ANNA'S POV (Continuing):
My roundhouse kick connected cleanly with the side of his face.
The force sent him stumbling backward so hard he crashed straight into his friends. They all went down in a messy heap, cursing and shouting as he hit the floor clutching his face.
Blood instantly poured from his nose.
The hallway exploded into gasps.
Someone screamed.
Someone else dropped their books.
And I?
I calmly lowered my leg back to the ground like I hadn't just shattered this idiot's ego in front of half the school.
"You...!" he shouted, voice muffled as blood ran down his mouth. "You bitch...!"
I ignored the insult completely.
Instead, I reached into my pocket, pulled out a neatly folded tissue, and crouched down in front of him.
He flinched.
Good.
I grabbed his bleeding nose with the tissue and applied pressure hard enough to make him yelp in pain.
Then I leaned in close enough that only he and his pathetic little group could hear me.
"If you bother my friend again…" I said softly, my voice almost calm enough to be polite, "next time I won't stop at your nose."
His eyes widened.
I held his stare, letting the silence stretch just long enough.
"I'll snap your neck."
The boys around him went completely still.
Even Mia behind me had gone silent.
I gave his nose one last, deliberate squeeze before standing back up and brushing imaginary dust off my skirt.
The boy tried to push himself up, rage flashing across his face like he wanted to come at me again.
I didn't even bother looking at him.
Because out of the corner of my eye, I spotted exactly what I needed,
A teacher turning into the hallway.
Perfect.
I raised my hand slightly and called out in a clear, innocent voice,
"Ma'am?"
The teacher immediately looked over.
"We have a nosebleed here," I said, blinking with practiced concern. "Could you help?"
The teacher's eyes widened the second she saw the blood.
"Oh my God!"
She rushed over immediately, kneeling beside the idiot as he groaned dramatically like he was dying from a broken ego and a bloody nose.
"What happened?!" she demanded.
I gave her the most composed expression I could manage.
"He tripped," I said smoothly.
One of his friends opened his mouth like he wanted to argue,
I turned my head and looked at him.
Just looked.
He shut up immediately.
Smart choice.
The teacher quickly hauled the bleeding boy to his feet and started dragging him toward the nurse's office, scolding all of them the entire way.
"You boys need to stop fooling around in the hallway! This is unacceptable!"
Their glares burned into me as they were forced away.
I smiled sweetly and gave a tiny wave.
Then they disappeared around the corner.
Silence settled around us for a moment.
The small crowd that had gathered started whispering excitedly before slowly dispersing, clearly already planning to spread this story through the entire school by lunch.
I turned around.
Mia was still standing there, frozen, staring at me like she had just witnessed an action movie scene in real life.
"Are you okay?" I asked, my tone gentler now.
She blinked rapidly, still in shock.
"I…" Her voice shook. "You just… kicked him in the face."
I shrugged.
"He deserved worse."
Mia let out a breathless laugh that sounded halfway between relief and disbelief.
Her eyes started to water, and for a second, she looked like she might actually cry.
That made my expression soften.
I stepped closer and gently adjusted the strap of her bag where it had slipped off her shoulder.
"Hey," I said quietly. "Don't let people like that scare you."
She nodded, but I could tell she was still shaken.
"Did you really steal anything?" I asked, already knowing the answer.
Her eyes widened immediately.
"No! Never! I swear, Anna, I didn't!"
I believed her without hesitation.
"Then don't worry about it."
My gaze flicked down the hallway where the boys had disappeared.
"If they try anything again…" I said coolly, "they won't like how it ends."
Mia stared at me for another second before suddenly throwing her arms around me in a tight hug.
I stiffened for exactly half a second.
Then sighed.
"…You're welcome."
She laughed shakily against my shoulder.
And as I looked down the hallway, one thought crossed my mind,
If those idiots were stupid enough to come back for round two…
I'd make sure the teacher wasn't nearby next time.