Instagram: rashmita_b

I walked through the crowded halls lost in a myriad of thoughts. I was totally averse to Katherine being my father's wife. I honestly didn't get a good vibe from her when she first came home with Papa. And now I had ample reasons to believe that she wasn't good.

Or was I judging Katherine all wrong? Was I missing out something here? Was I averse to the whole stepmother thing on the first place after getting to know Cheryl? Or was it just so hard for me to see Papa with someone else for the first time when all these years I'd pictured him with my own mental image of Ma.

I was in the Lockers Room stuffing my books into the locker when a gloomy looking Stef walked in there with her head bowed low.

"Hey, what's up? You don't look okay...." I told her anxiously.

"Adam..." she trailed off in a low voice.

"Adam? I didn't see him post lunch but saw him messaging a lot during the boring History class," I winked at her knowingly.

But my words didn't make her smile or blush like I had expected. Instead she looked more pale and upset. And the lump in her throat was painful to watch.

"Stef, you've got to tell me what's going on between you and him. I can't be a silent witness anymore," I said decisively.

"I-I think Adam is cheating on me..." Stef gulped hard.

"What???" I stood there ashen- faced looking at her. I was rendered numb and motionless in shock.

Stef cleared her throat and continued, her voice cracking, "He's been lying to me I think, avoiding me a lot lately and when I try to talk to him about it, we end up fighting bitterly...."

I was just about to speak---

"That's sad but why am I not sorry that I overheard it."

My eyes widened as I heard that sneer. I spun around to see Devon casually leaning against the wall of lockers with a callous smirk on his face.

A split second later, I was hit by a bad feeling that he was gonna be a nasty trouble....

Stef was equally taken aback seeing Devon there. "Oh I didn't see that you are here too," she mumbled, visibly uncomfortable that someone else other than me knew about her personal matters now.

"Devon, leave," I ordered sharply.

"Yeah I'm right here," said Devon flippantly pretending I just didn't say anything. "I can't get enough of my girl. I'm always around her," he added in a raw huskily tone fixing his dark gazes on me.

My mouth fell dry seeing Stef's white face. Devon was purposely saying that to make her feel worse about herself.

"T-There's nothing like that. Don't-Don't listen to him," I said hurriedly, trying to make her feel better. "Every relationship has problems. Devon and I aren't on talking terms right now."

"It's a pity you're lying to your best friend, sweetheart. Didn't tell her about how you and I cannot keep away from each other?" remarked Devon, wiggling his eyebrows at me.

I saw the lump of self-pity reappear in Stef's throat.

I shot an icy glare at Devon. "Can't you just fucking leave?!"

"Nah, I think my feet feel amazing standing right here," responded Devon at once with a sass.

I was about to retort but Stef interrupted me, "You guys are couple goals...w-wish Adam and I shared a similar relationship," she swallowed hard.

I honestly felt so bad of being unable to cheer my friend up. I was so mad at Devon. Why the fuck is he being so pathetic?!

Right then we saw Adam and Josh walk in while talking to each other. The Locker Room slowly started to get crowded as more people started filling in.

"Speak of the fucker and he is here with another douche bag."

Devon commented loud enough for Josh and Adam to hear him. And that instantly pissed the two boys who had just approached us.

"What the fuck is your problem, man?" Josh spoke, giving Devon an appalled look. "No matter how much we are good to you, you have to always be a dick to us."

Devon remained unmoved. "So the douche spoke first? Not an issue. Speaking of dick, isn't the guy standing beside you being one with his supposed girlfriend?"

Devon's snide comment was loud enough for everyone in the locker room to hear him.

I watched in horror as Adam's face contorted in fury hearing that. When he spoke to Stef, his voice was bitter, "So you have been going around telling the world shit about our relationship, shit about me?!!"

"You should sound hurt instead of defensive like you do if that "shit" is not the truth," she retorted fiercely.

I realized that the large crowd in the Locker Room was now looking at the warring couple. Devon smirked as though that's exactly what he wanted; to wash my friends' dirty laundry in public. I hated him for doing that.

"I never took you to be so fucking immature, Stef!" shouted Adam in frustration.

"And I didn't take you to be such a fucking coward!!" Stef shot back, irked and hurt.

"Nice word Coward," drawled Devon in a cheeky tone. "Sounds like it was brought to life just for you big boy," he added, looking at Adam.

I saw a muscle dangerously throb in Adam's clenched jaw as he gave Devon a cold glare. Then his eyes full of rage shifted on me as he spoke, "Eleanor, tell him to fuck off if he doesn't wants to be punched blue on his face!"

I was scared. The Adam I was looking at seemed like a complete stranger to me. The Adam I knew was calm, shy and never lost his temper...

"Turns out someone don't have enough dick left to threaten me directly," mocked Devon, his lips forming a crooked smile.

Adam had lost it completely. "You bloody scum," he spat, lunging towards Devon. It took a Herculean effort for me and Josh to hold Adam back from breaking Devon's nose.

I was terrified to shit. My hands were trembling but I didn't let loose on my grip around Adam 'cause if I did, I didn't wanna imagine what might happen.

But Devon didn't flinch one bit by all of it. How was he able to be so aloof after causing such a mayhem? Didn't something in him tell him that it was completely wrong to do what he was doing? The worst part was I couldn't even call him heartless 'cause I know he had one, though it was completely messed up.

"Hold on to your horses, big boy," Devon drawled calmly at a fuming Adam who was trying hard to break free of the grips on him. "You might need them in future. I think the douche bag here might want to agree with me," he added in a spiteful tone looking at Josh.

"Don't Josh," I said anxiously, aware of how much Devon had got him pissed as well.

"Tell him to fuck off," Josh said to me, grinding his teeth.

Devon smirked hearing that. I looked him square in the eye as I spoke, "You've done enough for the day, Devon. Now please leave."

The moment those words left my mouth, there was a change in Devon. He mellowed down instantly. The smirk vanished off his face and he looked so solemn that nobody would believe he did what he just did.....

"Atleast I'm not hiding anything from anyone," Devon said quietly and left.

I turned to Stef. She looked miserable with everything that had taken place. Adam stood clenching his fists with a hard look on his face. No one would want their personal problems to be thrown out in the open for all to see and comment about it like that. I was absolutely disgusted with Devon.

"On Devon's behalf, I'm really sorry guys..." I apologized to my friends.

As expected, they remained silent. There was only so much a person could tolerate. Right then I felt my phone vibrate. It was a message from Devon saying that he was in his car at the parking lot in case I wanted to know where he was.

"I want to be left alone," declared Stef, walking off.

Adam too headed out through the other exit followed by Josh. The crowd soon began to disperse.

I clenched my fists hard, anger coursing my veins like blood. I just knew what I had to do next.