didn't want to do this to you but you left me with no other choice."

Diamond and her friends left the bathroom.

I've never felt so humiliated in my entire life and it was all thanks to Maxwell I can't believe that I allowed myself to fall in love with him.

Someone handed me a tissue when I looked up it was Maxwell. I moved away from him.

"What do you want? Haven't you done enough damage?"

"Please just hear me out Kacey and let me explain myself."

"You had a freaking girlfriend all along you were playing with my feelings and I can't believe that I stupidly fell in love with you."

"I won't deny the facts Kacey, yes Diamond is my girlfriend but when I got to know the real you I didn't expect to fall in love with you."

"At first it was all games and I did it because Diamond told me to do it but believe me I started falling in love with you."

I crossed my arms over my chest.

"When did you realize that you were actually in love with me?"

"The moment I kissed you at the party I knew that the feelings I developed for you weren't part of the game, they were real."

"I don't believe you Maxwell."

"You and Diamond ruined my life and thanks to you I'm on the verge of losing my scholarship."

"I won't let that happen Kacey trust me."

"Just leave."

"I'm only asking for one chance to make things right between us."

"I have nothing to say to you Maxwell, just go back to your girlfriend."

Before I could leave he held my hand.

"I know that you still love me."

I looked him in the eye and withdrew my hand from his grasp.

"Loved as in past tense."

"I loved you first Maxwell but not anymore."

I walked out of the bathroom.

I've never felt more lost in my entire life but I knew that despite the pain I couldn't lose focus I still had to focus on my studies and still be the best even if no one believes my hard earned success.

"It's getting late, you should get some rest Kacey."

"I know but I need to finish studying so that I don't lose my scholarship."

"I know that as well but you can also study during the day just give yourself a break."


I sighed deeply.

"My mother and I have already suffered enough disappointments to make the whole nation cry and I won't let anything happen to her."

"I need to make her proud of me at any cost."

"I understand what you're saying Kacey but you won't make your mother proud this way you're being too hard on yourself and I'm afraid that you'll end up getting sick in the process."

"You haven't had a decent meal in three days or proper bed rest."

"I guess a little break wouldn't hurt and what's the point of studying so much if no one actually believes me."

"They all think that I'm a little tramp who seduces the professors here so that I can get better grades than everyone."

I turned off the lamp and soon returned to bed. Even if I got the highest score on every test it Still wasn't enough to shut people up Diamond and Maxwell wouldn't stop making up more rumors about me.

It reached the point where people started calling me names and sticking up posters around the school and on my locker calling me a tramp,slut and whore.

My situation was that bad.

I was about to remove one of the posters which was stuck on my locker but someone else beat me to it. When I saw the person's face I was left stunned.

"Elijah?"

He waved the poster in my face.

"What the hell is going on?"

I looked away feeling ashamed and grabbed the poster from him.

"It's nothing."

"Why did you suddenly disappear? Was your own way of punishing me?"

"I left because you didn't need me anymore Kacey you were happy with Maxwell and I didn't want to ruin your happiness."

"I didn't like Maxwell because I knew that he was still going out with Diamond even if he told everyone that they were no longer together I wasn't jealous of him I was just simply trying to look out for my best friend."

Tears spilled down my cheeks.

"And I pushed you away instead."

I wrapped my arms around him.

"Please don't ever leave me again."

"You still haven't answered my question, Kacey , tell me what's going on?"

I pulled away from him.

"I guess there's no point in concealing the truth. I'll tell you everything."

Once I was done explaining the situation Elijah looked livid but I told not to do anything crazy because I was afraid that Diamond would succeed in finally getting me expelled from this university.

"I'm sorry that you had to endure this alone Kacey."

I smiled at him.

"I wasn't alone Elijah because Ronnie and Ella were by my side even when I tried to push them away."

He nodded quietly and cupped both of my cheeks.

"I promise you I'll make everything go away including these false rumors Diamond and Maxwell will never hurt you again."

"Can you please promise me something as well?"

"What is it?"

"Please get violent with Maxwell. I don't want you to have a fight with your father."

"Don't worry I won't try anything crazy besides Maxwell doesn't deserve a simple beating for what he did to you he deserves to be taught a lesson."

And just like Elijah promised the rumors about me disappeared like the scandal never actually happened and it was all thanks to Elijah. It's been three weeks now and I haven't seen a poster mocking me anywhere near the campus.


AMBER POV

I wiped the flour off my apron and went to see the customer who had just walked into the bakery for the past few weeks. Business was slow and only a few regular customers continued coming here.

I found two men in suits waiting for me and once they saw me they both stood up at the same time.

"Are you Amber Simpson?"

I nodded quietly.

"Yes I am."

"How may I help you?"

"We won't take much of your time ma'am because we just brought you a warning from the city council."

"A warning?"

"Yes."

"What kind of warning?" I asked curiously.

"It seems your bakery was built on historical land that belongs to the government and the council has made a decision to bulldoze your bakery because it might have been built under an old gold mine."

"Bulldoze the bakery? But this is the only place where I earn a living. If you destroy the bakery I'll have nothing to my name and my daughter and I will be homeless."

"There's a second option as well you can get an appeal from the court to present your case but it won't come cheap."

"You have three months to vacate the property."

I was devastated and I didn't know what to do anymore.

KACEY POV

I was about to leave for the library when my cell phone started ringing. I fished it out of my pocket and answered the call from my mother.

"Mother, how are you?"

I could hear her crying from the other end.

"Mom, what's wrong?"

"Kacey dear we are about to lose everything and this time I don't know a way out."

"Mom, please tell me what's going on?"

"The city council has threatened to bulldoze the bakery Kacey."

"We only have three months to vacate the property if we can't pay them the money."

"What?"

"Mom, don't worry, I will leave campus and travel to town tomorrow morning."