Once Rejected, Now Desired by Three Alpha’s

Chapter 6

Peach’s pov

Why was he asking me questions when I'm clearly here to study? Stammering, I replied, "Well... I am here to be a student," offering an awkward smile.

His annoyance was palpable as he asserted, "Marrying my brother doesn't mean you should always be around wherever he is. There are other schools, but you still chose this one." I couldn't fathom his anger; it seemed senseless at this point.

"I'm not here for your brother or anyone else; I'm here for me," I said, avoiding his gaze. I'm not the most confident person, and his presence only intensified my insecurity.

"I guess fatties are now allowed here," he remarked before walking away. A sharp pain surged through my heart. This wasn't what he said at the pub; now he saw me as a fat person to my face. Maybe he was just drunk that night, never really liked me, and now wanted to take advantage. They're all the same.

"This is your first time attending school, Peach. You can't let his words weigh you down," I muttered to myself, trying to muster confidence even though I knew it was a struggle. I navigated the hallway, hesitating to ask for directions amid unfriendly gazes that only increased my discomfort.

"Finally," I sighed in relief as I found the classroom. Taking a deep breath, I touched the doorknob and entered. The world seemed to pause as everyone fixated their gaze on me, and insecurity surged within me.

"You're welcome here," the teacher broke the silence. "Introduce yourself to the class," he added with a friendly smile. As I walked towards him, my gaze fixed on the floor, murmurs from the students intensified, making my palms sweaty. I had hoped for a different experience this time, but it seemed I was wrong, as always.

Finally gathering the courage, I introduced myself. "My name is Peach O'Riley," I said, my gaze still on the floor.

The weight of their gazes lingered as I stood in the middle of the classroom, vulnerability creeping in. The teacher’s encouraging smile provided a small anchor in the sea of uncertainty. The murmurs persisted, creating a backdrop of discomfort.

As I took a breath, I pushed myself to share a bit more. “I’m here to learn and, well, make the most out of this opportunity.” The words were met with a mix of indifference and continued murmurs.

"Don't tell me you're named after a fruit," a student's voice rang out, triggering laughter across the classroom. My anxiety surged as their laughter echoed through the room, emphasizing my discomfort.

"Stop it right now, that isn't a nice thing to say," the teacher intervened, annoyance evident in his tone. The laughter ceased abruptly, offering a momentary relief that caught me by surprise.

"Mr. Zaheer is right; we shouldn't be laughing at the new student. Besides, she didn't get her name just from a fruit, probably because of how fat she is," another voice chimed in, intensifying the laughter. Determined not to show weakness, I bit my lips hard, suppressing any urge to cry.

"You'll get detention, Emily, if you make jokes again," Mr. Zaheer warned with anger. "No one will speak ill of her anymore. She's new here, and is this how you all seriously want to welcome her? Shame on all of you," he added, disappointment lacing his tone.

"She should have done better than to come here," a familiar voice, my soon-to-be-husband Amon, spoke. My eyes widened in disbelief as I realized he was part of the mockery.

"You're right, Amon. This isn't a good fit for her, and I don't think she can survive here," another familiar voice, Cody, expressed, confirming my fears about the handsome boy I'd bumped into earlier.

"I'm always right, Cody," Amon smirked. The teacher attempted to respond, but his words were interrupted by Asher's sudden entrance. All attention shifted to him, and I hoped against hope that this wasn't also his class.

"You're late again," Mr. Zaheer scolded, annoyance lacing his tone. Asher's indifferent expression suggested he didn't care about being late. Ignoring the teacher, he settled into his seat with a dismissive attitude.

"Just ignore them and go have your seat at the back since that's the only seat available," Mr. Zaheer instructed me with a sympathetic smile. I forced a smile in return and proceeded to my seat, trying to ignore the judgmental stares from my classmates.

As I made my way to the back of the classroom, I could feel the weight of their stares lingering on me. The silence that followed Asher’s entrance didn’t bring any comfort; it only intensified the awkward atmosphere.

Taking a deep breath, I settled into the lone seat at the back. The cool exterior I was trying to project was merely a facade, hiding the hurt and embarrassment within. The remarks and laughter still echoed in my mind, making it difficult to focus on the unfolding class.

"Be careful not to break any seats," Emily remarked with an amused tone.

"That's it, Emily. Detention, and that's final," Mr. Zaheer declared with annoyance. Her lack of remorse or any reaction made me apprehensive about how the rest of the day would unfold.

The teacher delved into a lesson on fabrics, posing questions that I knew the answers to but refrained from speaking, not wanting to draw attention.

"I've taught you guys this before. How will you be a great designer if you can't differentiate colors? And yes, this isn't called a dark yellow. It is called..."

"An amber, it is an amber color," I blurted out, immediately regretting it as all eyes turned towards me.

"Very good, Peach," Mr. Zaheer acknowledged with a smile. "You'll catch up with the class, and I won't be worried about you falling behind." The stares I received suggested not everyone shared his sentiment, and I wished I had kept my answers to myself.

Mr. Zaheer continued teaching about colors, and I was relieved to understand more while keeping a low profile.

"That will be all for today. I'll see you all in my next class," Mr. Zaheer concluded, adding, "Once again, welcome, Peach," before leaving, leaving a small smile on my lips.

"You're just a person and could occupy a seat made for two people," Emily approached with an amused tone. Feeling the tension rise, I considered leaving before things escalated further. "Aren't you too big to be here?" she added, annoyance evident in her tone.

"Don't get yourself so worked up; it will ruin your beautiful face," Amon remarked as he joined her, shamelessly kissing her in front of me. His audacity left me stunned.

Deciding to leave, I stood up and grabbed my bag until someone screamed, the sound piercing my ears.

"What the heck, Hannah?" Emily yelled with annoyance.

"You won't believe this, Emily," she exclaimed, rushing towards her to show something on her phone, causing Emily's eyes to widen in shock.

Curiosity mingled with my desire to escape the escalating tension as Emily and Hannah exchanged frantic whispers. Their hushed conversation piqued the interest of other students, creating a momentary distraction from the earlier mockery directed at me.

"You have got to be kidding me!" she yelled, gazing at me with a mixture of anger and hatred in her eyes, leaving me in a bewildered state.

Her voice reverberated with disbelief, echoing through the room as her eyes bore into mine with an intensity that sent a shiver down my spine. The weight of her anger and hatred lingered in the air, creating an atmosphere thick with tension.

My attempt to unravel the cause of her outburst was met with a perplexed confusion. What had triggered such a vehement reaction? The room seemed to hold its breath, suspended in a moment of charged silence.

"What's the matter, Emily?" Amon inquired with a confused tone, mirroring my own desire for an explanation. Her gaze shifted from me to Amon.

"When were you planning on telling me that our marriage has been arranged?" she erupted, anger lacing every word, drawing the attention of everyone around. Amon's eyes widened in fear, caught like a deer in headlights by his betrayed wife.

"I wanted to tell you, but you weren't ready to listen, and it was my father who made this arrangement, not me," he tried to explain. I wished I could disappear, unwilling to be entangled in this unfolding drama.

"Where do you think you're going?" she demanded, blocking my path.

"I have no business being here," I replied, my tone calm but filled with an urgency to escape the impending turmoil.

"I can't believe you're really going to get married to someone like her," she sneered, casting a disgusted look my way, eliciting gasps from those around. "Let me make this clear – you don't know me, but I will make your life a living hell," she threatened with seething anger before storming away, Amon trailing behind. Overwhelmed, I sank back into my seat, hoping this nightmare would end soon.