"Yes. I'm a virgin," she replied, clear and proud.
For a split second, everything went quiet. Then, loud gasps rippled through the circle. A few students exchanged stunned looks, others bursted into incredulous laughter, and someone actually choked on their drink.
"What?"
"No way."
"Seriously?"
"You're a virgin?!! Seriously?!" a girl exclaimed. "What century are we living in? The 18th?!"
"This is so unbelievable!" another responded with a toss of her hair.
"I didn't know we still have Mary Poppins in this century!" one sneered.
Melanie's cheeks flushed a deep shade of red at their comments. Embarrassment knotted in her stomach.
Did I say something wrong?
She broke out in a sweat under the heavy stares of everyone. Why the cruel comments? Why the insults? Was it really so shocking—or worse, shameful—for a girl to be a virgin? She had no idea what was wrong with these students. She was a virgin. That wasn't something strange… right? Aren't some girls like her?
Questions swarmed her mind as whispers spread and eyes lingered on her in shock.
"Do you guys even… at least kiss on the lips or cheeks?" a girl asked, raising an eyebrow.
Melanie blinked at the sudden question, frozen.
"Uhhh… no… I-I mean… yes!" she stammered, forcing a smile, praying no one would notice her shaking voice.
"Do you guys even hug?" another asked.
"Um, sorry to invade your relationship, but… why haven't you guys slept with each other? Are you scared or something?"
Melanie felt her stomach twist. Hundreds of eyes pinned her down, demanding answers. Her fingers fidgeted with the edge of her sleeve as she stared at the ground, desperately wishing it would open up and swallow her whole.
"I-I don't know," she whispered.
Drexter leaned back, folding his arms. His gaze never left her.
"A virgin?" he repeated slowly, chuckling under his breath. "Wow."
His eyes flicked briefly to Noah, then back to her.
"That's… surprising," he said. "Considering that Noah sleeps with every living soul that has boobs and an ass."
He smirked, then turned to Noah with an arched brow. "Right, Noah?"
Melanie cursed the day she ever met this guy. How she wished he could magically disappear from her life.
She slowly turned to Noah, only to find his face darkened with anger. His eyes blazed, fixed purely on Drexter.
"Yo man, I thought you told us you've slept with your girl," Matthew said to Noah, confused.
"Yeah!" Philip nodded in agreement.
Melanie's eyes widened as she nearly choked on her own saliva. What?! Wait, wait… what the hell is going on?!!
Drexter threw back his head and laughed, loud and sharp, savoring every second of the chaos.
"Then, I guess he lied to y'all," he tsked.
A chorus of shocked gasps erupted from the students.
"Lied?!"
"I'm speechless."
"Why would he lie?!"
"Geez, this couple is complicated."
"Man, you have a girlfriend… a virgin?!" Jordan nearly screamed.
"Noah, come on, speak up! Why did you lie?!" Matthew shouted.
"Leave him. He won't talk. He's too ashamed to let everyone know he's dating an elementary-level virgin," Drexter mocked, a few students giggling.
Melanie's eyes narrowed into slits. "Hey! Watch your mouth!"
Noah's glare could have killed Drexter. Without a word, he stood abruptly and walked away.
Melanie rose too, shooting Drexter a final glare.
"Wait, are you leaving too? The party's just getting started. Way too early to leave," he said, lifting an eyebrow and smiling innocently, as if he hadn't just caused a riot a few minutes ago.
Melanie clenched her teeth and spat, "Fuck you!" before storming after Noah.
She bursted into the large hallway and finally spotted him.
"Noah?! Noah, please wait!" she shouted, breathless from running, but he didn't slow down.
Melanie ran faster and finally grabbed his sleeve.
He stopped abruptly, snapping toward her, eyes blazing with fury. Melanie shrank under his gaze.
"Noah, let's talk, okay—"
"THERE'S NOTHING TO TALK ABOUT!!" he roared, the sound echoing down the hallway.
Melanie blinked. "Why are you shouting at me? The person you're meant to shout at is at the party. It isn't my fault!" she said, raising her voice slightly.
Noah shoved her hand away from his sleeve and shouted louder.
"It is your fault. Your FUCKING fault!" He raked his hands through his hair, trembling with fury. "Who gave you the audacity to say the truth? Why did you say you're a virgin?! Whyyy, Melanie?!!!"
He grabbed her shoulders, his grip tight enough to make her wince.
"Noah, please… you're hurting me," she whispered.
He threw his head back and laughed, sharp and hollow. Then, suddenly, the laughter died, and his eyes bore into hers like daggers.
"Hurt?!" His voice shook with anger. "This pain you feel now is NOTHING compared to the embarrassment you've thrown on me, you fool!"
"I-I didn't embarrass you, Noah!" she said. "It was just a game… I had to say the truth."
"Truth?!!!" he yelled, making her flinch. "You could have lied, Melanie. Lied!!! Was it really that hard?" His grip dug into her shoulders.
Tears stung her eyes. "Noah, please… you're hurting me. Please…"
He gritted his teeth and finally released her. She sucked in a shaky breath and clutched her aching shoulders.
"Noah… how could you expect me to lie? I picked truth, it demanded that I speak honestly!" she cried.
"Well, see what you've caused!" he snapped. "Everyone knows now that I lied. That I never slept with you! Melanie… you've been here less than a week, and you've already caused this disaster. You've made a fool of me! I'm starting to regret your stay here!"
Each word struck like a blade, and her chest tightened. Tears began to blur her vision, and the lump in her throat made it hard to breathe.
Noah… calm down," she said softly. "Let's talk in a more civilized way, okay?"
"Shut the fuck up, Melanie!" he shouted. "I'm not talking. I told my friends we'd slept together. I expected you to have the sense to lie! To fucking lie!"
He reached for her again, gripping her shoulders, this time calmer, but no less demanding. His face softened slightly, but the anger in his eyes was still burning.
"Why don't you want me to touch you, Melanie? Why? I want you. And I know you want me too. So let me have you. Let me touch you. I promise it will be magical, the best version of a fairytale."
His hands moved down her waist, lower… but Melanie pulled back, shaking. She refused to meet his gaze, unable to look at him.
"N-Noah… I-I don't think I'm ready for this," she whispered, trembling.
His expression snapped. "You are never ready, Melanie! You're always not ready!" he shouted.
"Noah… please… don't force me. This relationship… it wasn't built on sex, was it?"
"No, it wasn't!" he snapped sharply. "But I deserve what's rightfully mine, Melanie. You. Are. Mine!"
He stared at her, and the weight of his gaze made her feel small, trapped, and shattered. She wouldn't look at him. That refusal only stoked the fire in him.
"FUCK YOU, Melanie!" he spat, shoving his middle finger in her face. "We're done. I can't be with you anymore. You embarrassed me. We're done!"
Her legs gave out, trembling under the shock of his words. She reached for him, desperate and pleading… but he shoved her hands away, hard.
"Don't touch me!" he growled before striding off, leaving her behind.
Tears fell freely, burning her cheeks.
"Noah… please… don't leave me…" she sobbed. "W-We can fix this… ple-please… Noah?! Noah?! Noah?! NOAH?!"
He didn't stop, and he didn't look back.
She kept calling until his figure disappeared completely.
Melanie sank to the ground, biting her lips, sobbing uncontrollably.
I didn't embarrass him… right? I only said the truth… that's all I did…
With trembling legs, she rushed outside the building.
The cool night air brushed against her skin, and the dazzling night sky stretched above her, but she couldn't see its beauty through her tears.
She was grateful the party was held on school premises. If it had been outside, she didn't know how she would have found her way back to the girls' dormitory.
After a few minutes, she reached her dorm room. She opened the door, only to find Ariana sound asleep and Chloe's bed empty. She gently closed the door, careful not to make a sound and wake Ariana.
Melanie collapsed onto her bed. She buried her face in her pillow and cried her heart out.
Noah always has a reason to blame me. It wasn't my fault. It wasn't my damn fault. It was… Drexter's fault.
Her teeth clenched as anger replaced her sorrow.
It was him. He ruined everything. He destroyed her relationship. He made Noah break up with her.
It was his damn, fucking fault.
Anger simmered inside her, dark and dangerous. She wished she had a knife, no, a dagger, to drive straight into his heart.
"Fool. Jerk. I hate him. Stupid!" she cursed, her voice breaking as she swore this wasn't the end.
He. Must. Pay!