Chapter 2

“Sierra!”

Archie’s rage boiled over at the sight of Tommy’s kiss with Sierra, his voice echoing through the tense air. “Take your hands off her, Tommy! We need to talk.”

Tommy’s grin widened, a mocking glint in his eyes. “You really don’t take a hint, do you, Archie? Your girlfriend doesn’t want you.”

Archie turned to his girlfriend. She fluttered her manicured fingers at him. “Hi Archie”

“Sierra, we need to talk.” His voice cracked with desperation. 

Sierra tilted her head, her glossy lips curling into a patronizing smile. “Not with your broke ass,” she scoffed, her disgust evident in her lowered lashes.

Tommy saw the look on Archie’s face and it fed his satisfaction. “Yikes, now isn’t this painful to watch” He hopped to his feet and pranced towards him. 

He stretched out his arms, forming a makeshift camera frame with his fingers and one eye closed, then gestured towards the camera guy. “Hey, Elliot, looks like you’re missing out on some Hollywood shit!”

Ignoring Tommy’s taunts, Archie confronted Sierra. “Then why did you get with me in the first place?” His voice gradually rises as his veins bulge from his neck. “And now, you’re acting up like you weren’t crying in my arms the other night, telling me that no one understood you like I did.”

Archie’s accusation hung heavy in the air. Tommy stopped dead in his tracks, his jaw tightened.

Sierra’s face flushed with embarrassment and anger as she lashed out. “You liar, I would never let someone as repulsive as you touch me!” Then she steadied her breath and lifted her chin. “I was just playing with you because you were so poor and vulnerable, quite easy to manipulate.”

Archie’s fists clenched until his knuckle grew white. The camera zoomed in to capture his reaction and a growing crowd encircled him. “Take that back, Sierra”

But the pompous blondie rolled her eyes ignorantly and pulled out a lip gloss instead.

“Take yourself off that high pedestal, Marlow.” Tommy’s voice sliced through the crowd. “You are worthless in this school, nothing but a pauper. You don’t even have the finances or reputation, so what made you think you could ever pull a chic like sierra.”

Archie said nothing, meaningless fights like this weren't worth losing his scholarship either. He turned away to leave but his eyes spotted his friends in the crowd.

They all stood there, watching him but not intervening. Max had even pulled out a camera, recording his friend’s humiliation. Archie’s heart dropped to his stomach.

Tommy chuckled and shook his head with feign pity. “You see that’s the problem with posers like you. Always trying to worm your way into places you don’t belong” he jeered, his tone laced with disdain. 

Archie was seething with anger. But before he could make a move, Tommy pushed him hard, causing him to fall and sprain his wrist. 

Tommy flashed him a devilish grin, his ego inflated by the audience. “Just the way your parents begged for your scholarship.”

In a blind rage, Archie launched himself at Tommy, pounding his fists relentlessly into his flesh. Blood trickled down his nose.

“Hey, that’s enough!” A stern voice echoed through the air and the crowd scattered from the vicinity. The guards separated Archie from his battered opponent but he fought against their grasp with the desire to get more revenge.

Tommy coughed violently and folded to his side. 

“Mr Marlow?” The dean spoke, his tone more questioning than he intended as he encountered the least suspected person involved in this commotion. Then with a stern voice he yelled. “Both of you, to my office now!”

As Tommy sat before the dean, his once confident demeanor was replaced by a battered and bruised appearance. His lip was split and one of his eyes was swollen shut. Despite his injuries, he maintained a defiant posture.

Archie’s attempts to speak were continually thwarted as the dean signaled for Tommy to speak first.

Tommy, his voice trembling with feigned timidity, responded at once. “I was just minding my own business, Mr Thompson, when Archie came out of nowhere and attacked me,” he stuttered, his gaze shifting uneasily.

“Are you kidding me! How does that even make sense-”

But he was silenced by a stern glare from the dean. Tommy, sensing victory, exchanged a smug glance with Archie.

Archie’s frustration mounted, but he took a deep breath and spoke coolly. “Why don’t we check the camera then?”

Tommy’s face went pale instantly when he saw the camera that Archie was able to snatch from the scene. “What nonsense is this? He’s obviously just trying to set me up.”

The dean ignored Tommy and reached out for the camera. With a neutral expression, he examined the camera before sliding it under his desk, out of sight. “Thank you, Archie. Anything else?”

“What do you mean? I just showed you the camera.”

“What camera?” 

“The...” Archie’s voice trailed off as he studied the expression on the Dean’s face.

Then the realization dawned on him. Tommy was the son of Edward Manchester— the mayor.

This was barely even a debate at this point, his status had ensured that the outcome was predetermined.

Archie’s fists clenched with frustration as Tommy stifled a laugh behind a cough.

He breathed a sigh, “If I get in trouble, it’ll jeopardize my scholarship,” he muttered, his tone tinged with resignation. “I’m willing to face any punishment, but please secure my scholarship.”

But the dean’s response was cold and indifferent. “Don’t worry about your scholarship, Mr. Marlow,” he declared, motioning to the security guards waiting outside. 

“Pack his things and hand him over to the authorities.”