Eva stood in the dimly lit corridor of the orphanage, clutching her tattered book to her chest. Her eyes were downcast, trying to make herself as small and invisible as possible. But it was too late. Brianna and her gang had already spotted her.
"Well, well, if it isn't little Miss Scarface," Brianna sneered, her voice dripping with malice. She tossed her waist-length hair over her shoulder, a perfect wave cascading down her back. Emily, Chloe, and Sabrina stood behind her, a sinister trio of shadows echoing her every move.
Eva's heart pounded in her chest. She glanced around, hoping for an escape route, but the corridor seemed to stretch endlessly, and there was no one to come to her aid. The other girls in the orphanage kept their distance, fearful of incurring Brianna's wrath.
"What's wrong, Eva? Cat got your tongue?" Chloe taunted, her eyes glinting with amusement. Sabrina snickered, stuffing her face with a bag of chips.
Emily stood slightly apart from the group, her expression conflicted. She didn't want to be here, didn't want to participate in the torment, but fear kept her rooted to the spot.
"Please, just leave me alone," Eva whispered, her voice barely audible.
"Why should we? Look at you," Brianna spat, stepping closer until she was towering over Eva. "That scar on your face... it makes you ugly. Disgusting. No one will ever love you."
Eva felt the familiar sting of tears, but she refused to let them fall. She wouldn't give Brianna the satisfaction. "You're wrong," she said, her voice trembling but defiant. "Beauty isn't just about looks."
"Oh, spare me the clichés," Brianna laughed, a cold, heartless sound. "In this world, beauty is everything. If you're not pretty, you're nothing."
Sabrina, emboldened by Brianna's words, reached out and snatched Eva's book from her hands. "What's this? Some fairy tale about ugly ducklings turning into swans?" She flipped through the pages carelessly before tossing it to the ground.
"Stop it!" Eva cried, kneeling to pick up her book.
"Or what?" Chloe challenged, stepping forward. "You're going to fight us? Face it, Eva. No one here likes you. No one wants to be friends with a scarred freak."
Emily shifted uncomfortably, her eyes darting to Eva. She wanted to say something, to stand up for her, but fear clamped down on her throat like a vice. She couldn't afford to be Brianna's next target.
Brianna leaned in close, her pretty eyes cold and calculating. "Remember, Eva. If you ever try to stand up to us again, we'll make your life a living hell. This orphanage belongs to us."
Eva's hands shook as she clutched her book tightly, her knuckles white. She watched as Brianna and her gang walked away, their laughter echoing through the corridor. She was left alone, a silent tear slipping down her cheek.
In that moment, Eva vowed silently to herself that she wouldn't let Brianna break her. She would find a way to rise above the cruelty and find strength in her own scars. Because she knew, deep down, that true beauty came from within, and no amount of bullying could ever take that away from her.
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