THE RETURN OF KYLE

The humiliation

Kyle watched as they headed towards the car but as the car doors shut and the luxury vehicle pulled away, one thing was certain—he would never forget this day. And one day, he would make sure neither Tara nor Stephen forgot it either.

Kyle barely slept that night, the thought of Tara’s betrayal was all he could think about. His mind replayed the scene from the day before—the look on her face when she accepted Stephen’s lavish gift, the crowd’s laughter, and most of all, the sharp sting of her slap.

It burned, not just on his skin, but deep in his gut, where his dignity had taken the hardest hit. His hand slowly went to his cheek as he relished the moment yet again.

He had lost her, there was no denying it. But what hurt the most wasn’t just losing Tara—it was the way she had tossed him aside like he was nothing. Like he had never mattered. Like he was a piece of garbage that needed to be disposed.

When he saw Tara again the next day on campus, she was walking arm-in-arm with Stephen, her face glowing as if yesterday’s humiliation had never happened. Students stopped to admire them as they passed, murmuring among themselves about how perfect they looked together.

“They’re such a good match,” one girl whispered to her friend.

“Yeah, Stephen could have anyone he wants. It’s no surprise he picked Tara. She’s gorgeous, and with his money, they’re like a power couple.”

Kyle’s stomach twisted as he overheard their conversation, but he refused to look away. He couldn’t let this go. Not yet.

“Tara!” he called, stepping forward. She turned, her eyes narrowing when she saw him approaching.

“What do you want now, Kyle?” she snapped, her tone filled with impatience.

Kyle clenched his fists, trying to control the rush of anger that surged through him. “We need to talk. You can’t just pretend like nothing happened yesterday. You slapped me in front of everyone, Tara. What was that about? Why didn’t you just tell me about Stephen?”

Tara’s eyes widened in mock surprise, her hand flying to her chest dramatically. “Oh, Kyle, stop making a scene. You’ve been badgering me for weeks, acting like I owe you something. It’s pathetic.”

Kyle’s heart pounded in his chest. “Badgering you? I’ve been trying to talk to you like a normal person, Tara. We were together, and you just—”

Tara cut him off with a sharp laugh. “Together? Kyle, I’ve been with Stephen for weeks. I was just trying to be nice to you, but you kept pushing, kept clinging on like some creepy stalker. Honestly, it’s sad.”

Kyle’s jaw tightened. “You never said anything! You let me think—”

“Think what? That you still had a chance?” Tara shook her head, smirking as if she found his words amusing. “Kyle, please. Stop embarrassing yourself. I’ve moved on. Stephen is my boyfriend now. You should really stop chasing after me.”

Kyle’s hands trembled, his blood boiling beneath his skin. He wasn’t about to beg, and he sure as hell wasn’t about to cry, but the rage inside him was threatening to burst.

“You never had the decency to tell me the truth. You strung me along while you were sneaking around with him.” He pointed toward Stephen, who had been watching the exchange with a smug grin.

Stephen chuckled, stepping forward with his hands casually in his pockets. “Oh, come on, Kyle. You really thought someone like Tara would stick around with someone like you? It’s embarrassing, man. Look at yourself. You’re clinging to a girl who’s way out of your league. Honestly, it’s pathetic.”

Kyle’s vision blurred with anger. The crowd around them grew thicker, students gathering to watch the confrontation. Some of them whispered, others laughed quietly, and a few openly mocked him.

“He’s delusional,” one girl said, shaking her head. “Can’t he see she’s with Stephen now? It’s so embarrassing to watch.”

“Yeah, no wonder Tara dumped him. He’s creepy, following her around like that,” another voice chimed in.

Kyle’s face burned with shame, their words cutting him deeper than he wanted to admit. He could feel their eyes on him, judging him, ridiculing him for daring to stand up to Stephen Marlowe, the golden boy of the university.

Stephen grinned, enjoying every second of Kyle’s humiliation. “You should really take a hint, Kyle. Tara’s with me now. And trust me, I can give her everything you can’t. Money, status, security.” He stepped closer, his voice lowering as he added, “Maybe it’s time you face the fact that you’re just a loser.”

Kyle couldn’t take it anymore. His fists clenched tighter, his knuckles turning white as he stepped forward, his face inches from Stephen’s. “Say that again,” he growled, his voice low and dangerous.

Stephen didn’t flinch. In fact, he seemed to relish the confrontation. “I said, you’re a loser,” he repeated, his voice dripping with arrogance. “A poor, pathetic loser who couldn’t even keep his own girl.”

Without thinking, Kyle swung. His fist connected with Stephen’s jaw, sending him stumbling back.

The crowd gasped in shock, but the moment of satisfaction was short-lived. Stephen’s bodyguards rushed forward, grabbing Kyle before he could land another punch. They shoved him to the ground, their faces expressionless as they restrained him.

Stephen wiped the blood from his lip, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous smirk. He stepped over to where Kyle was pinned down, his expensive shoes inches from Kyle’s face. “That was a big mistake,” Stephen said coldly.

Kyle struggled, trying to free himself, but the bodyguards held him firmly in place. Stephen’s foot came down hard, pressing into Kyle’s face with humiliating force. “You really thought you could hit me and get away with it? You don’t belong in my world, Kyle. You never did.”

Kyle’s face was pushed into the dirt, his cheek scraping against the cold pavement. The students around them watched in stunned silence, some of them whispering among themselves, others too shocked to react.

Stephen leaned down, his voice barely above a whisper as he added, “Next time you try something like this, I’ll make sure you regret it for the rest of your life.”