Scarlett
I'd heard the bell ring a while ago. Groaning softly, I pushed myself off the cold floor where I'd been slumped after the chaos of the morning. My body ached from Brianna's punches, but I knew I had no choice but to move.
Slowly, I gathered my things, pulled my books from my locker, and headed toward my first class. The halls had mostly emptied by now, with only a few students hurrying to class or whispering in corners. My phone pinged just as I turned the hallway. I pulled it out of the inner pocket of my blazer, already expecting something annoying.
The notification came from the school group chat.
*"DAISY DUNNATO DOES A MOTORCYCLE STUNT JUMP OVER FIFTEEN CARS!"*
I rolled my eyes, reading it aloud under my breath. "A once-nobody jumps over fifteen small cars and suddenly she's 'Crazy Daisy.'"
A bitter laugh escaped me. "I crashed a whole car off a cliff into the damn ocean, but sure… let's all forget that." I muttered, stuffing the phone back into my blazer. "So nice to be remembered."
I made it to class, dragging my feet slightly.
"You're late. That's detention for you," Mrs. Dolores Hart snapped as soon as I stepped into the classroom. Her voice was sharp and unrelenting. Just like her personality.
I didn't respond. I didn't even blink. I simply made my way to my seat near the window, dropped my books, and sat down without a word. I could feel her eyes burning holes into the back of my head, but I didn't flinch.
"Today," she hissed through clenched teeth, "we'll be focusing on longitude and latitude."
Great. Geography and detention—my lucky day.
Class dragged. The numbers blurred together on the board, and I barely heard anything over the buzz in my head. My mind was still stuck on Brianna's voice, her threats, her slap, and the crack of my glasses against the floor.
Unfortunately, the day only got worse.
Brianna continued her reign of terror. In the cafeteria, she "accidentally" tripped me, and my face ended up mashed into my tray of spaghetti. The laughter that erupted around the room still rang in my ears.
Later, I found that the pin on my locker had been changed. Again. I spent five minutes—five long, humiliating minutes—trying to crack it open during Biology class. That earned me yet another detention.
By the time the final bell rang, I was exhausted, furious, and done with the world. But I couldn't go home yet. I had detention.
As I made my way down the empty hallway toward the detention room, something metallic slammed into my back.
A soda can.
Pain shot through me again. I turned around slowly.
There she was. Brianna. Smirking like the devil's favorite daughter.
"Prey!" she called sweetly in a high-pitched, mocking voice. "So sorry—I thought you were the trashcan."
I narrowed my eyes. "Would you like to borrow my glasses since it's obvious you can't see clearly?"
Her smile dropped. Her hand moved faster than I could react. Another slap. My face stung. My glasses hit the floor again.
Before I could speak, she grabbed me by the collar and slammed me back against the wall. Her face was inches from mine.
"Listen up," she hissed, her voice low and dangerous. "I'm warning you for the last time—if you love yourself, take my abuse silently. Otherwise, I swear, you'll regret it."
Something inside me snapped. Maybe it was the pain. Or maybe I was just done.
"Why are you so mad?" I said, letting a slow smirk tug at my lips. "Aren't *you* the one looking for a trashcan? I was only trying to help. Maybe next time, check your aim."
She froze.
I'd done it. I'd actually rattled her.
But before she could retaliate, a voice thundered down the hallway.
"Both of you—*detention. Now!*"
It was Dolores. Again.
"Yes, Ms. Hart," Brianna growled through gritted teeth, slowly letting go of my collar.
She leaned in and whispered in my ear, "You're going to regret this."
I didn't answer. I just stared straight ahead, my jaw clenched. She stormed off toward detention, her heels clicking sharply on the tile floor.
It took me a minute to collect myself. My legs felt unsteady. My cheek still burned. But I squared my shoulders and followed her down the hallway, refusing to let her see me shake.
The next four hours dragged like a lifetime.
Brianna sat across from me the entire time, alternating between glaring daggers into my soul and texting someone furiously on her phone. Her fingers moved too quickly. Whoever she was talking to, it wasn't casual. It was something.
Something that made my gut twist.
She was planning something.
I didn't know what, but I had a feeling I'd find out soon—and it wasn't going to be good.
Finally, Dolores barked, "Alright, get your asses to your homes."
Brianna was up and gone before I could even blink.
I gathered my things slowly, my body still sore, and my mind still buzzing from everything that had happened.
I stopped by my locker to grab a few books and check that Brianna hadn't vandalized it again. Once satisfied, I left the school building.
The sun was already setting, casting long shadows across the campus. The breeze was cooler now, but not enough to soothe the fire that had built inside me.
I knew this wasn't over.
And for the first time… maybe I didn't want it to be.