Saving the Villain

The class proceeded like usual, but Cosette had been getting this strange gazes throughout the day. At first, it didn't bother her as her sole purpose why she was in this school in the first place was because of Maxen. So, she didn't need to please everyone.

Moreover, she was Cosette Blac. Her name alone was enough reason since she was born not to please; it was the other way around. Cosette didn't have that kind of mentality in her previous life, but somehow, after living as Cosette Blac, she had started gaining the confidence the original Cosette had.

She glanced at Maxen, and he was sleeping on his desk. By now, the teachers were already used to Maxen's behavior and gave up on calling him out. Perks of living in a novel!

'I wonder why everyone is giving me that stare,' she wondered, waiting for their last subject to end so she could ask Fay, Amie, or Sarah about it. Those three were still friendly towards her, even though she didn't spend so much time with them anymore.

"That's it for today's class. Make sure — hey, listen to me first before you stand up!" the teacher yelled because as soon as the school bell rang, students of section F stood up one after another. "Make sure to do your homework and take care on your way home."

The teacher's tone grew more annoyed as he shook his head. No one was listening. So, he went to leave the room while other students talked to each other and some raced through the door like the everyday scenario after school.

Meanwhile, Cosette put her things back inside her backpack before she felt someone's presence in front of her desk. She slowly raised her head and blinked twice.

"Sarah?"

"Cozie, you've been skipping class, so you hadn't cleaned the room when it's your schedule," Sarah informed while pointing at the bulletin board near the door where the name of the in-charge student on cleaning the room was posted.

Cosette narrowed her eyes and saw her name and Sarah at today's cleaners.

"Oh..." she blinked, setting her eyes back to Sarah. "Sarah, sorry... I didn't know you've been cleaning all on your own all this time." 𝘧𝗿ee𝚠𝙚𝙗𝑛o𝚟𝐞l.𝐜૦𝗺

Sarah shook her head, close-lipped. "It's fine. Fay and Amie help me. Besides, we're friends and you don't have a choice but to leave home early."

Her words were like guilty rocks weighing in Cosette's heart. All she could do was look at her apologetically, then gazed at Fay and Amie, who offered her a kind smile. Although Cosette was feeling sorry for them, she was still hesitant since that meant she couldn't walk with Maxen.

'It's just today,' she told herself, glancing at Maxen, who suddenly got up to his seat. A frown resurfaced on her face when he glanced at her coldly but still left without a word.

'Just today.' She repeated before sporting a forced smile and nodded at Sarah. "Thank you, again, Sarah. I will make sure not to miss the day when it's our time to clean."

*****

Amie and Fay stayed to help the two out. It didn't take long when all the students left the classroom and it was just the four of them who were left.

"Cozie, is it true?" while they were cleaning, Fay spoke when she couldn't take it anymore.

Cosette tilted her head to the side, holding the mop with both her hands, eyes at Fay, who was holding the eraser as the latter was halfway done erasing the board. "True, what?"

"That you and that delinquent are dating?" her brows elevated at Fay's question. "Students had been talking about it."

"What...?"

Amie turned up to Cosette's side and bumped her shoulder against her lightly. "Cozie, are you really dating him?"

"No?" Cosette furrowed her brows as she looked at the three of them. "Will you believe me?"

"Of course!" Fay and Amie answered while Sarah nodded, but the latter suddenly let out a shallow breath. "Cozie, can we talk? The four of us. Since you're our friend, we just want you to know what is the rumor all about."

Cosette gazed at Sarah and pressed her lips before she nodded. So, the three of them gathered around one table when they were done cleaning to tell her about the rumors in the school about her and Maxen.

The more Cosette listen to it, she could not help but ball her hands. Apparently, the rumors were about Maxen manipulating an innocent student. Others saw her voluntary deed of making him lunch as Maxen exploiting her. Some even thought that he was blackmailing her, so she didn't have a choice but to do whatever he wanted.

All the rumors basically painted Cosette as the victim, while Maxen was the opportunist. Hence, she felt this incomprehensible rage in her heart. She couldn't understand how the rumors took that sort of turn, and why would they have to consider such a conclusion?

The three even warned her that since Maxen had a lot of enemies, she might get caught in the crossfire. So they suggested she should seek help in the guidance office if she was truly being blackmailed.

"Maxen..." she paused as she looked at the three of them. "... is not that kind of person."

The three of them looked at her in surprise as Cosette truly seemed upset, but still containing herself.

"Cozie..." Sarah called worriedly.

"I know you're genuinely concerned about me, but Maxen isn't a bad person. I do things on my own and I am not in any way being blackmailed or being exploited. Matter of fact, I am the one harassing him." Cosette affirmed solemnly as she took a deep breath, tears of anger shone in her eyes but didn't stain her cheek. "Thank you for telling me this. It's on you if you believe me or not, but... I will not change my opinion towards Maxen. I don't know why everyone thinks badly of him, but I am the one who is stalking him."

"Cozie..." Fay called her name worriedly once again, but Cosette sported a forced smile before picking up her things.

"I will go home now." Cosette let out a sharp breath as she glanced at the three. "I'm sorry, but I'm very upset and I don't want to say hurtful things I will regret later."

She didn't wait for them to reply as she turned around and left. As she headed outside the campus, Cosette ground her teeth.

She hated this world and how unfair it was towards the villain of the story. It had always been that way, even in the main story. Maxen always gets the end of the stick. This situation, where his name was dragged through the mud while Cosette naturally emerges from it clean, truly angered her.

'I hate the author,' she glared at the sky when she was in the middle of open space meters before the gates. 'Does she have no conscience? Maxen is a very kind person, but this world is forcing him to hate it! This is so unfair...!'

Cosette was on the verged of tears when she stepped outside the gates. But just as she did, she caught a figure leaning beside the gates. She slowly turned her head in his direction.

"Max…" she whispered with a shaking voice, holding herself back from running to him to give him a tight hug.

"Finished?" he asked indifferently

Cosette took a deep breath, pushing back all the tears that were tempting to fall from her eyes. She didn't expect him to wait for her, but honestly, if he didn't, Cosette would've been throwing a huge fit already.

"Yes." Her voice was low and soft, making Maxen rock his head.

"I see." That was all he said as he pulled his back away from the wall and walked away slowly. But sensing she was just standing, he looked back with an arched brow.

"I don't have forever to wait for you."

Her eyes remained on his back for a moment as he resumed. A subtle smile slowly appeared on her face as she huffed. "Coming!" and then she jogged and followed him.