Here's a revised version of your chapter with the repetitive elements trimmed down, keeping the pacing tight and focused on emotional intensity:
Maya's feet hit the floor hard, the sound echoing through the empty hallway. Her heart pounded, each beat a drum of panic. Eddie was behind her, always there, his presence a constant weight. No matter how fast she tried to go, she couldn't outrun him.
"Maya," Eddie called softly, his voice cracked. She hated it—the rawness behind it. She hated the way his voice made her feel like she wasn't just running from him, but from everything.
She didn't slow down. "Please, just leave me alone," she muttered under her breath, her thoughts racing. She couldn't think straight. Not when his words kept swimming in her head, not when the pull of him kept pushing against her.
"You don't mean that," Eddie's voice was strained, like he was holding onto something fragile. "You don't mean it."
She clenched her fists, nails biting into her palms. The tightness in her chest, the panic rising, was too much. But she wouldn't stop. She couldn't.
His footsteps echoed, closer now, his breath warm against her neck. Why did he have to be so close? Why did he have to care?
"Why are you running from me?" His voice was quieter now, softer, but the confusion in it was unmistakable.
Maya couldn't look at him. "Because I'm not the person you think I am."
"Then who are you, Maya?" The desperation in his words tore at her. "I don't want to fix you. I just want you to talk to me."
It broke something inside her. She stopped, her breath sharp, every part of her aching. She wanted to scream at him to stop, to leave her alone. But the words wouldn't come.
"I can't," she said softly, her voice a whisper of a plea. "You don't get it. I need to be alone."
Eddie reached out, fingers brushing her arm. She jerked away, the shock of his touch searing. "Stop, Eddie," she whispered through clenched teeth. "Just stop."
He stood still, just in front of her, his face unreadable. But his eyes… they were searching. "Maya, please…"
She shook her head, tears threatening but staying hidden. "I can't… not for you."
She stepped around him, pushing past, every step taking her farther from him, from everything she couldn't face. But his voice followed her. "I won't leave you alone, Maya."
The words hit her like a slap. His care, his persistence—it made her feel small. Weak. She wasn't the one hurting him; she was the one destroying them both.
"I won't leave you alone," he said again, his voice firm.
Her heart twisted. She couldn't do this. She couldn't pretend anymore.
Then she saw him.
Eddie. Standing by her locker, waiting. His expression calm, but his eyes filled with something she wasn't ready to face.
She froze, her body screaming for escape, but she couldn't turn away from him.
"I'm not letting you push me away anymore," he said, soft but unwavering.
"Why don't you get it?" she snapped, frustration bleeding into her words. "You're not supposed to be here."
"Maya, I care about you," he said, his voice steady, each word like a promise. "This isn't over for me."
"It is for me," she whispered, the words falling heavy. "I can't keep doing this. I'm breaking. And if you stay, you're just gonna get hurt too."
Her throat tightened, the weight of it all threatening to crush her. She didn't want to see the hurt in his eyes. Didn't want to hurt him. But it was already too late. She was doing it.
Eddie reached for her again, trembling hand moving toward her. But she pulled back, the space between them stretching impossibly wide.
"Please, stop," she begged, her voice cracking. "I can't—"
A text flashed on her phone. The message was simple, cold:
"Back gate. Now. Or Mommy's getting famous."
Maya's heart didn't skip. She didn't flinch. She stood up, eyes blank, and walked away without a word.
Vic was waiting outside, leaning casually against the brick wall. His cigarette dangled from his lips, confidence radiating from every pore. He watched her approach with that same predatory smirk.
"You're fast," he said, voice dripping with arrogance. "Guess a little slut like you knows how to follow orders."
Maya didn't respond. Her steps were mechanical. She couldn't let him see the fear, the disgust bubbling inside her.
"You miss that little bitch don't you ?" Vic's voice dropped, low and dangerous. "Think you can run back to your little puppy boy and pretend everything is okay ? Well baby girl that's too soon "
Maya opened her mouth to speak, but he was already there, slamming her against the wall. Her breath escaped in a harsh gasp, pain blooming in her chest.
"Please," she managed, but his weight on her, his hands pinning her in place, silenced her. "Please don't—"
His lips were at her ear now, his voice a sickening whisper. "You lost the right to beg. Don't forget who's got your mother's nudes in 4K."
Her blood turned to ice.
"Smile," he demanded, his hand on her waist, his grip unforgiving. "Let everyone see we're back together. Or I'll make sure the world knows exactly who you are."
Maya's stomach churned. The thought of being seen like this, trapped again—it was suffocating.
"You're disgusting," she spat, trembling, but Vic just laughed.
"Then puke, baby. Just smile through it."
The next day felt like the world had shattered.
Maya walked through the halls, Vic's arm around her waist like she belonged to him, like she had no choice. Her face was pale, and every whisper from passing students slammed into her like a battering ram.
Zeke stared in disbelief. "What the fuck?"
Eddie stood frozen, his face twisted in shock and pain. When he saw her with Vic, the hurt in his eyes was unmistakable.
"Maya…" His voice cracked, a sound of desperation, of heartbreak.
She couldn't look at him. Couldn't let him see the truth.
Vic smirked, watching the scene unfold. "What's wrong, lover boy?" His voice was like poison, dripping with triumph. "She's mine now."
Eddie didn't speak. His fists clenched, shaking with fury. "Can we talk?"
Maya stood still, numb, unable to respond.
"She's busy," Vic taunted.
"I'm not fucking talking to you," Eddie snapped, the tension crackling.
Vic grinned. "You don't get to talk to my girl."
"She's not yours," Eddie growled.
Vic leaned in, his voice dangerously low.
"She came back to me, didn't she? You know why? 'Cause I fuck her the way you never will—rough and real. You're just a pathetic little bitch hoping love can fix everything."
Eddie's patience snapped. Without a second thought, he shoved Vic back, hard enough to make him stumble.
Maya gasped, caught between them. The sound of lockers slamming echoed, the tension thick as fog.
"Eddie!" she cried, panic rising.
Eddie's fist hit the locker next to her head with a deafening crash. Maya froze. Everyone froze.
"Tell me you're happy," Eddie demanded, his voice shaking with fury. "Look me in the eye and say you want this."
Maya couldn't speak. She couldn't move. She just stood there, her heart shattering with every second.
Eddie backed away, his body trembling. "Fuck this."
Vic laughed, his voice dripping with victory. "Run away, lover boy. She's mine now."
But even his words faltered when he saw Maya's collapse. She crumbled to the floor, broken, silent, and trembling.