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The basketball court was eerily quiet. The orange glow of the late afternoon sun spilled through the high windows, painting long shadows across the polished floor. Gabriella stepped in, her heels echoing softly against the wood. There was no one else—only her and the faint echo of emptiness.
Her gaze fell on a lone basketball rolling lazily near her feet. She pressed the tip of her shoe against it, then bent down and picked it up. As she turned the ball over in her hands, she froze. Scrawled faintly across the surface was a name:
J * K.
Her chest tightened. Jake.
Just then, the sharp sound of footsteps cut through the silence. Instinctively, Gabriella slipped her hand into the plaster sling she had been wearing, as if to mask her unease. Slowly, she turned.
Jake was standing at the entrance, his eyes cool and sharp.
"Aren't you gone home yet?" His tone was laced with suspicion. "Why are you still here?"
Gabriella raised a brow. "Are you following me? Why did you come here?" She smiled faintly, but her voice carried an edge.
Jake didn't answer. He closed the distance between them, his hand shooting out to snatch the ball from her grip. With practiced ease, he spun it effortlessly on a single finger.
"For this," he said simply.
Gabriella chuckled softly. "Oh… so you're the one who threw the basketball at Harry. Unbelievable." She leaned closer, teasing. "Or maybe… you're interested in me?"
Jake's lips curved into a crooked smile. He rolled the spinning ball from his finger onto hers. Gabriella instinctively tried to pull away, but his firm grip forced her hand to remain steady.
"Don't move," he whispered, his breath brushing her ear, deep and husky. "It'll fall."
Gabriella's eyes widened in shock. The ball continued spinning smoothly on her finger, as though enchanted.
Jake leaned even closer, his voice a low murmur. "No… I usually keep what I want with me. And I make sure they obey me. Whether it's a person… or a pet. Like you're obeying now."
Her lips trembled. Anger flared in her chest. She bit her lip hard and glared at him.
"But if I want," she said sharply, "I can throw this ball away. Because it's under my control. No one controls me."
She flicked the ball off her finger and hurled it at him. Jake caught it effortlessly, his smirk never fading.
"Nice try," he said smoothly.
Gabriella smirked back, then turned as if to leave.
"Next time," Jake's voice rang louder, echoing across the court, "lie smoothly. Otherwise, you'll get caught."
Her hand instinctively brushed the plastered arm. Does he know… I'm faking this injury?
In a flash, Jake was beside her. His fingers brushed her cheek with lightning speed, leaving her startled.
"What rubbish are you doing?" she hissed.
Jake only smiled. "Your lip tint," he said coolly. "It gave you away. You lied."
Gabriella stiffened, her breath caught in her throat. For the first time, his smirk faded, his eyes darkening with a warning.
"If I find out you're using my friends to take revenge," he said quietly, dangerously, "I won't spare you. Got it?"
He arched a brow, winked, and turned away.
Gabriella didn't move, her face frozen, her thoughts spinning. As his footsteps faded, her smile returned, dark and cruel.
"I won't use them anymore," she whispered to herself. "Because… they are my next targets."
Her face hardened, shadows dancing across her features.
---
Night Club
The music pounded, lights flashing in colors that blurred into one another. Ronnie sat surrounded by laughing girls, his drink in hand. At the far end of the table, Jake sat alone, sipping silently, lost in thought.
Ronnie stumbled toward him, half-drunk but curious. "Bro, why are you upset?"
Jake shook his head. "Nothing."
Jake grinned, then leaned closer. "Hey… do you actually like that Gabriella?"
Ronnie's expression didn't change.
"Not at all," Ronnie replied with a careless laugh. "You know me better than anyone. Why would I be serious? I just like to play. When I get bored, I'll drop her."
Jake's jaw tightened, his teeth biting his lip. "She's not that easy to trap with your charm." He lit a cigarette, exhaling smoke slowly.
Ronnie smirked. "Then watch me. I'll trap her soon enough."
Jake's fingers tightened around his glass. He said nothing. But his mind was restless.
---
Hospital
The smell of antiseptic hung heavy in the air. Gabriella stepped into Lara's room, her expression softened for the first time that day.
"How is she?" she asked the doctor.
The doctor sighed. "She woke up briefly… for about ten seconds. Then fell unconscious again. But it's progress."
Lara's mother, sitting vigil at the bedside, looked up with weary, tear-stained eyes. "Thank you, dear. Because of your father's help, my daughter is still getting treatment. I don't know how to repay you."
Gabriella shook her head gently. "No, mother. She's my classmate. How could I leave her? Don't worry—she'll recover."
The woman hesitated, then whispered, "The police called me. They want to close the case… say it was just an accident." Her voice cracked as tears welled again. "But I know it wasn't. A girl saw the accident. She told the police someone was behind it. But then… she was suddenly transferred to another school. I can't reach her anymore."
Gabriella's heart froze. That girl… was me.
She bowed her head slightly. "Don't worry, mother. I'll help you. I won't let the real culprit go free."
The woman clasped her hands together gratefully.
After a moment, she excused herself to fetch medicine. Gabriella remained, standing over Lara's frail body.
"Who brought you to this state?" she whispered. "Who's behind this? It's not just bullying. It's bigger. They wanted something from you… that pen drive. Why? What's in it?"
Suddenly, Lara's fingers twitched.
Gabriella gasped. "Lara? Lara!"
Slowly, Lara's eyelids fluttered open. She stared weakly at Gabriella and whispered, "It's… evidence… the pen drive… it will trap the real culprit."
Gabriella's pulse raced. "Where is it?"
"I… dropped it…" Lara's lips trembled. "In Andria's pocket… when she came near me… after the accident."
Her voice faltered. She closed her eyes and slipped back into unconsciousness.
Gabriella's breath caught. "Andria…? In her pocket…?"
The nurse rushed in. Gabriella quickly explained Lara had woken up, then fainted again.
But Gabriella wasn't listening anymore. Her mind spun wildly. She clutched her skirt tightly, her eyes wide with realization.
"My pocket…" she whispered, a chill running down her spine.
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