DETENTION

CAMILLA'S P O V

“What the hell, Cole?” I was taken aback when Mark quickly seized Cole's collar and raised his fist, which caused me to let out a startled gasp.

I watched as Cole looked between Mark and his fist. “Hit me. I dare you.” Cole challenged him, his voice firm as he warned him.

But Cole's friends suddenly lunged into Mark’s gang, and before I could get myself into trouble with them, I scurried away and fled from the scene. I just slowed down as soon as I was no longer in their line of sight.

What the hell happened just now? Why did Cole defend me when I was bullied by Mark and his friends? I mean, why would a prince charming save someone like me, a nerd with thick round glasses and curly hair? And as far as I knew, he became my number one bully the moment I stepped into this school.

As I walked into the classroom, I was out of breath and panting heavily. I looked around to check if Mr. Twain had arrived, and I huffed out in relief when I saw that he was not inside the room yet.

I walked to my seat and put down my stuff on my desk when I heard Violet, Monique's friend, whisper to her, loud enough for me to hear it. “Your sister has arrived. Look at her, so gross. Eeewww!”

“Stepsister!” she corrected Violet with a roll of her eyes. “And what do you expect? She’s a lazy ass bitch always waking up late.”

I heard her say, but I didn’t pay attention to them and started to flip some pages of my book.

Monique and I were classmates, despite the fact that I was two years older than her. She's 18, and I am already 20, and we’re both seniors here at Horizon Institute. We appeared to be completely different. She has curly strawberry blonde hair while mine was straight ginger red but covered with a black curly wig. We're both curvy, but my body was hidden in loose clothes, so my body looked shapeless. She was short, 5 feet tall, while I was 5 feet 7 inches.

My father's passing made it difficult for me to continue living. To be able to enroll in this school, I had to first find a job and then save up some money. I only recently became aware of the fact that they provide scholarship programs, so I decided to attempt to take an examination. Fortunately, I was successful, and I was given the opportunity to continue my education.

The money I was earning from my job was intended to be used for my allowance as well as for my savings in the future, because I was planning to leave them, my family. Or do they even consider me as a member of their family?

My train of thought was disrupted when I heard someone yelling from the outside, calling my stepsister's name. “Monique! Monique!” a young man called out aloud.

Monique jerked her head at the boy who was calling her and frowned in a puzzled manner, wondering why he was calling her name. "What is it?"

“Matthew and his friends, they’re in trouble.” The boy was out of breath while talking to Monique and upon hearing her boyfriend’s name, her eyes widened.

My eyes followed Monique as she dashed out of the room in a hurry, following the lad who had called her. I followed them in a stealthy manner and hid myself behind the concrete wall in the corridor. From that vantage point, I witnessed Monique slapping everyone else in the hallway, with the exception of Matthew, her boyfriend, of course.

Nevertheless, she paused in her tracks as Cole glared at her in a homicidal manner just as her hand was about to touch his face. “Don’t you dare lay your hand on me, or you’ll regret it.” Cole spat dangerously.

“Monique, stop it!” Matthew grabbed her hand and drew her away from Cole. “It was Camilla who started all of this.”

Me? My mouth gaped open in shock.

Monique's eyes narrowed into splits. “That bitch!”

The fact that they were the ones who blocked my path and prevented me from walking made it difficult for me to comprehend why Matthew stated that I was the one who initiated the situation.

Upon noticing that Mr. Twain was approaching them, I immediately turned away and departed. "Miss Hemmings!" he cried, and I came to a stop, thinking that I was the one he was referring to, but when I slowly turned to look at him, he was looking directly at my sister. “What the hell are you doing here? Go back inside the classroom! Now! And you!” he pointed at the boys angrily who had just fought and beat each other’s faces, “Come with me to the guidance office!”

“But sir—“ Justin tried to protest.

“Shut up and follow me, right away!” Mr. Twain cut him off.

I was back at my desk when Monique came back in the room seething with rage. Her face was flushed, and her eyes were looking at me murderously. “How dare you!” She slapped me across the face, and I was shocked as I heard everyone gasping while watching us. “Because of you, Matthew was brought in the guidance office!”

I was able to keep my tears from falling out of my eyes. I don't want to give the impression to everyone that I am weak. “I didn’t do anything...'' I whispered. “They were the ones who blocked me in the hallway, and then...”

“Stop!” she yelled in my face. “I don’t want to hear your explanation! If I don't see Matthew for a week because of his suspension, you’re fucking dead!”

“Miss Hemmings!” We didn't notice Mr. Twain entering the room. “Detention later! Or do you want to join your boyfriend at the guidance office?”

“But sir, Camilla was the one who started it!” she complained.

“I said, enough! Go back to your seat!” Mr. Twain ignored Monique and motioned her to go back to her desk, but before she walked away, she tapped my books that were placed on top of my desk, and they all dropped on the floor.

I could still hear her and Violet giggling silently while watching me picking up my books.