Chapter 3: Becoming the Villain

Coming back to myself, I let go of Rachel. She collapsed onto the floor, gasping for air, mascara streaked in messy rivers down her cheeks, her innocent act ruined by grime and toilet water. A jagged laugh ripped out of me, echoing in the empty bathroom.

"Go on, cry for the crowd—take that face and tell the world I bullied you. Let’s see how far it gets you this time!"

Was this what power felt like? For a heartbeat, I almost pitied her—almost. But the memory of burning acid chased any softness away. I stomped her face with my designer sneakers, twice for good measure, before spinning on my heel and strutting out.

Downstairs, Sarah waited by the vending machines, tapping her foot like she owned the place. "PE started forever ago. Coach is gonna make us run extra laps. What the hell were you doing?"

I shrugged, fishing a dollar from my pocket for a Coke. "Oh, just bullying the new kid."

She did a double-take, nearly dropping her Gatorade. "Excuse me—what?!"

"Mark Twain said, when everyone calls you a bully, you might as well give them what they want."

Sarah blinked. "Did Mark Twain…really say that?"

"That’s not important."

We headed out to the field, sneakers crunching on the grass, and ran right into Tyler—my so-called childhood sweetheart. He wasn’t in my class, but everyone at Westfield Prep knew we were supposed to be the golden couple.

Tyler’s eyes flicked over me, then shifted, all casual, to the space behind. "Maddie, why are you late? Coach Martinez is already on a warpath. Oh, and I heard there’s a new transfer in your class?"

In my last life, every time Rachel accused me, Tyler forced me to apologize to "smooth things over." He always seemed to be on my side, but really, he was just confirming the rumors.

Remembering, I snapped. I raised my hand and slapped him, the sound sharp enough to turn heads across the field.

Sarah gasped, her bottle clattering to the ground. Tyler barely flinched—his eyes just went cold, shark-like. Then he leaned in, all mock intimacy, his breath hot at my ear. "What’s wrong, Maddie? PMS? Bad day?"