Chapter 27

The next day Cassie didn’t want to go to college so she stayed in her bed and hoped her mom wouldn’t come and ask. Her phone buzzed and it was a message from Peter. She shook her head and then rubbed her eyes if she was reading the name correctly. She opened the message “Don’t skip the college.”

Cassie wondered how he knew about her plan. She squeezed her eyes and tossed the phone under her pillow. Once again the phone buzzed and again it was Peter “Don’t ignore my message.”

Cassie was taken aback and replied. “I have no motivation to come.”

Cassie knew he would answer, so she held onto the phone. Peter replied "Let me give you one, If that topic comes up on exams, I don't want you to take the plea that Professor Gabriel explained the law for tenants and landlords when I wasn't in the class."

Cassie grunted and climbed out of the bed. She hurried to get ready and within fifteen minutes she stormed out of the house. The whole Elite started making fun of Cassie the moment she walked into the college. As she moved through the corridors, mocking laughter and whispers could be heard behind her. Peter halted Cassie as she hurried inside the class. "What's the hurry?"
When Cassie turned her eyes to the right, Peter noticed that everyone was making fun of Cassie and pointing at her. "The more you show them you are weak the more they are going to ridicule you."

Cassie clenched her jaw. “It’s easy for you to say.”

Peter shook his head. “It’s also easy for you to do.”

Cassie asked. “How it’s easy for me where everyone thinks I am a slut.”

Peter opened his mouth but Cassie added “No, actually an ugly slut.”

Peter stepped aside to let her enter. Cassie asked while walking past him. “What now you have nothing to lecture me?”

Peter shot up his shoulders. “You can’t help anyone until he is not willing to get out of the trouble.”

Cassie turned around. “Do you think I want to live in this trauma?”

Peter shook his head. “No, but you are also overlooking the ways to get out of this trauma.”

Cassie asked. “How I am overlooking the solution?”

Peter ducked his head. “Ryker did wrong to you but do you also think it was your fault?”

Cassie nodded. “Yes, it's only my fault.”

Peter flicked his hand. “That’s what I was afraid of.”

Cassie asked. “What do you mean?”

Peter explained. “You were in love with Ryker so, to be honest, he is the bad guy because he shattered your trust and he should go in some cocoon or isolated island not you. He should be running away from everyone, not you.”

Cassie pointed a finger at him. “I wasn’t in love with Ryker.”

Peter sighed. “Out of everything I said you only picked that?”

Cassie pressed her lips, walked over to an unoccupied chair, and sat down.

When Daniel came to the university everyone was looking at him and started whispering. At first, he thought it was a mistake but when he reached the library he asked Rita. “Why on earth everyone is acting so weird and ogling me?”

Rita looked at him. “Don’t you know?”

Daniel shook his head. “Know what?”

Rita picked up her phone, played a video, and handed him. Daniel squinted and took the phone when he started watching it his facial expressions also started to get stiffened and when it ended his face was red with anger. Daniel gave back Rita her phone and asked her if it would be okay to take off for today. Rita also told him details about Ryker; 's web of lies because when Cassie ran out of the cafe Ryker told them about how he had planned everything to take his revenge.

Daniel ran to meet Cassie because now he understood why she didn’t contact him yesterday. The moment Cassie came out of the class and their eyes met Cassie was about to cry but while passing by her Peter whispered “No need to cry here.”

Cassie didn’t let her tears come out and she walked over to Daniel. “Why didn’t you tell me anything?”

Cassie asked. “Tell you what? That I have acted so naive and since yesterday I have been called slut, ugly, or whatnot.”

Daniel clenched his jaw. “Who called you that?”

Cassie took a deep breath. “The whole Elite now tell me what would you do about it?”

Daniel held her arm gently. “I am going to be with you whatever you decide.”

Cassie shrugged off his hand. “He is your brother and I know blood is thicker than water so I don’t want you to split yourself between me and him.”

Daniel asked. “Why are you distancing from me?”

Cassie responded. “Because I have seen you with him and I am making your life easy by doing this.”

Daniel didn’t respond and walked away. Cassie was expecting Daniel to stay with her in this difficult time and now that he was gone she recalled Peter’s whisper and dashed to another class.

As Professor Anderson talked about derivatives, Cassie sat in a class the words were there, but she couldn't make them out because her fears were too loud.

"Okay, class," Professor Anderson said, writing a complicated equation on the chalkboard. "Who can tell me what this function's derivative is?"

A few seats away, Peter noticed that Cassie was looking away. He knew she could understand the lesson, but what she had been through recently had made her doubt herself.

Peter raised his hand right away. But when he looked at Cassie's blank face, he thought twice. She had not even seen the question.

"Peter?" Professor Anderson called out and used the chalk to point at him.

Peter cleared his throat, which made Cassie pay attention. “Professor, I think Cassie knows the answer.”

Everyone in the class looked at Cassie. She snapped out of her trance when she was startled and looked at the whiteboard. The equation slowly became clear. She felt a rush of anxiety but saw Peter’s encouraging nod out of the corner of her eye.

After taking a deep breath. "The function's derivative is 3x^2 + 2x - 5."

Professor Anderson nodded. "Excellent, Cassie." "Good job."

She felt a spark of her old confidence come back for the first time since yesterday.