Sins Of Her Venom

-Kathrine Andrews: ( Song of the chapter: Chihiro by Billie Eilish)

Have I ever mentioned how much I hate parties? No? Well, let me say it loud and clear: I hate them. Especially high school parties.

It's all about cheap booze, loud music, and people trying to get wasted and hook up for the night.

Honestly, nothing about it appeals to me. One-night stands? Not my thing.

I've only ever dated two girls in my life. Two. And neither of those relationships ended well.

The first one was back in middle school—if you can even call it dating. I thought it was something serious.

She didn't.

She wasn't out, not to her family, not to her friends, not even to herself.

I was just some kind of experiment for her. I didn't realize it at the time, of course.

We went on dates, and hung out at my house because hers was off-limits, and I even introduced her to my family.

I was all in, I genuinely thought she would be the love of my life, my partner, at that time I saw us married with kids and a house in the future.

Then, out of nowhere, she ghosted me. Just… disappeared.

The next time I saw her, she was holding hands with some guy, acting like those two months we spent together never happened.

Like it never happened.

That was my first heartbreak, and, God, it hurt, I was just thirteen and innocently in love.

The second time, I thought I'd learned my lesson.

I was in my sophomore year, and this girl Cecily—was a classmate.

We were paired up for a group project, and she started coming over to my house to study. We became friends then best friends.

She knew I was a lesbian—I trusted her enough to tell her.

She was the only person that knew my sexuality at school, in addition to my brother.

One day, while we were working on the project, she kissed me.

I didn't see it coming, but I liked her, so we started… whatever it was. I don't even know if I'd call it a relationship.

She'd come over to my house, and we'd talk, kiss, sometimes more. For a while, I thought it was something real.

Then came the cafeteria incident.

I walked in one day, and the whole room went silent.

People were staring, snickering, whispering to each other.

I caught a few of them looking at their phones and laughing. My stomach dropped. It didn't take long to figure out what had happened.

Cecily had leaked pictures of us kissing.

Well, not us—just me. She'd blurred herself out to protect her identity, leaving me completely exposed.

And because our school is the most homophobic place on earth, the rumors started spreading like wildfire.

The bullying followed right after.

I could've outed her. I could've told everyone it was her in those photos, not just me. But I didn't.

As angry as I was, I knew how hard it was to come out in a place like this.

I couldn't do to her what she'd done to me, even if she deserved it.

So, I spent the rest of high school being Glyndon's group punching bag, enduring the stares, the whispers, and the cruel jokes from almost every student.

Cecily disappeared from my life, just like the first girl I dated.

Now, here I am, standing in front of Alex's house—a girl who's made my life hell for years—because I need my earbuds back.

Why did I agree to this? I don't even understand. But this is the last place I want to be.

A high school party. A house full of people who hate me.

What could go wrong?