The next morning at Alexa's former school felt normal.
Students rushed through corridors. Lockers slammed. Teachers called out instructions. Laughter echoed in the hallways.
No one noticed the faint swirl of orange smoke forming near the entrance.
It twisted once.
Then Alexa stepped out of it.
Her eyes flickered orange for a split second. Lightning-like orange lines traced across her face… then disappeared.
She began walking calmly toward the main hall.
From across the courtyard, Mary spotted her.
"Alexa!"
Mary ran toward her, backpack bouncing. "Alexa! Wait!"
But Alexa did not slow down.
She did not turn.
She kept walking straight — toward the principal's office.
Mary finally caught up beside her. "Alexa! I've been trying to call you. You know you've been expelled, right?"
No answer.
"Alexa?"
Still nothing.
Mary slowed, confused. "What's wrong with you?"
Alexa pushed open the principal's office door without knocking.
Mary stopped outside, stunned.
Inside, the principal — the same woman who had suspended Alexa — was seated with a few visiting officials.
The moment she saw Alexa, her face hardened.
"You!" she snapped, standing up. "Didn't you receive the notice? You have been expelled from this school!"
Alexa tilted her head.
"I'm sorry," she said casually, sitting down in the chair opposite her. "I didn't hear you. Could you repeat it… maybe a thousand times?"
She laughed softly.
An eerie, evil laugh.
The guests exchanged nervous looks.
One of them said sharply, "Young lady, you cannot just barge in here!"
Alexa leaned back in the chair.
"Well," she said smoothly, "I came to teach you a lesson."
The principal's voice rose. "If you don't leave this office immediately, I will call your parents—"
"Blah, blah, blah," Alexa interrupted lazily.
She leaned forward slightly.
"I want you to dance into the hall."
The principal froze. "Excuse me?"
Alexa's eyes slowly turned orange.
Faint orange lightning flickered across her face.
Her voice deepened — layered with the ITE's tone.
"Did you not hear me…?"
"…Now."
Her eyes flared.
"Dance."
Instantly, the principal's body jerked.
Her arms began moving uncontrollably.
She gasped. "What—what is happening?!"
She spun awkwardly, feet tapping against her will.
The guests shouted in panic.
The door burst open as the principal danced right out into the hall.
Students stopped mid-step.
The music in the distance halted.
The entire hall went silent.
Their principal was dancing uncontrollably in front of everyone.
Mary stared in horror. "Alexa… what are you doing?"
Kira and her friends stepped forward from the crowd.
Kira blinked in disbelief. "Oh. Alexa's back."
She smirked. "That orange hair won't stop us from flushing you into the toilet again."
Her friends laughed.
Alexa's eyes returned to normal.
She smiled slowly.
"Try it," she said calmly. "This time, I promise you won't walk out."
Kira's smirk faltered.
Mary whispered, "Alexa… are you sure you're okay?"
Alexa looked at her.
"Never been better."
She began walking slowly down the hall as students parted away from her.
The principal finally stopped dancing, collapsing against a wall in humiliation.
"You… you have no authority here!" she shouted weakly.
Alexa turned back toward her.
"Your time here is up," she said calmly. "You need to leave this school… and never… come… back."
Murmurs spread.
"Who does she think she is?"
Mary stared at Alexa with a strange mixture of fear and awe.
Alexa looked around the hall.
"You know," she said casually, "Mr and Mrs Richardson were the only ones who believed in magic…"
She looked directly at the principal.
"But you don't."
Her eyes slowly turned orange again.
Orange lightning flickered across her face.
"Should I show you what true magic looks like?"
The tension in the hall became suffocating.
Mary stepped back.
All of a sudden—
A portal burst open at the entrance.
Mr Richardson.
Mrs Richardson.
Ariella.
Seraphine.
Principal Elowen.
Kai.
Tedros.
Sarah.
Valerina.
They rushed in.
The former principal shouted desperately, "Don't you do it!"
Alexa looked at them.
Her eyes returned to normal.
She sighed dramatically.
"You spoiled the fun."
She folded her arms.
"What do you want?"
Mr Richardson stepped forward slowly. "Alexa?"
She tilted her head.
"Who's Alexa?" she asked lightly. "Who's Alexa?"
She laughed softly.
"Oh. Almost forgot. I'm Alexa. Still getting used to the name."
Mrs Richardson's eyes filled with tears. "Please… come back to us."
"Don't cry, Mother," Alexa said calmly. "I've just become confident."
Sarah whispered to Valerina, "This isn't her…"
Alexa continued speaking casually.
"When I was unconscious… the ITE was merging with me. Bit by bit."
She smiled faintly.
"I killed Isolde so none of you would know how to remove it."
Gasps filled the hall.
Kira stared at her in fear.
Alexa stepped back slowly.
"For me to stay in Alexa's body… I must destroy her memories."
She raised her hands.
"Every memory of low esteem."
Her eyes turned orange again.
Orange lightning flared across her face.
The ITE's voice echoed through her.
"Starting with this school."
She levitated off the ground.
Orange smoke spiraled around her.
Fire mixed with wind burst outward — smashing lockers, cracking walls, shattering windows.
Students screamed.
"Get out!" Kai shouted.
"Move! Move!" Tedros yelled, guiding students toward the exits.
Sarah grabbed Mary's arm. "Run!"
Valerina blasted falling debris away with controlled strikes.
The building groaned.
Alexa hovered above the destruction.
"So long, suckers," she called out, laughing.
Then she vanished in a violent swirl of orange smoke.
Moments later—
The structure collapsed heavily into itself.
Dust rose into the sky.
Sirens wailed in the distance.
Once everyone was safely outside, Principal Elowen stepped forward urgently.
"Listen carefully!" she shouted to the gathered students. "That was not Alexa. That was something called the ITE. It is controlling her. Do not approach her if you see her!"
Fear rippled across the crowd.
Valerina walked straight toward Kira.
"You're coming with us."
Kira backed up. "Why?"
Sarah answered firmly.
"You bullied her. The ITE is eliminating her low-esteem memories."
Valerina finished the thought.
"And you're part of those memories."
Kira's face drained of color.
"She'll come for you."
Kira grabbed her friends immediately. "We're going."
Mary stood silently, staring at the ruins.
"She wasn't like that," she whispered.
Ariella clenched her fists.
"We're getting her back."
Tedros looked at the smoke still rising from the rubble.
"Before she erases everything."
And somewhere far away—
Alexa stood alone.
Watching.
Planning.