《The Kissing Game》Chapter 5
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"Day five," Hannah said, amused. "How will things change today?"
"Probably more guys pointlessly flirting with me," I sighed heavily. "The annoying usual."
"And every girls dream."
"That's a horrible dream."
Hannah and I reached the cafeteria and immediately, the place went quiet. Everyone's eyes were on me and I blinked, surprised by this turn of events. I seriously thought things wouldn't have changed that much.
Taking a deep breath in, I walked over to our usual lunch table. All eyes stayed glued to me and I forced myself to ignore everyone. I knew they wanted a reaction and I would never give them one.
Once Hannah and I were seated at the table, she whispered, "What the hell is going on?"
Her eyes darted around the cafeteria and she paled. I didn't blame her because it was eerily quiet and all eyes were on me, who sat next to her. Even though I wasn't the type of person to care about others, I felt uneasy.
"Ignore them," I whispered back, pulling out my lunch. "They're just trying to break me. It's been five days and they're probably getting anxious."
"Thank god tomorrow is the weekend," she mumbled. "This seriously creeps me out."
I took a bite out of my burger and nodded. Having fifty pairs of eyes on you was definitely uncomfortable. Especially when none of the owners spoke.
Hannah and I ate our lunches quietly, unable to speak with an audience. We kept our heads down and hoped everyone would stop, but they didn't. Even when twenty minutes passed by slowly. I was slowly losing my patience.
"I swear to god," I hissed to Hannah. "If they don't stop staring at me I'll snap."
"Breathe Zoey," Hannah whispered urgently. "I have no idea what they have planned for you and I'm worried."
"I'm not and I want to find out."
Hannah's eyes went wide as I stood up. Her jaw dropped as I climbed on top of the table, glaring at everyone who stared at me. They simply stared back and my patience snapped like a twig.
"What do you want!" I snapped, causing a few eyes to widen.
"Oh god," Hannah whispered, and I watched her put her hands together in the form of a prayer.
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Classic Hannah. She was always worried about me and my big mouth.
"What we want blondie is to know when you're going to pass the kiss," a girl said, narrowing her eyes at me. "It's been five days and no one knows who you plan to kiss."
A few people shouted in agreement and I rolled my eyes. It was time for them to realize what would happen from here on out.
"That's because I won't be passing the kiss to anyone!" I shouted, earning a few gasps from the crowd. "There's no one I'll be kissing!"
Jaws dropped and eyes widened, and below me Hannah grumbled about how I was about to ruin my life. I ignored her and stood with triumph. Now that how I felt was out, I hoped everyone would leave me alone.
"You... You can't be serious!" the same girl exclaimed. "You're going to ruin the game!"
"I don't care." I shrugged casually. "It was a stupid game to begin with."
The surprise looks suddenly turned to annoyed ones. Hannah began to speak a prayer out loud and for the first time, I wondered if maybe I was pushing a limit that shouldn't be pushed.
"You think The Kissing Game is stupid?" A boy asked, glaring at me.
"Yes," I answered. "Like who the hell would want to be known as The Holy Kisser."
"You're stupid!" Another boy yelled. "You're ruining the best thing about this school."
"That's sad if it's the best thing."
Suddenly, the crowd began to boo me. They began to shout unpleasant things and I watched them, taking it. I wanted them to see that I was serious and that meant standing my ground.
"You're horrible!" someone shouted. "The entire school is going to hate you!"
"We tried to be patient with you but look at what we'll do now!" Another person shouted.
"You suck!" A small girl roared. "You game ruiner!"
Anger flared up in me, but I forced myself to stay calm. I counted to ten and listened to Hannah's pleas for me to leave. I didn't listen to her, but knowing she was still at my side comforted me. When the whole school seemed to be trying to tear you down, it was needed.
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"You know what!" The first girl who spoke shouted. "I feel bad for whoever would have to kiss you! You're a bitch!"
To my utter surprise, my heart felt a stab of pain shoot through it. I tried not to express it, but seeing the girl looking suddenly guilty, I whirled around when I knew I reacted. Keeping my head held high, I then ran off, wanting to be away from the angry mob. I needed to breathe and scold myself for being weak momentarily.
Pushing the double doors open, I ran down the hallways without looking back once. My heart was suddenly racing and I realized I might have made a mistake. This game was definitely a bigger deal than I had thought it was, and that meant that I wouldn't be left alone. Not for a while, at least.
Another door appeared before me and I threw it open, rushing outside. The suns rays hit me and I closed my eyes, letting it warm me up. After the girl's words, I felt oddly cold.
It was surprising that her words offended me, but I knew it wouldn't happen again. From now on I had to be strong. I couldn't let anyone get to me as I stood by my morals. That way, I would never need to pass the stupid kiss on.
Suddenly, I heard footsteps heading my way. Assuming it was Hannah, I turned around to tell her everything was fine, but I was surprised to see that it was Axel. He looked grim as he approached me and I stared at him, wondering what he wanted. Anger flooded into me, thinking he was trying to seduce me.
"Are you serious?" he asked, stopping in front of me. "You're going to keep the kiss?"
"Yes," I said, crossing my arms over my chest defiantly.
His eyes were likes diamonds as he stared at me. They were hard and clear as they expressed annoyance, and I stared back. My heart was pounding again.
"You're an idiot, do you know that?" he said. "Our entire grade is going to hate you."
"I don't care about what they think," I said. "It's a stupid game. I don't understand why they're overreacting."
"You don't understand Zoey. Some people value traditions."
"I do, too. But reasonable ones."
Axel seemed to deflate suddenly. He titled his head back and rolled his eyes, and I scoffed at his over exaggerated movement. And anyways, I should be the one reacting that way.
"You're so infuriating," Axel said, shaking his head. "Do you know that?"
"Back at you," I said, glaring at him. "Why are you even talking to me about this?"
"I was just trying to warn you." He ran his fingers through his hair, messing it up in a way that somehow still looked good. "You're going to have a lot of people mad at you. Be careful."
I couldn't hide my surprise. My eyes went wide as I took in that he was warning me. Axel West who only cared about himself was warning me. This was unreal.
"What are you trying to get out of this?" I asked, eyes hardening.
"I just don't want-" he stopped himself suddenly, taking a deep breath in. "Zoey, honestly keeping the kiss would be really stupid. People are going to be out to get you from this day on."
"Then what should I do?" I smiled sweetly, knowing where he was going with this. "Kiss you?"
"Sure. That would be an easy solution."
"I can't believe you!"
I whirled around, knowing I was tired of talking to him. Axel was a self absorbed jerk. That was the only reason why he was speaking to me. He only warned me to get the kiss himself and oddly, my heart felt like it had sunk.
"Yell at me and others all you want," Axel said from behind me. "But just know that you're going to regret this. Keeping the kiss will ruin your life."
I scoffed and kept walking, ignoring his words. I was me and I was confident. I could manage my idiotic classmates just fine. There was no need to worry.
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Rise
Su Xue, a woman in her mid 20s, is struggling both in paying rent and finding her path in life. Her latest stint has her trying to become a popular League of Legends streamer, though to poor results. One day, she is interrupted in the middle of a livestream by a surprise visit from her landlady. She is informed that she will be having a new roommate. The landlady’s nephew, Lin Feng, a 18 year old boy who has just transferred over to Shanghai for his last year of high school.Though initially opposed to it, Su Xue reluctantly agrees to the arrangement. She learns that the two share a common interest—League of Legends—and that he’s really amazing at the game. Lin Feng also reveals to her he wishes to become the best professional League of Legends player in the world.The next day. Lin Feng attends his first day of school as a transfer student at High School 13. He meets Ouyang and Yang Fan, and the trio find a common passion in League of Legends. Lin Feng is then introduced to Ren Rou, the president of the esports club with a fiery personality, and Tang Bingyao, a quiet bookworm with a love for money and a surprising talent for the game.A little about Lin Feng’s past is revealed. He was a once pro player, the youngest in history and a contender for the best player in the world. Until the finals of the Season 1 World Championship. There, he lost to his arch-rival, an equally brilliant Korean youth. That was the peak of his career, and also the turning point in his life. He stepped down from his team and disappeared from competitive play altogether. Now, after a four year long hiatus, he aims to make a comebackOver the next couple of weeks, Lin Feng learns about the upcoming Shanghai 16 School Tournament, and that his school’s esports club had performed especially poorly the previous year. He agrees to coach the club’s team and help them win the first place trophy this year. And so, he starts the members of the club out on an intense training bootcamp.Meanwhile, the Season 5 League of Legends World Championship is taking place at around the same time. Tian Tian, one of Lin Feng’s former teammates and best friend, is on one of the Chinese teams playing at Worlds. After a poor showing, he is on the verge of a mental breakdown. Lin Feng witnesses everything in a viewing party with the esports club members and becomes worried.On the day of the Shanghai 16 School tournament, Lin Feng reunites with Tian Tian on the phone. He tells Tian Tian he’s going to return to the professional scene, that he’s making a new team and plans to invite him. But Tian Tian has to vow not to give up at Worlds and keep winning. Tian Tian agrees, and Lin Feng promises he’ll fight alongside him. Lin Feng then heads into his match with renewed resolve, to climb from the bottom all the way back to the top, and overcome the rival that defeated him so many years ago.
8 1136Phoenix's Requiem
Painfully shy and conflict-averse, Yun Ruoyan is a scion to a noble house only in name, a puppet embroiled in political machinations beyond her ken. At the tender age of eighteen, poisoned and at death’s door, she finds herself thrown out into the streets. Her relatives have all been executed, betrayed by her dear husband and her cousin. With her dying breath, she curses her own weakness and swears revenge.When Yun Ruoyan awakens once more, she is thirteen, transported five years into the past by the will of the heavens. Her death-defying experience has changed her: no longer is she the malleable creature she once was. But more questions await at every corner—what is the truth behind the birthmark that disfigures her appearance? What are the circumstances surrounding her mother’s mysterious death?Will the phoenix rise from the ashes, or will she fall once more in thrall to fate?
8 646Poison Physician Consort
Follow Bai Luochu on a journey back to the peak as she reincarnates into the body of an orphaned daughter of the former great general of the Cloud Water Nation.With the Three Great Immortal Sects in front of her, her mortal enemies who caused her death, how would she rise to the top again?With her astounding medical skills and ability to create heaven defying poison, Bai Luochu heals the crippled meridians of her new body and attracts the attention of all three princes of the Cloud Water Nation!
8 1749Rebirth of a Fashionista: This Life Is Soo Last Season
Cinderella went from rags to riches, but when you are already at the top, fate is more than happy to kick you down. A car accident kicks off Sheng Jiaoyang's reverse Cinderella story by trapping her soul in the body of a poor girl, leaving her to succumb to fate and wait for her Prince Charming to come to her rescue -- obviously not!Like a phoenix rising out of the ashes, Sheng Jiaoyang forges her own way back up to the upper echelons of society, clearing obstacles, taking revenges, and bagging her handsome and rich childhood friend on the way.If you are tired of reading about poor damsel in distress waiting for a man to rescue her, and wants a female lead that can carry herself to the top, Rebirth of A Fashionista is the novel for you!
8 274The Attack of the Wastrel
Her rebirth gave her a second chance at life. She was back with a vengeance and wanted to make those that had harmed her pay. But to those that helped her, she wanted to repay them. Her evil stepmother? She would slowly pull out her claws, one by one. Her evil stepsister? She would crush her pride. She thought that by getting her revenge for her past life, she would be happy in this life. However, she never would have thought that danger would chance upon her time and time again. The hatred from her clan and whether their bloodline would continue to exist, lay solely on her shoulders. Luckily, on this thorny path, someone had always been protecting her. "Third Prince, have you ever regretted being with me?" That person laughed lightly and peered at her with a loving yet weary look, "As long as I am together with you, I have no regrets."
8 1461Demoness's Art of Vengeance
Jun Xiaomo, notoriously known as “Lady Demoness”, finds herself chained and bound in a dungeon. Her hard-earned cultivation has been completely crippled, and she has no means of escape. Qin Shanshan, a lady she used to called her “close friend”, mocks Jun Xiaomo, revealing that Jun Xiaomo had been used by the people around her. Even her lover, Qin Lingyu was one of the masterminds scheming against her. Jun Xiaomo watches her life flash before her eyes and realizes that she had indeed blindly placed her trust in people. Her naivety had led to her current predicament. Jun Xiaomo wanted to end it all. However, she is determined to deliver a swan song. Over the hundreds of days tormented in that very dungeon, Jun Xiaomo had painstakingly painted a complicated formation array with her own blood. With a determined look, Jun Xiaomo burns her life force to activate the array. Her sole intent? To bring with her as many schemers to the gates of hell as she could. The bright red light from thearray intensified, and the end was nigh.…or was it? Jun Xiaomo opens her eyes and finds herself alive again; time had rewound right back to when she was sixteen years of age, albeit only at the eighth level of Qi Cultivation. Armed with the knowledge and memories of her previous lifetime, Jun Xiaomo is determined to learn from her mistakes and bring retribution to those who so deserve…
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