ROMEO TRISTAIN'S PAYBACK

Chapter5

The hallway of Gem City College buzzed with students, their cheers still ringing from Steven Jones’s proposal to Erica Trump. Romeo Tristan stood frozen, his amber eyes wide with shock, his heart pounding as he watched his fiancée,(ex-fiancée)beam at another man.

 Ryan George, his best friend, tugged at his arm, his blue eyes worried. 

“Come on, bro, let’s move.”

 Ryan urged, but Romeo’s feet felt glued to the marble floor.

He shook off Ryan’s grip and stepped forward, his voice breaking through the fading applause.

 “Erica!” 

He called, his tone thick with confusion and hurt. Erica turned, her blue eyes meeting his, her smile faltering for a split second before hardening. Romeo’s face was a mess of sadness, his jaw tight, his hands trembling at his sides.

 “What’s the meaning of this? What’s going on here, Erica?”

Erica was radiant in a sleek dress, her fair skin glowing under the hallway’s lights, but her expression turned cold as she looked at him. She adjusted the sparkling ring on her finger, her movements deliberate, almost taunting. 

Before she could answer, Flora Dutches,her best friend, who her loud style pushed through the crowd, her emerald-green dress swishing.

 “Are you blind, Romeo?”

 Flora snapped, her voice dripping with scorn.

 “Can’t you see? Steven just proposed to her. She’s done with you.”

Ryan stepped forward, his voice sharp but calm. 

“Yo, Flora, nobody asked you. Let Erica answer.”

Flora’s mouth opened, ready to fire back, but Erica raised a hand, her palm silencing her friend. She took a step toward Romeo, her eyes narrowing. 

“What was your question again?” 

She asked, her tone icy, her head tilted like she was sizing him up.

Tears pricked Romeo’s eyes, rolling down his cheeks as he fought to keep them back. His voice cracked, heavy with pain.

 “After all we’ve been through together, you cheated on me? After all the sacrifices I made for you, you left me for another dude?”

Erica’s laugh was sharp, cutting through the hallway like a blade. 

“Steven’s not some *dude* like you, Romeo. He’s a man.” 

She turned to Flora, who was already giggling, and laughed louder.

 “Sacrifices? What sacrifices? You? You’re nothing but a broke orphan clinging to dreams you’ll never reach. You think you were ever good enough for me? You’re a joke, Romeo. A pathetic, whining little boy.”

Her words hit like punches, each one stinging worse than the last. Tears streamed down Romeo’s face, unstoppable now, his chest heaving as he stood there, exposed in front of the gawking crowd. Erica smirked, stepping closer. 

“Oh, poor thing, did I make you cry?” 

She taunted, her voice mockingly sweet.

The crowd’s murmurs grew, phones raised to capture the drama. Suddenly, a stern voice cut through. 

“Enough!”

 The head of the college, a tall man with graying hair and a worried frown, stepped out of his office.

 “Everyone, get back to your classes. Now!”

 Students grumbled, their phones lowering as they turned off their cameras and shuffled into classrooms, their whispers fading.

Ryan, his face etched with worry, touched Romeo’s shoulder.

 “Come on, man, let’s go to class.”

But the headmaster held up a hand.

 “Romeo, come with me to my office. Ryan, you go.”

Romeo hesitated, his eyes still locked on Erica, who turned away with a smug grin. He followed the headmaster, his sneakers dragging on the floor, his backpack heavy on his shoulder. 

Inside the office, the headmaster sat behind his desk, his gaze soft but troubled. 

“Romeo, your stepmother is coming to see you.” 

He said, his voice low.

Romeo’s head snapped up, confusion creasing his brow. 

“My stepmother? Why?” 

He asked, his voice hoarse from crying.

Before the headmaster could answer, a sharp knock came at the door.

 “That must be her.” 

He said.

 “Come in.”

The door swung open, and two police officers stepped in, their badges glinting under the fluorescent lights. Behind them stood Madam Tracey, her fair skin flushed with triumph, and Flora, smirking like she’d won a prize.

 “That’s him!” 

Madam Tracey declared, pointing at Romeo.

 “He’s the thief who stole my golden necklace!”

Romeo’s mouth opened, but words failed him. One officer, a burly man with a stern face, stepped forward. 

“Don’t do anything stupid, kid.” 

He said, his voice gruff. 

“You’re coming with us. Hands where we can see ‘em.”

“I didn’t…” 

Romeo started, but he caught himself, his shoulders slumping. He knew arguing was pointless. The officers flanked him, their grips firm as they escorted him out of the office and into the hallway. Students peeked from classroom doors, their eyes wide, whispers buzzing like flies.

 “Is that Romeo?” 

One muttered.

 “They’re arresting him?” 

Another hissed.

Ryan pushed through the crowd, his face pale. 

“Romeo, what’s happening?” 

He called, his voice cracking with worry.

Romeo didn’t answer, his head down, his heart pounding as the officers led him outside. The police car’s red and blue lights flashed, casting shadows on the college steps. 

They guided him into the backseat, the door slamming shut with a heavy thud. The drive to the station was a blur, the city’s streets streaking past as Romeo’s mind spun,Erica’s betrayal, Tracey’s lies, the necklace he never stole.

At the station, they locked him in a small, gray cell, the metal bars cold and unyielding. The air smelled of stale coffee and disinfectant. Romeo sat on the hard bench, his head in his hands, for two long days. He barely slept, his mind replaying the ballroom, the slaps, Erica’s laughter. On the third day, the cell door clanked open, and an officer grunted.

 “You’re out. Someone bailed you.”

Romeo shuffled out, his clothes rumpled, his eyes red. In the station’s waiting area, his gaze fell on a familiar figure,the woman from the ballroom, her blue eyes calm, her simple dress out of

place among the grim surroundings. His eyes widened, shock washing over him.

“It’s you.” 

Romeo said, his voice laced with surprise, barely above a whisper as he stared at her, the woman who’d called him

 “Young master Romeo.”