Emma felt the stares before she even stepped foot into the school building. Whispers buzzed through the hallways like angry bees, and every time she caught a snippet, her stomach twisted tighter.
“Did you hear? She got drunk and threw herself at Jake Matthews.”
“Little Miss Virgin on a Rampage—classic.”
“She’s just desperate for attention. It’s so embarrassing.”
Emma gripped the strap of her backpack, her fingers trembling. The words stung like slaps. The rumors weren’t just about the party anymore—they’d grown into something uglier, more humiliating.
As she approached her locker, a loud laugh rang out from behind her. She didn’t have to turn around to know who it was.
Victoria Sterling leaned against the lockers, her manicured nails tapping against the metal. Her blonde hair was perfectly styled, and her smile was sharp enough to cut.
“Hey, Emma,” Victoria called, her voice sweet but dripping with mockery. “How’s the rampage going? Any plans to finish the list today? Or are you saving that for another party?”
Emma clenched her jaw, refusing to respond. She shoved her books into her locker, her hands shaking.
“Aw, don’t be shy,” Victoria continued, her minions giggling behind her. “Everyone’s rooting for you. Especially Jake. Right, Jake?”
Emma’s heart dropped as Jake Matthews walked past, glancing at her with an awkward smile. He didn’t defend her. He didn’t even stop.
The laughter behind her grew louder.
“Emma, you have to stop letting them get to you.” Katie’s voice was firm, but her tone had a hint of desperation.
Emma stared straight ahead as they walked to class, her shoulders tense. “That’s easy for you to say. They’re not calling you a rampaging virgin.”
Katie winced. “It’s just gossip. People will move on eventually.”
“Eventually,” Emma muttered bitterly. “That’s comforting.”
Katie grabbed her arm, forcing her to stop. “I’m serious, Emma. Don’t let Victoria win. She wants you to break down.”
Emma opened her mouth to respond, but her attention snagged on something behind Katie.
In the courtyard, Katie was standing suspiciously close to Victoria, her head bowed. Victoria’s expression was smug, and the two of them were deep in conversation.
“What the hell?” Emma whispered, her stomach twisting.
“What?” Katie asked, following her gaze.
Emma’s voice came out sharper than she intended. “Why are you talking to her?”
Katie’s face paled. “I wasn’t—I mean, it’s not what it looks like.”
Emma took a step back, shaking her head. “It looks like you’re cozying up to the person who’s ruining my life.”
“Emma, I wasn’t—” Katie started, but Emma didn’t stick around to hear her excuses.
By lunchtime, the whispers were louder than ever, and Emma had reached her limit. She grabbed her tray and made her way to an empty corner of the cafeteria, hoping to disappear.
She didn’t make it.
“Emma! Over here!”
Her heart sank as Jake Matthews stood up on one of the cafeteria tables, waving to her like she was his best friend. Every head in the room turned.
“Jake, what are you doing?” she hissed, frozen in place.
Jake grinned, his voice loud enough to echo. “I heard about your list, and I figured I’d help you out. You’ve got ‘Kiss someone unexpected,’ right? Well, here I am.”
Laughter rippled through the room. Emma felt her cheeks burn, her throat tightening.
“I’m not doing this,” she said, her voice barely audible.
Jake jumped off the table and walked over to her, his smile still annoyingly charming. “Come on, Emma. It’s no big deal. Just one little kiss, and we’ll call it even.”
“No,” she snapped, stepping back.
Jake raised an eyebrow. “What’s the problem? It’s just for fun.”
Emma’s hands curled into fists. “The problem is I don’t want to.”
The cafeteria fell silent. Jake’s smile faltered, and Emma could feel the weight of everyone’s eyes on her. Without another word, she turned and stormed out, her heart pounding so hard it hurt.
She didn’t get far.
“Williams.”
Emma froze in the empty hallway, turning to see Liam Carter leaning against the wall, his arms crossed. His dark eyes gleamed with amusement.
“What do you want?” she snapped, wiping at her eyes.
Liam pushed off the wall, walking toward her with that lazy confidence that drove her crazy. “Saw what happened back there. That was… brutal.”
“Thanks for reminding me,” Emma muttered, crossing her arms. “You here to make it worse?”
“No,” Liam said, stopping a few feet away. “I’m here to make it better.”
Emma raised an eyebrow. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Liam smirked. “You’ve got a dare to kiss someone unexpected, right?”
Her stomach dropped. “Liam, don’t—”
“I’m just saying,” he interrupted, leaning closer. “If you’re gonna do it, do it with someone who won’t turn it into a joke.”
Emma stared at him, her pulse racing. “Why do you care?”
His smirk softened into something almost sincere. “Because you’re not like them. And I don’t like seeing you let people like Jake win.”
The air between them felt charged, like a rubber band stretched too tight. Before she could think it through, Emma blurted, “Fine.”
“Fine what?”
“Kiss me,” she said, her voice shaky but determined.
Liam’s eyebrows shot up, but he didn’t back away. “You sure?”
“Just do it before I change my mind.”
He tilted his head, his smirk returning. “Okay.”
And then he kissed her.
It wasn’t soft or slow—it was quick, impulsive, and electrifying. When they pulled apart, Emma’s heart was pounding so loudly she thought he could hear it.
Liam grinned. “Well, that was unexpected.”
Emma’s face burned, and she turned to walk away, but she could already hear the whispers starting again.
By the time she got to class, the rumors had spread.
“Emma kissed Liam Carter!”
“They’re totally a thing.”
Victoria’s furious voice cut through it all. “Oh, she’s going to regret this.”