The morning of the sports festival arrived beneath a sky painted in soft shades of gold and blue. For the first time in weeks, Alice Hart felt light. Not happy. Not excited. Just... free. The pain was still there somewhere. The betrayal. The lies. The humiliation. The memories of Melvin Blackthorne holding Emily Carter's hand behind her back. The memories of Grace Walker and Sophia Reed abandoning her without explanation. But the wounds no longer bled. Alice stared at her reflection in the mirror. A calm smile appeared on her face. Perhaps she had finally understood something important. Being alone wasn't the worst thing in the world. An empty room was far better than a room filled with snakes.
The previous night, another anonymous Instagram message had arrived. Unlike the others, this one contained several video clips. Alice had watched every single one. Again. And again. And again. The first clip showed Grace, Sophia, and Emily standing around a lunch table. The camera quality was terrible. The angle was hidden. But it was enough. One of them slipped something into Alice's food. The video ended. The next clip appeared. Alice remembered that day perfectly. She had eaten lunch. Later during basketball practice she had suddenly started vomiting. Then everything went black. She had woken up in school sick room. Severe food poisoning. At the time everyone claimed it was her fault eating junkfood. Now she wasn't so sure.
The next clip showed Sophia and Emily standing in a crowded hallway. Neither of them knew they were being recorded.
"...she keeps staring at Damian."
Emily laughed.
"Do you think she likes him?"
Sophia rolled her eyes.
"He's literally the best guy in school. If not me, then who?"
Both girls laughed. Then Sophia continued.
"She's shameless. She's already checking out Damian. It's not even been a week since she broke up with Melvin."
"What a slut."
The word echoed in Alice's mind. Slut. A word Sophia used so casually. A word Grace had probably laughed at too. Then came another recording. Sophia talking on the phone.
"...Damian definitely has a crush on me."
Alice remembered gripping her blanket tighter.
"...and Alice tried ruining our time together."
Sophia's voice dripped with disgust.
"She acted like Damian shouldn't even talk to me."
A pause. Then another sentence.
"As if she has authority over me."
Another pause. Then the words that made Alice's expression freeze.
"Slutty bitch."
Sophia laughed.
"She's broken up with Melvin and already eyeing Damian."
The final video hurt the most. Grace stealing things from Alice's desk. Alice remembered that incident. She had accused another classmate. They argued. The entire classroom watched. Then Alice embarrassed herself because she had no proof. Grace had stood beside her looking concerned. Pretending to be her friend. Pretending. The videos ended. Alice stared at the screen for a very long time. Finally she typed a reply.
Alice: Damian? Is this your doing?
No answer came. The anonymous account remained silent. Eventually Alice placed her phone aside and went to sleep.
Now morning had arrived. And today she had bigger things to worry about. The sports festival. When Alice walked downstairs, her mother nearly dropped her coffee.
"Alice?"
Alice blinked.
"What?"
"You look..."
Her mother struggled to find words. Alice had spent nearly forty minutes on her appearance. Subtle makeup. Perfectly styled hair. A little lip gloss. Nothing excessive. Yet the result was stunning. She looked like someone stepping into a magazine cover. Her mother stared.
"You look too beautiful for school."
Alice laughed.
"It's just a sports festival."
"God help the boys."
Alice shook her head before grabbing her bag.
"Bye, Mom."
"Alice wash your face... you're not going to school looking like a bitch."
"Thanks mom."
Alice left. The school bus was already half full. Conversations buzzed everywhere. The moment Alice stepped inside, the noise weakened. Heads turned. Students stared. Even people who disliked her couldn't hide their surprise. Alice ignored everyone. Then she spotted an empty seat. Beside Damian Jones. Perfect. She walked over and sat down. Damian glanced at her. Then looked away. Neither spoke. Alice pulled out her phone. A second later Damian's phone vibrated. He frowned before opening the message.
Alice: Were you the anonymous sender?
Damian raised an eyebrow. His thumbs moved.
Damian: I don't know what you're talking about.
Alice immediately showed him the screenshots. The videos. The anonymous account. Everything. Damian studied them. Then looked at her.
She sent another message.
Alice: You were hanging around Sophia during sports practice. Nobody else should have been able to record that phone call.
Damian scoffed. His fingers moved rapidly.
Damian: I wasn't with Sophia all day. I arrived late. Someone else probably filmed it.
Alice stared at him. He stared back. Neither smiled. Then another text arrived.
Alice: This feels like targeted hate.
Then typed her next question.
Alice: Why do you hate me, Damian?
For several seconds he didn't move. Then he sighed. Turned off his phone. Placed it in his pocket. And leaned against the window. Apparently the conversation was over. Alice rolled her eyes. She typed one final message.
Alice: I don't know your motive. But thank you for removing the venomous snakes from my life.
Damian didn't answer. A minute later he was asleep. Alice stared at him. How did someone fall asleep that quickly? Ridiculous. Eventually she put away her own phone. And closed her eyes.
The bus stopped again. Sophia Reed boarded. Grace Walker followed behind her. Their cheerful expressions disappeared instantly. Both girls froze. Alice was sitting beside Damian. Sleeping. The sight alone irritated them. Then Alice heard whispers. Gossip. Muttering. She didn't need to open her eyes to know who it was. A small smile appeared on her lips. Slowly. Deliberately. She leaned sideways. And rested her head on Damian's shoulder. The bus practically exploded with silent outrage. Sophia's jaw clenched. Grace's face darkened. Alice nearly laughed. She could hear them gossiping. Speculating. Complaining. She simply put on her earphones. Started her music. And ignored them for the rest of the ride.
By the time they reached Westbridge High School, Damian was still asleep. Alice poked his shoulder. Nothing. She shook him. Still nothing. Finally she smacked the back of his head. Damian jerked awake.
"What—"
"We're here."
He blinked several times.
"Already?"
"You sleep like a dead person."
He yawned.
"Good morning to you too."
Alice laughed. Then both stepped off the bus.
The sports festival had begun. After sprint, javelin and long jump, the first competition was tennis.
Alice stretched her shoulders before stepping onto the court. The crowd watched closely. Many students remembered her as a basketball player. Few knew she was also excellent at tennis. Alice's style was aggressive. Fast. Relentless. She didn't wait for mistakes. She forced them. Every serve came like a bullet. Every return landed precisely where opponents hated it most. She constantly pushed them backward. Controlling the rhythm. Controlling the pressure. Controlling the match. One by one her opponents fell. Eventually only Sophia remained.
The final match. Everyone gathered around. Sophia smiled confidently. A little too confident. Alice smiled back. Then the game started. Sophia was talented. Very talented. But today Alice was different. Today she had nothing holding her back. No heartbreak. No guilt. No fear. Every swing carried conviction. Every point widened the gap. The match ended. Alice won decisively. The crowd erupted. Cheers echoed throughout the courts. Sophia's smile twitched. Just once. Then she walked forward carrying the winner's trophy.
"Congratulations."
Her voice sounded pleasant. Her eyes did not. Alice accepted the trophy.
"Thank you."
The cameras flashed. Sophia smiled for photographs. But inside she looked ready to explode. Basketball came next. Alice's strongest sport. Her favorite battlefield. The gymnasium thundered with noise. Team Red. Alice's team. Versus Team Blue. Sophia's team.
The rivalry attracted almost the entire school. The whistle blew. Chaos erupted. Alice moved like a storm. Fast breaks. Sharp passes. Aggressive steals. She pressured every player holding the ball. Forced mistakes. Created opportunities. Sophia tried matching her pace.Failed. Again. And again.
Alice could see Grace and Emily among the spectators. Neither looked happy. Both expected Sophia to dominate. Instead they watched her struggle.
Alice smirked. Then stole another pass. The crowd roared. The final score wasn't even close. Team Red won. Fairly. Decisively. Brutally.
Sophia stood frozen. Humiliation painted across her face. Without waiting for permission she stormed out of the gymnasium. Teachers shouted after her. She ignored them. Meanwhile Team Red celebrated wildly. Students cheered. The gym shook with excitement. Alice stood in the center of it all. Victorious.
The boys' basketball tournament followed. Predictably. Damian's team demolished everyone. Alice sat courtside watching. Damian played effortlessly. No wasted movements. No unnecessary showmanship. Just efficient destruction. The championship barely lasted twenty minutes. His team won. Naturally.
Then came the exhibition match. Girls versus boys. The annual tradition. For seven straight years the boys had won. Every. Single. Time. The whistle sounded. The game began. Immediately the height difference became obvious. The boys dominated rebounds. Blocked shots. Controlled the paint. The girls struggled. Even Alice found herself pressured constantly. Damian guarded her personally. Which was extremely annoying.
The first half ended with the boys leading comfortably. Many spectators already accepted that history would repeat itself. Alice disagreed. During halftime she noticed something. The boys relied heavily on their height advantage. Meaning they stayed close to the basket. Meaning they reacted slowly to rapid perimeter movement. A weakness.
The second half began. Alice adjusted the team's formation. Instead of challenging inside, the girls stretched the court. Constant movement. Quick passes. Rapid rotations. The boys started chasing. And chasing. And chasing. They became exhausted. Then Alice struck. A fake drive. Three defenders collapsed. Quick pass. Corner shot. Three points. The crowd exploded.
Again.
Again.
Again.
The gap vanished. The final minute arrived. Tie game. Alice stole a pass intended for Damian. Raced down court. Drew two defenders. Passed at the last second. Score. Two-point lead. The buzzer sounded. Silence. Then absolute madness. The girls had won. For the first time in seven years. History. The gymnasium nearly collapsed from cheering. Students screamed. Teachers applauded. Even Damian laughed.
Alice stood in the center court breathing heavily. The moment felt unreal. They had actually done it. Award ceremonies followed shortly afterward. Three major awards went to Team Red. Crimson Crown of Excellence,
Phoenix Victory Banner & Grand Champion Shield of Westbridge. Then came individual honors.
"Best Athlete Award."
The announcer smiled.
"This year's recipient is Alice Hart."
The crowd cheered again. Alice accepted the medal. Then heard applause from her side. Damian. He looked genuinely impressed.
"No ego?" Alice asked quietly.
"You earned it."
No bitterness. No jealousy. Just sincerity. For some reason that felt refreshing. Later came soccer. The boys' tournament. And once again Damian dominated. The field became his playground. His team crushed every opponent. Then defeated the girls' champions too. Aggressively. Mercilessly. Efficiently. When he accepted his own Best Athlete Award later, he glanced toward Alice.
And smiled. Alice smiled back. He deserved it. As students returned toward their classrooms, Alice carried her trophies carefully.
Then suddenly—
A hand grabbed her wrist. She blinked. Damian. Before she could react he pulled her around the corner of a building. A completely deserted area. No teachers. No students. A blind spot. Alice didn't resist. She simply followed. When they stopped, she smiled.
"Congratulations."
Damian looked exhausted. Sweating. Breathing heavily. Then suddenly— He pinned her against the wall. Alice raised an eyebrow.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm not your enemy."
Alice burst out laughing. Damian started laughing too.
"You really are bad at lying."
He rubbed his forehead. Then sighed.
"I know who probably sent the anonymous messages."
Alice's smile faded.
"Who?"
"Mia Sterling."
Alice frowned.
"Prove it."
Damian immediately pulled out his phone. Made a call. Several minutes later a girl appeared. Mia Sterling. She practically skipped over. Smiling brightly. Clearly expecting something exciting from Damian. Then she noticed Alice. Her smile vanished. Immediately. Alice folded her arms.
"Did you send those messages?"
Mia froze. Then slowly laughed.
"So he told you."
"Answer."
Several seconds passed. Finally Mia nodded.
"Yes."
Alice stared.
"Why?"
The girl smiled bitterly.
"Because Sophia deserved it."
"What?"
"Grace too."
Damian quietly stepped back. Wanting no part of the conversation. Alice didn't let him leave. Mia continued.
"Sophia bullied me."
Alice blinked.
"What?"
"Grace extorted money from me."
Alice frowned.
"When?"
Mia laughed loudly.
"As if you don't know."
"I don't."
"Stop pretending."
Alice felt genuine confusion. Sophia and Grace had many flaws. But bullying? That sounded impossible. Mia's eyes burned with hatred.
"Sophia ruined my life."
"Show me proof."
The moment those words left Alice's mouth, Mia exploded with laughter.
"Proof?"
She pointed accusingly.
"A victim shouldn't need proof."
"I'm not siding with anyone."
"You are."
"I'm asking questions."
"I don't care anymore."
Mia shook her head.
"My revenge worked."
Alice remained silent. Mia smiled.
"Your friend group is gone."
The smile widened.
"And now you're alone too. Its so worth it."
Alice's expression hardened. Mia looked at Damian.
"I hate you Damian. We are over."
Damian rolled his eyes.
"Good to know."
Then Mia delivered her final words.
"I hope you stay friendless forever. Both of you."
After that she turned around. And walked away. Without looking back. Silence followed. Alice looked toward Damian.
"That made no sense."
He shrugged.
"Maybe."
"It's impossible."
"Nothing's impossible."
Alice shook her head.
"If Sophia and Grace were bullying people, I'd know I swear."
"Maybe."
"And why doesn't Mia have any proof? She's clearly capable of recording people secretly."
Damian simply shrugged again. The reaction annoyed her.
"How did you even meet her?"
Damian sighed.
"She approached me."
Alice blinked.
"Why?"
"She proposed that we should date."
"What?"
"We went on a few dates."
Alice stared. Then stared harder.
"You dated her? How come no one knew about this?"
"Maybe no one looked hard enough."
Alice looked disgusted.
"Are you serious right now?"
"Unfortunately yes."
"And you guys are still together after all this?"
Damian pointed toward where Mia disappeared.
"I think she just broke up with me."
Alice rubbed her forehead.
"What kind of nonsense is this?"
"No idea."
Alice narrowed her eyes.
"Why would you use your girlfriend to prove your innocence?"
"She wasn't my girlfriend."
"You literally said you dated her."
Damian groaned.
"Mind your own business."
Alice folded her arms. Nothing about this situation felt natural. Everything seemed too convenient. Too perfect. Too rehearsed. Damian had an answer for everything. An alibi for everything. Which somehow made him even more suspicious. Eventually she returned to class. The atmosphere felt strange. Whispers filled the room. Students stared. Gossiped. Speculated.
Alice ignored them. Her desk now sat alone near the back. No Grace. No Sophia. No Emily. No friends. Just her. Oddly enough it didn't hurt anymore. Still. One question remained. Why was Damian targeting her? If he was targeting her. The answer remained frustratingly out of reach. When the final bell rang, Alice stood up. Collected her awards. Collected her bag. Then left.
She told a teacher she felt sick. Which wasn't entirely a lie. Her head hurt from thinking. The moment she stepped outside the school gates, rain began falling. Soft at first. Then harder. Within minutes she was soaked. But she kept walking. Lost in thought. The trophies felt heavy. The memories felt heavier. Then suddenly the rain stopped. At least above her head. Alice looked up. An umbrella. Damian stood beside her. Neither spoke. For several moments only the sound of rain existed. Finally Damian broke the silence.
"Getting soaked isn't healthy."
Alice didn't answer. He didn't seem bothered. They continued walking. Side by side. One umbrella. No conversation. No arguments. No accusations. Just silence. Strangely comfortable silence. Eventually they reached the bus stop. Alice looked at the arriving bus. Then at Damian.
"Goodbye."
"Goodbye."
The doors opened. Alice climbed aboard. She glanced back once. Damian remained standing in the rain. Holding the umbrella. Watching the bus. He could have boarded. He didn't. The doors closed. The bus pulled away. And for the first time all day, Alice felt something she couldn't quite explain.
Because despite all her suspicions... Despite all the lies... Despite all the unanswered questions... One thing remained certain. The mystery surrounding Damian Jones had only grown deeper. And somehow... That bothered her more than she wanted to admit.