Chapter 17: Sophie to the Mud 2

"How dare you touch her?", Raymond voiced out in anger with his eyes glaring daggers that could literally stab her. The annoyance within him had already caused a change in the aura around the room and everyone could feel it.
"Oh my..., sassy queen to the mud", Sophie heard a student say.
"At least she won't be parading herself about, she will be on the low for some time", hearing another voice, she almost lost control of her emotions. Taking a breath to calm herself, holding back the tears, she could not disgrace herself anymore as Raymond's actions had cost Sophie her prestige already.
"Jeez..., the slap got to me, even as I am not regarded, I don't think any guy will slap me in such a humiliating manner", the first student added.
"Worst is, she was fighting over the guy that just slapped her", another student said, giggling hilariously.
"I.., I.., you slapped me", Sophie managed to gabble out while stammering, her eyes already filled with tears and her voice shaky. The way she acted like an innocent lamb that was being preyed upon suddenly, could make someone feel Raymond was the guilty one.
"You slapped me, because of her?", Sophie mumbled in a gibberish tone.
"I will do more if you don't stay away"
Precipitously, with the chiming of the bell from the bell tower as an indication that the school day had begun, students began to disperse from the gathering into their various lecture halls.
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Strolling towards the restroom, Jessie heard low sobs coming from a closed-door and she paused in her motion. She thought about opening it, but it didn't feel like the right thing to do. Deciding to ignore, all of her could not leave whoever was behind the door as the sobbing continued.
"Hello, who's there?", Jessie said in a low voice, getting no reply.
"Can I come in, please?", getting no reply again apart from a hitched breathing, Jessie opened the door without permission. Adjusting her eyes to the dull lights in the room, unexpectedly, it was Alyssa.
"Alyssa, c'mon what's wrong with you?", Jessie inquired as she moved closer to Alyssa.
Trying to look out for whoever was in tears, was just out of compassion. She had no idea it was going to be Alyssa,
"Sophie must have gotten to her", she thought.
"I.., I.., ", Alyssa muttered out incoherently in tears, "Sophie, she...., I feel so embarrassed, I hate all of this", Alyssa managed to say before hurriedly palming her face, sobbing into it. Jessie leaning closer to her pulled her in for a hug and rubbed her back soothingly.
"Jessie, it was so embarrassing....", Alyssa quavered, quivering sorrowfully.
"Shhhh.....you don't need to say anything", Jessie having first-hand experience of the pain Alyssa was going through really understood what she felt and tried to console her. To her, Alyssa was in a better case as the guy in question cared about her.
"How about Raymond, did he say anything to you?", Jessie probed.
"I don't want to talk about him, I don't want to talk to him, I don't want to have anything to do with him", Alyssa yelled out in tears.
With a very moderate smile, "I know you are saying all of this because of the state you are in", Jessie chimed in.
"I know you will be fine and then you will want to talk to him", She said to Alyssa who only lowered her eyes in grief.
"I'm going to be the talk of the school for some time", Alyssa babbled.
"And who said it's not a good thing....., You just have to pay no attention to any trash you hear and I will be here with you", Jessie cheered, "besides there's Raymond, you know he handled Alyssa already".
"Speaking about Alyssa, I think she's just insane and sad, she's trying to pass it to you. Just ignore her."
With a nod, Alyssa agreed hesitantly, "but I won't let what Sophie did pass....., I'm going to get back at her."
"Hmm...", Jessie pouted, straight-faced, with chins raised high, "you are going to let it slide", She cajoled.
After constant persuasion, "okay, okay, I'll let it pass", Alyssa said forcing a smile.
Pulling out from the embrace, "oh my.....Mr. Hills test", Alyssa jabbered smacking her forehead.
"Fifteen minutes past already.., we are so gone ", Jessie blurted out, hurriedly opening the door and running to the lecture hall with Alyssa.
They were making their way back to the lecture hall, with Jessie praying under her breath that something delays Mr. Hills and that today should be his happy day.
"Watch Jessie....", Just when Alyssa called out, Jessie bumped into someone. The very familiar scent of rosewood mixed with vanilla fragrance, with its euphoric effects causing her sensual chills, Jessie tried to remember where she had inhaled that scent till she looked up to see Charles staring at her blankly.
"Sorry..", Jessie voiced out nibbling on her lips.
"You should watch where you're going to", Charles declared without emotions.
"She's sorry, we are going late for a test, in rush, she didn't see you", Alyssa backed Jessie up.
Jessie stood there, not saying anything, it was normal for Charles to behave the way he acted, but something was off with his voice. Her mistake was a very regular one, he didn't have to make her feel like she has not been watching, she thought.
Charles trying to ease up the anger and resentment he felt for Jessie, one she wasn't aware of, plastered a smile on his face and said, "why are you rushing for the test? How are you late?"
"Okay, that's two questions to answer", Alyssa murmured.
Charles who heard what she said, gave her a withering look, Alyssa had to bite her lips thinking of how foolish she was to speak out loudly.
"The thing is we got caught up with stuff and we're late for the test already and you're kind of causing us more delay", Jessie proclaimed.
"So are you now blaming me? and when did I ask you to bump into me?", Charles seriously stated and in brief minutes, forced his chin to curve upwards into a smile.
"Which lecturer did you say is giving the test?", He inquired.
"Mr. Hills....", Alyssa exhaled, finally accepting that she had to miss the test, "all of it was because of one person, Sophie, no, Raymond, I don't even know", she said amidst closed lips.
"And what if I say I can help you?"
"Help us with what? Trying to beg for a make-up test or delaying us the more?", Jessie lilted.
"Hmmm..... That's not a bad idea", Charles said thoughtfully showing off a wide grin, "I mean talking to Mr. Hills to let you join the test and give you a few extra minutes"
"You can do that?", Alyssa queried, sounding really enthused.
"Mmhmm..., Just follow me", Jessie tagged along anyway, she wasn't certain about what he wanted to do, but she had to give him a chance, besides it was for her good.
The girls stood outside the class while Charles went in to talk to Mr. Hills, they waited for like five minutes at least, from the timing Jessie took before Charles came out smiling.
"I've spoken with him, you can go in"
"Thank you so, so, so much", Alyssa squealed.
"Hmm, at least bumping into you was not a waste after all", Jessie chirped in, looking straight into his eyes, glaring so deep like she was trying to access his soul.
"You should go in now", he beseeched. As they made their way inside, Charles held Jessie, leaned close to her, and whispered, "there's a price for this good work of mine. I don't pleasure in doing things for free". Jessie was caught off guard by his words and immediately plastered a smile on her face, trying to act pretty cool.
"What did he mean by a price? Or was it connected to the dare?", Jessie's brain threw questions at her.
Alyssa who turned back, just at that instant in time, noticed what went on between them and pointed out the love that was already blooming even with their unsaid words. She just wasn't sure if any of them had an idea of the imminent love they were going to experience soon.
Charles walked into the hallway with a scorn on his face, he just had to be patient a little bit longer,
"Charles be calm, just a little more time with a few convincing charades, very soon the whole game will be over and you will revenge for every hurt", he rehearsed in his head for the umpteenth time, trying to take deep breaths to calm his mind.
Pacing around the garden, with her bag dumped on a table filled with paper bags that contained different snacks, her friends surrounding the table and sparing a few glances at her, Sophie muttered inaudibly, cursing Alyssa and imagining terrible things she was going to do to her.