Clara kept her burning gaze fixed on Hera when she asked, “Or were you planning to keep it a secret from your friends, Hera? Tell me, dear Hera, what is it that you can’t stay away from him? Is it because he’s too hot to look or because he’s filthy rich? You’re no different than any other sluts of our school, are you? Bloody gold digger!” Clara spat the words out in an accusing tone, face scrunched up with disgust. 

Hera was speechless. Though she’s used to Clara’s hatred towards her, she worried about her friends’ reaction. She didn’t know how to tell her friends, but she didn’t want them to find out through a third person, either. “Is it true, Hera?” Andrew was the first one to ask. When Hera didn’t answer him immediately, he snapped at her, “Why, Hera? After everything he made you suffer, you still went back to him. For God’s sake, have some self-respect, Hera,” Andrew said, clearly disappointed in her. 

Hera didn’t want to discuss it in front of Noel and his friends. So she suggested that they should talk later in private, but Andrew was not ready to listen. He’s angry. 

“I thought you were upset because we didn’t listen to you and got into a fight. I thought you were worried about us getting hurt.. Now I know the actual reason. So, you, not talking to us, this silent treatment drama is all a cover-up, right?” Andrew asked. Hera didn’t expect the harshness in his tone, and it hurt. She shook her head in disbelief. “How can you say that, Andy? Of course, I was worried about my friends,” Hera said defensively, eyes glassy as unshed tears filled her eyelids. His words cut deep. Her teary eyes didn’t stop him from hurting her more. 

“You know why I hit him, Hera? Because I wanted to protect you. I didn’t want you to go through that humiliation you felt two years ago. Now I feel like a fool. Seems like, you’re upset because I didn’t give him a chance to finish what he started. You absolutely had no problem kissing him, and you were never going to stop him. Were you so desperate for him to kiss you, Hera? Did you forget what he did to you two years ago?” He asked and paused for a few seconds while he shook his head in disgust. 

“Maybe, you deserved it,” Andrew concluded, and Hera felt like he cursed her. 

By the time he finished, everyone was dead silent. He went too far, and they all knew it. His face showed so much revulsion it felt like a slap on Hera’s face. She accidentally looked at Hunter’s table and saw Eric watching her. She grabbed the tissue and wiped her hand clean before picking up her things. She eyed her half-eaten lunch but knew she wouldn’t be able to eat it anymore. Her appetite died with his harsh words. 

“You know what, Andy, I’m done with giving you explanations, and I don’t need your advice. I surely don’t need your permission either. It’s none of your business anyway,” she said, looking into Andrew’s angry eyes. Then she said, addressing all her friends, “I’m telling all of you, please stay out of it. I don’t want any of you to interfere in my matters from now on.” With that said, she walked out. 

Luckily, the bell rang at the right time, and Hera had never been this grateful for it. Sadly, she couldn’t grasp a word her teachers taught in the rest of her classes as Andrew’s hateful words kept forming ugly dents in her heart. The more she thought about it, the more it made her feel suffocated. 

As the last bell went off, Hera picked up her backpack from the floor and ran out of the classroom in a hurry. She’d forty-five minutes long detention class to attend as well. 

Hera saw through her narrowed slits as her three male friends followed her silently. She lifted her brows questioningly at Asher. “We have detention too,” he answered her unasked question. When they reached their destination, Hera saw Noel sitting in the last bench. He grinned widely at her and gestured to join him. She settled in the second row instead. There were four more students from the other classes. 

After a minute or two passed, in walked a tall, lean boy with a golden skin tone. His confidence demanded attention. “Hello, everyone. I’m Jake from eleventh grade. As you’re aware of the new strategy with the detention classes, we can help each other with our studies. So, tell me, how can I help you?” He asked while taking off his uniform blazer. Draping it on the back of the chair, said Jake stood against the table, leaning casually, arms crossed. His eyes scanned the room while a friendly smile stayed glued to his lips. 

Noel moved from the last bench to where Hera was sitting. “Jake, I’m your senior. How are you going to help me with twelfth grade’s study material?” He asked, smirking at Jake. His voice and his body language carried an unmistakable arrogance. Jake nodded in understanding before clarifying his doubt. 

“It’s not that difficult of a task, dude. If you need tutoring, you’ll have to move into the classroom next door. Evelyn, one of my seniors, will be there to guide you. If you’re good with your grades, then you can help one of these,” he said, gesturing his hands at the others in the room. 

Noel leaned more towards Hera. “Is Evelyn the one who helped you at the party?” He whispered, asking Hera, and she nodded with a smile. He immediately admitted to Jake that he needed help with history, so Jake sent him to Evelyn’s Classroom. After that, Jake decided who would tutor who. Lastly, he addressed Hera. 

Before Hera could ask for any help, he offered to teach her chemistry formulae. “I’m good with chemistry, so let me help with your homework,” he said, opening the chemistry textbook. Hera dropped her jaw in surprise. He even brought a chemistry textbook of Grade nine. It seemed like he came prepared to tutor her. Somehow, he already knew about her chemistry homework. 

“Matter and its Composition,” Jake began, “Let’s learn the Law of Conservation of Mass.” He continued explaining everything in detail. Hera couldn’t understand everything in one go, but he’s patient enough to teach her again. Then he asked her to explain, ‘Postulates of Kinetic Theory of Matter’ and miraculously Hera remembered everything he taught her. 

After a while, Asher tapped her shoulder, signalling that it’s time to leave and then only Hera realised how fast the time passed. But before she could leave Jake stopped her. “Give me half an hour more, Hera and I’ll finish ‘study of Gas Laws’ as well,” said Jake, surprising Hera once again. 

When he was so willing to help her, how could Hera refuse? So, she agreed. Halfway through and Hera couldn’t stop the yawn that escaped. He tapped her nose with the back of his pencil, and Hera scowled, rubbing the tip of her nose with her fingers. “You look like you’re going to pass out any minute now,” he said, shaking his head but didn’t stop. He went on and on with his tutoring. Meanwhile, Hera tried so hard to concentrate. 

“And that’s what P1V1/T1 = P2V2/T2 means,” Jake finished, and Hera sighed in relief when he closed the book. He gave her a folded paper saying it would help her with her homework.

PE class was Hunter’s last class for the day. They had soccer game practice, but Hunter couldn’t concentrate on his game. Everything Hera said in the morning, was still lingering on his mind. As a result of which, he’d even missed two chances of scoring goals. There’s no coordination between his feet and the ball. He misjudged and failed to follow the next moves of his teammates. The coach, as well as his teammates, all got pissed at him for his lack of concentration. 

After practice, all his friends went back to the gym to shower like they usually do. Hunter didn’t wait for his friends and walked ahead directly to his room. He wanted some alone time for himself, so he decided to shower in his dorm room. He left a message on Eric’s phone on his way. Otherwise, they would worry about him. 

Hunter got surprised as he saw Samantha sitting on his bed when he came out of the bathroom after taking a shower. He’s in his khaki shorts. His upper torso was bare with a white, fluffy towel hanging around his neck. Samantha didn’t miss how his body stiffened, and his facial features hardened when he saw her. Shutting the book close, which she was pretending to read, she crawled to the edge of the bed. 

Samantha had changed out of her uniform, now dressed in a cream colour short dress, which showed off her upper thighs for him as she sat crossing her left leg neatly over her right leg.