Lily pov

The slap landed like a thunderclap across my left cheek, the sound echoing through the crowded cafeteria like a gunshot. My skin burned instantly, heat flooding my face as I felt the blood rush to the surface, turning it a deep, humiliating red. I stood there frozen, tray still in my hands, staring at the girl who had delivered it my own twin sister. My blood sister. The one I had loved and protected since we were little girls sharing the same crib.

Mia’s eyes blazed with pure disgust. “Don’t ever think because you’re my twin you get the privilege to sit with me,” she hissed, her voice low but sharp enough to cut through the sudden silence that had fallen over the tables around us. “Look at you, Lily. Waddling around like you own the place with that… that body. It’s disgusting.”

Tears stung the corners of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. Not here. Not in front of everyone. I remembered the nights we used to stay up giggling about boys, braiding each other’s hair. When had it turned into this? When had my curves my fuller breasts, wide hips, thick thighs that strained against my school skirt become her personal curse? She had always been the slim one, the one who turned heads with her long legs and tiny waist. And she hated that I had something she didn’t.

“You snatched my boyfriend last semester,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “Because of my shape, you said. You told him I was too much to handle. Now you’re doing this?”

Mia laughed, a cold, bitter sound. “He came to me willingly, sis. Who wants all that when they can have this?” She gestured at her own slender figure, then shoved past me hard. My tray flew from my hands, spaghetti and juice splattering across the floor. Laughter erupted around us cruel, mocking laughter.

“Look at her face!” someone shouted.

“Fat bitch thinks she can sit with the queen?” another voice jeered.

“Ugly ass, go hide!”

The words sliced deeper than the slap. I stumbled back, heart shattering into pieces. Why did everyone hate me? What had I done to deserve this loneliness that wrapped around my chest like barbed wire? Mom always said we were supposed to have each other’s backs. But Mia wanted me in the shadows forever invisible, forever less than her.

I ran.

Tears blurred my vision as I pushed through the double doors and sprinted toward the old oak tree behind the university building, the one hidden from most of the paths. My chest heaved with sobs as I collapsed against the rough bark, sliding down until I sat on the grass, knees pulled to my chest. The pain in my heart hurt worse than my stinging cheek. I buried my face in my arms, wishing the ground would swallow me whole.

“Lily.”

A deep, smooth voice cut through my crying. I looked up, startled. Lucian. The Lucian the most handsome guy in our class, with his sharp jawline, messy dark hair, and those piercing green eyes that made half the girls weak. He was trouble, everyone knew it. Rich, reckless, always surrounded by his crew. But God, I’d had a secret crush on him for months. Quiet, hopeless longing from afar.

He crouched beside me, close enough that I could smell his cologne something woody and expensive. “Hey… look at me.”

I turned my head away, heat rushing to my already flushed cheeks. “What do you want, Lucian? Come to laugh too?”

He didn’t laugh. Instead, he gently cupped my chin with his hand, turning my face toward him. His touch was surprisingly tender, his thumb brushing lightly over my reddened cheek. My heartbeat exploded. “Don’t be angry with your twin. You know how Mia can be always needing to be the center of everything. But that doesn’t make it right.”

I shivered at the closeness. His breath fanned across my lips. I tried to pull back slightly, but he moved with me, maintaining the distance. Too close. Way too close. “I… I just want to be left alone,” I stammered. “I don’t need your pity.”

“This isn’t pity.” His voice dropped lower, almost husky. “You’re sitting here crying because of her bullshit, and I hate it. You’re beautiful, Lily. Those curves… they drive people crazy. Including me.”

My stomach flipped. Was he serious? Or was this some cruel game? I knew Mia had a massive crush on him too she talked about him constantly, plotting how to get his attention. If she saw us like this…

I stood up quickly, brushing grass off my skirt. “I’m okay. Thank you.” But even as I said it, my body betrayed me I wanted him to pull me back, to hold me tighter.

Lucian rose too, towering over me. Before I could walk away, Mia appeared at the edge of the path, her eyes throwing daggers straight at me. “What the hell are you doing with him?” she snapped, storming closer.

“Nothing!” I replied too fast, panic rising. “I was sitting here and he just… came over. That’s all.”

Mia’s glare shifted between us. “He came to you? Yeah, right.” She looked like she wanted to slap me again, but instead she spun on her heel. “Whatever. Max is waiting.” She tossed her hair and stalked off toward where Max,Lucian’s rival in popularity stood with his group.

I let out a shaky breath of relief.

But the universe wasn’t done with me today. As I headed back inside to grab my bag, I felt eyes on me again. Lucian. He was leaning against the wall further down the hallway, watching me with that intense stare. I buried my face down, trying to slip past silently.

He stepped forward, blocking my path just enough. In his hand was a pack of my favorite snacks chocolate cookies and a juice box. “I know you didn’t eat anything after what happened,” he said softly, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Sorry about your sister. She’s a piece of work.”

My eyes widened. Lucian the guy who usually hung with the bullies, who partied hard and skipped classes was offering me food? “Why are you doing this?” I whispered, suspicion flooding me. “Is this a joke? Or some hidden agenda with your friends?”

He chuckled, low and warm. “No agenda, Lily. You intrigue me. You’re different. Stronger than you think, even when you let her walk all over you.” He held the snacks out. “Take them. Please.”

I hesitated, my hand twitching. Part of me wanted to grab them, to feel seen for once. But the fear won. “Thanks… but I’m good.” I stepped around him without taking anything.

From behind me, his voice carried a teasing edge. “No one ignores me like that. Seems you’re more interesting than you look, curvy girl.”

My face burned as I quickened my pace, heart racing. Curvy girl. The words sent a forbidden thrill through me despite everything.

I made it to class just as the bell rang. Of course, it was worse than I expected. My bag had been dumped on the floor, books scattered and pages torn. My chair was flipped over, desk scratched with ugly words: FAT WHORE. GO DIE. UGLY TWIN. My locker nearby was dusty, covered in more insults written in permanent marker.

I sank to my knees, picking up a ripped notebook. God, when will this end? The loneliness crashed over me again, heavier than before. But underneath the pain, Lucian’s touch lingered on my skin like a promise. His words echoed in my head.

Maybe not everyone hated me.

Maybe, just maybe, someone craved the very thing my sister despised.

Chapter 2

The next morning, I walked into school with my head down and my bag clutched tightly to my chest like a shield. My left cheek still felt tender from Mia’s slap, and every time I touched it, the memory rushed back the loud crack, the laughter, Lucian’s gentle fingers on my skin. I hadn’t slept much. My mind kept replaying his words, the way his voice dropped when he called me “curvy girl.”

I knew I shouldn’t think about him like that. Not when Mia wanted him too.

The hallway felt longer today. Whispers followed me like shadows. Someone had already started spreading the story of yesterday’s cafeteria incident, twisting it of course.

“Did you hear? The fat twin tried to sit with the popular girls again.”

“Embarrassing.”

I kept walking, eyes fixed on the floor tiles. My locker came into view and my stomach dropped. The ugly words from yesterday were still there, but someone had added more in fresh red marker: Whale. Desperate. Stay away from Lucian.

My hands shook as I opened the locker. My favorite notebook the one with little doodles and secret poems was missing. In its place was a note in Mia’s handwriting:

Stop dreaming about things you can’t have. He’ll never want someone like you. – M

Tears burned my eyes, but I blinked them back. I couldn’t cry here again. Not so soon.

“Lily?”

I turned around slowly. Mia stood a few feet away, flanked by two of her friends, her slim figure looking perfect in the school uniform. Her lips curved into a sweet smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

“Good morning, sister,” she said loudly enough for nearby students to hear. “I hope you’re not still upset about yesterday. You know I was just playing around, right?”

Her friends giggled.

I swallowed hard. “Mia… why are you doing this? We’re twins. I’ve always loved you. I still do.”

For a second, something flickered in her eyes maybe guilt? But it disappeared fast. She stepped closer, lowering her voice so only I could hear. “Because every time I look at you, I see everything I’m not. Those disgusting curves. The way boys stare at you when they think I’m not looking. It makes me sick. So stay in your lane, Lily. Or I’ll make sure you regret being born my twin.”

She patted my shoulder like a loving sister and walked away, laughing with her friends.

My knees felt weak. I leaned against the locker, trying to breathe. Why does she hate me so much? What did I ever do to deserve this?

The rest of the morning classes dragged. In Literature, I sat at the back as usual. When the teacher asked us to pair up for a project, I kept my head down, hoping no one would choose me.

A chair scraped beside me.

“Mind if I join you?”

My heart jumped. Lucian slid into the seat next to mine, his green eyes locking onto my face. He looked even better up close in the morning light sharp jaw, messy dark hair, that effortless bad-boy charm.

“Uh… sure,” I whispered, my cheeks heating up. “But… won’t your friends wonder why you’re sitting with me?”

He shrugged, leaning closer. “Let them wonder. I like sitting with interesting people.” His gaze dropped for a second to my chest before snapping back up. “How’s your cheek today?”

“It’s fine,” I lied quickly. “Really. You don’t have to keep checking on me.”

“I want to.” His voice was low, almost intimate. “Yesterday… I meant what I said. Your sister doesn’t get to treat you like that.”

My stomach fluttered. Being this close to him made my skin tingle. I could smell his cologne again, and it did strange things to my body. I shifted in my seat, suddenly aware of how my thick thighs pressed together under the desk.

We started working on the project analyzing a poem about hidden desire. How fitting. Every few minutes, Lucian’s hand would brush mine “accidentally.” Each touch sent sparks up my arm.

“You have really soft hands,” he murmured at one point, his thumb lingering on my wrist.

I pulled back gently. “Lucian… people are staring.”

“Let them.” He smiled, that crooked, dangerous smile. “I don’t care what they think.”

But I did. Because across the room, Mia was watching us with pure venom in her eyes. She whispered something to her friend, and both of them looked at me like I was prey.

By lunch, the rumors had gotten worse.

I sat alone at the edge of the cafeteria, poking at my food. My appetite was gone. Someone had “accidentally” spilled juice on my seat earlier, and my skirt was still damp. I just wanted the day to end.

Footsteps approached. I looked up, expecting more bullying.

It was Lucian again. He set his tray down across from me and sat without asking.

“You shouldn’t be here,” I said quietly, glancing around. “Mia’s going to”

“Fuck Mia,” he said calmly, picking up a fry. “I sit where I want. And right now, I want to sit with you.”

My heart raced. Part of me wanted to run, but another part the lonely, aching part wanted him to stay. We talked about small things: favorite movies, how much we both secretly hated group projects. He made me laugh once, a real laugh, and for a moment the cafeteria noise faded.

Then Mia appeared at the end of our table.

“Wow,” she said loudly. “My sister is really trying hard today. Lucian, you know she’s only doing this because she’s jealous of me, right? She always copies whatever I like.”

Lucian raised an eyebrow. “Doesn’t look like copying to me.”

Mia’s smile tightened. “You’ll see soon enough.” She gave me one last warning glare before walking off.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of anxiety. After the final bell, I went to my locker to grab my bag. Inside, I found my missing notebook torn pages scattered, and on the front cover, in big letters:

Stay away from Lucian or I will destroy you.

As I closed the locker, a warm hand touched my lower back.

“Lily,” Lucian said softly behind me. “Come with me for a bit. There’s something I want to show you.”

I turned. He was so close. His eyes were dark, intense, focused completely on me. My body reacted before my brain could a rush of heat low in my belly.

“I… I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” I whispered.

But when he took my hand gently and pulled me toward the quiet back staircase, I didn’t resist.

My twin sister’s warning echoed in my head, but for the first time, I wanted to ignore it.

What was Lucian planning to show me?

My heart hammered against my ribs as Lucian gently tugged me down the quiet back staircase. The school was emptying fast, the usual loud chatter fading into distant echoes. His hand was warm around mine strong, confident. I knew I should pull away. Every logical part of me screamed that this was dangerous. Mia’s warning note still burned in my mind. But my body… my body wanted to follow him.

We slipped into a dimly lit hallway on the old wing of the building, the one rarely used after classes. Dust danced in the slanting afternoon light coming through the high windows. Lucian pushed open the door to an empty classroom at the end and pulled me inside, closing it softly behind us.

“Lucian…” I started, my voice barely above a whisper.

He turned to me, his green eyes darker than usual in the low light. Without saying anything at first, he stepped closer until my back gently touched the cool wall. His tall frame towered over me, making me feel small and strangely protected at the same time.

Slowly, almost reverently, he lifted his hand and traced my bottom lip with his thumb. The touch was feather light, but it sent electricity shooting through me. My breath hitched.

“You’re so soft,” he murmured, his voice husky. “Everywhere.”

His fingers trailed down, brushing along my jaw, my neck, and then lower. When his palm cupped my full breast through my uniform blouse, I gasped. The heat of his hand seeped through the fabric. My nipple tightened instantly under his touch.

“Lucian…” I almost moaned his name, my breath coming quicker now. My chest rose and fell rapidly against his hand. A warm, aching pulse started between my thighs.

“Please, Lily,” he whispered, leaning in so his forehead rested gently against mine. “Let me touch you. Just for a little while. Every time I look at you, you make my heart race like crazy. Those curves… your soft body… I can’t stop thinking about holding you. I like you, Lily. I really like you. And I know you like me too. You’re such a quiet, shy girl, but I see the way you look at me when you think I’m not watching.”

He squeezed my breast gently, thumb circling over the hardening peak. I bit my lip to hold back another sound. It felt so good too good. No one had ever touched me like this. Not with this kind of hunger.

“I want you,” he continued, voice dropping even lower as his other hand settled on my wide hip, pulling me closer. “I want to feel every inch of you. The way your thick thighs would wrap around me. How soft and warm you’d be pressed against me. I’ve been going crazy imagining it. Let me show you how much I crave you, curvy girl.”

His words wrapped around me like smoke. For a moment, I let myself lean into him, my hands coming up to grip his shirt. His mouth hovered so close to mine. I could almost taste the kiss I knew would be explosive.

But then reality crashed back.

Mia’s face flashed in my mind her hateful glare, her threats, her promise to ruin me. I couldn’t do this. Not like this. Not when it would give her more ammunition to destroy me.

I pushed against his chest, harder than I meant to. “No… Lucian, stop. We can’t.”

He stepped back immediately, though his hands lingered for a second longer, reluctant to let go. Confusion and desire warred on his handsome face. “Lily, wait”

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, tears stinging my eyes. “I can’t. My sister… she’ll kill me. She’ll destroy everything.”

Before he could say anything else, I slipped past him and ran.

I burst out of the classroom, my legs carrying me down the hallway as fast as they could. My breasts bounced heavily with each step, my skirt swishing against my thick thighs. My face burned with a mix of shame, arousal, and fear. What had I almost done?

I didn’t stop running until I reached the side exit near the parking lot. Leaning against the wall to catch my breath, I tried to calm my racing heart.

That’s when I felt it eyes on me.

I turned my head slowly.

Mia stood partially hidden behind a pillar a short distance away, her arms crossed. Her expression was pure ice-cold fury. She had seen everything. Or enough.

A slow, dangerous smile curved her lips as our eyes met.

“I will destroy you, Lily,” she mouthed silently, the words clear enough to freeze my blood.

Then she turned and disappeared around the corner, leaving me standing there trembling.