Bella stumbled back a step, the shock snapping through her like a slap. For a moment, she didn't even process what had happened. Her hand rose instinctively, trembling fingers brushing the wet mess dripping down her jaw and neck.
It was raw egg.
She blinked hard, struggling to see through the sticky liquid sliding toward her eye. Her breath caught in her throat as laughter erupted a few feet away.
A familiar laugh.
No.
No, no, no—
She turned, eyes wide, heart in her mouth.
There stood Mira, holding the empty carton in one hand, smirking like she'd just won a game Bella didn't know she was playing. A few other students were by her side, snickering behind cupped palms.
Bella opened her mouth, but nothing came out.
"You seriously showed up?" Mira scoffed, cocking her head to the side. "God, you're more desperate than I thought."
Bella blinked. Once. Twice.
Mira?
Her chest caved in. "You—what? You threw that at me?"
Mira's smirk widened. "Don't act surprised. I mean, I was going to message you after that day, but I figured you'd figure it out soon enough."
Bella's knees weakened. "Figure what out?"
"That you're pathetic," Mira said breezily. "Liam never liked you. This was all a ruse."
"No," Bella breathed. "You helped me take that photo."
"And you actually sent it," Mira said, raising her brows in mocking wonder. "Jesus, Bella. You were so easy. One cute boy, little persuasion, and boom—full nudes. You practically handed it to us."
Bella reeled, the hallway spinning around her. She hadn't seen Mira since Tuesday, when her so-called best friend had helped her pick out lighting and angled the camera to snap her naked body. When she'd whispered, "You look amazing—he's going to love this."
It had felt real.
"How could you do this to me?" Bella's voice cracked. "This is why you haven't been taking my calls or replying to my texts? I trusted you! You said he liked me…"
"I said what I had to," Mira shrugged. "It was all our plan from the beginning. Liam just asked you to be his girlfriend to cover up. We bet he could get you to send something before the week ended. My role was to convince you to follow through—and I did."
Bella stared at her, mouth dry, her voice gone.
"How could you—" she whispered.
"Aw, don't look so heartbroken," Mira said, eyes glittering with cruelty. "It's not anyone's fault. You're too trusting, and look where that landed you."
Someone behind Mira giggled. "Lil Miss Porny back at it again."
"Stretch marks and desperation—iconic combo," another muttered.
The hallway buzzed. The students brought out their phones again, recording her while she stood there in humiliation.
Bella didn't flinch. She didn't even try to wipe the egg off her face. The betrayal was too loud, heartbreaking, too all-consuming to compete with embarrassment.
She wasn't shocked that people knew she'd been expelled.
She wasn't even shocked that her photo had spread.
But this?
Mira?
Bella felt like she'd been gutted from the inside out.
"I thought you were my friend," she whispered under her breath. "You were supposed to be my BEST FRIEND!" she screamed.
Mira rolled her eyes. "Then you're more delusional than I thought. You were just a project, Bella. A bet."
Bella staggered back.
Everything inside her splintered. Her trust. Her memories. Her sense of self.
She couldn't remember how she got to the doors. She couldn't remember pushing them open or stepping into the cold. All she knew was that the air outside felt like a punch, but at least it wasn't laughing at her.
She walked.
As she rounded the corner, heading toward the side hallway that led to the main entrance—
She froze.
Right there.
Right in front of her was her mother.
Bella's heart collapsed.
Her mum stood still, face blank, lips pressed into a flat line. She clutched her handbag tightly, her fingers wrapping tightly around the strap till they turned white, eyes filled with hurt, staring at her daughter's egg-covered face, the hoodie clinging to her shoulders, the shaking knees.
For a second, neither of them moved.
And then came the clicks. The flashes. The whispers.
The students had followed her. Now they surrounded her like hungry birds, phones raised high, capturing not just Bella's humiliation—but her mother's too.
Bella shut her eyes. They never stop, do they? she thought.
"Oh my God, that's her mum—"
"She actually showed up—"
"This is gonna be on TikTok before we're even out of school."
Bella couldn't breathe.
She wished the ground would crack open and swallow her whole. Anything would be better than this. Better than her mum seeing her like this. Better than the camera flashes of a dozen phones preserving her lowest moment like it was something worth remembering.
If she died right there, if her heart simply gave out from the weight of it all, she'd be grateful.
The murmurs swelled louder, the sound pressing in from all sides like a crushing tide.
Then, like a miracle, the principal's office door burst open.
Principal Morris stormed out, his voice sharp and angry.
"Phones down! Now!"
Silence wobbled for half a second before hands scrambled to hide devices, but it was too late. He was already moving through the crowd.
"You, you, and you—hand them over." He pointed to a few of the closest students. "All of you. Hand them over. Right now."
"Sir—"
"I said now!"
Phones were surrendered one by one, the students grumbling under their breath, but he paid no attention to them.
"Head of Disciplinary, please," he barked to the secretary nearby, who quickly stepped out to fetch the woman.
Principal Morris turned to the remaining students, his voice cutting through the air like ice. "Every single one of you who recorded that will report to Room 12. You'll be dealt with collectively. No exceptions."
The hallway cleared fast after that.
Bella stood frozen in the middle of it all, still dripping egg, arms limp at her sides. Her mother had not moved.
Principal Morris glanced between them, his jaw tight.
"Mrs. Rivers. I sincerely apologise for that, and I promise you, all the students will be dealt with accordingly. Come back inside the office with me, please," he said quietly.
Bella couldn't meet his eyes.
She followed, numb again, her mother beside her in stiff silence.
Back inside the office, Principal Morris gestured to the seats. "Please."
They sat.
Bella stared at the floor.
Her mother spoke first, voice clipped. "I received a call saying my daughter had been expelled. That she shared… indecent content."
"There was an explicit image circulated across the school WhatsApp group," Principal Morris said calmly. "It originated from Bella's phone."
Her mother let out a short, bitter breath. "I see."
Bella still couldn't look up.
Principal Morris sighed, leaning forward with his elbows on the desk. "Mrs. Rivers, I understand this is a lot to take in. Believe me, this has not been easy on our end either. But we are dealing with a growing issue among students. The Code of Conduct is very clear—"
"She's a child," her mother interrupted. "Seventeen. Do you really believe she did this for attention?"
"We believe there may have been pressure involved," he admitted. "Unfortunately, regardless of intention, we have a responsibility to maintain the school's safety standards. We're also taking disciplinary action against the students involved in the harassment."
Bella slowly raised her eyes.
Her mum still wasn't looking at her.
She was utterly alone—even with someone sitting right next to her.
"I'll handle the rest," her mum said at last, rising to her feet. "Is there paperwork?"
"Yes," Principal Morris said gently, reaching for a file. "I'm truly sorry it came to this."
Bella stood too, her knees barely holding. Her hoodie clung to her skin, damp with egg and sweat and shame.
Her eyes drifted to her reflection in the glass frame behind him—what she looked like now. Egg-smeared. Ruined. Humiliated beyond recovery.
Her fingers twitched.
Her mother noticed the movement and finally turned her eyes on Bella.
"Don't start crying now," she snapped. "You weren't crying when you took the damn picture, were you?"
Bella's throat burned.
As they stepped into the hallway again, the crowd had thinned, but Bella still caught glimpses of students peering from classroom doors, whispering behind hands.
Her mother walked ahead without a word.
Bella followed, her shoulders hunched, eyes on the floor—until a voice rang out behind them.
"Did you enjoy the show?"
She turned.
Liam.
Leaning casually against the lockers.
Smirking.
Another girl stood beside him, arms folded, eyes like blades, staring daggers at her.
Bella's stomach twisted violently.
Her mum stopped walking.
Liam, never looking away, raised his phone—and snapped a photo of Bella and her mother walking away.
Click.
"Say goodbye to your reputation, River-girl."
Bella's mouth dropped open.
But it was what her mother said next—low, cold, and sharp—that made Bella's breath catch.
"You sent that photo… to a boy?!"
Bella froze.