Rejected Their Broken Luna Chapter 69: Chap-69*He Cares!*

**Cynthia Dion: **

"Is it considered cheating?" Rosalie inquired of Mr. Lowell, her eyes shining with newfound hope.

"No, it's not!" Mr. Lowell exclaimed. "The fact that she managed to secure not just one, but two---" He paused, searching for words. "I'm highly impressed. She's proven herself worthy of participating in this contest. This is the level of attention and focus I expect from everyone when they're in a competition. You should never lose sight of winning."

I know everyone was hating on me because they thought I have probably secured two balls just so that I can get Rosalie to be kicked out of the contest but that wasn't the case in reality.

Mr. Lowell's praise filled me with joy, and I couldn't help but smile uncontrollably. Tears of happiness welled up in my eyes, even though no one really congratulated or cheered for me.

However, at that moment, I didn't mind whether they cheered for me or not; I was content.

"Congratulations! You five students will be participating in the final contest after these few rounds," Mr. Lowell congratulated us. I managed a weak smile, momentarily forgetting about the blood and bruises on my body.

"What about me?" Rosalie protested, looking shocked by her early exit from the contest.

"I'm sorry, but that was all announced before the contest began. You must have missed it. Better luck next time," Mr. Lowell responded, turning his attention back to us.

"When you're celebrating, remember to move outside the school to heal quickly. Some of you have sustained pretty serious injuries. I hope you recover soon and come back to this field in a few days for more practice and contests," he advised us with a smile.

"But here's a twist. Since there was one more candidate, and each pup was supposed to get only one ball, while Cynthia got two, we'll have one more round where the rest of you will compete for this last ball," his announcement excited everyone, especially Rosalie. She smiled at Mr. Lowell, grateful for the surprise opportunity. I can't speak for the others, but I felt disappointed. I wished she wasn't in the contest.

I made the decision to join the others in getting up from the ground so we could wash our faces and grab some food. While it seemed easier for the others, I was in agony. It wasn't just bruises and blood; there were much worse things happening in my body.

It took me a while to muster the strength to stand up and head to the restroom for a clean-up. I washed my face, but I couldn't tend to the other cuts on my back here. Peaceful cleaning wasn't an option.

After finishing my duties for the day, I couldn't wait to go back home and tend to those painful cuts. Luckily, I didn't have to go to school until the competition, as I also sported a black eye from the strike.

Since everyone was still in the training room, preparing for the ball rematch, and the victors were in the cafeteria, replenishing their energy, tending to their wounds, and celebrating their wins, the corridor and classroom were completely empty.

As I exited the restroom, hoping to make my way out of the school and plead with the driver to take me home, I accidentally bumped into someone I really didn't want to deal with at that moment.

"Ouch!" I winced in pain and scowled at him, irritated that he wasn't paying attention to where he was going.

"Are you a fucking moron, Cynthia?" Atticus groaned and pressed me against the lockers, preventing me from moving.

"Let me go," I protested.

"You already had a ball; you should've left the other one and avoided taking so many punches," he said with a tone of concern that left me momentarily bewildered.

"So that your beloved Rosalie could have gotten one?" I couldn't help but question, not fully trusting him.

He clenched his teeth and tilted his head, fixing his gaze on me in an attempt to intimidate me for challenging his motives.

"Because the last time I checked, you were the one who kidnapped me to ruin my image--" Before I could finish, he rolled his eyes dismissively.

"It was a long time ago," he scoffed ignorantly. Fine, I had a response ready for him.

"What about last night? You sneaked into my room just to harass me and get me into trouble," I blurted out, keeping my gaze fixed on him. His forehead creased in a frown when he heard me describe the previous night as a mess.

"Why? Did he hit you or say something to you?" He placed his hands on his waist and glared at me with anger. "No, right? So why are you complaining?" he questioned, making me realize he hadn't just walked back to his room after leaving mine. He had stayed behind to ensure my safety, or perhaps I was overthinking it.

"You are such a--" I stopped myself. If he thought I would appreciate him for doing nothing at all, he was mistaken. I had nothing to say to him. As I spoke those words and tried to push him away, he grabbed my hand and pulled me closer to his chest.

"Are you in pain?" he whispered, taking me by surprise.

"Are you in pain?" he asked once more, and my impatience and anxiety grew. Why was he here? Why didn't he just go and be with his beloved Rosalie? I despised how he acted differently in front of everyone and then came to taunt me even more.

"Cynthia!" When I didn't reply, he rested his forehead against mine, still holding me tightly, and mumbled, "Why do you hurt me so much?" His words left me speechless.

"I want to go home," I mumbled back, attempting to pull my body away from his. His scent was making me feel drowsy and comforted, something I didn't want from him.

"Atticus! Please, let me go," I pleaded once more, hoping he might finally listen to me. But he seemed too absorbed in his own emotions to consider mine.

"Fuck off!" That was it. I grew frustrated with him for acting like the victim and keeping me from leaving. The moment I decided to raise my voice and break free from his grasp, he abruptly pulled me in and passionately kissed me.