Claudia's minions wanted to attack her but she stopped them.
"What about you, having no known or living mother? Poor woman. Someone has to take her place." The mean girls laughed mockingly.
Gabriela smiled.
"Do you want to join her? Paradise is a place you'd enjoy so much."
"Oh sorry. I forgot it's not for people like you."
Nadia and Sandra put on embarrassed looks, while Claudia fumed and boiled.
"Are you gonna fuck off or I say more?" Claudia stomped away in anger and her friends followed.
"Stand up." Gabriela went to the girl, who was crying profusely.
"Thank you so much, Gabriela Flores." She stood up.
"Can I hug you?"
"Of course." The girl hugged Gabriela tightly and she reciprocated. She wept bitterly.
"Its okay, sweetie. Why do you let them bully you?" Gabriela asked, breaking the hug.
"Its because I'm poor. I've only entered the school through their free education program. That's why everyone gives me contemptuous looks always. Even the Principal hated me in high school."
"So..that Principal is not the head here?"
"The college head is Mr. Frederick Thompson. He has been on an important trip since our final school year. So he asked the Principal to oversee both The White's College and The White's High School. That's why you thought The White's Academy didn't have a proper college head, hehe." The girl explained.
"Claudia and her friends has made school hell. I didn't even want to continue, but Mr. Frederick said I could. And now, he's not here to help me." She cried.
"I'm here now. And I won't let Claudia bully anyone else."
~~~~ GABRIELA'S APARTMENT ~~~
As she stepped into her penthouse apartment, Gabriela couldn't help but feel like she was living the high life. The spacious living room was decked out with sleek, modern furniture and floor-to-ceiling windows that offered a breathtaking view of the city skyline. She flopped down onto the plush sectional sofa, running her hands over the soft leather.Her friends, Isabella and Diana, walked over to the fully-stocked kitchen, their eyes scanning the high-end appliances and marble countertops.
"Damn, Gaby, your dad really splurged on this place," Isabella said, opening the refrigerator to reveal a stash of gourmet snacks and artisanal cheeses.
Gabriela grinned, feeling a little guilty about the luxurious setup.
"I know, right? He wanted me to have a comfortable place to focus on my studies while I'm at college." She gestured to the state-of-the-art entertainment system, complete with a massive 4K TV and soundbar.
"And, let's be real, he knows I love to entertain."Diana raised an eyebrow, snagging a sparkling water from the fridge.
"Entertain? You mean, like, throw lavish parties and invite the entire school?" Isabella chuckled, knowing Gabriela's love for hosting gatherings.
"And, hey, the apartment's soundproofing is top-notch, so we can get wild without worrying about noise complaints."
As they explored the apartment further, they discovered an enormous bedroom with an ensuite bathroom that rivaled a spa. The walk-in closet was larger than Gabriela's entire bedroom back home, and the en-suite bathroom featured a rainfall showerhead and heated floors.
Isabella turned to Gabriela, a sly grin spreading across her face.
"You know, this apartment is so fancy, I'm starting to think you're secretly a trust fund baby."
They all burst out laughing, and Gabriela playfully rolled her eyes.
"Hardly," Gabriela said with a chuckle.
"But, hey, a girl's gotta enjoy the perks of having a generous dad, right?"
"Indeed, a generous dad." She sounded sarcastic.
As they settled in for a movie night, surrounded by the opulent decor and cutting-edge tech, Diana snuggled up beside Gabriela on the couch.
"We're so lucky to have you as our own personal hostess, Gaby. This apartment is the ultimate hangout spot."Gabriela smiled, feeling happy to share her space with her friends.
"Anytime, girls. Now, let's get this movie night started!"
While they watched the romance movie and ate popcorn, Diana and Isabella were making eye contact, while Gabriela's eyes was fixed on the TV screen.
"Um, Gabriela, did you have anything to do with Miguel's wound on the basketball court?" Gabriela glared at Isabella.
"Why are you asking me about Miguel? I don't even know who he is."
"You don't? I'm talking about the guy that fell on the basketball court!" Isabella yelled.
"Yes, Gabriela. All fingers point at you."
"What fingers? I need to concentrate on this movie to understand it. Please!"
"Don't ignore the question." Gabriela rolled her eyes.
"Yeah...I had something to do with it. I threw the object on the basketball court." Isabella and Diana's eyes widened.
"What??"
"How could you, Gabriela?"
"I know you're silly but I never expected you to go this far!" Isabella yelled at her.
"Why are you making this a big deal?"
"It's a big deal, Gabriela! What if anyone in school found out or saw you throwing the object?"
"The guy was in so much pain because of you! You should apologize to him."
Gabriela didn't respond.
~~~~~
"Why do you take pleasure in hurting me?"
"Whatever happens to me, happens to you too. Because we are connected regardless of whatever creature you're born as."
"Whatever pain I feel, I want you to feel it too."
"That's not love."
"If I do that, we might just get closer."
~~~~~~~
Her phone rang.
"Come here Miss. Flores. Right now. Miss. Daniela is about to get kicked out of the house!"
The sound of the maid's voice shattered the thoughts of Gabriela's dream, and she jolted awake, her heart racing.
"I'm on my way."
She sat up in bed, disoriented, but the vivid images lingered. She threw off the covers and rushed out of her apartment, driven by a sense of urgency. Her drivers were nowhere to be found so she hailed a taxi and gave the driver her father's mansion address.
As she arrived, she burst through the front door, her eyes scanning the hallway frantically. Her ears picked up Daniela's terrified screams, and she followed the sound. In the living room, she found chaos. Maids were roughly handling Daniela, trying to drag her away.
"DANIELA!" Gabriela screamed, sprinting towards her sister.
But the staff caught her, holding her back. Gabriela struggled against their grip, her eyes fixed on the scene unfolding before her. Her father, Mr. Alejandro, stood tall, his voice thundering with cruel words.
"You're not my real daughter! You've overstayed your welcome!"
Daniela sobbed, pleading with their father, but he was unmoved. Other maids were throwing her belongings into a moving truck outside. "Take her away!" Mr. Alejandro bellowed.
"The reason for her stay here has been dead for long now, and she's been enjoying undeserved privileges!"
Gabriela broke free momentarily and lunged at her father, but the staff restrained her again. She demanded,
"Why are you doing this? Where are you taking her?" Mr. Alejandro's expression was cold.
"You need to learn to live without her. I don't care where she goes, but she can't stay here. My new wife and daughter don't need to see someone else's child in the house."
As the maids dragged Daniela closer to the door, Gabriela's heart shattered, watching until Daniela was out of sight. Gabriela thrashed against the staff, yelling at her father,
"You're cruel! How could you do this to Daniela? How could you do this to Mom? You claim to love her so much, but you treat her daughter like this? Wow! I hate you."
But Mr. Alejandro's face twisted in anger. "Get out! Return to your college apartment!"
Gabriela stormed out of the house, tears streaming down her face. She felt lost and helpless, her heart breaking for her sister.
~~~~~ THE WHITE'S ACADEMY ~~~~~
Gabriela tried to conceal her tears.
When she entered the school's building, she waved at the students that said hi to her, with a fake smile.
"Gabriela. We didn't find you. Were you at your dad's place?" Isabella asked.
"Are you crying?" Gabriela nodded. She pulled Isabella to the female restroom and closed the door.
She burst into loud tears.
"Gabriela! What's the issue?"
"Tell me about it!"
"Daniela was kicked out of the house this morning!" She said.
"What?" Isabella's eyes widened.
"How will she find her way around? She's just a high school student in her final year. Who's gonna pay her tuition? Who?!" Gabriela cried.
"It's okay, Gabriela."
"I don't know where she is, I don't know what she's doing, I don't know how she's feeling .. he just kicked her out."
"Gabriela. We'll get some information about her later but for now, you have to get yourself together. No one can see you this way."
"Dad is doing this all because of Claudia and her mother. They'll pay."
~~~~~ AUDITORIUM ~~~~~
The auditorium was abuzz with excitement as the Head of the College, Mr. Frederick Thompson, stepped up to the microphone.
Cameras from various news outlets and the college's own media team captured every moment of his return speech after an important trip. The students applauded warmly, eager to hear about his experiences and insights.
As Mr. Thompson concluded his speech, he turned the floor over to one of the esteemed professors, Miss Jennie, who was Claudia's mom. The students erupted into applause once more, this time in honor of their professor.
Miss Jennie smiled graciously, her eyes shining with appreciation, as she prepared to give her own speech.
She began to rise from her chair, her notes in hand, but her movement was abruptly halted. A sticky strand of bubble gum had attached itself to the underside of her skirt, gluing it to the chair.
The students' laughter burst forth like a dam breaking, echoing through the auditorium. The cameras, still rolling, captured every mortifying moment.
Miss Jennie's face turned beet red with rage and embarrassment. Her voice cut through the laughter, sharp as a whip.
"WHO DID THIS?!" she demanded, her eyes scanning the sea of students. The room fell silent, with students exchanging nervous glances, each hoping the culprit wasn't someone they knew.
Miss Jennie's dignity was wounded, and she couldn't bear the humiliation, especially with the cameras still recording and the visiting board members looking on.
With as much composure as she could muster, she carefully extracted herself from the chair, trying not to make the situation worse.
However, the damage was done. She strode out of the auditorium, her head held high in an attempt to salvage her pride, but her embarrassment was palpable.
As the door closed behind her, the students' laughter finally began to subside, though whispers and snickers continued to circulate through the crowd. Mr. Thompson, caught off guard by the unexpected turn of events, cleared his throat and attempted to steer the program back on track.
"Well, let's... uh... proceed with the rest of the program, shall we?" The students applauded politely, still grinning from ear to ear, as the cameras continued to roll, capturing the awkward aftermath of the unexpected incident.
About an hour later, the talk ended, and the students began to leave. Some stayed back, laughing about the embarrassing moment.
"Why do I have a feeling that you did it?" Gabriela looked next to her and her heart nearly flew out of her chest when she saw Miguel.
"You...you look so familiar. Oh.. you're the guy with the injured leg. Why are you sitting next to me? I expect you to be hooked to the school nurse." Miguel chuckled.
"Don't change the topic. Did you put the bubblegum on her seat?"
"What makes you think so?"
"You laughed the loudest. Your eyes twinkled." She could feel his powerful stare.
"Everyone's eyes twinkled at the scene."
"But I felt yours more. You did it!" Gabriela tried to avoid eye contact.
"Yes, I did it, what are you gonna do about it?"
"I'm telling."
"Tell. I don't fucking care." She said frankly.
"Actually, this scene made my day. The bubblegum idea was good enough to show her that the person she's about to get married to will be the greatest mistake she'll ever make." Gabriela smirked.
"Is that your problem with her?"
"Yup." Gabriela got up and walked out of the auditorium.
She knew why he was following.
"Um...Back to your wound at the basketball court... I threw the object on the basketball court." Miguel's eyes flashed with anger for a second.
"What?" He roared.
"Calm down...listen..." He tried to keep his cool.
"I did it for a reason.
"You called me a hippo! I had to do something to make you pay." Gabriela told him with confidence.
His lips quivered in anger, trying not to clench his fist.
"Do you know what you did? You ruined our chances of joining the sports' festival basketball match. Daniel's team will go instead! Gabriela, how could you just join a school and you're already doing stupid things without knowing the effect it has on others, huh? What's your problem?!" He growled. She just rolled her eyes.
"My problem is you. You insulted me. You body-shamed me. And its my way of taking revenge."
"The White's Academy is so strange, though. How could you call someone as beautiful, curvy and sexy as me a hippo? If you disregard this body type, your girlfriend must be a stick candy."
He was fuming.
"I see you love sports. Please suggest some sports teams I can join. I'm interested. If I'm lucky, I can join that sports' festival instead."
"Bye, I'll see you later. I wish you hell." She waved and smirked, walking away from him with a sashay.
"Does she think she's my family's heiress or something? This thing has gotten into her head and I'll take it out."