The Viral Silhouette

...🔥🌳🔥...

I woke up with the taste of metal and citrus on my lips.

It wasn't because of blood from a wound, but because of the ghost of a kiss I never asked for.

Inside my room, where the only light was the pale morning sun peeking through the curtains, I tried to convince myself that everything that happened yesterday was just a fever dream. A hallucination brought on by over-reading nursing books, lecture notes, and reviewers—or perhaps by the scorching April heat playing tricks on my mind.

But as I looked at my reflection in the mirror, I saw a slight redness on my bottom lip. The scent of expensive citrus perfume and that "earthy" fragrance from yesterday seemed to still cling to my skin, an invisible stain that no soap could wash away.

I, Suanne Salcedo, am a woman of logic, I whispered to myself while putting on my white Nursing uniform. I fastened every button neatly, like armor against a world that was slowly turning chaotic.

I tied my hair back tightly—the familiar ponytail that gave me a sense of control. I slung my nursing bag over my shoulder, and before heading out, I felt the cold touch of the silver bracelet on my wrist.

Eight years had passed since I received this, and yesterday, it bore witness to the collapse of my most cherished principle.

"Suanne, are you okay?" Papa asked while we were having breakfast.

His eyes, trained by long years of service as a policeman, seemed to want to read something on my face.

"Yes, Pa. Just tired from reviewing," I lied.

Being the daughter of a Police Senior Inspector meant you had to be an expert at hiding emotions. The truth was, the trembling of my hands as I held my spoon wasn't from exhaustion, but from a rage that felt like a volcano threatening to erupt.

When I arrived at the university, I immediately felt a change in the air. The heat was still there, yes, but it carried an electric charge—a kind of tension that felt like every corner of the campus was whispering.

As I walked across the quadrangle toward the College of Nursing, I noticed groups of students hunched over their phones. Some were laughing, some had eyes wide with shock, and some had sharp gazes that seemed to be searching for someone in the crowd. Every step I took was accompanied by the familiar jingle of my bracelet, but this time, it felt like an alarm bell pointing right at me.

"Suanne!"

A hand suddenly pulled me toward the side of a large pillar.

It was Bailey.

Her face was as white as a sheet, and her eyes were trembling with fear.

"Bailey? Why? What’s happening?" I asked, though my heart was already starting to race with anxiety.

"Haven't you seen it yet? Oh my god, Suanne... it’s on the Freedom Wall!" she gasped, before turning her screen toward me.

There, on our university's most famous anonymous page, was a post with thousands of reactions and shares. The caption was short but lethal: "THE FIRE TREE KISS: Caught in the act! Our Prince of Dentistry cheating on the Duchess?"

My entire body froze as I stared at the photo.

The angle of the shot was from behind the man. Even though it was blurry and looked like a "candid" shot, the man's familiar and expensive jacket was clearly visible. His arms were wrapped around a woman—a silhouette wearing a white uniform. The woman's shadow wasn't very clear because of the falling red Fire Tree petals that seemed to intentionally block the camera lens, but the angle was enough to show a passionate kiss. The shadows of the branches looked like fingers trying to trap us inside the frame.

"Suanne, that’s you, right? Even if it's just a silhouette, I know it’s you. And because of what you told me yesterday," Bailey whispered, her voice full of panic. "Who is this guy so I can turn him to dust? I’ve been fuming since I got home from my date with Kendric."

"I don't know! And please, lower your voice and stop mentioning that it's me," I whispered back almost in a shout while I scrambled to get my phone from my bag to check the comments. "I told you last night, didn't I? It was an ambush! I don't know him!"

"But Suanne, look at the comments! They don't know it was an ambush. They think... they think it’s cheating!?"

I read the comments, and every word felt like a slap to my character.

"Who is this snake? Doesn't she know Thyme belongs to the Duchess?"

"Nursing uniform? Gross. Looks like an angel but she's actually a thief."

"I bet she's just a clout chaser. Hiding her face because she knows she's a home-wrecker."

"Poor Duchess. Let's find this girl and give her a lesson she won't forget."

Snake. Homewrecker. Clout chaser. These labels felt like poisons slowly killing my dignity. My carefully guarded reputation as a serious student was destroyed by a single photo without any context.

The mystery of the "Mystery Girl" had become a national issue within our university.

"Thyme..." I whispered, pronouncing the name I saw in the comments. "Thyme Theo Thomas?"

"Suanne, do you really not know him?" Bailey asked, calming down slightly but remaining serious as she continued to scroll through her phone.

"He's the 'Prince' of the Dentistry department. Son of the Thomases. Handsome, rich, charming... but also known as a bad boy. He’s everyone’s dream, except for Duchess Serei Montenegro, who practically owns him." Bailey shared after finding information about the man I was now cursing.

"I don't care who his parents are or how rich he is!" I hissed, my eyes burning with tears of frustration. "All I know is that he used me. He used the silence of that road to make me a tool in whatever mess he's involved in!"

Bailey pulled me toward the back of the auditorium, where there were few people. The heat of the sun seemed to become even more oppressive, reminding me of every detail from yesterday.

"What are we going to do, Suanne? If someone recognizes you, you’re finished. You know how influential the Montenegros and Thomases are here. The Duchess's fans... they might attack you in the middle of class," Bailey said, deeply worried. "You need to hide, Suanne!"

"I'm not going to hide, Bailey," I said, even though the truth was I was trembling with fear. I wiped away a tear I couldn't stop from falling. "Hiding is for the guilty. I did nothing wrong. He took my first kiss without my consent, and now he's letting the whole school brand me as a snake?"

I looked into the distance, where the Fire Trees outside the campus were visible. Their red flowers seemed like mocking laughter in the midst of my turmoil.

"I need to find him," determination filled my voice. "I have to find Thyme Theo Thomas before they find me."

"What?! Suanne, are you crazy? You’re going to walk into the fire?" Bailey protested.

"He's the only one who can clear my name. He's the only one who can explain that this photo is one big mistake," I explained, my mind beginning to form a plan. "I won't allow the four years I'm spending in Nursing to be tarnished by a 'Cheating Scandal' that I didn't even start."

"But what if he denies it? What if he did that on purpose to make the Duchess jealous? Eesh! That guy has a lot of nerve!" Bailey said, now seemingly agreeing with my idea since we had no other choice.

"Then I'll make him admit it. As my father’s daughter, I know how to pressure people to get the truth," I forced a joke, but my eyes remained serious. "Bailey, I need your help. Find out what his schedule is. Find out where he hangs out."

"Suanne, I'm scared for you," Bailey held my shoulder. "That guy... he’s not just anyone. He's magnetic, yes, but there's a darkness behind his eyes that’s scary to approach. But I'll help you and support you. We won't let this slide."

"I'm more afraid of losing everything I worked for because of a game I knew nothing about," I answered.

Bailey nodded, a silent show of support that seemed to strengthen our bond despite the mess. "Alright. I'll help you. We'll find that 'Prince' and show him he can't just mess with a Salcedo."

As we walked back to our building, every Nursing student I passed felt like a potential enemy. Their whispers felt like blades cutting into my ears. I felt naked in front of them, even if only a silhouette was in the photo. The shame was a heavy blanket I couldn't throw off.

This summer, it won't just be flowers falling. Masks will fall, too. Those words from my own mind felt like a prophecy.

Every passing minute felt like an hour. In our lecture, I couldn't focus on Anatomy. The heart diagrams only reminded me of how fast my heart beat that afternoon. The terms "cardiac arrest" and "trauma" seemed to have a new meaning for me.

When the last class ended, Bailey and I met again in front of the library.

"I got the info," she whispered, bringing her phone close to me. "He has a lab class in the Dentistry building later. After that, he goes to the rooftop of their building to smoke or be alone. That’s our chance."

"Thanks, Bailey," I said, my fists clenched.

"Are you sure about this, Suanne? Maybe it's better to just let the issue blow over?" Bailey’s final plea came. I knew she was still worried.

I looked at the window of our school building. My reflection was a woman wearing a white uniform—a symbol of care and purity. The photo on the Freedom Wall was a direct insult to every sacrifice I made to reach this position.

"I can't let this issue pass without clearing my name," I replied. "I shouldn't have to carry this shame alone. If anyone is going to fall this summer, I’ll make sure it’s not just me."

As Bailey and I walked toward the Dentistry building, the sky was slowly turning purple and orange. The Fire Trees looked like giant torches guarding my every step. Every jingle of my bracelet was no longer a warning, but a march toward war.

I could feel the weight of the eyes of the students we passed. Even if they didn't know I was the one in the photo, the campus atmosphere was full of hatred for the "Mystery Girl." The "snake" label seemed to stick to the air, just waiting for a face to attach to.

I didn't know then that my search for Thyme Theo Thomas wouldn't just give me the answers I needed. I didn't know that entering his world would mean opening a door that had been closed for eight years.

Fear, shame, and an inexplicable tension combined in my chest. But behind all of that, one question continued to carve itself into my mind: Why me? Of the thousands of women on this campus, why did he choose to "mistake" me? Or did he do it on purpose to get everyone's attention?

We reached the door of the Dentistry building. The smell of antiseptic and cement met Bailey and me—familiar scents in my world, but this time, they carried the smell of danger, hatred, and bitterness.

"I'm ready," I whispered to the wind, even though my knees were slightly trembling.

The "Fire Tree Kiss" wasn't just a viral photo. It was a fuse. A fuse that, once lit, could consume the entire university—along with all the secrets they desperately try to hide beneath the red petals.

The afternoon was ending, but for me, the real game was just beginning. Every "snake" label, every whisper of shame, would become fuel for my determination.

Thyme Theo Thomas, get ready. Because you didn't just steal a kiss from a Salcedo. You started a fire you can't put out.

...🔥🌳🔥...

...AerixielDaiminse...

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