Chapter 3

"Bella, is that you?" My friend, Amber asked me as she sat on the chair beside me.

After I found out my half nudes were leaked, I tried my best to stay away from the public eye at least for today so I wore a hoodie.

What I felt was beyond humiliation.

I obviously have a stalker because I don't have any pictures like that on my phone. I'm not stupid. I know my phone can be hacked.

The pictures were of me dressing up in my bedroom. They weren't that detailed but it was still my privacy.

Whoever did this wants me at the bottom of the food chain and I'll get my revenge as soon as I find out who it is.

"Yes" I replied her "keep your voice down. I'm trying to hide"

"I saw what was posted on the blog"

I rolled my eyes

"Of course, you did"

"I am so sorry"

Leslie entered the classroom.

Oh no

I bent my head down trying not to be seen by her.

She scanned the room as if looking for someone. She smirked when her eyes landed on me.

The sound of her high heels sounded across the room as she walked over to my table.

"Well well well" she sang

"Fuck off" I murmured

"Leave her alone" Amber defended me

"You can't be serious" Leslie said referring to Amber "you're pretending to be on her side?"

Pretending? What does she mean by pretending? Amber is my friend, of course she'll be on my side

"Bella, I'll give you a clue because I'm just so generous" Leslie said "have you ever considered the possibility that the person who took the pictures knows you very well? Who else knows your house apart from your friends?"

"You" I replied

Leslie was my only enemy. I had no doubt she had something to do with it.

"Me? Please. I have better things to do than risk my life by going out at night to take pictures of a naked person. If I want to drag you down, I will with my bare hands not go behind you. I'm not a fucking coward"

She did have a point

If she didn't do it then who did?

"Think about it Bella"

Those were her last words before she left my sight

"She's just saying all that to cover herself up" Amber said "she's the one who leaked the nudes. I'm sure of it. When we have proof, she'll pay"

Was Leslie lying though?

The only people who knew my house were close friends from the cheer leading team, my fellow populars.

What if someone in my circle is trying to bring me down and take my position as queen?

I won't let that happen.

The teacher soon came inside the classroom. He stood on the podium

"Okay listen up" Mr Kingston, our English teacher said clasping his hands together.

What devious work does he have for us this time?

"I've noticed that too many of you are comfortable with a particular set of people. Every student has their clique; the popular ones.... " his eyes rested on me

"Pull your hoodie down Miss Martins"

I reluctantly put it down. Students started murmuring incoherently. It doesn't take a genius to know what they're gossiping about.

"The nerds" he continued "the goths, the jocks, the outcasts and the what nots but that is all going to change now. Its time to make new friends"

A girl raised up her hand

"Yes Lily" he said

"How does this relate to today's lesson?" She asked

"It doesn't. I have a meeting with the principal now and I want to give you something to do while I'm gone"

I groaned internally. I have no will power to perform any work especially if it involves someone I don't like.

"Those on the left of the right row should switch seats with those on the right of the left row" he instructed

"Good luck with whoever you end up with" Amber told me

"You too"

She switched seats with the person I dreaded the most; Drew Parker

"Oh no" I whined

"I want you to write a composition about your partner. Its going to involve you asking each other questions. I'll be back to review it before the class ends so I want everyone to take it seriously. Is that clear?"

"Yes Sir" we answered

"Good luck" he left the classroom

There's no way I'm talking to Drew so I'm going to write what I know on my own. I tore out some paper from my notebook and started writing.

Drew Parker is an anti social boy who sits at the back of the class.

I side glanced at Drew. He was writing. He completely ignored me just like I was ignoring him. He was writing confidently like he knew what he was doing.

What could he be writing? He knows nothing about me.

"What are you writing?" I asked him just to be sure.

"What we were instructed to"

"You know nothing about me"

"That's where you're wrong"

"Oh yeah? Tell me what you know"

He stopped writing and looked at me. It was that moment I realized how blue his eyes were.

"I know that you are a very secretive person Bella"

I rolled my eyes and scoffed

"Good guess"

"That's not all" he said "I know that someone like you is expected to like musicians like Britney Spears or Nicki Minaj or Ariana Grande but you probably like old school musicians like The Beatles and Nina Simone"

I had to restrain myself from opening my mouth in surprise.

"H-h-how d-d-did you know that?" I stuttered

"When you're stuck in the background like I am, you'll have no choice but to notice things. All humans have a particular pattern. I observe a lot"

I wasn't expecting that

"Go on" I said

"I know that you don't really like your friends or people that are supposed to be your friends. You're happy when you're alone. I know that you prefer sweatpants to the jeans and tight skirts you wear everyday in the name of fashion. I know you're more comfortable with your hair up but you wear it down because your friends are doing it and it gives you the illusion of a bolder look. I know you'd prefer to go back to a brunette but you have to be blonde to fit the whole miss popular look"

"How do you..... "

"I know that beneath this facade of happiness, you're lonely inside. You have no one to tell your secrets or your deepest fears. You have followers not friends, girls who you go shopping with and have shallow conversations like who was badly dressed at school and the boys you guys like. I know you would like to explore things but you can't because you can't spoil your reputation. I know you let your popularity define you"

"That's enough.... "

"I know you're wearing that hoodie as a flimsy means to hide because your nudes got leaked last night but that's okay but you don't think its okay cause you're too scared to show your flaws"

"Drew... "

"I don't think you should give the person who took those photos the satisfaction of knowing he or she got to you. I don't even want you to think about it at all. I want you to stand tall and raise your head high. You've always been proud of your body, why back down now? The pictures weren't that revealing and even if they were why be ashamed? Afterall, Kim Kardashian got famous from a sex tape"

I laughed

All he said broke the ice of tension between us.

"How did you know all this?" I asked

"Like I said, I observe. Everyone has a lifestyle. It's left for another person to figure it out"

"Wow" I blinked my eyes ''I know nothing about you"

"Of course, you don't, apart from the fact that I'm the school's alleged psycho just because I have a huge scar on my left eye. I'm really not a bad guy. Sure, I get into trouble with the law every now and then but that isn't the case. I'm being judged as a psychopath just because I had an accident on my face"

I was speechless

That's true. The reason why everyone's scared of Drew is because someone made up a rumour that he got his scar from killing his dad plus he's always in some sort of trouble.

The truth is, he hasn't done anything to hurt anyone

Neither of us said anything throughout the period.

I just stared at my paper unsure of what to write.