After everything, I felt like it was going to be alright. I was still scared, but being safe with someone made me feel reassured, like maybe I could breathe again. Though, being the son of a wealthy family, that feeling never lasted for long.
Both Charlie and I are wealthy, but we don't act like it. We're casual, not the extravagant type. Sometimes we walk a few blocks before getting picked up by the drivers. Everything about us just clicked, and I don't want to lose him even though I'm scared of what the world might think if anything about us gets out.
He's my first love, and I really love him. Sometimes I wonder if I ever imagined my first love would be a guy. It still feels like I'm in a movie. At home, I try to keep everything cool so no one will suspect a thing about me. The truth is, there's not really anyone around to suspect anyway my brother is out of the country, my sister is wrapped up in her university life, and my parents are the busiest of busy bees. So in a way, I'm practically living alone with just the staff.
Present day.......
I was dropped at school by my driver, and Charlie was already waiting for me, as usual. We walked to class together, and everything was going fine until a guy named Mumeen came over and started calling me names. The words got under my skin, and before I could stop myself, I snapped and slapped him across the face.
He froze in shock for a moment before shoving me back.
Before I could react, Charlie stepped in, and suddenly they were pushing at each other, voices rising. The commotion grew until the teachers rushed over and pulled them apart, the whole class staring in stunned silence. The teachers' voices cut through the chaos like thunder, dragging us apart. Charlie was still seething, his chest heaving as the teacher shoved him back, while Mumeen spat curses from the other side of the room.
What is wrong with you boys? one of the teachers barked. Have you lost your minds?
The class was dead silent. Every eye was on us. My cheek still throbbed from Mumeen's punch, and my palm burned from the slap I'd landed first. But the worst sting was the stares.
I could already feel it the whispers, the rumors that would explode out of this moment. Why did Coral snap? Why did Charlie jump in so quickly? Why did they fight like it was personal?
I wanted to shout that it wasn't what they thought, that it was just anger, just pride. But deep down, I knew this was exactly the kind of attention I had been afraid of all along.
The teacher's glare settled on me. Principal's office. Now.
The words rang in my ears like a sentence. My legs felt heavy as I gathered my bag, the weight of every stare following me down the aisle. Charlie moved too, refusing to stay behind, even though no one had called his name. The teacher's sharp look didn't stop him.
We walked side by side through the silent hallway. My heartbeat drummed against my ribs, my throat dry. I didn't dare look at Charlie, but just knowing he was there made it bearable. His presence was like an anchor, steadying me against the storm I knew was coming.
Behind us, the murmur of voices started up again, a wave of whispers we couldn't stop.
By the time we reached the office door, my hands were clammy. I had faced worse things in my life, but somehow this possibility of being seen too clearly felt like it could undo everything.
As we walked to the principal's office, the hallway buzzed with whispers. My ears burned, but one voice cut through the rest a girl's, sharp and loud enough for me to catch every word.
I think it's true. Maybe they're dating. Only if you had seen the way Charlie rose to defend him like a boyfriend protecting his wife from being beaten up."
The words hit harder than Mumeen's punch. My stomach twisted, my steps faltered, but I forced myself to keep moving. Pretend you didn't hear it. Pretend it means nothing. But deep down, I knew the damage had already begun.
I dared a glance at Charlie. His jaw was set, eyes fixed straight ahead, like he hadn't heard. But I knew him too well. The way his fists tightened at his sides, the way his shoulders stiffened he'd heard every word.
Neither of us spoke. We didn't need to. The silence between us said everything that this was the moment we had always feared, the moment whispers started turning into stories.
When we reached the principal's office, a teacher pushed the door open and motioned us inside. The room smelled faintly of old paper and furniture polish, a place where trouble always seemed to end.
The principal looked up from his desk, eyes narrowing as he took us in. "Sit." His voice carried the weight of final judgment.
I sank into the chair, my heart still racing. Charlie sat beside me, shoulders squared, as if he was daring the whole world to come at us.
And for the first time, I realized it wasn't just the fight we were about to be punished for—it was the rumors that might never stop following us after this.
The principal leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping slowly against the desk as his gaze moved between Charlie, Mumeen, and me.
"So," he began, his voice calm but heavy, "do either of you want to explain why I had to be dragged out of a meeting today because of a classroom brawl?"
Silence. No one spoke. The tick of the old wall clock filled the room, each second hammering at my nerves.
Mumeen shifted in his chair, muttering, "He slapped me first."
The principal's eyes narrowed. "And you thought punching him back was the best way to handle it?"
Mumeen shrugged, clearly unbothered.
The principal turned to me. "Coral?"
My throat felt dry. I wanted to tell him the truth—that I had snapped because I couldn't stand hearing one more insult, one more name meant to tear me down. But the truth tangled with another fear—the whispers I had overheard, the rumors that would spread if I said too much.
Before I could answer, Charlie spoke. His voice was low but firm. "It wasn't Coral's fault. He was provoked."
The principal's gaze shifted to Charlie, studying him carefully. "Provoked or not, violence is never acceptable. And you, Charlie, why did you involve yourself?"
"Because he's my friend," Charlie shot back without hesitation.
The word friend hung in the air, heavy and deliberate. I glanced sideways at him, and for the first time all day, a small spark of warmth cut through the fear.
But the principal didn't look convinced. His eyes lingered on Charlie, then flicked back to me, as though he could see right through us.
The principal folded his hands on the desk, leaning forward. His eyes bored into us, quiet but unrelenting.
"Friendship doesn't excuse fighting," he said slowly. "You're both good students, yet here we are. Do you realize the example you're setting?"
Charlie didn't flinch. "With all due respect, sir, the example was set when someone thought it was okay to insult Coral in front of everyone."
Mumeen scoffed loudly, earning a sharp glare from the teacher standing by the door.
The principal sighed, rubbing his temples. "Names, insults, pride — none of that justifies this chaos. Coral, what do you have to say for yourself?"
My palms felt clammy against my knees. I wanted to speak, but every word I considered felt like it would betray me. Should I admit I snapped? Should I let the world think I was weak, hot-tempered? Or worse — should I risk them connecting the dots between me and Charlie?
"I…" My voice cracked. I swallowed hard and tried again. "I lost my temper, sir. It won't happen again."
The principal studied me for a long moment, then shifted back to Charlie. "And you? Are you in the business of throwing punches now?"
Charlie's jaw tightened. "I was protecting him. That's all."
There it was again — that heavy word. Protecting. My heart raced, because anyone listening closely enough could hear the weight behind it. The way he said it wasn't casual. It wasn't just friendly.
The principal leaned back, his chair creaking. He didn't press further, but his expression made my stomach churn. Did he see through us? Or was I just imagining it, letting fear twist every glance into suspicion?
Finally, the principal spoke. "You'll both serve detention for a week. No excuses, no complaints. And Mumeen—" his gaze shifted, sharp, "—you'll be joining them. This school has no place for petty fights."
Mumeen groaned under his breath, but I barely heard it. All I could focus on was the principal's lingering look — one that seemed to say he hadn't gotten all the answers he wanted.
As his words settled in, another dread washed over me. Detention was bad enough, but what terrified me more was the thought of our parents finding out. My father, strict and calculating, would never accept hearing that his son was brawling in school. And Charlie's parents, with their cold expectations and perfect-image standards, would be no different.
Our parents weren't just wealthy they held high standards in the school itself. Their names carried weight in every corner of the building, their donations funded programs, and their reputations commanded respect. One word from the principal and it wouldn't just be our families who knew; it would be everyone, whispered from staffroom to classroom, that Coral and Charlie had failed to meet the golden standards set for them.
I glanced at Charlie, and from the tight set of his jaw I knew he was thinking the same thing. We were both in trouble—but not just here, not just now. If this reached home, it would be war.