Mariah stood frozen for a moment, as if Claire had just punched the air out of her lungs.
Her expression twisted slowly, disbelief turning into rage.
Claire didn't even stop walking.
She brushed past her shoulder on purpose—light, casual, but cutting in intent.
Mariah staggered slightly from the contact, then snapped her head around.
Her glare could have burned through glass.
Claire didn't look back.
That made it worse.
Mariah stomped her foot in frustration and stormed off, her heels striking sharply against the floor. Sarah and Bella hesitated for a second before quickly following behind her.
In the bathroom, Mariah stared at her reflection.
Her jaw was tight.
Her fingers curled around the sink.
"How dare that lowlife speak to me like that?" she muttered through clenched teeth.
Sarah shifted awkwardly. "Mariah, calm down…"
"Calm down?" Mariah laughed once, sharp and cold. "No. I don't just want her punished."
Her eyes darkened.
"I want her broken."
Bella exchanged a glance with Sarah, uneasy.
Mariah snatched her handbag off the counter.
"Give me my phone."
She pulled it out, already scrolling before they could respond.
Then she dialed.
The call connected almost instantly.
"Hi, Samuel," she said in a sweeter tone, instantly switching personas. "How are you?"
There was no pause. No greeting exchange.
She went straight to it.
"I need a favor."
A beat.
"I'll send you a picture. The girl in it— I want you to deal with her."
Her voice stayed calm, almost casual.
"But make it bad. She needs to regret ever crossing me."
A small, practiced sigh slipped into her tone.
"She always picks on me… I just want her to learn her lesson."
On the other end, Samuel hesitated briefly before responding.
"Send it."
Mariah smiled immediately.
"Thank you, Sam. You're the best."
She ended the call.
Her smile lingered for a second longer than it should have.
Then it sharpened.
Cold.
Satisfied.
"That's what you get," she whispered. "For embarrassing me, Claire."
Back in the classroom corridor, Claire had just taken her seat again when Cleo leaned toward her.
"You realize what you just did, right?"
Claire blinked.
Cleo exhaled dramatically. "You just declared war on Mariah. Like… publicly. Loudly. With witnesses."
Claire slowly turned to her.
"…I did?"
Cleo stared at her.
"Yes. You did."
Claire's face paled slightly.
"Oh."
A beat of silence.
Then both of them sighed at the same time and slumped back in their seats.
"We're done," Cleo muttered. "Scholarship, peace, future—everything."
Claire rubbed her forehead. "She's going to report us to her sponsor father, isn't she?"
"Obviously."
Claire groaned. "That girl is insane."
"I can't keep tolerating her just because of money," Cleo said tiredly. "It's exhausting."
The classroom began filling again, students returning from break.
The atmosphere shifted back to normal life.
Almost.
Then Alex walked in.
The room subtly changed the moment he appeared.
It wasn't loud.
It wasn't obvious.
But people adjusted without thinking. Voices lowered slightly. Movements slowed.
Claire noticed immediately.
And immediately regretted noticing.
Cleo leaned slightly toward her, whispering, "Okay… he still has that effect on people."
Claire didn't respond.
She was already watching him.
Alex walked through the aisle like he always did—calm, steady, unreadable.
But when his eyes briefly passed over Claire, something flickered.
Not hesitation.
Not confusion.
Something softer.
Almost like recognition.
Then he looked away.
Claire's chest tightened instantly.
Of course he's not looking at me like that, she thought bitterly.
Her mind twisted it before she could stop it.
He probably came in smiling like that because of someone else.
Her gaze shifted—and landed on Cleo for half a second too long.
That was enough.
Her thoughts spiraled immediately.
So that's it. He's interested in her.
Her grip tightened on her desk.
She hated that reaction.
Hated how fast her mind created a story she didn't even confirm.
Alex, meanwhile, took his seat without realizing any of it.
He wasn't thinking about attention.
He wasn't thinking about Cleo.
He was thinking about Claire.
Specifically—
Why her presence always felt… unstable.
Like something around her kept distorting slightly, just at the edge of perception.
Then Claire suddenly stood up.
Fast.
Too fast.
Cleo blinked. "Where are you—"
But Claire didn't answer.
She just stared at Alex.
For a second, it looked like she was going to say something.
Or do something.
Her jaw tightened.
Her eyes burned with frustration she didn't understand.
Then—
The classroom door opened.
The lecturer walked in.
"Sit down, everyone."
The moment broke.
Claire froze.
Then slowly sat back down.
But she didn't look away from Alex.
And Alex… finally noticed her expression.
He tilted his head slightly.
Confused.
Quietly observant.
Like he was trying to solve a problem he didn't fully understand yet.