Humiliation

Chapter 2

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Kyle watched as they headed towards the car, but as the car doors shut and the luxury vehicle pulled away, one thing was certain—Kyle would never forget this day. And one day, he would make sure neither Tara nor Stephen forgot it either.

Kyle barely slept that night; the weight of Tara's betrayal was heavy on his chest. His mind replayed the scene from the day before—the look on her face when she accepted Stephen's lavish gift, the crowd's laughter, and most of all, the sharp sting of her slap. It burned, not just on his skin but deep in his gut, where his dignity had taken the hardest hit.

He had lost her; there was no denying it. But what hurt the most wasn't just losing Tara—it was the way she had tossed him aside like he was nothing. Like he had never mattered. Like he was a piece of garbage that needed to be disposed of.

When he saw Tara again the next day on campus, she was walking arm-in-arm with Stephen, her face glowing as if yesterday's humiliation had never happened. Students stopped to admire them as they passed, murmuring among themselves about how perfect the couple looked together.

"They are such a good match," one girl whispered to her friend as they walked past Kyle, oblivious to the turmoil he was struggling with within.

"Yeah, Stephen could have anyone he wants. It's no surprise he picked Tara. She is gorgeous, and with his money, they are like a power couple."

Kyle's stomach twisted as he overheard their conversation, but he refused to look away. He couldn't let this go. Not yet.

"Tara!" He called, stepping forward. She turned, her eyes narrowing when she saw him approaching.

"What do you want now, Kyle?" She snapped at his impatience.

Kyle clenched his fists, trying to control the rush of anger that surged through him. "We need to talk. You can't just pretend like nothing happened yesterday. You slapped me in front of everyone, Tara. What was that about? Why didn't you just tell me about Stephen?"

Tara's eyes widened in mock surprise, her hand flying to her chest dramatically. "Oh, Kyle, stop making a scene. You have been badgering me for weeks, acting like I owe you something and clinging like a pet. It's pathetic. You should be grateful I granted you access to even associate yourself with someone like me."

Kyle's heart began to beat fast. "Badgering you? I thought you agreed to be my girl. And I have been treating you like my girl, Tara. We were together, and you just—"

Tara cut him off with a sharp laugh. "Together? Kyle, I have been with Stephen for weeks. I was just trying to be nice to you since you won't stop pestering me, but you kept pushing it, kept clinging on like some creepy stalker. Honestly, it's sad. I don't even know how I survived the past few weeks."

Kyle's jaw tightened. "You never said anything! You let me think—"

"Think what? That you had a chance?" Tara shook her head, smirking as if she found his words amusing. "Kyle, please. Stop embarrassing yourself. I have moved on. Stephen is my boyfriend now. You should really stop chasing after me."

Kyle's hands trembled as his blood boiled beneath his skin. He wasn't about to beg, and he sure as hell wasn't about to cry, but the rage inside him was threatening to burst. "You never had the decency to tell me the truth. You strung me along while you were sneaking around with him." He pointed toward Stephen, who had been watching the exchange with a smug grin.

Stephen chuckled, stepping forward with his hands casually in his pockets. "Oh, come on, Kyle. You really thought someone like Tara would stick around with someone like you? It's embarrassing, man. Look at yourself. You are clinging to a girl who is way out of your league. Honestly, it's pathetic."

Kyle's vision blurred as his anger rose. The crowd around them increased as the students gathered to watch the confrontation. Some of them whispered, others laughed quietly, and a few openly mocked him.

"He is delusional," a slim girl said as she shook her head at how delusional Kyle was to think of owning someone like Tara. "Can't he see she is with Stephen now? It's so embarrassing to watch."

"Yeah, no wonder Tara dumped him. He is creepy, following her around like that," another voice chimed in.

"I even heard; she slapped him yesterday, yet here he is following her like a lost puppy."

Kyle's face burned with shame as their words were slicing him deeper into his soul than he wanted to admit. He could feel their eyes on him, judging and ridiculing him for daring to stand up to Stephen Marlowe, the golden boy of the university.

Stephen grinned, enjoying every second of Kyle's humiliation. "You should really take a hint, Kyle. Tara is with me now. And trust me, I can give her everything you can't. Money, status, and security." He stepped closer to Kyle, then lowered his voice before he added. "Maybe it's time you face the fact that you are just a loser."

Kyle couldn't take it anymore. His fists clenched tighter, his knuckles turning white as he stepped forward, his face inches from Stephen's. "Say that again," he growled in a deep, low, and dangerous voice.

Stephen, however, didn't flinch. In fact, he seemed to relish the confrontation. "I said you are a loser," he repeated, his voice dripping with arrogance. "A poor, pathetic loser who couldn't even keep his own girl."

Without thinking, Kyle swung his fist, which connected instantly with Stephen's jaw, sending him stumbling back. The crowd gasped in shock, but the moment of satisfaction was short-lived as Stephen's bodyguards rushed forward, grabbing Kyle before he could land another punch on Stephen. They shoved him to the ground; their faces were expressionless as they restrained him.

Stephen wiped the blood from his lip as his eyes gleaming with a dangerous light. He stepped over to where Kyle was pinned down, his expensive shoes inches from Kyle's face. "That was a big mistake you have made," Stephen reinstated coldly.

Kyle struggled as he tried to free himself, but the bodyguards held him firmly in place. Stephen's foot came down hard, pressing into Kyle's face with humiliating force. "You really thought you could hit me and get away with it? You don't belong in my world, Kyle. You never did."

Kyle's face was pushed into the dirt, his cheek scraping against the cold pavement. The students around them watched in stunned silence, some of them whispering among themselves, others too shocked to react.

Stephen leaned down and whispered to Kyle, hearing alone. "Next time you try something like this, I will make sure you regret it for the rest of your life."

With one final press of his foot, Stephen stepped back, signaling for his bodyguards to release Kyle. They let go, and Kyle collapsed onto the ground, his face throbbing with pain and his heart heavy with defeat.

The crowd began to disperse, murmuring among themselves as they walked away. Some looked at Kyle with pity, others with disdain, but no one offered to help him up. He lay there for a moment, staring at the ground as his pride shattered and his anger was smoldering from inside of him.

Stephen and Tara walked away together arm in arm, laughing as if nothing had happened.

Kyle slowly tries to push himself up; his face was already bruised and his spirit was broken. But as he attempted it, he felt an agonizing pain to his ribs and body from the impact of Stephen's foot on his face and the tight grip of his bodyguard and the struggles he had with them. Every attempt to stand up was met with searing pain in his ribs.

From his side view, he could still see the shadow of Stephen and Tara slowly walking away, which only made his inside hardened. The humiliation he had just endured would not be forgotten. Stephen had crushed him today, but this wasn't the end.