Chapter 3

3、

Mr. Webb made a pained expression and rejected my request, claiming there were no vacant beds available on campus.

"Winter break is just around the corner anyway. Can't you just endure it for a few more weeks?"

"Once the new semester starts, I promise I'll reassign your dorm."

I agreed.

Over the next few days, Janelle was surprisingly quiet.

However, she began covertly turning the entire room against me.

She excluded me from every conversation, planned outings behind my back, and deliberately left me out of group dinners.

Honestly, I preferred it this way. It gave me the peace and quiet I needed to focus on my finals.

Over the weekend, Zoe suddenly texted me, asking to meet in the dining hall because she had something urgent to tell me.

Suspecting nothing, I grabbed my coat and headed downstairs.

Near the dorm entrance, our class representative, Ethan Cross, was waiting for his girlfriend with a bag of groceries.

When he saw me, we exchanged a brief greeting.

Hearing that I was headed to the dining hall, Ethan's brow furrowed with concern.

"I just saw Janelle hanging around the cafeteria with a bunch of shady people. Since you two have beef, you probably shouldn't go over there."

I offered a faint smile.

"It's broad daylight in a campus dining hall. What could she possibly do to me?"

Without dwelling on it, I walked straight toward the cafeteria.

Passing a fruit stand on the way, I remembered that Zoe loved fresh strawberries, so I bought a box for her.

When I stepped into the dining hall, Zoe was sitting alone at a corner table, looking tense.

I set the strawberries down in front of her.

"What's going on? What couldn't you say back in the room?"

"Here, I got you some strawberries. Try one."

Zoe kept her head down, her hands trembling with visible fear.

She looked at the box of strawberries, then suddenly lunged forward and grabbed my wrist.

She squeezed out a single, terrified word.

"Run!"

Before my brain could process what was happening, a dozen rough-looking guys emerged from the surrounding corners, encircling our table completely.

Instinctively, I stood up and pushed Zoe behind me, glaring at the encroaching circle.

"What do you think you're doing?!"

"Back off, or I'm calling the cops!"

The guys burst into mocking laughter, and their ringleader stepped forward.

Without a word of warning, he raised his hand and struck me across the face with a brutal slap.

The impact sent my head ringing, and his crude voice grated in my ears.

"So you're the little bitch who messed with my sister? Pretty face, but turns out you're just a broke scrub."

"I don't know who your sister is!" I shouted, holding my throbbing cheek.

"Let us go right now! There are security cameras everywhere. When the police get here, none of you will walk away clean!"

"Cameras?" He scoffed loudly. "You think I give a shit about campus cameras?"

It was only then that I noticed their bleached hair, heavy tattoos, and piercings―none of these thugs were college students.

"You scammed my sister out of five bucks. Don't tell me you forgot already."

The moment he mentioned the five dollars, the whole puzzle snapped into place.

"Nobody messes with my sister and gets away with it. You're asking to be buried."

Before the sentence finished, the thug planted a heavy kick straight into my stomach.

The force knocked the breath out of my lungs, sending me crashing backward onto the hard cafeteria floor.

Before I could catch my breath, Janelle walked out from behind the crowd, staring down at me with malicious glee.

"Slut," she spat. "I told you we weren't done."

"Hold her down for me!"

Two thugs immediately stepped on my arms, pinning me firmly against the cold floor.

Janelle marched forward and began slapping my face repeatedly with all her strength, cursing with every strike.

"Weren't you acting all tough and mighty before? Acting like you're better than me!"

"Go on, call the cops! Let's see if the cops get here before you're begging on your knees for mercy!"

Blood filled my mouth, but Janelle still wasn't satisfied.

She grabbed a fistful of my hair, yanking my head back to force my eyes open.

"You little whore, you love walking around naked in the dorm, don't you? Then let's strip you bare for everyone to see!"

When two sleazy thugs leaned in with filthy grins, pure panic seized me.

"What are you doing?! Get off me!"

In the next second, the sound of tearing fabric tore through the air as my shirt was ripped open.