Genesis’s heart pounded in her chest, fear crawling over her skin like icy fingertips. Her eyes locked on her phone—dangling carelessly from lanie’s fingers like it was sothing dirty or contagious. One wrong move and it would crash to the floor, shatter into a thousand pieces. The thought alone made Genesis feel frozen inside.
She couldn’t let that happen. Kieran would be upset. Her eyes flicked to the girls around lanie—her friends—laughing like this was so cody show.
lanie jostled the phone, her smirk widening with every little shake. Genesis watched, her stomach in knots, each motion a threat.
She took a careful step forward, reaching out. But lanie lifted the phone higher. She was nearly five-eleven. Genesis barely made it to five-five.
Genesis rose on her toes, trying to grab it, but lanie only raised her arm more, grinning like a wolf.
"Awwnn, the mute girl can’t reach her phone?" lanie cooed mockingly.
Genesis stopped, breath ragged, her chest rising and falling like a wave threatening to crash.
"Why don’t you speak?" Sophia chid in, walking over with a grin. "Maybe then you’ll get it back."
Genesis’s nose flared. Her eyes narrowed. She hated this. She just wanted her phone.
"Oi, look—she’s angry," Sophia added, pointing. "Her face is turning red."
They laughed. But it wasn’t an exaggeration. Genesis really was turning red—bright as a tomato, burning with sha and rage.
"What’s she gonna do?" Maya laughed from behind them. "Stomp her feet? Cry?"
Genesis’s hands clenched, then unclenched. Again. And again. Her fingers twitched with the urge to do sothing. She had never hit anyone in her life. She wasn’t even sure how to fight. But that didn’t an the thought didn’t tempt her.
She wanted her phone back.
"Oh my God," lanie suddenly said, eyes wide in mock horror. "You guys should see this."
Genesis’s gaze flew up.
lanie was showing them the screen.
Genesis’s breath caught—her heart plumted.
They were reading her chat with Kieran.
No. No, no, no.
"E Who’d want to sleep with her?" Sophia sneered, eyeing Genesis like she was a bug under glass. Still, the jealousy in her voice cracked through.
"She says she’s sore," lanie read aloud, giggling. "Wow, our little ballerina’s not so innocent after all."
Genesis’s lungs locked up. Heat rose behind her eyes. She couldn’t see straight. Couldn’t think. It was like drowning in front of an audience that was clapping.
"Sore?" Sophia gasped. "You an she actually did it? With that guy who picks her up all the ti—what’s his na?"
"I don’t know," Maya said, smirking. "The one that looks like he walked out of a mafia flick."
lanie wiggled the phone, her voice sugar-coated and an. "Button," she read, fake-gagging. "Seriously, what kind of na is that?"
Then, gleefully, "Hope you’re not too sore down there," she finished, pretending to throw up.
Genesis felt like the floor dropped beneath her. Her phone seed miles away now, like it was floating in a world she no longer belonged to.
She wanted to run.
She wanted to scream.
She wanted to vanish.
But instead, she stood. Her chest heaved. Her fists clenched so hard her knuckles blanched. The cold bathroom air felt tight and choking.
Sophia leaned closer to the screen like it was a gossip blog. "Bet she begged for it. All shy in public, freak in the dark."
"Bet he didn’t even last," Maya added. "She looks so fragile. One poke and snap."
Genesis’s lips trembled. Not with fear.
With rage.
She looked at lanie—tall, smug, cruel—and sothing inside her snapped. The invisible cage that kept her still for so long shattered.
Her body moved before her thoughts could catch up.
She lunged.
Not for lanie—but for the phone. Her hand shot up, fingers brushing the edge—then gripping. With a sudden surge of strength she didn’t know she had, Genesis yanked it free.
The phone clattered to the floor between them.
For a split second, everything froze.
Then Genesis dove for it, snatching it just before it could slide beneath the sink.
lanie grabbed her wrist.
Genesis’ breath was ragged, her eyes locked on lanie’s, burning with an anger so sharp it made the taller girl pause.
"You think just because you’ve got so rich boyfriend, you can act all high and mighty?" lanie sneered, her grip tightening.
Genesis yanked her arm free, chest rising and falling fast. She took a step back, clutching the phone to her chest like it was a lifeline, her gaze never leaving theirs.
Then, slowly, with trembling fingers, she raised her hands.
One finger. Then another. Both palms moved in graceful, deliberate signs.
I’m not afraid of you.
The girls blinked, unsure what the movents ant—but they didn’t need a translator. They saw it in her eyes.
The warning.
The anger.
The fire.
lanie scoffed. "Whatever, freak. Just wait till the whole studio hears about what a dirty little mute you really are."
She turned on her heel and stord out, Sophia and Maya trailing behind—though their laughter had lost its edge.
Genesis stood in the silence that followed, heart thundering in her ears.
Then her phone buzzed again.
Kieran:
The n are on their way.
She stared at the ssage, her fingers trembling as she typed back:
Thank you.
She locked the phone, pressed it to her chest, and let out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding.
Then she turned toward the mirror.
Red cheeks.
Bright, wet eyes.
Hair a ss.
But sothing was different.
She wasn’t going to be the sa girl who walked into the Blackwood Estate.
Not anymore.
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