Chapter 3

3

I woke up in the campus infirmary with bruises all over my body.

My face was a mess of cuts and swelling.

The other guy wasn't doing much better―broken nose and a fractured arm.

Maya arrived at the school within thirty minutes of getting the call.

She didn't even ask if I was okay. She just started screaming.

"I turn my back for one second, and you pull this crap?"

"I told you to stop causing me trouble! Why can't you just listen for once?"

She didn't care about my side of the story.

Despite my injuries, she dragged me out of bed and into the hallway where the other student was waiting.

She demanded that I apologize.

The guy couldn't even look me in the eye, but he still acted like a victim.

"Leo, I just said a few things about you and your sister. You didn't have to go psycho on me."

"My basketball season is over because of this. I'm suing you for everything you've got!"

Seeing his smug, lying face made my blood boil all over again.

"You want to keep talking? I'll break your other arm right now!"

He cowed back, whimpering like a kicked dog.

Before I could move, Maya's hand cracked across my face.

If Hudson hadn't been there to hold her back, she probably would have hit me again.

"Get on your knees! If you don't apologize right now, I'm telling my parents to disown you."

"Don't you dare drag the Sterling name through the mud because of your ego."

She gave me a violent shove.

Weak and dizzy, I lost my balance and crashed to my knees on the hard floor.

In front of everyone.

In that moment, I didn't just lose my dignity.

Every shred of love and hope I had for her shattered into dust.