17 .

Noah’s POV

The moment he stepped into the school halls, he knew something was wrong.

Whispers. Stares. Smirks.

His breath caught in his throat as he clutched his bag tighter, his fingers trembling.

"Did you hear?"

"The football captain and the quiet little teacher—"

"No way, isn't that illegal?"

"He must've seduced him. Look at him—"

"I bet he’s a slut behind closed doors. He's pretty though , I want to get a piece too"

Noah’s vision blurred. His heart pounded painfully in his chest. How? How did this get out?

A hand grabbed his wrist. Emma.

“Noah.” Her voice was urgent, her brows drawn together in worry. “Come on, let’s—”

A sharp ding from his phone.

[Administrative Office: Please report to the principal’s office immediately.]

Noah’s knees nearly gave out.

"No, no, no—"

Emma’s grip tightened. “Breathe. We’ll figure this out.”

But Noah couldn't. His chest constricted, his breath came in shallow gasps. This was it. It was over.

Someone snickered from behind. "Guess the pretty little teacher finally got caught."

A sob bubbled in Noah’s throat.

He wasn’t ready for this.

---

Noah’s POV

Noah sat stiffly in the principal’s office, his fingers digging into his thighs. The room felt suffocating, the weight of the stares pressing down on him like a heavy vice.

Across from him, Principal Holloway laced his fingers together, expression unreadable. Beside him sat Mr. Dawson, the school board representative, and Mrs. Fletcher, the guidance counselor.

Noah’s stomach twisted.

Emma sat beside him for support, but even her presence did little to ease the panic flooding his veins.

“Noah,” Principal Holloway began, voice slow and deliberate. “Do you understand why we’ve called you in today?”

Noah swallowed hard. He knew. Of course, he knew. But admitting it—saying it out loud—made it real.

“I…” His voice cracked. He lowered his gaze, barely managing a nod.

Mr. Dawson cleared his throat. “There have been… concerning reports regarding your relationship with a student.”

The words sent a dagger straight into his chest. His breath hitched.

Principal Holloway sighed, rubbing his temples. “Mr. Everly, I don’t think I need to explain to you how serious this is.”

“I—I didn’t—” Noah stammered, his voice trembling. “It’s not—”

Mrs. Fletcher leaned forward, her voice softer than the others. “Noah, we just need to know the truth. This is a delicate situation. If there is anything you need to tell us—”

Noah bit down on his lip hard, his mind screaming for an escape.

What do I say? What can I say?

If he denied it, would they even believe him? If he admitted it, would they fire him? Arrest him?

The walls were closing in. His vision blurred at the edges. He could barely hear them talking anymore, their voices muffled under the weight of his panic.

Emma squeezed his hand under the desk, grounding him.

“Where’s Kieran?” Principal Holloway suddenly asked, glancing around the room.

Noah froze. His stomach dropped.

“He isn’t here today, yet” Emma quickly answered for him..

Noah’s hands clenched into fists. He felt like he was drowning.

********

This was a nightmare.

The words hit him like a brick to the chest.

“You’ll be transferred, Noah.”

Noah’s breath stilled. His heartbeat pounded in his ears as he stared at Principal Holloway, hoping—praying—that he had misheard. But the solemn expression on the man’s face told him otherwise.

“No,” he whispered, his voice barely audible.

Mr. Dawson sighed, tapping a pen against his folder. “Given the… delicate nature of the situation, we believe it’s best for all parties involved. A quiet transfer to another institution will prevent further complications.”

Noah’s fingers dug into his thighs. His whole body felt like it was shutting down.

“This is my job,” he said weakly. “You’re punishing me?”

Principal Holloway gave him a firm look. “We’re not punishing you, Noah. We’re trying to avoid a scandal. The rumors are already spreading, and if this continues—”

“This isn’t fair!” Noah snapped, the panic clawing up his throat. “I didn’t—I never—” His voice cracked, and he swallowed hard, trying to keep himself together. “You don’t even know what’s true!”

Mr. Dawson adjusted his glasses. “Whether it’s true or not, perception matters. You’re a teacher, and Kieran is a student. It doesn’t look good, Noah.”

Noah’s hands trembled. His entire life, his career, everything he worked for—it was slipping away right in front of him.

Emma looked furious, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. “This is ridiculous,” she hissed. “You’re uprooting his entire life over rumors?”

The principal’s jaw tightened. “This decision isn’t up for debate.”

Noah felt like he was going to be sick. He was trapped. No way out. No way to fix this.

What is Kieran going to do when he finds out?

The thought sent an icy chill down his spine.

Kieran wasn’t here. He didn’t know yet.

But when he did…

God help them all.

*******

Kieran’s POV

The moment he saw Noah’s tear-streaked face, something inside him snapped.

“What the fuck happened?” His voice was calm—too calm. A deadly kind of calm. The kind that meant someone was about to suffer.

Emma opened her mouth, but Noah beat her to it. “They’re transferring me,” he choked out. His lips trembled. His body shook. “They—they said it’s to avoid a scandal.”

Kieran saw red.

His body moved before his mind even caught up. He was storming down the hallway, shoving past students who barely had time to react. He didn’t care if they stared. He didn’t care if they whispered.

He was going to fix this.

The moment he burst into the administration office, the staff flinched. Mr. Dawson, the smug bastard, adjusted his glasses like he had any authority over him.

Kieran slammed his hands on the desk, making the whole thing shake. “Who the fuck do you think you are?” His voice was deadly quiet.

Principal Holloway stood, his expression tense. “Kieran—”

“You think you can take him from me?” Kieran sneered, his eyes dark with rage. “Do you have any idea what you’ve just done?”

“This is a school matter—”

Kieran grabbed a stack of papers and threw them across the room. They scattered like fallen leaves. The secretary gasped. Mr. Dawson took a step back.

“I own this school.” His voice was a low, dangerous growl. “Do you know how much money my family pours into this place? Do you really think you can make a decision like this without consequences?”

Holloway’s expression faltered.

Kieran smirked. There it is. The fear.

“You’ll retract the transfer,” he ordered. “You’ll bury this little rumor and pretend it never existed.”

Mr. Dawson found his voice. “Kieran, this isn’t up to you. This is a matter of professional—”

Kieran grabbed the man’s tie and yanked him forward. The older man gasped, his glasses slipping down his nose. “Let me make something very clear,” Kieran whispered, his breath hot against Dawson’s face. “If Noah leaves, I ruin you.”

He shoved him back with a smirk, straightening his own collar. “Your careers, your funding, your entire fucking school—gone.”

Silence.

Holloway swallowed hard. Dawson adjusted his tie with shaking hands.

“You have until the end of the day,” Kieran murmured darkly. “Make the right choice.”

Then he turned and walked out, his heart still thrumming with rage.

No one takes what’s mine.

********