Chapter 53
The whispers started slowly, like an annoying hum in the background of Andrea’s already tense days. But as the week went on, the hum turned into a roar.
Everywhere she went, people were talking.
“I heard she’s sleeping with Liam to keep herself safe.”
“Can you believe the Joker thinks she deserves someone like him? Pathetic.”
“She’s probably blackmailing him. Why else would Liam bother with her?”
Andrea tried to ignore the comments, but they were relentless. Her stomach twisted every time she stepped into the cafeteria or passed groups of students in the hallways.
Things came to a head during lunch one day when Claire Devereux, the new Queen of Hearts in Liam’s class, decided to make her disdain public.
Andrea was carrying her tray through the crowded cafeteria when Claire stepped directly into her path. Her tall frame and sharp features made her an intimidating presence, and her voice dripped with mockery.
“Well, if it isn’t our resident Joker turned gold digger,” Claire said loudly, drawing the attention of nearby students.
Andrea froze, gripping her tray tightly. “Excuse me?”
Claire smirked, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder. “Oh, don’t play innocent, Andrea. Everyone knows you’re using Liam to climb back up the ladder.”
Laughter rippled through the crowd, and Andrea’s cheeks burned.
“I’m not using anyone,” Andrea said, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and humiliation.
Claire stepped closer, her voice dropping to a whisper only Andrea could hear. “Stay in your lane, Joker. You don’t belong anywhere near Liam.”
Before Andrea could respond, Claire “accidentally” bumped into her, sending Andrea’s tray flying. The contents splattered across her shirt and onto the floor, earning a round of gasps and laughter from the onlookers.
Andrea’s heart pounded as she stood there, sticky and humiliated. She clenched her fists, fighting the tears threatening to spill.
That evening, Andrea sat at a table in the library, furiously working on an essay that was due the next day. She was determined to focus on her studies, to block out Claire and the rumors.
But when she opened her bag to retrieve her notebook, her heart sank. Pages of her assignment were ruined, large blotches of ink bleeding through the paper.
She stared at the mess in disbelief, her mind racing. It didn’t take much to figure out who was behind it.
Andrea’s frustration boiled over, her hands trembling as she tried to salvage the work.
“Need a hand?”
Andrea looked up to see Liam standing nearby, his usual smirk softened into something more genuine.
“No,” she said quickly, brushing at her ruined paper. “I’m fine.”
Liam pulled out the chair across from her and sat down anyway. “Doesn’t look like it.”
Andrea sighed, slumping back in her seat. “Claire’s been sabotaging me.”
Liam frowned, his tone growing serious. “What did she do this time?”
“She ruined my assignment,” Andrea said, holding up the ink-stained pages. “And she’s been spreading rumors. She even humiliated me in the cafeteria today.”
Liam’s jaw tightened. “I’ll talk to her.”
“Don’t bother,” Andrea said bitterly. “It’ll just make things worse.”
“I don’t care,” Liam said firmly. “Claire needs to know her place.”
Andrea’s eyes widened slightly at his tone. “She’s the Queen of Hearts. You’re talking about someone in your class.”
“And you’re under my protection,” Liam shot back, leaning forward. “I don’t care what title she has. She doesn’t get to treat you like this.”
Andrea blinked, caught off guard by the intensity in his voice. For a moment, she didn’t know what to say.
True to his word, Liam confronted Claire the next day after class. Andrea wasn’t there to see it, but the aftermath spread through the halls almost as quickly as the rumors about her.
“Did you hear Liam called Claire out?”
“They said he told her to back off Andrea or else.”
“Imagine being told off by Liam Sinclair. That’s brutal.”
Despite Liam’s warning, Claire’s hostility didn’t waver—it only grew more calculated. She poured water over Andrea’s notes when she wasn’t looking, left cruel messages on her desk, and whispered venomous insults whenever they crossed paths.
Andrea tried to avoid her, but it wasn’t always possible.
One afternoon, Andrea sat on the grass outside the library, her back against a tree as she tried to focus on her reading. She felt a shadow fall over her and looked up to see Claire standing there, arms crossed.
“What do you want?” Andrea asked, her voice sharper than she intended.
Claire smiled coldly. “Just thought I’d remind you that Liam doesn’t keep his ‘girls’ around for long. You’re just another one of his distractions. Don’t get too comfortable.”
Andrea’s hands tightened around her book, but she didn’t respond.
Claire laughed softly. “That’s what I thought.” She turned and walked away, leaving Andrea with a lump in her throat.
Despite everything, Liam remained a steady presence in Andrea’s life.
Somehow, he always knew when she was close to breaking. He’d crack a joke, flash her one of his signature grins, or drape an arm around her shoulders in the hall, earning envious stares from the other students.
“You’re lucky to have me, Joker,” he teased one night as they sat in his room, watching the flames flicker in the fireplace.
Andrea rolled her eyes, but a small smile tugged at her lips. “Yeah, sure. That must be why Claire hates me so much.”
Liam’s smirk faded slightly, and his tone softened. “Claire doesn’t matter. None of them do. For once, forget what other people thinks of you.”
