Roses and Rifles

Winter's POV

It was my last class for the day and I couldn't wait for it to be over. There was nothing wrong with Prof. Mel or her lecturing style. If you ask me, I would say she was the best thing to ever happen to Everton Fashion college. Besides standing up for me when Evangeline purposely exchanged my exam papers with the wrong ones, messing up my grades badly, she is the backbone of scholarship students like myself. "Any questions?" Prof. Mel inquired, adjusting her pink glasses. The class remained silent. Her eyes scanned the class room. She was looking me. Normally I'd have asked her tons of questions, not because I didn't understand, but I just wanted the class to be interactive. That way she wouldn't seem boring and be termed all the negative names the other professors were called. "No questions, Prof." I answered from the back seat. I usually sat at the front but I didn't make it to the bus stop in time so I ended up at the back row. "Ok. Have a great day guys" She collected her belongings before exiting the class. The moment Prof. Mel stepped out of class I brought out my phone to check my progress in the ongoing contest organized by Lunar Reigns, a fashion hub that upholds influencing and content creation. "Yes!" My fingers folded into a fist and I punched the air in excitement. My views had reached ten thousand and I was at top of the list of contestants. Or so I thought. "What is this? Why is Evangeline trending?" My brows furrowed in confusion, my stomach churning in panic. Evangeline's always trending, but this was different. There were hash tags of her name alongside the contest's tag. #EvangelineSinclair #VoteFastRisingInfluencer #EvagelineForTheWin Why was she trending in a contest she wasn't participating in? Was that even possible? Just then my bestie, Miley, called my name. "Winter" Miley shouted from where she stood, at the door. "What is it?" I questioned, my voice was grumpy and filled with a fast rising frustration. "This isn't good" She said as she trudged through the desks to meet me. "Can you stop being dramatic and spill already?" I blurted out. "You won't believe who just joined the contest" My eyes darkened when she said that, I didn't need a sooth sayer to tell me what was going on. Evangeline had used the perk of being a rich spoilt brat again. How could she join a contest strictly meant for 'RISING INFLUENCERS' when she was popular than all the eligible contestants put together? Didn't she read the rules or what? "Where is she?" I sprung to my feet, my eyes intense and thirsty for blood. I was ready to punch the living day light out of her sly bitchy ass. She purposely joined the contest to ensure I don't win. "At the roof top making out with Derek" One of the students who had been eavesdropping on our conversation answered. I shove my phone in my bag and slid it around my shoulder before storming out of the room. "Winter, where are you going?" "To put that she-devil in her place" I retorted. "No" Miley jumped in front of me, "You'll be risking your scholarship and chances of ever getting into any prestigious school ever again !" "Who cares! I can't let this bitch ruin me for good!" I fired irritably, "You know how much winning that contest means to me. I need to get Jeremiah out of that hell" "I know" Miley stressed, "And I have done some work for you to win. Just give it time, you'll be impressed with the result" "You are talking gibberish just to stop from confronting that bitch.But trust me, I'm not falling for your tricks" "What bitch are we confronting?" Evangeline blocked me outside the door. She wasn't alone. She was holding hands with Derek, the guy I used to date in first year, while her minions, Samantha, Heidi and Lori, provocatively chewed gum behind them. I froze once I saw her, my whole being always stiffen at the sight of her. There was something about the way she sizes people with her lethargic siren eyes, like they were nothing but a piece of trash. On seeing Evangeline the crowd began to double, engulfing us in a circle with their phones in hand. Ready to record internet-worthy moments. "You were saying something" Evangeline flipped the strand of brown hair in my face, "Did a cat suddenly bite your tongue ?" My fists folded on my sides, the strong urge to stand up for myself coursed through me but the fear was stronger. "Speak, little wench!" She smacked my cheek. "You can't put your hands on her like that!" Miley stepped in between us. "Or what?" "Or we'll take the matter to the police" I didn't realize when I blurted that. Evangeline face a cynical laugh and the crowd joined in. It made me feel very little and stupid. "You'll never win that contest. It doesn't matter if I participate in it or not?" She leaned in to whisper, sending a cold shiver down my spine. Tears stung at the corners of my eyes. I bit my lower lip to suppress the rage seething inside me. For a whole year I had to bottle up the hurt and humiliation the she devil in front of me has put me through, but all of it would have to come to an end, today. "Anticipate your loss, loser" She tapped me on the shoulder and turned to leave. Derek glanced at me with a smug smile on his lips as he trudged along with her. "You'll not win!" I shouted out as loud as I could. The crowd gasped. She turned to look at me, surprise evident in her icy blue eyes. "What did you say?" She walked back to where I stood in a slow threatening motion. I gulped noisily, "I said you will not win" I repeated the words in a shaky yet clear tone. Miley tugged at my baggy jeans to keep quiet but I didn't budge. With a calm expression she turned to Derek and asked, "Are you going to stand there and watch your Ex insult me?" "Watch what you say to my girlfriend" Derek warned, stepping forward to shield Evangeline, something he never did for me every time she made my life hell. "Stay out of girls' business, you sassy puppet" I mumbled under my breath. Derek's hand landed on my face in a flash, causing a dark cloud to hover my vision for a moment. "It's not my fault I couldn't fall for you even after you offered your cheap body" Derek spat and everyone gasped, followed by numerous whispers "How dare you tell such ridiculous lie?" Miley jumped in to defend me. "Shut up! I wasn't talking to you" His tall frame towered both of us and she cowered in defeat. "Tell them" Derek smirked, "Did you not try to stop me from being with Evangeline by selling yourself cheap to me?" I shuddered, walking backwards with every step he took towards me. "Answer me!" He fired and I folded. "Stop it!" Miley tried to intervene"You are scaring her" "Winter, are you okay?" She took my hand in hers. "I should teach you a little lesson" Evangeline said and nodded at Derek. In response to whatever telepathy that ensued between him and Evangeline, Derek brought out his phone. With a big smile dancing on his lips he unlocked it and flipped through it. Not long after he scrolled through his phone every other person's phone beeped. "What is going?" I asked in a teary tone when I started getting looks of disgust when they all looked from their phones to my face. "Oh my God!" "Is that really her?" "Her tits are bigger than they look" A guy looked at my chest then back to his phone repeatedly. "I'm going to jerk off to this tonight" A boy sniggered while fondling his crotch. "Nothing special, just saggy boobs" A girl rolled her eyes. "Woah, she even shaved" "You despicable piece of shit!" I spat between gritted teeth before dashing out of hallway. "Winter!" I heard Miley call out my name, but I'd be damned if I stopped. Without looking back I ran out of the school, down to the pavement and eventually the main road. A car by the road side pulled up to me, "Need a ride, Ma'am?" The driver asked. "Yes please" I sniffled, snoot blocking my nostrils. "Get in" I opened the back door and there was a man in black suit seated at the back. I was snapped back to reality as soon as I saw the grimace on his face. I made to back out, but it was too late. He yanked me into the car and shut the door. My attempt at screaming was stopped with an hanky to my nose. All I could to at that moment was kick and struggle, even that slowly ended when I succumbed to the strong effect of whatever was in that piece of fabric.