Chapter 3 Rex

They slipped into the far corner of the student washroom-an alcove tucked away from the tumult of the campus canteen. Ann pressed her back to the cold tile wall and let out a shuddering breath, eyes fluttering shut as she tried to will her heart to stop its relentless pounding. Her chest rose and fell in rapid bursts, palms clammy, forehead damp. Her entire body buzzed as if she had just stepped off a battlefield. In a way, she had. What had just happened... wasn't normal. It was a little traumatic, honestly.

The way the entire cafeteria fell into that eerie silence-the weight of every eye turning toward her, her own words echoing back with devastating clarity. She hadn't meant to yell. It had just... exploded out of her. The irritation. The pressure. Judith's lovesick monologue. Her own confusion. And now? Now she was sure she had said something irredeemable. Something stupid. Something loud enough to ignite whispers for weeks. Suddenly, her eyes shot open. As if struck by something important. Her stomach dropped and a chill licked down her spine. Her gaze swung toward Judith, who was still recovering from the whirlwind of their exit. "Who-who is he?" Ann asked urgently, voice trembling slightly. "Who is this Rex Radford?" Judith blinked, her mouth parting, but no words came out at first. She stood frozen like a computer buffering. "You... You don't know? I- I thought you were joking around?" she finally breathed, looking at her best friend as though she'd grown a second head. "You seriously didn't know who he was? You have no idea who he was? And you-you just stood there and-oh my God, Ann." Judith threw her hands in the air and began to pace like a trapped bird. "Oh my gosh, you actually insulted Rex Radford. Publicly. Loudly. While he was looking right at you. You roasted him like it was open mic night! And I supported you like a fool! Oh my life is finally over!" Ann opened her mouth, but Judith shook her head, already spiraling. "I should have stopped you, I should have known you won't know him. I knew he was coming over and I should have said something. But then I saw him smile and it was like something out of a movie-I was entranced! Until he opened that infuriating mouth and turned into a trash compactor of nonsense." She finally stopped and turned toward Ann with genuine disbelief. "You seriously don't know who he is?" Ann frowned, growing more and more confused-and frustrated. "No, Judith," she said with growing irritation. "That's what I'm asking you. Who is he?" Judith sighed and tried to find a place to start. "Okay. Remember that white sports car we saw at the mall last month during the mid-year sales? The one I wouldn't stop talking about for like a week?" Ann's frown deepened, but then she nodded slowly. "The one that had the paparazzi swarming it? Yeah. I remember. Two celebrities stepped out-Frank Lai and his friend." "Right," Judith said, glad they were on the same page. "You googled it, remember? Said the car was worth ten million dollars." Ann nodded again, blinking as her memory sharpened. "Yeah, yeah, I remember now. It was... manufactured by Radfords Automobile Company, wasn't it?" "Exactly." Judith pointed at her as if awarding her a gold star. "And who did Google say owns Radfords Automobile?" "Alfred Radford," Ann said slowly, remembering it like it was yesterday. Judith's eyes narrowed with dramatic flair. "And who's Rex Radford's father?" Ann's brows drew together. "You mentioned Alfred Radford... wait-" She didn't even get the sentence out. Her eyes widened in sheer horror, her mouth opening in a gasp so deep it sounded like she'd been punched in the gut. Her fingers lost grip on her school bag, which dropped to the floor with a heavy thud. Judith barely managed to catch her as she staggered backward, her face drained of color. "Oh no," Ann whispered, as realization hit her like a freight train. "Oh no, no, no." Judith helped steady her, panic rising in her own chest. "Ann, breathe. You're freaking me out." But Ann couldn't speak. Her lips moved, but no sound came out. It was as though her mind was short-circuiting. They left the washroom in tense silence. Judith kept a gentle grip on her friend's wrist, making sure Ann didn't collapse from sheer mortification. The walk across campus felt like a fever dream. The colors were too bright. The air too heavy. The few students they passed whispered behind cupped hands, casting curious glances their way. Ann barely noticed. By the time they reached Judith's car and drove to Ann's modest apartment, the silence between them had become unbearable. Judith parked the van and helped Ann inside. The apartment was a small but cozy place. Warm colors, soft cushions, well-worn books stacked in corners. A haven from the chaos of the outside world. But not today. Today it felt like the air had been sucked out of it. Ann collapsed onto the far corner of the couch like someone who'd just survived a disaster. Judith perched at the opposite end, watching her with wide eyes. Ann didn't move. She was staring at nothing. Judith cleared her throat, trying to lighten the mood. "Okay, so... today was a little intense, but-hey-maybe he'll forget it happened? I mean, he probably gets insulted by jealous girls and boys all the time. Right?" No answer. "I mean... Avirina and her minions won't let it go, obviously. But honestly? They were already out to get you. What's one more reason?" She forced a laugh that didn't quite land. "Oh my gosh... I knew this year was cursed. I didn't go to church on December 31st to pray. That's where I went wrong." She paused. "We're doomed. Our academic lives are over. I'm going to have to transfer to an all-girls school in the middle of nowhere. Probably in the forest. With goats." Still no response. Judith leaned forward, frowning. "Ann?" Then, suddenly-Ann stood. Rigid. Determined. She walked to the door, swung it open, and pointed outside. "Leave." Judith blinked, stunned. "W-What?" Ann didn't waver. "Out. Now." "You're kicking me out? Me?" "I need peace," Ann said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I need air. I need to think. And you're not helping. You're throwing gasoline on a bonfire and my brain is the kindling." Judith stood slowly, biting her lip. She knew she had been rambling. She hadn't meant to make things worse. She'd just been trying to fix it. But maybe, just maybe... she was part of the problem. "I'm sorry," she whispered, collecting her things. "Really." As she stepped outside, Ann's expression didn't change. The door closed behind her with a gentle thud, but it sounded like the crash of thunder in Judith's ears. She walked to her car slowly, avoiding eye contact with passersby. The mini-van felt cold when she climbed inside. For once, she didn't even want music. No distractions. Just her and her regrets. Inside, Ann finally allowed herself to breathe. She sank onto the floor, head against the armrest, eyes stinging. Her hands trembled in her lap. It was too much. All of it. The memory played again and again in her mind. The awkward silence. The way his eyes flicked over her, appraising her like a piece of inventory. That smirk. That insult. That audacity. And then the way she exploded. The truth she spoke without censoring herself. The disgust. The rage. The venom in her voice that hadn't been drawn from thin air. It had come from somewhere deep inside. Somewhere old. Bruised. Scarred. And now it all made sense. Rex Radford. Of course he was the son of Alfred Radford. The very name twisted something inside her. It stirred buried pain. The kind she never talked about. Not even with Judith. Ann clenched her jaw, chest tightening. She hadn't just embarrassed herself in front of the most powerful guy on campus. She had stirred ghosts she thought she had locked away. Ghosts with names. Ghosts with legacies. Her fists closed in her lap, nails biting into her skin. Rex Radford. He didn't know it yet-but he had started something. Something that would not end in that cafeteria. Not for Ann.