I curled up in bed, still sobbing, my chest aching with every breath. Sleep was impossible, even though it was already late. I didn’t know how I got back to my dorm without anyone noticing, but now, I was here—alone, drowning in everything that had happened.
Then, a knock at the door. I didn’t move. I didn’t want anyone to see me like this.
“Sweetie, it’s me,” Stella’s voice came from the other side. I glanced toward the door as she knocked again.
“I’m coming in, okay?” she said softly.
I quickly wiped my tears, but before I could compose myself, the door opened. Our eyes met, and behind her stood Ainsley and Callista. Stella’s face softened as she walked toward me.
“Hey, sweetie,” she murmured gently.
“I’m sorry you have to see me like this, it’s just—” My voice broke, and more sobs escaped. She sat beside me, running her fingers through my hair.
Ainsley quietly closed the door while Callista handed me a glass of water. “I knew something was off,” she sighed.
“Is everything okay?” Ainsley asked, her expression full of concern.
I sniffled, but as soon as I tried to answer, the memory of Thorne’s words hit me again. My chest tightened, and fresh tears spilled over. Still, I forced myself to explain everything in detail.
Their faces changed as they listened. Callista’s brows furrowed, Stella held me tighter, and Ainsley’s jaw clenched.
When I finished, I was crying again, exhaustion weighing down on me. Stella’s arms wrapped around me, her comforting voice soft in my ear.
“Did you let him explain?” she asked gently.
I shook my head. “I was too hurt, Stel. I couldn’t take more of the truth.”
She stroked my hair. “I understand. It’s hard, but from everything you told us… there are still missing pieces. You don’t know the full story yet.”
“Yes, I get why you’re upset, and I’d be furious too,” Callista chimed in. “But, Zai, when you’re ready… maybe consider hearing him out?”
I looked at them, their support surrounding me like a safety net. They were right. Maybe I should have let him explain. But I wasn’t ready. Not yet. Maybe, when the time comes, when I can face him without breaking, I’ll listen.
“Here, drink some water,” Callista said, nudging the glass toward me with a small smile.
I took it, slowly sipping, feeling the warmth of their presence settle my racing mind. My eyes were still puffy, my body still heavy from the weight of my emotions, but I wasn’t alone.
“How did you know I was crying?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
“I heard you sniffing and sobbing from the living room,” Callista admitted. “Figured you needed backup, so I called these two.”
Ainsley smiled. “We just thought you could use some company, Zai.”
I managed a small smile. “I do. Thank you—all of you.”
A pause, then I hesitated before asking, “Would it be okay if you all stayed here with me? Just for tonight?”
Ainsley grinned. “We’ll grab our pillows. Cal?”
Callista nodded, and they slipped out to get their things.
Stella gave my hand a squeeze. “When you're ready, let him explain, okay? Sometimes, closure is what heals the pain.”
I nodded. Maybe she was right.
The next day, as I walked with my friends toward our lockers, something felt wrong. Whispers trailed behind me, hushed but sharp, and when I glanced up, I met stares filled with disgust, fury—judgment. The weight of their gazes pressed against my skin, suffocating.
A shiver ran down my spine.
"Is it just me, or is something off?" Callista muttered behind me.
I forced myself to keep walking, retrieving my books from my locker, but the tension was unbearable. Just as Callista and I turned to leave, a sudden force slammed into me.
I stumbled. Books hit the ground.
Laughter.
Gasps.
"Hey! Watch it!" Callista snapped, her voice cutting through the hallway noise. "To the student disciplinary office, now!"
The group that had knocked into me hesitated. Some backed off, but one girl—brazen, sneering—stood her ground.
"You should bring that friend of yours to seduce a professor again," she said, voice dripping with venom.
My blood ran cold. My entire body locked up as a wave of nausea hit me.
They know.
Callista’s entire demeanor shifted, her voice dropping to a dangerous level. "Bullying and mistreating a fellow student means 24-hour detention. Are you going to comply, or should I remind you of your little scandal last year?"
The girl stiffened. Her bravado cracked. Then, without another word, she turned and fled—along with the others.
"Beat it!" Callista called after them.
The hallway slowly returned to normal, but the damage was done. My hands trembled as Callista helped me up, her grip firm, grounding.
"Zai, what was that?" she whispered, concern laced in her voice.
I swallowed, trying to steady my breath. "I—I don't know." But I did. And it terrified me.
Then, the sharp click of heels echoed down the hallway.
"Good morning, Miss Coffey."
I froze.
The voice belonged to none other than Principal Matilda. She stood a few meters away, hands clasped, her expression unreadable.
"I would like to see you in my office. Your presence is required. See you there," she said before turning away, her heels clicking against the floor as she walked off.
My heart pounded in my chest.
"Zai?" Callista called gently, but I barely heard her.
What have I done?
Thorne 
I slammed North against the wall, gripping his collar tightly, my blood boiling at his audacity. I received a message, Mathilda 
, summoning me to her office. I already knew why. My relationship with Zaira had been leaked.
“What the fuck!” North blurted, shoving at my arms.
“Don’t fuck with me, North!” I snarled, tightening my grip. “It’s your job to keep this under wraps! That night should’ve been enough—are you that desperate to make me leave her?”
“What the hell are you talking about?” North shot back. “I didn’t leak shit. I don’t give a damn about your relationship. Last night, I was warning you, not setting you up.”
“Fuck.” I shoved him away, slamming my hands onto the desk, my mind racing.
“Find that motherfucker, North,” I growled.
“God, you’re messing up my damn shirt,” North muttered, straightening it before storming out, the door slamming behind him.
I exhaled sharply, shaking off the frustration as I left the dorm. As I walked through the halls, I felt their eyes on me. Some students avoided my gaze, some whispered, some stepped aside to make way for me. Judgment clung to the air, thick and suffocating.
But I didn’t care about myself. My thoughts were on her. What would happen to her?
I sighed as I stopped in front of Mathilda’s office. Keep your composure.
With that, I pushed the door open.
Zaira sat there, her hands clasped together, shoulders tense. Our eyes met, and the moment stretched. She was anxious—anyone could see it.
“Thank you for coming, Doctor,” Mathilda said, her tone sharp and controlled.
She folded her hands together, her gaze heavy as she looked at us. “Now, let’s get to the point. I want both of you to explain this scandalous rumor about your so-called relationship.”
Her eyes flicked to me. “You’re well aware of the consequences, aren’t you, Doctor?” Then, she turned to Zaira. “And as for you, Miss Coffey, a top student involved in something like this—I expected better. You should know how damaging this is.”
My jaw tightened as she spoke, her words cutting through the tense silence.
She continued, her voice firm. “You understand what this means, don’t you? As per school policy, you will both face disciplinary action. Given your records, Miss Coffey, you will receive a one-week suspension.”
Zaira’s eyes widened, her face pale with anxiety. “But, ma’am, Glacierbrook is in two days—”
“Well, perhaps you should have thought of that before engaging in such behavior,” Mathilda snapped, her voice rising slightly.
The fuck you will, Mathilda.
I could see Zaira about to argue, but I was done watching this bullshit unfold. Taking a slow breath, I steadied myself. I knew part of this was my fault. But she didn’t deserve to be treated like this.
“With all due respect,” I said, meeting Mathilda’s gaze, “where exactly did this accusation come from?”
“Someone reported it. You were seen on the rooftop, on school grounds, kissing. It’s all over campus, Doctor,” she said, her brows furrowing.
I exhaled sharply, shaking my head. “And you believed that? Without any evidence?”
I leaned forward, my voice measured but firm. “Yes, I was with her that night. My student was distraught after witnessing a patient’s death. Malicious intent? A kiss? Are you seriously basing this accusation on hearsay? You’re willing to act without a shred of proof?”
Mathilda’s expression hardened. “Doctor, several students have noted how close you are—”
“Because it’s my duty to establish trust with my students,” I cut in, my fist clenching. “You were the one who told me that, remember?”
The air was thick with tension, but I wasn’t done. “I won’t stand for this absurd rumor being treated as fact just because someone thinks they saw something. Offering comfort to a grieving student isn’t a violation of conduct.”
Mathilda’s eyes narrowed. “Then let’s make this clear, Doctor—do you or do you not have a relationship with Miss Coffey?”
I hesitated, my chest tightening as I glanced at Zaira. She sat still, afraid, waiting for my answer.
I forced myself to look back at Mathilda. “She is my student. Nothing more, nothing less.”
The words burned as they left my mouth. My jaw clenched, the ache inside me undeniable. But this was the only way.
I left the office, my steps quick and unsteady. I had caused too much damage already. I nearly got her expelled. This was my fault.
I reached the gates when I heard her voice behind me.
“Thorne, please wait.”
Don’t look back.
“Thorne,” she called again, her voice fragile, trembling.
I turned. She stood there, anxious, her hands clenched into fists as if trying to steady herself. Don’t let yourself be pulled in. For her sake. For our sake.
“Someone might see us, Zaira,” I said coldly.
She flinched but tried to smile. “I’m sorry for last night. I just… I need to hear your explanation.”
My throat tightened. My heart ached. I swallowed hard.
“There’s nothing to explain,” I said flatly.
Her eyes widened. “W-what do you mean?” Her voice wavered.
Tell her.
Hate her.
Push her away—for her sake.
“You already heard everything, didn’t you? What more do you want to know?” The words tasted bitter, my knees threatening to give out, but I forced myself to stand firm.
She just stood there, stunned.
“I already did my best to save you from this stupid scandal. Now go.” My voice was sharp, but the pain underneath it cut deeper than any blade.
“Scandal? But Thorne, we—”
“And that was a mistake.”
Fuck.
The words tore through me like a dagger buried deep in my chest.
Zaira’s breath hitched, and before I could stop myself, I saw the tears slip down her cheeks.
I was so close—so close to kneeling before her, to begging for forgiveness, to holding her so tight she’d never have to doubt my feelings again.
But I couldn’t.
“Thorne… you can’t do this,” she whispered, her voice cracking, more tears following.
Don’t break.
“Go home, Zaira.” My voice was hollow, void of warmth. “I see you as a killer, sharing the flesh and blood of the woman who murdered my parents.”
She gasped, stepping back as if I had struck her.
“I should’ve gotten rid of you a long time ago.”
Her lips parted, but no words came. Just silent, broken sobs.
I turned, my chest burning, my body screaming at me to take it back. To run to her. To pull her close.
Then I heard it—a thud.
My body froze. Look back. Just once.
But I didn’t.
I clenched my fists, forcing myself forward. You can’t risk what she’s worked for. 
I stepped past the gates of Hipocralis Academy. My knees buckled.
And for the first time in years, I felt like I had truly lost everything.
                               Zaira 
“And that was a mistake.”
“I see you as a killer, sharing the flesh and blood of the woman who murdered my parents.”
“I should’ve gotten rid of you a long time ago.”
His words echoed in my head, each syllable a dagger twisting deeper. My knees buckled, and I watched helplessly as he walked away, the gates shutting between us like an unspoken finality.
I couldn't stop myself—I kept crying. It hurt. More than I ever thought it could. My throat tightened, raw from the sobs that tore through me, but no words came. I couldn’t call out to him. I couldn’t make him stay.
I tried to stand, but my legs failed me. My hands trembled as my fists clenched against the cold ground. My breath came in short, uneven gasps, the weight of everything crushing me.
“Zaira!”
A voice. Distant. Blurred.
I couldn't tell who it was. Everything was muffled by the sound of my own cries, by the pounding in my chest.
The pain was unbearable. A deep, hollow ache that spread through every inch of me.
For the first time in my life, I felt truly broken.
How could you?
"You're as beautiful as winter,"
“I’m not a patient man, but for you… I’ll wait. No matter how long it takes, if you promise me there’s a chance,”
“Of course. I’ll be there through every achievement you reach, and through your lowest moments. I’ll be there,”
The memories struck me like shards of glass, each one slicing deeper as I relived every moment we had shared. How could something so beautiful turn into this? A love that once felt like a safe haven now felt like a punishment—like I was being torn apart by unseen knives.
In the depths of my wild, uncontrollable sobs, warm arms wrapped around me.
“We’re here…” Stella’s voice, soft yet steady, grounded me in the chaos.
“There, there, Zaira. We’re not going anywhere, okay?” Callista whispered, her voice filled with quiet strength.
Ainsley didn’t speak—she didn’t have to. Her warmth pressed against me, anchoring me when I felt like I was falling into nothingness.
Surrounded by them, I let go, my sobs breaking into the day, their presence made me calmer yet the pain inside me stayed.