|chapter one:: the return pt.2|

CHAOS and fury brewed inside me as I stood only feet away from Polo. "You.." I dropped my bag and eyed him viciously as he stared back at me, "You fucking son of a bitch!"

I speed over to him, my fist in a ball, but I was quickly lifted off of my feet, causing me to fight the air to get at him, "Adriana, no!" Guzman said as he held me in his arms.

I grunt, choosing to ignore him, watching as Azucena came into view along with his mother who stood next to him. Azucena looked over at me, "Adriana, calm down."

"Adriana," Guzman called me once again before he pulled me away and into a classroom, only having me watch as Polo and his mother walked past the room with Azucena.

When they were out of my sight, everyone piled into the classroom, including Lu, Samuel, Nic and Nadia, who all surrounded me as I pulled away from my brothers grip. I quickly turned to him, "What the fuck is he doing here?"

Guzman huffed, looking away from me before Samuel pulled him away. Lu grabbed my arm, but I snatch it away from her, too pissed for anyone to touch me. I walk away from the group, slamming my hand on the table in frustration, causing some heads to look at me.

"No one knew he was let out, Ana," Lu stated, "He could have only been detained for a short time."

Her words weren't helping me. I rolled my eyes, only to see my bag placed onto the desk, causing me to look up at Nic, who smiled sympathetically, "You need to calm down."

"Fuck calming down," I seethed, looking around at everyone, "Since day one, I've been the only person that's been calm, holding everyone back! I'm fucking sick of it, alright?"

"But, Ana-"

"No, Lu, my sister is dead- no, murdered, is the correct term," I cut her off, "And there is not enough vacations, pills or fucking parties in the world to ever make me forget that. Not even if that piece of shit, Polo, killed me himself."

The room was suddenly quiet from my words, but only for a moment as Carla came in and say down, "Do you have anything to say about all this?" Lu asked her, standing in between Guzman and Samuel, "Or are you already just so used to be quiet?"

"At least she spoke up," Guzman announced, before turning his head to look over at Ander, who sat at a desk with his head in his hands, "Unlike some people who knew and didn't say a damn thing."

"Holy shit, Ander. You knew?" Lu asked, before looking at me, "I thought you said you guys just broke up, Ana, was this the reason?"

Lu would pester me the whole trip about why we broke up, but I never told her the real reason. I didn't want the thought of it ruining my trip.

I rolled my eyes again and walked to a table in the far left before I notice Nic quickly sit next to me. I raise a brow before huffing at him, "If you tell me to calm down one more time-"

"I won't," He assured, tossing his hands up, "I just want to stick extra close to you today just in case you chose lunge at someone again." I give a fake laugh, before he continued, "You didn't tell me you guys broke up."

"Why should I have?" I wondered, "It wasn't important." Nic was definitely not going to be one of those people I told because he would have tried to skip the friend part that we're building now and straight to the 'I love you' stage again, which I really don't want.

"You're right," He agreed simply, "It's not."

"Polo didn't do anything." I heard ahead and look up to see Cayetanna looking over at Lu, who was still talking to Guzman and Samuel.

I immediately glare at her, "What the fuck do you know, Cayetanna? You only been here for four months, we've all known Polo ten times longer, so try again in four years so we can compare and defend Polo, so we're even by then," She turned her attention to me as I scoffed, "But of course you would defend him now, seeing as you're both good liars and all you have is each other."

"Look, if we stick the facts, the only evidence against him is a statement from a jealous ex." She argued and I was about to stand up, Nic held me down in my seat.

"How about if I shove my heel up your ass, is that enough evidence for you then?" I seethed, "Maybe then you know what a real clothing brand feels like when you're not stealing it."

She pressed her lips into a thin line, before sitting down and Azucena came in, "Please, everyone take a seat." Everyone did as she asked, including me, before she spoke again, "Your classmate was recently released on bail. This means there are still charges against him and he is still under investigation. I've told his family that given the circumstances," She glanced over at me before I watched Polo walked past the room again, "I can't allow him to come back."

"So he won't graduate, right?" Lu asked her.

"Fortunately, it looks like all this will be resolved soon." She responded.

"What?" Guzman questioned with disbelief and I glanced back at him.

"The judge has ordered a confrontation between Polo and his accuser tomorrow in order to compare their accounts and decide whether to charge him formally or to drop the charges." She informed and the class began to whisper amongst themselves. This is bullshit. We all know what Carla is going to do- or at least I do. She's gonna retract the statement. "I know it's hard to distance yourselves from this, but I urge you to do it for your own good. This week, we have representatives from the worlds best universities coming to meet you all. And with a bit of luck, you might be accepted to one or even be awarded a scholarship. This is a crucial moment. A lot is at stake, so please stay focused. Don't let the past ruin your future." I stare down at my desk, trying to refrain from saying something, but she called my name, "Adriana, with me."

I sighed to myself and stood up from the desk before leaving the room behind her, "Azucena," I begin as we only stood a few doors down from my class, "I'm sorry I behaved that way in front of you, it won't happen again."

"I know because you're beyond upset about many things and I understand," She hummed, "But what I was saying back there was mainly towards you, Adriana, because I know you wouldn't let anything ruin your future." I lowered my head, but she picked it up, "You're not your brother, Adriana, because when you're mad, you're worse than him. Don't be, okay?"

I nodded at her and she smiled a bit before sending me back to class. I huffed heavily before looking down at my balled up hands, opening them to see crescent moons engraved in my palm. My chest tightened still as I walked back to class, pissed off. I couldn't let the past be the past. Not anymore.

I want Polo dead.