Phoenix Rising: From Heartache to Heroism

Chapter 6 Sit Beside Me

The driver stepped out of the car and opened the door to the passenger's seat. Hayden had set a rule that no one could sit beside him in the vehicle, regardless of who they were. They could only sit in the passenger's seat.

As Violeta was about to enter, the man in the back seat unexpectedly opened the back seat door and said in a deep voice, "You can sit at the back."

Violeta had one leg in the car, and she froze. The driver widened his eyes in surprise and looked at Hayden. "Sir?"

Hayden ignored the driver and said to Violeta, "Sit here."

"Oh, okay." Violeta went to the back seat. Surprised, the driver silently entered the car and started driving.

Violeta politely thanked Hayden in the car. "Thank you for picking me up."

Hayden leaned back in his seat, raised his brows casually, and looked at Violeta as if he were eyeing his prey.

Violeta felt a little uncomfortable at his gaze. Is something wrong with Zoren... Are my clothes dirty? Why does he keep staring at me? Violeta looked at her clothes uneasily but found nothing out of place.

"You're welcome. You can return the favor by buying me a meal."

Violeta was taken aback. In any case, we're cousins. He's just picking me up to go to school together. It shouldn't be out of his way. Isn't he being too pushy by asking me to buy him a meal? Does he think we're very close?

"Okay, let's have lunch together later."

"Are you in the performing arts department?"

"Yes."

"I'll come find you at noon."

"Okay." Violeta blurted out each word. She didn't particularly want to say much to him.

Hayden wasn't a talkative person. Since Violeta didn't say anything else, he didn't either. Instead, he took out his cell phone and texted Zoren.

Hayden: 'Your cousin is quite impressive.'

Zoren: 'Hade, have you picked her up? I haven't seen my cousin since she came back. How does she look like?'

Hayden glanced at Violeta. He pondered briefly before replying. 'Stunning.'

On the other end of the phone, Zoren was slightly taken aback. Stunning? What does he mean? Is she stunningly ugly? D*mn it. No wonder there are rumors about her being too ugly, which is why the White family doesn't want to present her publicly.

Zoren quickly sent another message to Hayden. 'Hade, she's my cousin, after all. You must be nice to her.' Please don't leave her behind just because she's ugly! Otherwise, how can I explain it to my old man when I return?! D*mn it!

Hayden put his phone away. He couldn't be bothered to text Zoren further.

The car arrived shortly at Toland University's entrance. Violeta was about to get out of the car when she turned to look at Hayden and asked, "Zoren, are you coming with me?"

Hayden didn't like entering through the main gate because there were too many people, and he disliked how noisy it got. The driver quickly spoke up politely. "Ms. White, he doesn't like entering through the main gate..."

"Alright. I'll come with you." Hayden interrupted the driver before he could finish. Carried away by a whim, Hayden wanted to get out of the car with Violeta and walk through the school gate together.

What the two men were saying was conflicting. Violeta felt that her cousin was very peculiar.

The driver looked like he had seen a ghost. What's wrong with Hayden today? Why has he suddenly changed his mind?!

Hayden got out of the car with Violeta. Upon seeing the familiar school gate, Violeta couldn't help but feel it had been a lifetime since she had last seen it. Just as she was about to enter, she heard voices around her.

"Ah! It's Hayden!"

"Hayden is actually at the main gate. Oh my god."

"Is it really him? Am I hallucinating? Who is next to him?"

"D*mn, the girl next to him is gorgeous. Is she his girlfriend... No way. You're kidding me. I'm heartbroken..." Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

"It's impossible. Hayden has never had a girlfriend. Aren't there rumors that he swings for the other team? This girl should be related to him, right?"

Everyone around them cast piercing gazes in their direction.

Violeta heard what they said and turned to look at Hayden suspiciously. She asked an unavoidable question. "Who are you? Aren't you Zoren?"

Hayden put his hands in his pockets and looked down at Violeta beside him. Violeta was a head shorter than him and was just the right height if they hugged. "No, I'm not," he replied.

"You're not Zoren?! So, who are you!?" What did I hear the others call him just now? Hayden? Violeta was utterly shocked and flabbergasted! No way. Did I get into the wrong car?!

"Did I tell you I'm Zoren?"

"Why didn't you say anything when I called you Zoren?!"

"I thought it would be better for me to play along."

Violeta was utterly flabbergasted. D*mn it. Why is he acting like his actions are justified? He's so shameless! I've never seen someone act so brazenly.

Violeta asked, "So where is Zoren? Why did you come to pick me up instead of him?"

Hayden answered indifferently, "Who knows? He might be dead for all I know." Meanwhile, Zoren was rushing to school, oblivious to what his friend said about him.

Violeta was dumbfounded at how Hayden kept blabbering and shooting his mouth off. She couldn't be bothered to pay him any more attention. She turned and entered the school gate, with Hayden trailing behind her. As a gentle breeze blew, it lifted the hem of her dress, revealing her slender and fair calf. The smile on the corner of his lips deepened.

Violeta ignored Hayden. She had spent four years at Toland University in the past and was familiar with the surroundings. She quickly found the enrollment office and settled all the necessary procedures.

A lecturer led Violeta to the lecture hall. As she walked along the familiar path, she recalled how she was bullied and tormented for four years in her previous life. An intense hatred surged within her when she thought about it.

Violeta had always blamed herself for not working hard enough in her past life. She thought that was why Zelena had repeatedly snatched away opportunities that should have belonged to her. But in this life, Violeta realized it had nothing to do with her effort. Zelena was the one who wanted to steal everything she had!

Zelena was reborn and knew everything that would happen. Hence, she was always one step ahead. Violeta was overwhelmed with hostility for Zelena when she thought about it.

Her phone suddenly buzzed. Violeta picked up her phone and saw that the challenge she had previously initiated on the dark web had been accepted and would take place over the weekend. Violeta felt a little better upon seeing this.

It's alright. I've been given a chance to start over. This time, I'll make all the wishes from my past life come true before Zelena can do anything. She enjoys competition, right? I'll go all out against her this time! Watch out, Zelena Blake. You won't know what hit you this time!

When Violeta entered the lecture hall, her classmates gathered to discuss the freshman orientation in the afternoon. They looked at Violeta as she entered and whispered to each other.

"Is that her? She looks just like the person on the forum."

"It's her. She looks exactly like the girl in the picture. Who else can it be? She's really blessed with her beauty. She looks even prettier in person. I thought the photo was edited!"

"Unbelievable, Hayden looks compatible with her."

Violeta was dumbfounded as they scrutinized her from head to toe. Many of those whispering in the lecture hall were familiar faces to Violeta because she remembered them from her previous life. They were in cliques with Zelena and had deliberately left her out.

Violeta foolishly tried to build good relationships with them in her previous life and constantly helped them. But in the end, they just spread rumors behind her back. They treated Violeta like a fool and said she was cheap labor who could be paid with a smile.

Upon thinking about this, Violeta didn't want to be cordial with her classmates. She checked the time and noticed that Zelena hadn't arrived. Violeta simply sat in the back row, playing with her phone and ignoring everyone.