-8-

Moments later, all the students entered the classroom because the bell had rang. Now they are about to learn biology, taught by Teacher Willis. He was a light-hearted man, he reminded Dinda of her Indonesian Language teacher that shared the same trait.

"So, have you got your hands on the book that I told you about yesterday? All of the tests we'll work on are coming from that book." Teacher Willis said.

Dinda still remained calm despite not knowing what the teacher was talking about. This was her first study session with him.

"Mind sharing the book with me, Selly? I didn't know that we were supposed to bring that book." Dinda asked.

"Sorry, Dinda. This school forbids lending or borrowing books in the classroom. Everyone has to bring their own book. There is a punishment for those who violate that policy."

Dinda was surprised to hear Selly's explanation, what kind of school enacting such a stupid policy? What harm would borrowing or lending a book bring about? Was that a bad thing she never knew about?

"What kind of book are we supposed to bring here?" Dinda asked again.

"The kind that you gave back to Nathan."

Dinda instantaneously turned her face to Nathan. He already looked at her while raising two books even before she looked at him. He smiled a little while raising his eyebrows up and down.

"You really don't need this?" He said. With a tone of satisfaction as if he has won something.

Dinda sighed because she was confused, should she accept the book or not. She was too arrogant to deny the book but on the other hand she really needed one to study.

"I want to borrow it for a moment." Dinda eventually tried to borrow it. She reached out her hand but Nathan pulled the books back.

"Who did you want to borrow it from? Regar? Benny? Or someone else?" Nathan teased her.

"From you."

"You who?" Nathan asked while looking around him as if he was looking for somebody. "There is no student named 'you' here."

"Nathan, lend me your book for a moment." Dinda gave up.

Surprisingly, Nathan didn't stop there. He stood up swiftly and caused the whole class to stare at him.

"Teacher Willis, do you hear what Dinda said just now?" He asked Teacher Willis.

The tall-figured teacher raised his eyeglasses and folded his arms by his chest. "What did Dinda say, Nathan?" He asked, apparently he was confused as well.

"You hear that? Even Teacher Willis can't hear you, so talk louder now."

She felt humiliated, she lowered her face and remained silent.

"Dinda, tell him what you wanted to say. I will give you the chance to do that now." Teacher Willis said.

Reluctantly, Dinda stood up, glanced at that smiling boy, then to their teacher.

"Apologies, sir. I forgot to bring my book. May I expel myself from the classroom?"

Nathan was surprised by Dinda's words. That girl was doing something unexpected. Dinda decided to leave the class. She took her leave then walked out.

Once again, Nathan lost to Dinda. He could not guess her action whatsoever. She was the first girl who kept resisting whenever Nathan attempted to bring her down to her knees.

*****

"Stop right there, you sassy bitch!" Sasa exclaimed loudly.

Dinda, who was walking in the corridor, halted as Sasa and Giselle's lackeys blocked her path.

Giselle violently pulled Dinda's collar until she crashed against the wall.

Sasa and Giselle threw a yellow card at Dinda while pulling her hair roughly. They were doing that openly in the school corridor with students and teachers around. Nevertheless, no one seemed to care about her.

"You think you can act however you want like you did in that slum you called school!? Not here, young lady. The three dominant pillars are the ruler here. You messed up with one of them and they will turn this school into hell only for you. You got that!?" Giselle warned Dinda while slapping her across the face many times.

Dinda resisted as much as she could but their lackeys got her restrained tightly.

"The hell is wrong with you? I got nothing to do with all of you!"

"Well now you have!" Sasa yelled. "You have messed up Nathan, stop being presumptuously saucy when Nathan is around! You think you are the only one who Nathan treated like that? Of course not, you cocky bitch! You are nothing but a meat toilet like the other girls! You are but Nathan's plaything that will be disposed of once he is done with you!"

"Exactly like you!" Dinda made a savage retaliation.

Sasa's eyes almost jumped out of their sockets as she heard such clever remarks. Truthful and painful.

"Sometimes ago I saw Nathan kiss those dirty lips of yours at the bookstore, moments later, to that foul beast…" Dinda said while pointing at Sasa and Giselle, respectively. "So you're trying to suck each other's spit through the same mouth or being a meat toilet like you have described earlier?"

SMACK!!!

Giselle slapped Dinda again. Such excruciating utterance hit her right in the heart. Not a single girl had the guts to say such a thing to them. Yet here we were, when Dinda's audacity shone through.

Dinda grinned. She felt absolutely no pain despite bleeding that she suffered after being harshly slapped many times. "Huh? Why are you angry? Am I right or what?"

"You—"

"Do you really take pride in having a boyfriend like Nathan? A super popular, filthy rich, irresistibly charming stud? You are all deceiving no one but yourself! Why would you want an attractive and popular boyfriend if you can't have him for yourself? Why would you want a most wanted guy if you can't be truly happy? Can you really let him fool around dozen other girls and satisfy himself in another girl's embrace without feeling even the slightest of pain within your rotten heart? Do you have real pride and happiness within you because of him?"