TAINTED BEAUTY.( Dare to love me )

Sunlight streamed steadily through the window of Lisa’s room, and the persistent buzzing of her alarm finally made her stir. Her eyelids fluttered, lips parting slightly. With a groan, she cracked her eyes open, only to shut them again as the sunlight hit too hard. Dragging the duvet off herself, she sat up slowly and silenced the alarm with a sluggish tap. Her hair was a tangled mess, sticking out like a bird’s nest, and remnants of last night’s makeup clung to her face in smudges and streaks. A frown creased her pale face as the hangover hit—her head throbbing with a dull, growing ache. She rolled her neck, trying to loosen the stiffness. Reaching into the drawer, she pulled out a bottle of pills—something to take the edge off, hopefully. Without much thought, she popped a couple and leaned back against the bedframe. Her body felt heavy, like it didn’t quite belong to her. She picked up her phone and scanned through her messages. Several missed calls from Josie. With a sigh, she shot her best friend a quick text. A soft knock echoed on her door. Heart skipping, she quickly shoved the pill bottle under her pillow and ran her fingers through her hair in a weak attempt to fix it. “Liz, are you in?” her mother’s voice called gently from the other side. Lisa grabbed a face wipe and scrubbed at her face, trying to erase the mess. She tiptoed into the bathroom, splashed water onto her hands, and patted her face to look somewhat presentable. Keeping her face deliberately sleepy, she opened the door to find her mother standing there. Mrs. Walter. She gazed at Lisa with fondness, then pulled her into a warm hug. The resemblance between them was unmistakable—wavy brown hair, clear brown eyes, and the same long, straight nose. "How was your night, my baby?" Mrs. Walter asked softly, running her fingers through Lisa's hair. It was part of their morning routine — one of the few things Lisa still tolerated. "Yeah, Mother," she muttered flatly, exhaling like the conversation bored her. "Come downstairs for breakfast. Your father is waiting." Mrs. Walter tugged at her arm, but Lisa didn't budge at first. She finally moved, shooting her mother an annoyed look as she was half-dragged down the stairs. "Do I have to?" she grumbled, flicking her hair out of her face. "It’s not like I’m starving." At the dining table, Mr. Walter sat flipping through the newspaper. When he saw her, he set it aside with a thud and narrowed his eyes. "Good morning," Lisa muttered, pulling out a chair with a screech, not bothering to hide her irritation. "Where were you last night?" he asked coldly. Lisa raised a brow and picked up her cutlery. "Is that supposed to be a question or an interrogation?" "Watch your tone, young lady," Mr. Walter snapped. Mrs. Walter tried to intervene. "Can you just let her eat—" "She needs discipline, not breakfast!" he cut in, voice rising. "You keep coddling her—" "No one's asking for your opinion," Lisa said, calmly slicing into her food, a smirk tugging at her lips. "Least of all me." "You ungrateful little—" Mr. Walter snarled, then hurled the glass of water at her, splashing her face and plate. Lisa shot to her feet, water dripping from her chin. She glared, fists clenched. "You’re insane," she spat, slamming her palm on the table. "You think I'm the problem?" Without waiting for a response, she stormed off, footsteps pounding up the stairs. "Liz! Liz, Pearl!" her mother called after her desperately, but Lisa didn’t even flinch. In her room, she stripped out of her soaked top, tossed it aside, and walked into the bathroom. Minutes later, she reappeared in a defiant outfit — a black off-the-shoulder mini dress clinging to her like armor, barely brushing her thighs. She zipped up her ankle boots with purpose. She dragged on eyeliner like paint, snapped a silver chain around her thigh, and slung her backpack over one arm. Lisa jogged downstairs, coating her lips with red lip gloss. “Liz, you’re leaving already?” Her mother was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs, but Lisa just walked past. “At least have a little breakfast.” “See you later,” she said, heading to the door. “And where do you think you're going dressed like that?” Mr. Walter spat, veins nearly popping from his forehead. “College, of course,” she replied with a teasing smile. “I swear to God, if you don’t change out of those rags—” “Or else what, Daddy? You’ll cut my allowance or lock me up in the storage room?” Lisa cut in with an eye roll, the chains on her legs clanging as she moved. “Newsflash, Daddy—I’ve got my own money now. I’ve grown up.” “Come back here, Lisa!” he yelled, but his words fell on deaf ears. She walked out, leaving her father’s reddened face behind. She hopped into her car and sped off, blaring Run the World (Girls) by Beyoncé until she reached school. Pulling into the Crystal College parking lot, she killed the engine and stepped out. Almost immediately, Josie pulled her into a tight hug. “Yesterday was lit, b***h!” Josie squealed. “Jo, you're suffocating me,” Lisa grunted, wriggling free. “I’ve got the full gist for you,” Josie said with a playful glint in her eye. “I don’t want to know,” Lisa muttered as they headed across campus. “But your outfit is fire, and that thigh chain is giving major sexy vibes.” The two girls sashayed into the building, their perfectly shaped figures moving in sync. Josie Canvas—blonde, average height, and hot as hell—matched Lisa's energy effortlessly. Their entrance didn’t go unnoticed. Eyes followed them as they strutted through the hallway. Josie wore ripped bum shorts, an oversized shirt, and black boots. The looks thrown their way ranged from heated to envious. But both girls kept a straight face, unbothered. Girls who considered themselves popular waved at them. “We’re the hottest girls on campus. No competition,” Josie said with a smirk. “Hi, girls!” Avery called out, joining them—only to be ignored by Lisa, as usual. “Hi, Avery! You look good,” Josie waved as they continued toward class. Avery Tukur never stopped trying to befriend Lisa, who, bored of the interaction, pulled out her phone. Unfortunately, she bumped into someone. Her phone slipped from her hands and hit the floor. Instantly, the hallway quieted. All eyes were on her. “Why are you staring at me like a moron? Pick up my damn phone,” Lisa snapped, her tone sharp enough to cut through the tension. Gasps and whispers rippled through the crowd. This wasn’t just any guy. This was Blake freaking Carter. Blake Carter—the rumored billionaire heir and only son of renowned business tycoon Donald Carter. With a jawline sharp enough to cut paper and lips soft pink and precise, he looked like he’d walked straight out of a fashion magazine. Girls would do anything to be touched by him — but not Lisa. His eyes were calm, lacking warmth, as they glanced at the phone on the ground. "I won't repeat myself. Wouldn't it be nice if I clawed your face?" Lisa's gaze morphed into a glare. She really hated any contact with the opposite s*x. Avery and Josie couldn’t stop staring at this Greek god. Well, all the girls were. Only Lisa looked immune to his charm. He rocked ripped jeans and a black t-shirt, muscles well-defined under the fabric. Behind him stood his best friends — Ethan and Matthew. Slowly, he picked up the phone and handed it to her. She snatched it and left with her friends, who kept glancing back at Blake. "Crazy," Ethan muttered as they walked away. --- LECTURE HALL By the time they got to class, the lecture had already started. The trio slipped in quietly, ignoring the hateful glares. "There will be a group project for everyone soon," the lecturer announced, glancing around the class. "It will be part of your assessment. All of you will be paired into groups," she continued as a hush fell. "Do we get to choose our partners?" Ethan smiled as he strolled in. Blake and Matthew followed behind him. Low giggles erupted in the class — the girls were excited to see them. "You three love disrupting my class, don’t you?" the lecturer said sharply. "No," Ethan winked as they settled in at the back. "And no, you don’t get to choose your partner. That will be based on your characteristics, and I’ve already decided." "Don’t pair me with a skinny girl, Mr. Heathland," Matt gasped. Everyone turned toward him, stifling laughter. "Shut up, young man. Pairing someone with you is already a disaster," Mr. Heathland replied. The class burst into laughter. The girls took turns sneaking peeks at Blake. "That’s a sexy disaster, Mr. Heathland," Ethan quipped. "The list will be out by the end of the day." Lisa sat silently, blocking out the noise. She couldn’t wait to leave. "Imagine being paired with Blake. Damn," Josie gushed, dreamy-eyed. "Shouldn’t you be worrying about what the project’s even about?" Avery chuckled, walking beside them. "Damn, b***h. I can’t believe you were so rude to Blake," Josie said, wide-eyed. "And?" Lisa ran a hand through her hair, looking bored and unbothered. "And?!" Josie threw her hands up, flabbergasted. "He’s Blake freaking Carter! He’s hotter than Mercury!" Sometimes, Lisa just couldn’t understand her best friend. "What if you get paired with Blake?" Avery asked. "Can’t you just bug off?" Lisa rolled her eyes. Avery looked momentarily embarrassed, but it wasn’t anything new. "So, which club are we hitting tonight?" Josie asked, trying to lighten the awkwardness. --- SCHOOL PARK Blake and his friends made their way to the car. Blake looked ethereal. "You intentionally bumped into that crazy Lisa girl," Ethan said. "Don’t call her crazy," Blake snapped. "Do you have a crush on her?" Matt teased. "f**k off," Blake muttered, hopping into the car and avoiding the conversation that always led nowhere. "That girl is a whole level of baggage. She’s anti-man," Matt chuckled. That’s what they figured, since she avoided contact with guys. "Or maybe she’s a lesbian," Ethan added. "Who said I had feelings for her?" Blake slammed the car door shut. "Wait up!" both guys yelled, jumping into the car and following behind. --- Seven PM Lisa sneaked out through the back door, as always. She wore a mini dress under a cropped jacket. The dress barely covered her butt. Her signature lipstick was smeared across her lips, giving her that hot yet unapproachable look. Downstairs, her parents were arguing — again. She found it irritating. Her phone chimed as she quietly shut the door behind her. Luckily, the gate was never locked. A message from Josie lit up her screen: I’m already at the club. She flagged down a taxi and headed straight there. At the entrance, she showed her pass and walked in.She hadn’t gone far when her whole body was suddenly drenched in wine. "What the actual f**k?!" she yelled. Red wine trickled down her skin, staining her dress. Her jaw clenched with rage. "Oops. I’m so sorry," came a cold, remorseless voice. Blake Carter. "Are you so dumb you can’t watch what you’re doing?" Lisa snapped. Her dress was ruined. No way she could stay now. "I apologized," he repeated, his eyes locked on her dress— or rather, on her body. Ethan and Matt appeared beside Blake, eyes widening at the scene. They exchanged a glance. "Will your useless apology fix my dress?" Lisa scowled. Her hands balled into fists. "Watch your tone, Lis—" "Don’t you dare say my name," she cut Ethan off. "Let it go, guys," Matt said, winking at her. Blake saw the fury in her eyes. The stain was spreading, and so was her rage. Lisa stormed up to him — and slapped him. Hard. Matt and Ethan gasped. Blake had agoraphobia — a fear of pain. Her nails had dug into his skin, drawing blood, but she didn’t even notice. Blake’s eyes shut tight. The space around him suddenly felt too small. "Are you crazy?!" Ethan shouted, trying to push her away from Blake. She flipped him over effortlessly, and he landed on the cold floor. Matt couldn’t stop laughing. "Don’t you dare touch me again," Lisa spat. She turned to leave, but Blake grabbed her arm. Her petite frame slammed into the wall and she gasped. "Get your filthy hands off me." Her knee landed in his groin. He went down without a fight, pain etched into his face. Flipping her hair, Lisa turned to stomp out — but tripped over Ethan and fell, butt first, onto Blake’s thigh, her hands sprawled across his chest. Blake’s eyes shot open. Matt stared in disbelief. Lisa was perfectly straddling Blake. Horrified, she scrambled to get off him. But his hands snaked around her waist, holding her in place. "Ride me, if you want."