Alaric clenched his jaw. He decided not to stop, not to respond, and not to ask questions. Not here, not in the middle of this crowd. The more confused he looked, the more entertainment he seemed to provide.
He straightened up, quickened his pace, and lowered his face slightly to avoid making direct eye contact. But his gaze stayed fixed ahead, on the large door at the end of the corridor that led to the rector's office.
The jeering continued, and another crumpled paper ball landed near his foot just as he was about to reach the door. But Alaric didn't stop. He kept going, refusing to give them what they wanted.
Finally, he arrived. He reached for the handle of the heavy wooden door. For a moment, he could still feel the weight of the stares behind him.
He swallowed hard. Slowly, he pushed the door open. As it closed behind him, the noise from the corridor vanished in an instant.
