Tangled Lies and Broken Alliances"

Sugar looked at Liliana before pulling her up, then dragged her away.

They reached an empty hallway, and Sugar turned to face Liliana, his eyes burning with anger.

"Liliana, I need nothing but the truth. Did you drug Rita yesterday?" he demanded, his voice low and threatening.

Liliana bit her lower lip, her mind racing. "I... I... I..." Her voice faltered.

"Answer me, Liliana!" Sugar shouted, frustration clear in his tone.

"I didn't do it intentionally, Sugar. I..." Her voice trembled as she spoke.

"What the hell are you saying?" Sugar snapped, his voice rising. "You drugged your fellow woman, and you're here telling me it wasn't intentional?"

He was seething now. "Do you know what could've happened to her if it wasn't for me, huh?"

Liliana flinched, but she couldn't back down now. She didn't expect Sugar to get so furious.

"Liliana, when did you become like this? You knew fully well how dangerous those drugs are, yet you still gave them to her."

Sugar's words were like daggers, and they cut deep. "I only wanted her to pay for what she did to you. Sugar, she-"

"Enough, Liliana! I said enough!" Sugar's voice thundered in the empty hallway. He took a step closer, his face contorted with disbelief. "Did I beg you to avenge me? Did I beg you to help me?"

He shook his head in disgust. "Did I tell you that what she did to me angered me?"

Liliana's heart pounded, her throat dry. She reached out to touch his arm, but he quickly stepped back, a wall of coldness rising between them.

"I'm disappointed in you." His voice was a sharp whisper, full of hurt.

She flinched at his words, but she couldn't bring herself to apologize. "Don't apologize to me, Liliana. You did nothing for me. Apologize to Rita if you want me to forgive you."

"But until then, don't talk to me any longer. Not until you do what I asked you to do."

Without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving Liliana standing there, fists clenched in anger.

"Senorita, you must pay for this," she muttered under her breath, a dark resolve hardening inside her.

---

Senorita sat on the rooftop when she heard approaching footsteps.

Who would still be at school at this time? she thought, looking up. But when she saw Sugar standing there, a knot tightened in her stomach.

She stood up, ready to walk away, but Sugar grabbed her arm, stopping her.

"Let go of my hand," she snapped angrily.

Sugar's expression softened. "Rita, I'm sorry for misjudging you. I shouldn't have concluded anything without knowing the full story," he said, his voice sincere.

Senorita's lips curled into a humorless chuckle. "Why are you apologizing to me? Did you do anything to me? No, right? Then let me go."

"Rita, I..." he started, but she cut him off.

"It's Senorita, not Rita. You have no damn right to shorten my name," she shot back, her voice hard.

"We were never friends, Sugar. Liliana was the one who is your friend. So you should believe her. I see no reason why you're stressing my life."

She pushed past him, her voice cold. "If it's because of helping me, then I already appreciated you. If you need more appreciation, I can give it to you. Thank you, Sugar."

She paused, her expression unyielding. "But from today onward, avoid me. If you see me, walk away like I don't exist."

"And the same goes for me. I will avoid you."

She yanked her hand from his grip and turned, striding away without looking back.

Sugar stood there for a moment, staring after her. "Shit," he muttered under his breath, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

---

Liliana's Room

"What did Sugar say to you?" Malaya asked, her eyes narrowing.

Liliana scoffed, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "He asked me to apologize to that slut if I want him to talk to me."

"What? How can he say that?" Preya exclaimed.

"Is he supporting Senorita instead of you?" Malaya asked, her voice dripping with disbelief.

"No, that can't happen. He's just angry at me, that's all. He can't do that. He won't." Liliana's tone was defensive, but her mind was racing.

"But Liliana, are you going to let them go just like that?" Preya asked, her voice full of concern.

Liliana's eyes darkened. "No, I can't. I'll find a perfect plan to get back at her."

Malaya grinned wickedly. "Then I have a plan that will disgrace her in front of the whole school."

Liliana leaned forward, her interest piqued. "What is it? Tell us."

---

Sugar's Room

"Sugar, what's your relationship with Senorita?" Jett asked, eyeing him closely.

"Nothing." Sugar shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant.

"But you're getting too attached. You even brought her home yesterday," Loord pointed out, raising an eyebrow.

"She was in a desperate situation. I couldn't just leave her," Sugar replied, his tone firm but weary.

"But Sugar, you never do anything without a reason," Jett said, pressing him. "Why did you help her? Don't tell me you're planning on using her."

"No." Sugar's response was immediate and resolute.

"Then what plans do you have for her?" Loord pressed.

Sugar sighed, running his hand through his hair in frustration. "Look, guys, I can't give you an answer. I don't even know why I helped her."

His eyes flickered with uncertainty. "At first, I thought I could use her and then be done with it. But now... I guess the plan has changed."

The guys exchanged confused looks, but Sugar continued. "I want to be friends with her now."

The room fell silent for a beat, then both Jett and Loord spoke at the same time. "Friends?"

"Yes," Sugar said firmly, though he wasn't entirely sure what that meant anymore.

"Well, good luck," Jett said, clearly doubtful. "I doubt Senorita will allow you to be friends with her."

---

Next Morning - Classroom

"Now, I'm pairing you all with your partners for the project," the teacher announced. "Sugar and Senorita."

"No!" Senorita shouted, her voice filled with frustration.

The teacher looked over at her, a raised eyebrow. "What's the problem?"

"Ma'am, can't you change my partner?" Senorita asked, her voice dripping with annoyance.

"Why?" the teacher asked, clearly irritated.

"Because I don't want to pair with Sugar."

"Then don't pair with him and lose your hundred marks," the teacher snapped.

"Liliana, go sit in Senorita's seat beside Rowan, because he's your partner." The teacher's voice was final.

"Then Senorita, go sit beside Sugar." She didn't give Senorita a chance to protest.

"Teacher, I can't sit with..."

"Liliana, it's a command, not a request," the teacher snapped, cutting her off.

Senorita walked reluctantly to the seat beside Sugar and sat down. Liliana gritted her teeth and stormed over to Senorita's former seat.

But as soon as Liliana sat down, juice and other disgusting substances splashed over her.

The room went silent for a moment, then the laughter erupted.

Liliana's face turned crimson, and her hands trembled with fury. "The plan was for Senorita, not me!" she thought, but she couldn't shake the feeling that everything was falling apart.

As she tried to stand, she realized that she was stuck to the chair.

"Enough, everyone!" the teacher yelled, cutting through the chaos. "Liliana, go clean yourself up!"

Liliana stood with difficulty, only to have her skirt tear as she did, and the laughter grew even louder.