Chapter 156 Anatomy class

The Founder's Day ball had gone downhill following two scandalous events—the first between Ava Gonzalez and Rose Anderson over a boy, Simon Denovan. It was obvious that Rose had won tonight because Ava couldn't stop raging. The thought that she had lost her longtime boyfriend to her rival was driving her mad.

What made it worse was that Simon never apologized; he just claimed he didn't want to be Ava's lapdog anymore. And just like that, the popular ship that students adored sank.

Nadine, Jeremy, and Rowan appeared worse off because the scandal involved two prominent families, the Andersons and the Gonzalezes. Rowan, being Ava's brother, and Nadine, being Rose's sister, escalated the fight to such a degree that it caught the attention of the entire school, spreading gossip throughout Paradise.

To make matters worse, Zeke's intervention in helping Nadine separate Jeremy and Rowan fueled the rumors. The sudden attention caused students to start shipping Nadine and Jeremy, others Nadine and Zeke, and even Jeremy and Zeke, all due to last night's incident.

---

Nadine was awakened by the sound of croaking frogs and, rushing up, she realized it was the alarm clock. She despised that clock so much because it haunted her. Wanting to talk to Luna, she remembered their fight yesterday at the Founder's Day ball. She finally came to terms with the fact that she had lost Luna forever.

The idea of staying in the same room with her enemy made her tremble because Luna might even poison her.

"The term is just starting, and I've already gone viral. Isn't that a talent?" Nadine exclaimed, but she jumped when she realized today was their anatomy practical exam, and she hadn't prepared.

"Oh no."

As fast as possible, she dashed to the bathroom to get ready. Coming out in her bathrobe, she saw a shadow and screamed instantly, only to realize it was Jeremy.

"Jimmy! For goodness' sake, why are you here? I thought—wait, don't you have your own room?"

Nadine pointed at the intruder with a candlestick. Jeremy used the moment to check her out, his gaze traveling. Nadine suddenly noticed his line of sight and caught him staring at her legs.

"Hmm, Jimmy, I think you should leave. I want to get dressed. If you keep staying here, I'll shout, and what will happen if a guy is caught in the ladies' room?"

Jeremy groaned and pointed at the nearby table.

"Please hand me my book. Luna borrowed it and didn't give it back."

Nadine looked at the table beside her, and lo and behold, there was a beautifully designed exercise book. She picked it up and, opening it, gasped. Gosh, his handwriting was impeccable.

"Stop looking at my handwriting and hand it over. And about what I said earlier—let's pretend none of this ever happened. I won't tell anyone you're a guy, and by this, we won't talk to each other again. Okay?"

Jeremy asked, turning his face away to avoid looking at Nadine's legs, which looked so straight and sexy. He didn't know why, but he wanted to see what was beneath the towel. Canceling his thoughts, he flashed a perfect smile. Without waiting for Nadine's reply, he dashed out of the room, leaving Nadine surprised.

Realizing that Jimmy was keeping her secret made her smile, but looking at the clock, she gasped and rushed to grab her properly ironed uniform from the dresser. Quickly putting it on and wearing her white shoes, she grabbed her anatomy textbook and took off without looking back.

As she hurried, she spotted her nemesis walking ahead of her. Like a flash, she dashed into the toilet and hid, heaving a sigh of relief.

Zeke, who saw the scene, smiled. Wow, she was a good runner. Like a model, he walked majestically to the toilet and opened the door, revealing Nadine, who was shocked beyond measure.

How was that possible? She was perfectly sure Zeke hadn't seen her—was he pretending?

"Do you realize you're in the boys' toilet? What will they say if they catch a girl in here?"

Nadine got up, embarrassed. Reluctantly, she walked behind Zeke, but he dragged her back, making her face him. The action almost caused their lips to brush against each other.

"So, Nadine or Asher? Which one are you answering? No, let me go with Asher. So, why didn't you come after I gave you the note?"

Nadine gulped. So that was what was written in the note. What was she going to do now? And wasn't time running out? What about him—wasn't he missing an important lecture?

"Hmm, Zeke, I think we'll talk about this later. The lecture will start soon, and you know the consequences of being late. Please, let's go."

Zeke finally loosened his grip, but then he walked closer to Nadine, pinning her against the wall. His minty breath made her dizzy, but his words shocked her more.

"Meet me at the library after this class. You know the Science Library of the Institute. See you there."

Ezekiel walked out, leaving Nadine to finally let out the breath she didn't know she had been holding.

"And keep parading—you might end up exposing yourself to everyone that you're a guy, not a lady."

With that last statement, Zeke walked out casually, leaving Nadine to bury her face in her hands in exhaustion.

"Gosh, I can never understand that guy. What a statue."

---

Finally, Nadine walked into the huge laboratory. Instantly, everyone's eyes went to her. She adjusted her gown and walked straight, looking unbothered. She spotted Rose waving.

Since she had no friends after her banter with Luna, she walked to the trio and sat in the free chair left by Emily.

"So, how are you doing, Nadine? Hope you're alright," Rose asked, brushing a strand of hair off Nadine's face.

"I am, thanks. And why hasn't the lecturer come in yet?"

Slyvia, who finally looked up from her phone, shrugged.

"I have no idea. She's never been this late before. Even Mr. Ares isn't here."

Emily turned around and saw Harlan. She looked desperate, her eyes practically begging him to look her way. Nadine found it weird and sad. Why was she so invested in that jerk? No offense, he was hot, but Nadine hated those cliques—Simon, Harlan, Ezekiel. Now the psycho Rowan has joined them. Though, Kai was probably the normal one among them—he was so sweet.

"Emily, I know you like him, but one piece of advice—don't make it too obvious. Otherwise, they'll treat you like trash," Rose said, sounding like some kind of relationship expert.

Emily, who heard her, smiled, but Nadine knew that smile. It was fake.

Slyvia was watching a video, and, deciding to check what it was, Nadine glanced at the iPhone 14 Slyvia was holding. It was a video of Zeke and Jeremy, with various blacklash comments accusing Jimmy of being gay and trying to seduce Zeke.

Nadine was shocked. That wasn't what happened. With the look of things, wasn't it Zeke who might be gay? Why were they accusing Jeremy, who she was perfectly sure was straight? But Jimmy kissed him—didn't that make him gay? Or was he bisexual?

Reading the comments, she saw the girls dragging Jimmy, calling him a faggot for trying to sleep with Zeke, the prince of the school. Some were even threatening him, saying they didn't allow gays and homosexuals in their school.

Nadine was speechless. She then spoke to Slyvia.

"That's not fair. Why say such things about him? That wasn't his fault. Wasn't it Zeke who made it seem that way? Jeremy is innocent." Nadine's voice rose.

Slyvia faced Nadine and smiled. "Oh, do you have feelings for this young guy? Because you seem angered, if not pissed, by this. Am I right?"

Nadine's face flushed. "No, it's not what it seems. We are just friends."

Slyvia raised an eyebrow and spoke sarcastically, "Oh, that must be why he risked his life and school life to defend you from Rowan."

Nadine was quiet, but Rose came to her rescue.

"It's okay. She says she doesn't like him, so leave her alone. I believe my sis here has class. No one wants a poor mommy's boy as a boyfriend, am I right?"

Rose smiled. Nadine, on the other hand, faked a smile. Her eyes met Jimmy's, who was busy with his notes. The guy was so lonely—no one associated with him. The gay rumors did him no justice, as Nadine could see the pure hatred in her classmates' eyes.

Finally, it manifested. Harlan got up and poured a glass of water on Jimmy's hair, laughing mockingly.

"Hi, faggot. Mind if I give you a blowjob?" Harlan taunted, laughing.

Looking around, he saw Simon and Rowan gathered, watching menacingly.

Simon stepped forward and slapped Jimmy across the cheek.

"Sorry, dude, but we do not allow gays in our school. People like you are abominations."

Nadine felt a tear run down her cheek. This felt familiar_ so awfully familiar.

GAME OF THE DEAD

CHAPTER ONE

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Alexander sat in his usual spot by the classroom window, nose buried in his favorite book, Evil Dead Rise. He loved horror books, and this one had him hooked. Next to it on his desk was Squid Game, another story of survival and deadly games. Alexander marveled at the characters' will to live, how they fought against impossible odds. He often wondered if he could be as strong as they were.

He was a tall guy, his long blond hair falling messily over his temples. His sharp gray eyes were hidden behind thick glasses that covered half his face. Despite his height and striking eyes, Alex always seemed invisible to everyone around him, except to those who wanted to hurt him.

Ethan, his only friend, walked over with a grin, plopping down beside him.

"What are you reading again, man?" Ethan asked, his tone playful.

"Something about how to conquer the universe," Alex replied with a small smile, trying to joke.

But his smile quickly faded. He heard the familiar sound of heels clicking against the polished school floor. His stomach clenched as he glanced up.

The figure that appeared was none other than Bella, the queen bee of the school. Her Sunshine International uniform hugged her frame perfectly, a plaid skirt paired with a white blouse and tie, a standard uniform that looked far from ordinary on her. Her walk was like a model's on a runway, her steps sharp and commanding, the heels accentuating her perfect posture. Everything about her screamed perfection.

Alex found himself staring, his heart racing. She was everything he admired but could never have. His mouth hung open slightly in awe, and Ethan waved his hand in front of his face.

"Alex, snap out of it, man! You know what happens if anyone finds out you're crushing on Bella," Ethan warned, his voice low.

Alex scoffed. "I'm human, aren't I? Don't I have feelings too? Why can't I like someone? And I think that person is Bella."

Before Ethan could respond, a smooth voice cut through the air.

"Did someone just say love?"

Alex's body tensed. His heart dropped into his stomach. He knew that voice.

It was Oliver—the class prince.

Oliver strode toward Alex with a grin on his face, his dark hair styled perfectly, as usual. His uniform was immaculate, and his mere presence made the girls in the room giggle and blush. Some even whispered his name in unison, their voices giddy with admiration.

Then, a sharp voice rang out. "Enough."

The whole class turned toward the sound. Another figure entered the room—Chloe. She was stunning, with her raven-black hair falling in waves down her back. Her black boots clicked against the floor, but her style, though fashionable, wasn't as flashy as Bella's. Chloe, however, didn't need flashy—her attitude commanded attention.

Chloe walked straight to the front of the class, her eyes locking with Oliver's. With a dramatic clasp of her hands onto his, she declared in a proud voice, "Oliver Johnson is mine. We are officially dating."

The class erupted into cheers. Everyone clapped and praised the new couple, but Alex remained silent. His stomach churned. He couldn't stand Oliver. He was the embodiment of everything Alex hated—a walking nightmare.

But Oliver wasn't done. He sauntered over to Alex's desk, his infamous smirk plastered on his face.

"Well, well, well... If it isn't my favorite little errand boy."

The room fell silent. Everyone watched, eager for the next scene to unfold. Alex was Oliver's personal victim, forced to run his errands, do his homework, and endure endless bullying—all because he was a scholarship student among the elite.

Oliver leaned in closer, pushing Alex on the chest. "Did you say something, dog?"

Alex clenched his fists under the desk. His heart raced, but fear held him in place.

Chloe, still standing by Oliver, sneered at Alex. "Isn't he supposed to be talking to you, dog?" Without warning, she slapped Alex hard across the face, sending him tumbling to the floor. "Know your place, you pig."

Laughter echoed through the classroom, but Bella, standing near the back, looked on with boredom, as though this scene was something she had seen a thousand times before. To her, Alex was a loser, and this was just another routine.

Isabella, known for her icy demeanor, watched with a flicker of disdain. She didn't care much for Alex, though he was one of the brightest students in the school—his competition, in fact. But Alex was still just another scholarship kid, much like Jessie, the loner who always wore white despite it being against the rules. Even her school uniform was white, and only her influential parents kept the school from forcing her to comply.

Evelyn and Lily, identical twins but not in looks, whispered from their seats.

"I feel sorry for Alex," Evelyn murmured, her face twisted with concern. "Oliver's really going to kill him one day."

Lily scoffed, flipping her hair. "I don't care what happens to him. He's weak, a poor church rat. I honestly think the world would be better without him."

Evelyn shook her head, worried, while Lily watched the scene with pleasure.

Before Alex could even get up from the floor, Ethan stepped in. He knew he had to do something.

"Hey, Oliver, that's enough. He's learned his lesson, right?" Ethan said, trying to sound calm.

But Alex had reached his breaking point. His face was red with anger, his body trembling. He shot to his feet, glaring at Oliver and the others around him.

"Enough already!" Alex shouted, his voice shaking with rage. "You think because you're rich, you're better than everyone else? You're fools! All of you! Money isn't everything. It just proves how pathetic you really are!"

For a second, there was silence. The air felt thick, charged with tension.

Then Oliver snapped. His fists flew, and he tackled Alex, knocking him back to the floor. Punch after punch landed, and soon Alex was bleeding, barely able to defend himself. The class watched, some in shock, others in amusement.

Ben and Samuel, two of Oliver's friends, rushed forward, pulling Oliver off Alex. "That's enough, man," Ben said. "You're going to get in trouble."

But Oliver wasn't done. He glared down at Alex, his eyes full of malice. "No one needs you here. You're worthless. You should just die."

As Ben and Samuel dragged Oliver away, Chloe delivered one last slap to Alex's bruised face. "Wretched fool," she hissed.

The room buzzed with whispers, but as always, no one helped Alex. He was invisible again, the same as always. Tears welled up in his eyes as he pushed himself to his feet, barely able to walk as he headed for the bathroom. He locked the door behind him and finally let the tears fall, crying out in frustration and anger.

Ethan started to follow Alex, his heart aching for his friend, but a voice stopped him.

"Leave him," Isabella said softly, her long blonde hair cascading down her back. She leaned against the doorway, her voice calm but firm. "He needs to be alone right now. It's better this way."

Ethan hesitated but nodded, watching as she walked away. He felt helpless. He couldn't protect Alex, no matter how hard he tried.

Meanwhile, at the back of the classroom, a boy sat quietly, observing the whole scene. His eyes, cold and filled with disdain, followed Alex as he left the room. Without a word, he stood up and walked silently toward the boys' restroom.