The Class Reject: A Damsel in Disguise (Featured Story)

Chapter 20

Miren opened her mouth to respond, but no words formed. She considered playing hard to get, but enough time had passed to render such a gesture obsolete. So just like that, she was done hiding. 

"You caught me." There was bitterness in her voice, but it was mostly to mask the fear she was feeling. She fought the urge to gulp. "Are you going to release me?"

"How about I ask some questions first?" Jeno said simply. "Like what the hell are you doing masquerading around as a boy?"

And not doing a very good job at that, she thought. After all, she'd only been here for a few days! Days. And sure, she could blame the fact that Jeno was both her roommate and incredibly observant, but an exposure was and exposure. She was in trouble either way. A hiss escaped her lips. 

"Penelope's the reason, if you couldn't guess."

He smirked. "Of course. Saw the showdown live on center stage." he laughed almost obnoxiously. "So you got tired of being her personal bitch? Took you long enough."

Miren clenched her teeth. "Whatever," she said, her fear slipping away. Being afraid just made her feel even more pathetic. "Why don't you stop laughing and just turn me in?"

He shrugged, obviously not that deterred for someone who just found out that his roommate was female. Guess it beat Dylan. "I can't see how that would help you."

Miren's heart began to beat faster. So he's not as heartless as he lets on. But now that her identity was in shambles, she wasn't so sure that she liked the living arrangement. In fact, she sensed that he was only toying with her.

"What's the catch?" she said, placing her hands to her hips like an angry girl. What? She wasn't hiding any more. Not here. "You aren't really going to let me stay here, are you?"

He gave her a serious look. Well, one that was more serious than usual. "Look, I'm not going to be the one to personally lead you to your downfall. I'm a reasonable person."

Miren scoffed. Reasonable. "Coming from the guy who hated me solely because he thought I was gay?"

"Dylan was a pain in the ass," he offered, referring to his past roommate. "And he wouldn't stop staring at mine."

Miren rolled her eyes at his comment. Is he trying to be funny now? After all the hell he gave me? She shook her head. Maybe it would be best if she left, even if she couldn't think of any other options. 

"Like I was saying, I'm a rational person," he said, standing tall and not very humbly, "but I'm afraid you're not."

"And why is that?"

"Well, we could consider all of the decisions you've made recently," he began, pacing the room now. "Or we could just move onto the obvious, which is that you're letting Penelope win."

She stared at him for while, letting his words sink in, before looking away. "I did what I had to do."

"But you're no better for it." He stopped in front of her; his eyes had settled into a calm, scarlet-brown. "Think about it. Everyone on God's green earth knows that she doused you at the assembly. Yet, on YouTube, you're the one who looks like King Kong attacking Naomi Watts. And now she probably has the award, doesn't she?" he considered. "She probably stole your rank too, and she still has your lover-boy, doesn't she?" Miren opened her mouth, possibly to reject his words, but he pressed on. "Oh, come on. Everyone saw you drooling over him."

Mortified, she sealed her lips. He had read the situation—he had read her—so simply, like a children's book. And he wasn't even finished. "And what have you done to counter her cruelty?"