That night, Mia went to bed but sleep didn't come, instead her mind wondered back to where it all started...

*Flashback*

Like it was for many others, high school wasn't the most pleasant of times for Mia either, and it was all because of Sebastian and his friends.

They weren't in the same year, with Sebastian being older than her, but he was best mates with Mia's brother, Aaron. Due to that reason, the two of them often ended up being in each other's company, but that didn't mean the two were fond of it.

To Mia, Sebastian was the egoistic playboy. He was loved and idolised by practically everyone in the school. All the guys wanted to be him and the girls wanted to be with him. He was the guy. Sebastian was essentially the star of the school, that much was clear, even the teachers loved him.

Mia wasn't jealous of the attention that he got, she was basically a wallflower and preferred it that way, but she didn't like the arrogance that Sebastian had. He always made it seem like he was better than the rest and it bothered her.

Despite Mia's brother being best mates with Sebastian, he wasn't like that at all. He was in a steady, happy relationship with his girlfriend Melissa, who Mia loved and got along with.

To Sebastian, Mia was such a goody-goody. He knew from Aaron that she was a quiet girl, nose always in a book. He didn't really care about her, she didn't exactly mean anything to him, but he disliked the way she looked at him, those brown eyes full of judgement.

From the limited amount of interactions that they both had with each other, Sebastian could tell that Mia didn't like him, which was fine because he didn't like her either.

Sebastian always got a look of judgement from others since his family was rich and just from that, everyone already made an opinion about him. Aaron was the first guy who didn't, which is why he was one his best mates, yet his sister was a different story.

Mia didn't even know who the Carter's were, she just disliked Sebastian's actions and his general personality. He would tease others and pull pranks, it irked Mia.

On one occasion, Darren, a friend of Mia's confessed to her that he liked Beth, one of the girl's in Sebastian's group. Unfortunately, Sebastian and his mates overheard this and made a mockery of Darren's feelings in front of the whole school.

After the whole incident, Darren refused to speak to Mia, not even wanting to see her face. He thought she must've been the one to tell them, since she was the only one he confessed his crush to.

He didn't move school but transferred his classes, so that he had none with Mia. Little did Darren know, in the process he broke Mia's heart since she had a crush on him, but the guy would no longer look at her. She lost him, due to a prank orchestrated by Sebastian.

Since that moment, Mia dislike for Sebastian grew even more.

However, that was nothing compared to the one day that broke Mia.

Tucker was another one of Sebastian's and Aaron's mates, although Aaron wasn't so fond of the guy.

He was dating Victoria and the pair were a toxic couple. They weren't nice at all and despite Sebastian never insulting Mia directly, Victoria was never one to hold back, only in Aaron's presence did she bite her tongue. Victoria disliked Mia, and although there was no concrete reason to do so, it just stemmed from the way Tucker would look at the girl, full of lust.

Tucker liked the innocent little girl Mia was, though he would never admit this in the presence of anyone.

Mia sometimes saw the way that Tucker would look at her and although it made her uncomfortable, she assumed she was just imagining things, especially since the whole school was aware that Victoria and he were a couple.

A day before senior prom, Tucker took his desire to another level.

He saw Mia go the the library, book in hand as always. It was late after school and with prom being the next day, there was hardly anyone staying back. Thinking this was his opportunity, he followed Mia into the library.

Mia had only gone to return a book, when suddenly a hand went over her mouth and another around her waist, picking her up from the ground. She tried to thrash around but it didn't do anything, and she felt a kind of fear she had never felt before.

She was then pushed against a wall and when she opened her eyes, Mia found Tucker towering over her with an unknown look in his eyes.

"Tucker, let me go," she struggled, but he just pushed himself against her, pressing her further against the wall and she continued to protest.

He leaned forward, lips to her ear, telling her he liked her and knew she liked him, delusional from his own lust for her.

Mia put her hand on his shoulder trying to push him away, but he was proving too strong for her. Although unknown to her, Tucker had placed his phone on one of the bookcases, capturing everything on video for his own sick pleasure.

He leaned in to kiss her, when suddenly Victoria's voice echoed in the library. Victoria was as delusional as Tucker was and instead of seeing her boyfriend forcing himself on Mia, she saw Mia trying to seduce her boyfriend.

Mia didn't even wait to hear the nasty words Victoria had for her, instead running from the library as soon as she felt Tucker's grip on her loosen.

She ran as fast as she could, just wanting to go home. To be somewhere safe.

Tucker apologised to Victoria but not with the whole truth. Instead, he placed blame on Mia and told her that it was Mia who was seducing him. He spun a take of how Mia wanted to get her first kiss from him and experience what it was like.

Victoria was livid hearing those words from Tucker, whilst he just hugged her, a smirk on his face as he knew she believed his lies. However, Victoria wasn't one to just let someone off so easily and so she formed a plan.

As soon as she got home, Mia cried in her room. Her brother, Aaron, had no clue what had gone on with his little sister, only hearing her muffled sobs.

To cheer her up, he invited her to come to the prom with Melissa and him.

Mia tried to refuse, wanting to stay home, but Aaron wasn't one to listen and thought this would lighten up her mood. Mia recognised the effort he was trying to make for her and agreed, hoping it would help her to forget all that had happened.

Unfortunately, Aaron had messaged within his group chat that Mia would be coming to prom as well and Victoria took it as the best opportunity to carry out her plan against Mia.

Tucker had shown Victoria an edited version of the video from the library, which made it seem like Mia was happy with what was going on. He told Victoria this was sent to him by Mia, and said this was her trying to entice him, which only fuelled Victoria's anger further.

During prom Mia felt uncomfortable, especially with the thought that Tucker was in the same room as her. She wanted to tell Aaron, but thought to wait after prom, not wanting to ruin Melissa and his night.

She didn't realise that was a mistake.

Victoria had known that Aaron wanted to give Melissa a promise ring tonight, since he had spoken about it before. Seeing this as a good opportunity to get the both of them away from Mia, she suggested he go ask her, to which Aaron agreed immediately.

He told Mia that he was popping out for a second to give Melissa the ring. She was happy for the pair and didn't even think twice when she told him to go.

Once Aaron and Melissa were out the room, Victoria began to execute her plan.

She told Sebastian that Mia had tried to coax a kiss from Tucker in the library and showed him the video that Tucker had shown her, claiming that Mia had sent this to him to seduce him.

With a few tears on her part, Sebastian was blinded by his friendship and loyalty and believed every word that Victoria had told him. She asked him to help her and he agreed.

Sebastian couldn't believe that Mia would stoop so low and agreed to teach her a lesson. He wanted her to know that she couldn't use Aaron as a shield forever, especially not if this is how she was acting.

He always thought Mia's good-girl act was just that, an act, and now it was proven.

A projection screen was in the hall for prom, showing pictures throughout the year, when suddenly instead of pictures a certain video began to play.

Mia's heartbeat picked up speed as she saw the video playing out on the screen. It was an altered version of what had actually occurred, and tears began forming in her eyes as she became everyone's centre of attention.

Whispers began, people slut-shaming her, calling her names, all of which was not true, but only she was aware of that.

Victoria then stepped forward, hurling all kinds of hideous words at Mia, accusing her of trying to steal her boyfriend, insulting her appearance and mocking her fake innocent act. She continued her tirade against the poor girl, who was too shocked to even say a word in her defence.

When she finally decided to speak, she was interrupted by Sebastian.

He accused her of the same things Victoria had but it hurt Mia more that it was coming from him.

She understood Victoria's anger, she was Tucker's girlfriend and barely knew her. She would no doubt believe what Tucker would say.

However, Sebastian knew her, not well, but he met her enough to know the kind of girl she was. Or at least she thought he would know.

She knew he may not like her, but didn't think he would speak against her character - but that bubble had burst. Mia couldn't believe that Sebastian was accusing her of all of this and it was crushing her.

But the final blow was when Sebastian called her "desperate".

He asked her if she really wanted kiss so bad, that she was willing to go to such lengths?

Mia had no reply to the question, too stunned that Sebastian would ever ask her such a thing.

Sebastian didn't notice her expression, instead he thought it was all an act and it was just crocodile tears the girl was shedding, none of it real. None of it true.

Sebastian then did the one thing to break her, he pulled her close and roughly placed his lips on her for a second, before pushing her away.

Sebastian wiped his lips in disgust, claiming that now she had received the kiss that she so desperately wanted, there was no need for her to act like that.

Mia couldn't register his words, she was shattered inside and it was evident on her face.

It took barely a second for Sebastian to realise he had taken things too far. That was he had done was so terrible. He saw this raw pain in her eyes, and knew that his anger had blinded him and he'd made a grave mistake.

He stepped forward to say something, not entirely sure what he could say, but he knew he had to.

Before he could utter a word, a hard fist came crashing down on his face.

Aaron had just seen what had unfolded and he wasn't going to stand for it. He saw the hurt on his little sister's, now tear-stricken, face. It was hurting him that his sister was crying but what made it worse, was that it was his best mate that caused it.

Not wanting to stay in the place any longer, Aaron grabbed Mia's hand and led her out the hall. She just trailed behind him in a daze and Melissa followed them.

In that moment, Sebastian had realised he had lost his mate.

Still blinded from what Victoria had said, Sebastian blamed it on Mia. He assumed Aaron didn't know what Mia had done, but was only protecting her, since she was his little sister.

Of course, he knew that he shouldn't have taken it so far either, but he couldn't stand the little 'crying act' he thought Mia was putting on in front of everyone. The video was shown and she was still acting, he didn't understand it.

Soon after, Sebastian had left the prom in anger as well. He never disliked Mia more then he did that night, blaming her as the reason he lost his friend, coming in-between them like a thorn.

Victoria and Tucker just stood there, happy with the way everything unfolded, with Victoria thinking the girl got what she deserved.

From that day, word had spread about Mia trying to seduce Tucker. The few friends she had, shunned her. They didn't want to associate with the likes of her anymore and school became a progressively worse place for Mia too. People that weren't even present, knew what happened, some even making up their own version and spreading more rumours.

Mia assumed, or rather hoped, the next year of high-school would be easier, since it was a new year and Sebastian and his friends wouldn't be there since they were now off to college.

However, she was wrong.

She was labelled a slut, with people gossiping about how she was messing around with both Tucker and Sebastian, and probably the whole group of them.

Through no action of her own, she developed a reputation.

It became unbearable when other boys tried to ask her out, with the thought that she was 'easy'. They would then get mad when she rejected them, calling her more names.

Mia still went to school everyday. She bore all the rumours, the gossip and the name calling. She tried so hard not to care, telling herself that if she made it through each day, then she was a little more stronger for it.

She never wanted to tell her parents what had occurred, purely because she didn't want to worry them. Nonetheless, they worried for her anyway. The saw how sad and unhappy she was everyday and whilst she never told them anything, they could see the change in her.

After speaking to Aaron, who at Mia's request hadn't told them anything, their parents decided it was better for Mia's state of mind to be homeschooled for the remaining years.

The decision was an effective one and Mia felt a lot more happier and relived.

It took her a while, but eventually Mia moved on from that incident. She didn't want to be held up in the past, but she developed this bitterness and hate for Sebastian, Victoria and Tucker.

Sebastian's hate for Mia hadn't wavered either.

After that prom night, he felt horrible at what he had done. He knew it wasn't right to just kiss Mia like that but he still was in the illusion that the morphed video had created. It blinded him.

That kiss wasn't his only regret from that night, since he had lost a friend too. Aaron and Sebastian never spoke again after that night, with Aaron not ready to hear anything from Sebastian unless it was an apology. Other than that, he didn't want to hear anything against his sister.

After a while, Sebastian had continued to live his life, the prom incident at the back of his mind. However, a couple of year later, it came back into his life.

After he had started university, a couple of weeks in, a rumour had spread that Sebastian harassed a girl in high school. It was referring to that kiss, but took it further and made it a lot more worse.

The Dean of the university had caught wind of the rumour and wasn't happy at all. He was nearly ready to expel Sebastian, until Richard Carter stepped in to defend his son, squashing the rumour completely.

Sebastian nearly lost everything that he had worked so hard for and immediately he placed the blame on Mia, since he didn't see anyone else having motive. He just thought it was her own way of getting him back at him.

What he didn't know however, was that it was actually Darren who had spread the word. He wanted to get revenge against Sebastian for his own humiliation and thought it would could also help Mia, who was completely clueless about the situation.

Mia and Sebastian's resentment was mostly formed due to hearsay and misunderstandings, they were just never aware of it, only sharing a bitter past.