Catherine sat on the cold, hard floor, sobbing uncontrollably as the remnants of broken eggshells littered her hair and clothes. The laughter of her classmates rang cruelly in her ears, a cacophony of mockery that seemed to bounce off the walls of the hallway. Alexa's evil laughter echoed the loudest, a sinister melody that danced through the air, taunting and provoking. The reality weighed heavily on Catherine: the students around her, those with good intentions, could do nothing. Their fathers were powerful politicians, untouchable and unassailable. They had committed crimes so numerous that their impunity had become a chilling fact of life at the school.
"Look at her!" Dinah called out, her voice dripping with disdain. "What a pathetic sight!"
The group surrounding Catherine—Alexa, Dinah, and Sophia—had terrorized the student body for years, their reign of cruelty seemingly unchallenged. But today, Catherine had caught their attention, and they were reveling in it. The gasps from the watching crowd only fueled their delight.
"Cathy, come on!" Abigail burst through the throng, rushing to her friend. She reached down, grabbing Catherine's arm in a bid to help her up, but the venom in Dinah's voice stopped her.
"Cathy, stand up from there, and you're dead!" Dinah sneered.
Catherine flinched at the threat and crumbled further, falling back to the ground. Abigail, frustration bubbling over, half-yelled, "Stand up, Cathy! Fight for yourself! Don't let them destroy you! Please, let us go!"
When Catherine slapped Abigail across the face, Abigail staggered back in shock. "I said leave me alone!" Catherine screamed, her voice raw with emotion.
Dumbfounded, Abigail took a step back. "Fine! But this will be the first and last time I ever help you again!" With that, she turned on her heel, furious tears welling in her eyes.
"Now that's more like it!" Alexa clapped, a triumphant smile on her face. "What a show!"
Sophia signaled to a group of boys who lurked nearby. With cruel laughter, they seized Catherine and dragged her outside, where they emptied trash bins over her until the sadists were fully satisfied.
Meanwhile, Lamia watched the whole scene unfold through his phone, horror etched on his face. "What the hell?" he muttered under his breath, his gut twisting with a mix of anger and helplessness. Just as he began to rise, Michael's hand shot out to stop him.
"What do you think you're doing?" Michael hissed. "If you intervene, you'll die or face consequences worse than death."
Lamia looked at Michael, confusion in his eyes. "Why? Their fathers are dangerous politicians, and if they want you dead, you're gone. Right now, I pity that brunette girl, Abigail. She's doomed."
Fear coiled in Lamia's stomach. How could a group like this be allowed to exist in an institution that was supposed to foster learning and growth? Just as he pondered this, Michael shifted the topic. "By the way, have you heard about the welcome party organized on our behalf?"
Lamia furrowed his brow. "What welcome party?"
Michael explained, "Since it's our first senior year, they're throwing a party to welcome us into senior life. The dress code is white."
Lamia grimaced; he despised parties. As his thoughts drifted back to Abigail and her struggles, a knot of anxiety twisted in his chest. "Why am I thinking so much about this girl?" he wondered, concerned for her safety.
Catherine, feeling the weight of her actions crash down on her, found solace in an abandoned building, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Why? The only one willing to be my friend, and I chased her away," she sobbed, her heart heavy with regret. She hated the school, but she felt trapped, unable to escape the cycle of cruelty.
But then a thought struck her: Abigail had risked her safety for her. Catherine couldn't allow that sacrifice to be in vain. With newfound determination, she wiped her tears and took a deep breath, resolving to make things right.
---
Abigail stood in front of her locker, trying to shove her belongings inside when Damian approached, his confident smile brightening the gloomy atmosphere. "Mind if I help you?" he asked.
"Yeah, I could use some help," Abigail forced a smile, still feeling the sting of rejection from earlier.
Noticing her frown, Damian raised an eyebrow. "Bad day?"
"Yeah, my day was horrible. This school is something else," Abigail replied, her voice tinged with frustration.
After helping her organize her belongings, Damian stepped closer, his gaze penetrating. "You know, you're an interesting girl. You surprise me, beautiful."
Abigail blinked, taken aback. Was he flirting with her? "Hmm, what do you mean?" she asked, a smile breaking through her earlier gloom.
Damian chuckled softly, his eyes sparkling. "Just get ready and show them what a beauty you are. You don't need to prove anything to anyone; you're beautiful just the way you are. See you at the welcome party."
As he walked away, Abigail couldn't help but let out a genuine laugh. "Who the hell is this charming guy?" she mused, a flicker of hope igniting in her heart amidst the chaos of her day.
Little did they know, the welcome party would be a stage for even more drama and chaos.