Bullied By My Alpha Twins

Indebted

NADIA

Another reminder!

I knew I had a lot of ground to cover when I got to school the next week. Stepping onto the campus felt like walking into a ghost town. The weight of everyone’s eyes, filled with fear and uncertainty, pressed down on me. I thought maybe, just maybe, someone would have missed me during my absence. Yet, as I looked around, it didn’t even seem like anyone had noticed I was gone.

Jack didn’t even bother to come say hi to me. He wouldn’t even look in my direction whenever I caught a glimpse of him. It felt as if I had become a stranger to him, someone completely detached from the friendships we had tried to nurture. I felt the ache in my chest grow a little heavier with every passing second.

Samantha was the only one who even bothered to approach me, even though it was halfhearted. “I’m glad you’re back, Nadia,” she said with a weak smile, her words carrying more politeness than warmth.

“Thank you,” I managed to say.

Then, as if she couldn’t spare another minute lingering near me, she simply walked away. I stood there, feeling a mix of confusion and sadness wash over me. The overwhelming fear of Alex and Sandro loomed over everyone, making it clear that anyone who dared to approach me was risking their own safety.

I tried my best to focus in class that day, but it felt like my mind was swimming in murky water. My thoughts drifted between the past week and the suffocating anxiety of what was happening around me. I couldn’t shake the feeling of isolation. When the lunch bell rang, I felt a wave of relief wash over me, but I had no intention of joining anyone in the cafeteria. I couldn’t bear the thought of being around people when it felt so wrong, so awkward. Instead, I settled back into the empty classroom, longing for solitude.

As I sat there, looking at nothing in particular, deep in my thoughts, the door creaked open. I glanced up, and my heart dropped for a moment when I saw Jack walking in. He looked different—his shoulders slumped, his eyes downcast. I could feel the air shift with tension as he slowly approached me.

“Hi, Nadia,” Jack said quietly, his voice almost a whisper compared to the loud office chatter we had shared just weeks before.

But I said nothing to him. I found myself looking away, pretending he wasn’t standing there. I couldn’t let him back in, couldn’t allow these feelings to resurface, especially when everything felt so broken. Each moment ticked by painfully, and eventually, he broke the silence.

“I just wanted to tell you that I will be leaving All High College,” he said, his voice devoid of the usual confidence that came with our shared laughter.

My heart dropped once more, the words hanging heavily in the air between us. “What do you mean?” I finally mustered, even though I didn’t want to know.

“My dad found another college for me to attend,” he explained, his hands stuffed in his pockets, his gaze still not meeting mine. “I won’t be returning after our exam next week.”

Silence fell over us again, but this time it felt suffocating. I couldn’t speak, couldn’t find the words to say how much I would miss him, or how much it hurt that he was leaving. Instead, I nodded slightly, a small gesture of understanding, and he took it as a cue to turn away.

“Okay then,” he mumbled as he started to walk out of the classroom. My chest tightened as I watched him go. The reality of his departure sunk in like a stone in my stomach, and a wave of sadness washed over me. I wouldn’t see him again after next week.

As his figure disappeared through the door, I felt a sharp pain in my chest. Why did it hurt so much? I didn’t understand why I felt the way I did. Maybe it was the uncertainty of everything, or perhaps the unfulfilled potential of what could have been. I tried to convince myself that I could move on, that I had to.

The rest of the day dragged on, every moment stretching painfully. When school finally ended, I trudged home, my mind consumed with thoughts. As I walked down the familiar route, my heart felt heavy with the weight of everything that had happened. That’s when I suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder.

I turned around, startled, and came face-to-face with Alex and Sandro, the very last people I wanted to see. A knot of dread formed in my stomach. “Well, well, look who we have here,” Alex said, a smug smirk spreading across his face.

“Why weren’t you in school last week?” Sandro asked, his voice oozing with false concern. For a second, I contemplated staying silent, but as their presence loomed over me, it became hard to hold my tongue.

“I just needed some time off,” I said simply, refusing to let them see how much they affected me.

Sandro tightened his grip on my shoulder, a mocking laugh escaping his lips. “Time off? Or maybe you were just busy thinking about how poor you are?”

“Let go of me,” I said, trying to pull away, but their grip only tightened.

Both of them burst into laughter. Their mocking voices made my heart pound in anger and humiliation. “Look at you, Nadia! Poor poor Nadia, always down on her luck,” Alex joined in, and it felt like a punch in the gut.

“Shut up,” I murmured under my breath, feeling shame wash over me. I was sure not one of them heard me.

They continued to taunt me, unable to hide their glee at my misfortune. “Maybe you should find a job,” Sandro suggested, grinning devilishly. “How about becoming a stripper at the nightclub Hardin owns? We could talk to our friend and get you a spot.”

The suggestion made my blood boil. “I’m not interested in that!” I shot back, my voice stronger than I felt. How could they think that was a real option for me? It felt degrading, absurd, and insultingly ridiculous.

“Aw, come on! You’d make more money in one night than you would scrubbing floors,” Alex said, still laughing, clearly enjoying my discomfort. “Why not do it? At least it would be something to get you off your degrading lifestyle.”

The scorn in their voices cut deeper than I wanted to admit. I wanted to stand up for myself, I wanted to tell them how wrong they were; but somehow, the words never surfaced. I took a deep breath, trying to retain my composure and resist the urge to retaliate. “I said, I’m not interested,” I replied coolly, trying to mask the hurt in my voice.

They exchanged glances, clearly amused by my refusal. “What a pity,” Sandro said, his tone dripping with fake sympathy. “You could really use the cash, you know?”

With that, they turned to leave, their laughter echoing as they walked away. I stood there, rooted to the spot, a bitter taste of defeat washing over me. The words they had hurled at me lingered in the air, leaving me feeling more isolated than ever.

It was hard enough dealing with my own issues, but having them mock my situation made everything feel worse. I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the pain. I knew I had to focus on regaining my strength, on moving forward. No matter what they said, I was determined to find a way to be okay.

I got back home only to meet Mr. Thomas standing in front of my door with some stern-looking men. They were gathered around my front door, trying to force it open. My stomach dropped as I rushed forward, panic rising in my chest.

“Mr. Thomas,” I exclaimed, surprise flooding my voice. “What are you doing?”

“Where is my money?!” he yelled at me, his face twisted in anger. The sharpness of his voice cut through the air like a knife, and I could see the tension radiating from him.

“I told you to give me a little more time!” I pleaded, stepping closer and hoping to diffuse the situation. My heart raced as I gripped my bag tighter. “I swear I’m getting it soon; I just need a little more time to raise the complete money!”

Mr. Thomas narrowed his eyes at me, his expression hardening. “Time? Time is running out, girl! I don’t have any more patience left in my tank!” His words echoed in my mind as he stepped closer. “It’s either you pay your complete rent now, or I will have to move your things out of this house.”

I felt a wave of desperation wash over me. “Please, Mr. Thomas. I’m trying my best. Just give me a few more days! I promise I’ll have the money!”

He scoffed, clearly unmoved by my pleas. “I am not changing my mind this time. I'm moving your properties out of my house right now! Not that you have any property of note in there,” he added coldly, raising a finger to emphasize his point. It felt like a punch to the gut, hearing him belittle my belongings like that. I couldn’t let him do this to me! My heart raced, and for a moment, I felt lost.

“Mr. Thomas, this isn’t fair! I’ve always paid my rent on time before! I just need—”

Before I could finish, he lunged forward, grabbing the house key from my hand. “A little more time? You had your chance!” He inserted the key into the lock with an air of finality, turning it and pushing the door open. “Get inside! Time to collect your belongings!”

“Wait!” I shouted, rushing forward, but he motioned to the men beside him, waving them in as if they were mere machines at his command. “Pack her things!”

Just then, to my shock, Alex and Sandro appeared at the end of the driveway. Their presence took me aback; I hadn’t expected them to be here. They had never been to my house. Wait, were they following me!?

“She’s going nowhere,” Alex stated firmly, stepping forward with an authority that surprised me.

Mr. Thomas turned to them, his irritation boiling over. “Who do you think you are, intruding in my business? This has nothing to do with you!”

Sandro, with a slight grin, pulled out a bundle of cash from his pocket and stepped closer to Mr. Thomas. “It should be more than enough for her rent.” He tossed the money at Mr. Thomas, who caught it clumsily, his eyes wide with disbelief.

“No! I don’t need your help!” I shouted, my voice rising desperately as I faced Alex and Sandro. I didn’t want them to get involved in this; it was my problem to solve.

But they didn’t respond to me. Instead, Alex raised an eyebrow, his gaze steady as he turned slightly away from me, moving to stand beside Sandro. It was strange to think that their influence could be the key to getting me out of this mess.

Mr. Thomas sneered at me, his expression twisted with disdain. “You should be grateful that they saved your ass,” he spat, turning to leave with his men in tow. And with that, he stormed away, his men trailing behind him, leaving me alone with them.

This was the last thing I wanted!