CHAPTER 10: BACK TO COLLEGE - CAMPUS GOSSIP

Monday Morning - Blackwood University Cafeteria

The cafeteria buzzed with the electric energy that only came with premium gossip. Every table hummed with the same conversation, voices rising and falling like waves of excitement and cruelty.

At a corner table near the windows, five business majors huddled over their breakfast trays, practically vibrating with scandal.

"I still can’t believe Alex, that loser actually lost it like that," Jessica Liu said, stabbing her scrambled eggs for emphasis. "Like, completely mental breakdown in front of everyone."

"Bro," William Thompson grinned, shaking his head, "You should’ve seen him that day. Security literally had to drag him out while he was screaming about Sophia using him. Pathetic."

Priya Patel leaned in like she was sharing state secrets. "You guys think he’ll show his face today? After that humiliation?"

William Thompson smirked.

"Honestly, I didn’t think he’d show. I figured he’d need a bit more time to piece himself back together, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Poor guy’s been through so much."

Brad Martinez snorted. "Even If he does, it’ll be awkward as hell. The guy thought he was hot shit just because he was dating a Blackwood. Reality check hit hard."

"Honestly, I saw this coming from miles away," Emma Rodriguez chimed in, though her tone carried a hint of sympathy. "Sophia’s way out of his league. Rich girl, poor boy....never ends well."

"You are so right," William laughed. "Scholarship kid thinking he could marry into the Blackwood fortune. What is this, a fairy tale?"

Two tables away, three students sat in a much different mood. Danny Miller pushed his food around his plate, jaw clenched tight with anger. Sarah Blake kept glancing at him with concern, while Mike Carter...just looked tired.

"I can’t believe that idiot," Danny muttered, his voice low but fierce. "After everything we told him. All the warnings."

"Danny, you need to calm down," Sarah said softly, reaching across to touch his arm. "Getting angry won’t change anything."

"Calm down?" Danny’s voice cracked slightly. "We were his best friends, Sarah. We tried to warn him about Sophia, about that whole crowd. And what did he do? Screamed at us. Called us jealous losers who couldn’t handle his success."

Mike sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Look, man, I get it. Alex said some messed up things. But you know how he gets when he’s stressed..."

"Don’t make excuses for him," Danny snapped. "He chose them over us. Made his bed, now he’s lying in it."

Sarah shook her head. "This is exactly what I mean. Alex was stupid, yes. Ignored us, yes. But he was our friend for years before Sophia came along. You’re still angry because you care about him."

Danny’s expression softened slightly, but his voice remained hard. "I was his best friend. Was. Past tense."

Around them, the gossip kept flowing, each table adding their own spin to the Alex Chen disaster story. Some sympathetic, most cruel, all fascinated by the spectacular fall from grace.

____

Alex walked through Blackwood University’s ornate entrance gates at exactly 10:30 AM. He’d timed it perfectly...late enough that most students would be settled into their morning routines, but early enough to make it to his first class.

The recognition started immediately.

"Holy shit, is that Alex?" a freshman whispered to her friend by the fountain.

"No way. I heard he was in the hospital after his breakdown."

"Maybe the rumors were wrong?"

Alex kept walking, his expression calm and measured. He’d spent the weekend mentally preparing for exactly this moment. Every stare, every whisper, every pointed finger, he’d expected it all.

But what struck him was how... small it felt. These people thought they were witnessing his walk of shame, but they had no idea what he’d accomplished in the weeks since his supposed "humiliation."

"Dude, he actually came back," someone said loudly enough for Alex to hear. "Thought for sure he’d transfer schools."

"Maybe he can’t afford to," another voice replied with a snicker. "Scholarship problems."

Alex smiled slightly at that. If only they knew about the hundred thousand sitting in his bank account. Or about the woman who’d put it there, currently planning her entire day around when she might see him next.

More phones came out as he crossed the main courtyard. Students pretended to check messages while obviously filming him. Alex didn’t flinch. Let them document his return. They’d be talking about today for very different reasons soon enough.

____

Class Room - 204

The classroom fell silent the moment Alex pushed open the door. Forty-three students turned in perfect unison, their conversations dying mid-sentence.

Alex had expected this. The anticipation, the tension, the barely contained excitement of seeing the campus pariah return to face his classmates. He walked down the tiered steps to his usual seat in the middle section, every footstep echoing in the sudden quiet.

"Well, well," came William Thompson’s voice from the back. "Look who decided to show up. Thought you might need more recovery time after your little... episode."

Snickers rippled through the room. Alex settled into his seat without turning around, but he could feel the collective lean-forward of students eager for drama.

"Yeah, Alex," Madison Cole added with fake sweetness. "Heard you put on quite the show at the charity gala. Very entertaining."

Alex finally turned, his dark eyes scanning the faces behind him with calm precision. The talking stopped immediately.

"Mike. Danny. Sarah." He nodded to his former friends in the second row. They looked uncomfortable....Danny’s face was stone, while Mike gave a small, awkward wave.

"Hey, Alex," Mike said, trying to lighten the mood. "At least you had Sophia to yourself for three months, right? That’s gotta count for something."

Danny shot Mike a warning look, but Alex just smiled slightly. "Yeah. It was educational."

Something in his tone made the classroom feel different. More charged. Students who’d been preparing to pile on suddenly seemed uncertain.

"You know what I don’t get?" Suddenly said Brad Martinez from a few rows up, his tone gaining confidence with every word. "How someone with Hale’s... let’s say, less polished roots... managed to dominate the rankings for so long. Kinda weird, right? Makes you wonder what...or who...helped."

The implication hung in the air like smog. A few students shifted, some uncomfortable, others clearly entertained.

"Careful, Brat," came a clear voice from the back. Jenny Alvarez, not afraid to speak up. "Say it plain if you’re gonna smear someone...don’t hide behind suggestions."

Brad smirked, unbothered about his nickname. "I’m just saying, dating a blackwood might’ve come with... academic perks. Grade inflation for the boyfriend. Would explain a lot."

The murmurs swelled again, louder this time. You could almost feel the collective lurch toward scandal, curiosity, and judgment.

William laughed. "Makes sense. No way a scholarship kid keeps up with us unless he’s getting help. We’ve had the best tutors since we could walk."

"Exactly," Madison added smoothly. "And now that his little arrangement is over, we’ll finally see his real academic level."

Alex turned around slowly, his dark eyes sweeping over the crowd like a scalpel. The noise died instantly.

"Let’s test those theories," he said, voice calm but cutting. "I’m always up for a public correction."

The room held its breath.

That’s when Professor Harrison entered, briefcase in one hand, coffee in the other, blissfully unaware of the storm that had just been silenced. Students whipped forward like they’d never turned their heads.

But Alex could still feel their stares, the way some eyes lingered with pity, others with challenge, and a few with something closer to fear.

Class was about to begin...and Alex was ready to remind them exactly why he belonged at the top.