Chooses Madness 117

 

Davon rolled on the ground, clutching himself in agony. Marianna finally managed to haul him upright, and he shot Payton a look–half resentful, half wounded. 

He said. “Payton, didn’t you see Kayla hit me first? You’re playing favorites!” 

Payton shrugged, utterly unbothered. “She hit you because you’re an arrogant idiot who basically begged for it. But you hitting her? What gives you the right?” 

Davon’s mouth twitched. ‘This is complete bullshit,‘ he thought. Payton was twisting logic to suit his own 

purposes. 

Even Kayla’s eyes widened slightly at that. ‘Did Payton justify me beating someone up?‘ she thought, caught between disbelief and amusement. ‘This guy’s really good at spinning things his way! 

Payton had been watching Kayla’s face the entire time. When her gaze met his–with what looked like approval glinting in her eyes–pure euphoria rushed through him. 

He fought to keep his expression locked down, maintaining that cold, controlled mask even as his heart hammered wildly. ‘Don’t blow this. Stay cool.‘ 

Watching the two of them exchange loaded glances right in front of him made Davon’s blood boil. He coughed loudly, several times, forcing their attention back to him. 

Marianna’s brain kicked into gear. She tightened her grip on Davon’s arm, her face the picture of concern. “Oh my god, you look terrible. Come on, let me take you to the nurse’s office.” 

She started steering him away, but Kayla’s voice cut through the air like a blade. “Leave? Did I say you could go?” 

Marianna’s face crumpled, her eyes reddening as she fired back with wounded indignation. “Kayla, you’ve already hit me, cursed me out–Davon even apologized on my behalf. What more do you want from me?” 

Kayla sneered, “His apology is his business. What’s he to you anyway? Why’s he gotta apologize for you—you lose your tongue or something? Or maybe…” 

She paused, letting the implication hang in the air like smoke. “Maybe you two are already that close. So close he can speak for you?” 

The words hit their mark. Marianna’s gaze involuntarily flickered toward Davon–just a split second, but enough. Her face flushed crimson as she stammered, “You’re–you’re talking nonsense. We’re just classmates. Stop spreading lies.” 

‘Oh, so now she’s worried about rumors, Kayla thought coldly. ‘One little suggestion and she’s losing it. But when she was busy destroying my reputation with her disgusting lies, she had no problem playing God with my life.’ 

Kayla’s expression hardened, her voice dropping to something final and unyielding. “Scared of rumors? Then apologize. Right now. 

18:54 Wed, Oct 15 

Chapter 117 

65 vouchers 

“Otherwise, tomorrow morning, pictures of you and Davon naked in bed together will be plastered across every phone in this school. And when that happens, don’t say I didn’t warn you.” 

Marianna’s eyes went wide as saucers. You–you’re lying. That’s slander. We never–I could report you for defamation. 

A slow smile curved Kayla’s lips. She moved closer, closing the distance between them with deliberate ease, until she could whisper directly into Marianna’s ear. “I’ll just do what you did–find myself a scapegoat. That’s not exactly hard, is it?” 

Marianna’s face drained of color at Kayla’s words, going deathly pale in an instant. ‘Kayla knows. How could she possibly know?” she thought, her mind racing. 

Kayla was done wasting her breath on this. She dusted off her hands with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Well, since you’re not willing to apologize, forget it. I guess you won’t mind becoming tomorrow’s trending topic at school either.” 

She turned and walked away without waiting for an answer. 

Panic flared in Marianna’s chest. She bit down hard on her lip, her jaw clenching as humiliation warred with desperation. Finally, the words tore out of her. “Wait!” 

But Kayla didn’t slow down. Her footsteps continued, steady and unbothered. 

Marianna’s heart hammered against her ribs. The panic was suffocating now. If Kayla actually went through with it, even after Marianna cleared her name, she’d be a laughingstock across campus. 

And Davon–powerless, broke, with zero social standing–she couldn’t afford to be publicly linked to him. 

AD 

Comment 

Send gift