FALLING IN LOVE WITH HIM - HER FIRST LOVE

It was so ridiculous because the culprit dared to appear betrayed and disappointed as if Evelyn had denied him the right, something she had promised to give him. Noel had called her out for acting all innocent. 

"Don't pretend like you don't want this. Aren't you and your friends all school sluts?" Noel had asked while trying to force a kiss. He had implied that she was too easy, and he had seen her kissing random boys all the time. 

The insult stung so harshly, but Evelyn was too shocked to reply. She didn't go kissing everyone as Noel assumed. She sometimes flirted with boys only to get Danny's attention and had kissed one or two boys to make him jealous. 

"He had the nerve to call me a slut," Evelyn uttered, gritting her teeth so hard, it hurt her jaw. "What's wrong if I kiss other boys willingly, Hera? It's my wish and no one else's business. It doesn't mean I'm easy and available," she enunciated, sounding too bitter. "That trash thought he had free access to my body," Evelyn said, and a teardrop escaped from both her eyelids. 

Hera was utterly dumbfounded and didn't know how to respond to that. She never thought Noel would do something so filthy. Hera assumed that he had involved himself in some harmless flirting with Bianca, and she had made an issue out of it to get attention from Hunter. 

When Hera looked at Eric, she found him kicking the imaginary stone in anger. She noticed his fingers clenching into fists inside his pockets. He had his back turned to them as if it troubled him to face it when Evelyn continued with her revelation. 

Evelyn was pretty, sweet and delicate like a fairy-tale princess. Hunter and his friends had always protected her as one would take care of a baby, showering with affection and attention. She was everyone's favourite. 

As per Hera's knowledge, Evelyn would never hurt a fly, and someone had dared to wound her soul by touching her against her will. Hera knew that feeling first-hand, thanks to one of her best friends Andrew. She could now understand why Hunter and his friends were so enraged at Noel. 

Thankfully for Evelyn's luck, her friends made it to the library at the right time and stopped Noel before he could taint Evelyn both physically and emotionally any further. 

It was Samantha, who saw it first and screamed, calling for the boys' attention. Everyone rushed when they heard the commotion at the deep end of the library. 

Hunter had pulled Noel away from Evelyn by his shirt collar and slammed him into one of the bookcases as soon as he saw the scene unfolding before his eyes. Michael and Danny didn't waste another second before joining Hunter. They had thrashed him, kicking him from every angle like a soccer ball until Noel managed to find an escape. 

"You know, Hera, when he freed himself from Ace's clutch and ran out of the library, he looked back over his shoulder and grinned. He had this crazy glint in his eyes as if he was waiting for it," Evelyn said, trying to imply something, and Hera knew. She could grasp the meaning behind Evelyn's words. 

Noel had admitted to Hera's face that it was all pre-planned. He did it to get back at Hunter and create misunderstandings between Hera and Hunter. However, now that Hera had learnt the whole story, she would never forgive Noel for what he did to Evelyn. It was a cheap blow to hurt a girl's pride in the name of revenge. 

Hera leaned her head over Evelyn's shoulder, their hands finding each other. Hera sniffled and wiped her tears. It hurt so much to know Evelyn had suffered this humiliation. 

"I'm so sorry, Evie. I had no idea you went through all this shit. I didn't know it was you. I thought it was Bianca," Hera was saying when she felt Evelyn's shoulder stiffening. Her hold on Hera's hand loosened.

Eric turned abruptly to face Hera, and he looked beyond pissed. Hera was surprised and leaned back in her seat when he crouched in front of Hera to look her in the eyes. 

"You assumed it was Bianca and was okay with it?" Eric asked in disbelief, sounding too upset. "Why, Pixie? Wouldn't it matter to you if it was Bianca and not Evie?" he asked. Eric was fuming with anger, judging aqua blue eyes fixed on her. Hera was taken aback by the sudden change in his attitude. 

"That's not what I meant, Eric. You misunderstood me," Hera said, sounding too timid. However, Eric didn't seem convinced by her justification at all. Deep down, even Hera knew what Eric accused was true, and the realisation made Hera ashamed of herself. 

"I can't believe your thinking is so cheap, pixie. You've been through this situation. You know the feeling, and yet you," Eric paused when Evelyn placed her hand on his shoulder and squeezed in a warning, stopping him from lashing out at Hera. 

"Why do you hate Bianca so much, Hera?" Evelyn asked, focussing her attention on Hera, her approach gentle and cautious. Eric snorted and sat beside Hera, occupying his earlier position. With his arms crossed and lips pursed, he appeared defensive and distant. 

Hera knew, somehow she had disappointed Eric. 

"Do you still hold a grudge against her for bullying you when we were kids?" Evelyn asked Hera. "I thought we had passed that stage, Hera. We are no more immature, stupid, bratty kids. We are all grown up now," Evelyn said. Scooting over, Evelyn wrapped her arm over Hera's shoulder and squeezed once in an affirmation to emphasise they were more than just friends now. 

"It wasn't only Bianca. Eric, Mike and I, all of us bullied you, Hera and look at us now we love and treasure you like our little sister. I don't think I ever apologised to you for sabotaging your homework all those years back. Yet you never held any grudge against me and forgave all of us. Then why keep so much bitterness only against Bianca?" Evelyn asked. 

"None of it was Bianca's fault, yet you just assumed it was and blamed her for everything without learning the whole story. Why is it so easy to point the finger at her, Hera?" Evelyn questioned, her eyebrows scrunching together as she frowned in both confusion and disappointment. 

Hera looked away, feeling somewhat regretful. She knew she was unfair when it came to Bianca, and as Evelyn pointed out, Hera always assumed the worst about Binca. But Evelyn wasn't being fair either by judging Hera. The latter had a valid reason to distrust Bianca. Hera wanted to disagree and argue, but she resisted. 

Evelyn had been through a horrible situation, and Hera didn't want to add more to her distress by fighting with her, so she held back. 

"Don't believe everything blindly, Hera. People around you could be deceiving," Evelyn said in advice, concern lacing her tone. 

"And it isn't helping that you always chose the wrong people to befriend," Eric muttered more to himself beside Hera, but she heard him loud and clear, and it stung harshly. 

Hera knew Eric was talking about Andrew, Nathan, and now Noel added to the list of wrong set friends she had made. She had made a grave mistake by trusting Andrew, but Noel wasn't exactly her friend. She tried to save him from Hunter's wrath only because she despised violence. However, Eric blaming her for being Noel's friend hurt her. 

'Is he implying that Evie got hurt because of me?'

'Because I befriended Noel?'

How was Hera supposed to know that Noel would turn into an immoral person? She never wished harm to anyone, be it Evelyn or Noel. Why was everyone blaming Hera for everything? It wounded her pride, and Hera thought Eric was a hypocrite for judging her friends. 

'How do they manage to turn everything on me?'

Hera thought bitterly.

The realisation that she was partly responsible for what happened added more to her anger born out of her guilt. No matter how much she denied it, it was the truth that Noel did it to separate Hera from Hunter. The bastard knew it was the only way to break Hunter. So Hera was indirectly responsible for it as much as Hunter was. 

She couldn't hold back her frustration anymore as something inside her snapped. 

"Oh, come on, Eric, you're one to talk about choosing wrong friends," Hera laughed sarcastically and shook her head. 

"I find that a bit ironic since you're no different from me. Your friends go on bullying and abusing people, and you support the violence in the guise of friendship. So it makes you seem hypocritical when you preach to me about befriending wrong people," Hera said, jabbing her finger into his chest. 

"Hera, you don't understand," Evelyn spoke, frowning at her. "All we're asking is for you to stay away from the wrong people. Don't get influenced by their false concerns and lies. You'll only get hurt if you trust the wrong ones," she said, scolding her. Hera clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes, unimpressed by Evelyn's advice. 

"I'm not a child, Evie. I know what I'm doing, okay. All of you are pissed only because I'm upset with Hunter and blamed your precious Bianca. Can you blame me if I can't trust her after Nate's incident?" Hera asked, resentment coating her voice.

"All she does is lie," Hera stated and scoffed in displeasure. 

"You're always so quick to judge her," a displeased voice accused, and they all turned to see Hunter standing behind them.