BAD INFLUENCE
Bad Influence - Episode 17&18
(•Tainting Her Innocence•)
GENRE: College romance
By, Mide L.
✧༺✰༻✧ ✧༺✰༻✧ ✧༺✰༻✧
✮{...COME WITH ME...}✮
NEXT DAY AT CORY KING HIGH SCHOOL*
Leah arrived at school with a smile, despite the ache in her legs from the long trek. Asher had given her money for the bus, but she wanted to keep the money instead and so she trekked.
As she stepped through the school gates, her heart lightened, but the moment she entered the hallway, an eerie hush fell over the students. Then, whispers swelled like a rising tide, followed by bursts of laughter.
* She's shameless.
* Look at her, walking in like nothing happened.
* I can't believe she actually did that.
Leah's smile wavered. Her fingers curled around the strap of her bag as she scanned the faces around her.
Some pointed.
Others sneered.
Her stomach twisted as a result.
What was going on?
Then, her eyes landed on the poster plastered across the wall. Her breath almost seized.
It was her.
A picture. The one she had sent last night in exchange for money. Now printed, enlarged, and pinned for everyone to see.
The world tilted. Cold dread seeped into her bones as reality crashed over her.
She had been exposed.
Leah’s breath turned shallow as her vision blurred. She wanted to believe this was a nightmare, that she’d wake up in her bed any second now. But the muffled laughter and the burn of a hundred eyes on her skin were all too real.
Then, the crowd parted, and he stepped forward—Jace, the boy she had sent the picture to last night. A cocky smirk tugged at his lips as he strolled toward her, followed by his friends, all of them grinning like they had just won a prize.
"Damn, Leah" Jace drawled, shoving his hands in his pockets.
"You look so hot that I couldn’t resist showing the whole school just how hot you are"
His friends snickered, some whistling mockingly. Leah’s nails dug into her palms.
Jace pulled out a bundle of cash, waving it lazily before tossing it at her feet. The notes scattered, some landing on her shoes, others drifting across the floor.
"Your money’s still intact"
The crowd held its breath, waiting...watching expecting her to break, to run, to cry.
But Leah didn’t.
Instead, she bent down and she gathered the money, brushing off the dust as if it were just another ordinary morning. Then, standing tall, she met Jace’s amused gaze with a smirk of her own.
"Thanks for the payment"
The laughter around them wavered, surprise flickering in their eyes.
But Leah? She simply turned on her heel and walked away.
If they thought she would crumble, they didn’t know her at all.
She suddenly stopped walking and turned back.
"If you thought that was hot, imagine what a little more money could get you"
Gasps rippled through the crowd. Some laughed, others whispered in disbelief, but Leah stood unfazed.
She took a step forward.
"Since everyone’s already seen me, why not make it worth my time?" She pulled out her phone and tapped on the screen, then looked up.
"Interested buyers can hit me up. But don’t waste my time if you’re broke"
Jace’s smirk faltered. This wasn’t the reaction he had expected. His plan had been to humiliate her, to make her cower. Instead, she was turning the tables.
"What? You’re all talking like you don’t spend half your nights drooling over girls online. At least I’m getting paid for it"
She winked at a boy in the crowd, watching his face flush red.
Then, without another word, she walked past them, hips swaying, head held high.
The whispers followed her, but she didn’t care. If they were going to label her shameless, she might as well own it. And if they wanted more?
They’d have to pay up.
As Leah left...whether it was admiration, disgust, a figure stood on the second-floor balcony, silently observing.
His arms were crossed over his chest, a frown pulling at his sharp features. His dark eyes followed her every move, unreadable yet piercing.
With a slow shake of his head, he let out a deep sigh, disappointment flashing across his face.
"So this is who she really is?" he muttered under his breath.
He wasn’t entertained like the others. He wasn’t amused. If anything, there was something unsettling about the way he looked at her...as if he had expected more from her, as if he had hoped she wouldn't choose this path.
And yet, here she was.
Selling herself.
Owning it.
Becoming someone unrecognizable.
He exhaled and turned away.
•••
HILLSWORTH COLLEGE, ROOFTOP*
Ava sat on the rooftop, her back resting against the cool concrete wall, a book open in her lap.
The rooftop was her sanctuary.
Her eyes drifted downward, scanning the school grounds below until they landed on him.
Xavier.
He walked with effortless confidence, his strides unhurried yet commanding. Even in a sea of students, he stood out, drawing attention without trying.
A small smile tugged at Ava’s lips.
Then, as if sensing her gaze, Xavier suddenly looked up.
Ava’s heart skipped.
Quickly, she tore her eyes away, pretending to focus on her book. But the words on the page blurred, and she knew he had caught her watching.
Again.
•••
THE KNIGHT'S MANSION*
The grand mansion buzzed with frantic activity. Maids scurried from one end of the house to the other, their hurried steps sounding against the marble floors. The butler barked orders, trying to maintain some semblance of order, while the cooks in the kitchen worked double time, their hands moving in a blur to prepare an extravagant meal as usual.
In the midst of the chaos, sitting like a queen on her grand velvet chair in the living room, was Mrs. Knight. Her expression was one of pure dissatisfaction, her perfectly manicured nails tapping against the screen of her phone.
A maid carefully styled her hair, brushing through the rich strands with precision, while another knelt at her feet, massaging her legs. Despite the pampering, Mrs. Knight’s lips remained pursed, her brows furrowed as she sighed dramatically.
"This house is a disaster. I can’t even relax in peace!" she muttered, scrolling through her phone.
The maid attending to her feet flinched slightly but said nothing.
"Look at this nonsense!" Mrs. Knight huffed, holding up her phone.
"How can they expect me to wear this outdated design? It’s absolutely hideous!"
The workers around her exchanged wary glances but continued their tasks in silence.
"And the chef! If I taste even a hint of too much salt today, I swear, I’ll have his head!" she went on.
"Everything in this house needs to be perfect, yet I am the only one suffering!"
A maid passing by with a tray nearly stumbled in her haste to avoid Mrs. Knight’s withering glare.
"Why is it so hot in here?" she suddenly snapped.
"Does no one know how to adjust the AC in this house?"
The butler rushed forward.
"I’ll have it checked right away, ma’am"
Mrs. Knight barely acknowledged him, already moving on to her next complaint.
Before she could find another thing to complain about, the sound of footsteps against the marble staircase stole everyone’s attention. The confident, lazy stride was unmistakable.
"Ugh, what is with all this noise so early in the morning?" A sultry voice rang out, laced with annoyance.
Vanessa Knight descended the stairs at an unhurried pace, stretching as if she’d just rolled out of bed.
Nineteen, stunning, and utterly shameless. An oversized designer shirt hung loosely on her slim body, barely covering her thighs, and her hair reached her shoulders.
Mrs. Knight sighed dramatically but barely lifted her gaze.
"Vanessa, must you always dress like that? It’s improper"
Vanessa smirked, stepping off the last stair with a slow, deliberate sway of her hips.
"Relax, Mother. It’s not like there’s anyone important here" Her eyes flicked toward one of the young male workers, who quickly looked away.
Mrs. Knight’s scowl deepened.
"There are always important people watching, Vanessa. You represent this family, and yet you insist on behaving like a—"
"A what?" Vanessa cut in.
'Go ahead, say it. A slut? A disappointment? You’ve been recycling the same lines since I was fifteen. It’s getting boring"
Mrs. Knight’s nails dug into the armrest of her chair.
"Watch your tone, young lady"
Vanessa simply rolled her eyes and collapsed on the couch across from her mother, stretching her long legs on the coffee table without a care.
"So..."she drawled, inspecting her nails.
"What’s the crisis today? Did a maid serve your tea at the wrong temperature again? Or did Father vanish on another ‘business trip’?"
Mrs. Knight’s nostrils flared. “Your father is handling important affairs, Vanessa. Unlike you, who does nothing but laze around and ruin this family’s reputation!"
Vanessa scoffed.
"Oh, please. You and Father do a fine job of that yourselves. I’m just here for the free money and the entertainment" She tossed her mother a wicked grin.
Mrs. Knight clenched her jaw.
"If only you were half as disciplined as your brother—"
"Spare me the ‘perfect son’ speech" Vanessa interrupted, waving a hand dismissively.
She stood, stretching her arms above her head before grabbing her phone.
"Oh, and if you’re thinking of calling Xavier again, don’t bother. He’s not coming home. He hasn’t for a long time now"
She smirked. "And he’s not picking up your calls, either”
With that, she walked out of the living room, her hips swaying as if she owned the place. Well...that's partly true.
Mrs. Knight seethed in silence, her fingers tightening around the armrest.
"That girl will be the death of me" she muttered under her breath.
But as much as Vanessa infuriated her, she couldn’t shake the truth in her words.
Xavier had been gone for too long. And he wasn’t coming back.
And it's her fault.
•••
HILLSWORTH COLLEGE*
Students poured out of classrooms, chattering and laughing as they moved toward their next destinations.
Hailey adjusted the strap of her bag as she walked beside Jessa, sighing softly. Asher wasn't with them, infact he didn't come to school today.
"That class felt endless" she murmured, rolling her stiff shoulders.
Jessa chuckled. "Tell me about it. I thought I'd pass out from boredom at some point" She flicked her hair over her shoulder and nudged Hailey playfully.
"But at least we survived"
Hailey smiled, but before she could respond, Jessa suddenly grabbed her arm, pulling her to a stop.
"Wait, Hailey" Jessa’s eyes widened.
"Don't move" she whispered.
Hailey frowned. "What? What’s wrong?"
Jessa quickly stepped behind her, checking the back of her friend's trousers.
There it was. A dark, unmistakable stain on the trouser.
"Um…Hailey, I think you got your period"
Hailey's blood ran cold.
"What?" Her voice came out breathy, panic setting in.
"There's a stain. On your butt" Jessa said.
"Oh no" she whispered, barely resisting the urge to reach back and feel for herself.
"Okay, don't panic. We'll fix this" She swiftly shrugged off her oversized hoodie.
"Here, tie this around your waist"
Hailey hesitated, embarrassed. The hallway was still crowded, students passing them on both sides.
Did anyone already notice? Were they staring?
"Hailey" Jessa urged, pushing the hoodie into her hands.
"Now"
Snapping out of her daze, Hailey took it and quickly tied it around herself, her fingers fumbling with the sleeves. Once secured, she exhaled shakily.
"Better?" Jessa asked.
"Yeah... I think so"
"Good. Now let's get you to the restroom before anyone else notices, okay?"
With a deep breath, Hailey swallowed her embarrassment and followed Jessa through the hallway, keeping her head down.
A firm hand suddenly grabbed her wrist.
Gasps sounded through the hallway.
Jessa froze.
Everyone turned.
Xavier.
He stood beside Hailey, his grip steady yet possessive, his dark eyes locked on hers with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine.
"Come with me" he said like an order.
No hesitation. No explanation.
Hailey didn’t argue, instead she obliged.
Without a word, she let him lead her away.
Jessa clenched her fists at her sides, her jaw tightening as she watched them disappear down the hallway.
Because in that moment, all she could think about was how Xavier had taken Hailey.
And how Hailey had let him despite the warnings.
___
💕TBC💕
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