Innocent cravings

Chapter Ten

Alice could feel the weight of exhaustion on her shoulders as she walked across the courtyard. The sun was out, warm against her skin, but inside she felt heavy. Her bag pressed into her side, filled with books she barely had the energy to read. All she wanted was to get through the day without drawing attention to herself.

But attention, it seemed, had already found her.

She heard the giggles first, sharp and pointed. When she looked up, Clarissa stood at the center of a group of girls, her blonde hair shining like it had its own spotlight. Her eyes locked onto Alice like a predator finding prey. Alice slowed down, a sick feeling curling in her stomach.

"Well, if it isn't the little waitress," Clarissa said, her voice dripping with mock sweetness. Her friends laughed on cue. "Did you wipe down tables this morning before rushing here, Alice? Or maybe you brought a tray with you. Do you need to take our orders?"

Alice froze. The students nearby turned their heads. Whispers spread fast, like fire on dry grass. She gripped her books tighter to her chest. Her face felt hot, but her feet wouldn't move.

She wanted to say something, anything, but the words lodged in her throat.

Sophie stepped forward before Alice could breathe. "At least she's not busy sleeping her way through designer handbags," Sophie said casually, brushing an invisible speck off her blazer. Her tone was light, almost amused, but her eyes were sharp as glass.

Gasps filled the air. A few students covered their mouths, others exchanged shocked looks. Clarissa's smile faltered for the first time.

"You don't get to talk about me, Sophie," she snapped, her voice rising. "Your family name doesn't give you the right to."

"Oh, it gives me exactly that right," Sophie interrupted smoothly. She tilted her head, her long curls catching the sunlight. "See, unlike you, I don't need to use other people to feel important. You should try it sometime. Might do wonders for your personality."

The courtyard buzzed with energy. Everyone was watching now. Clarissa's face flushed an angry red.

Alice wanted to melt into the ground. She hated being in the middle of this. She hated the way Clarissa's eyes bore into her like she was a stain that needed scrubbing.

And then, just when Alice thought she would collapse under the pressure, another voice cut through the air.

"Enough."

The crowd shifted, a path forming without anyone saying a word. Brian was there, tall, composed, his presence commanding silence. His eyes swept across the scene and landed on Alice.

Alice's heart leapt into her throat.

"Clarissa," Brian said calmly, his voice carrying enough authority to make even the boldest students quiet. "I think you've made your point. That'll be enough for today."

Clarissa blinked, caught off guard. "Brian, I was just..."

"Humiliating someone who did nothing to you," he finished, his gaze steady, unflinching. "You're better than this. Or at least, you should be."

The murmurs around them grew louder. Clarissa's face went pale before flushing again. She opened her mouth to argue, but Brian had already shifted his focus. His eyes lingered on Alice for just a second too long. A look that spoke louder than words.

Alice's chest tightened. The noise of the courtyard faded, replaced by the sound of her own heartbeat pounding in her ears.

Brian turned, placing a hand lightly on Clarissa's arm. "Let's go," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Clarissa stiffened but followed, her expression dark with embarrassment and anger. Her friends trailed behind her, whispering furiously.

And just like that, the crowd began to disperse, though not without lingering stares and hushed voices.

Alice stood frozen, her books clutched against her chest like armor. Her cheeks burned. She wasn't sure if she wanted to thank Brian, scream at him, or collapse into the grass.

Sophie nudged her shoulder gently. "Well," she said with a smirk, "that was dramatic."

Alice let out a shaky laugh, though it came out closer to a sob. She turned her face away quickly, blinking back the sting in her eyes.

She hated how vulnerable she felt, but even more, she hated the warmth that had sparked in her chest when Brian had looked at her.

It wasn't supposed to be like this.

Sophie's POV

The mansion was quiet when Sophie got home, too quiet for a house so big. The marble floors gleamed under the chandelier lights, but the shine meant nothing to her. She had grown up in this world of wealth, but it had always felt more like a museum than a home.

Her parents were gone again, probably in another country, shaking hands with people just as rich and cold as they were. They had always cared more about deals and alliances than about being present. Sophie had stopped expecting anything else a long time ago.

She walked into her room, slipping off her shoes and tossing her bag onto the bed. The walls were lined with books and paintings, gifts from her mother that were meant to "cultivate" her. Sophie never cared much for the expensive things. She cared about people. Real people.

That was why she had chosen Alice.

Alice wasn't like anyone else at school. She didn't put on masks. She didn't care about last names or family fortunes. She was stubborn, honest, and so frustratingly humble it made Sophie want to shake her sometimes.

And maybe that was why Sophie felt so protective. Because if Alice broke under the weight of people like Clarissa, then what did that say about the rest of them? Sophie had the power to fight back. Alice didn't. So she would always step in, sharp tongue and all.

Sophie flopped down on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. She replayed the courtyard scene in her mind. The way Clarissa had sneered, the way Alice had shrunk back, and the way Brian Carter of all people had shut Clarissa down.

Her lips curved into a slow grin.

"Oh, this is going to be interesting," she murmured to herself.

Because Sophie had seen the look in his eyes too. The way his attention had lingered on Alice, just long enough to make the truth obvious.

And if Clarissa hadn't noticed yet, she would soon.

Sophie closed her eyes, already bracing herself for the storm that was coming. But she wasn't worried. Together, they would survive whatever Clarissa planned .