{Mia}
I woke up feeling dazed . My eyes blurry I could barely see . My head was throbbing, I could barely move .
Then I felt a soft hand in my palm .
"Mia , you scared me !" Emma said concerned. Tears rolling down her cheeks.
" What happened?!."
" She fainted because of stress." The nurse walked in and said .
Stress? My eyes widened as flashes of memory crashed over me: the principal's sharp glare, the brothers' curious gazes, and the mention of the box.
I sat up abruptly, ignoring the dizziness that followed. "What time is it?"
" Don't worry it's only been a few minutes since you've passed out ."
I stood up and ran . I could hear the nurse behind me . " Hey stop! , you're not well ."
" I'm fine !" I snapped back .
And ran to class .
" Sorry I'm late ,mr... "
" Mr. Thomas"
" Right I'm sorry." I said and went to my seat .
" Wait a minute, where do you think you're going ?!" He said sounding strict.
" Oh I'm sorry, I didn't introduce myself, I'm Mia ." I said firmly." I'm new ." I added .
" I know that , but since you're late .... You need to go to the principal's office."
" Oh, I was just there , that's why I was late ." I said chuckling.
I heard loud gasps echoing around me and I couldn't help but wonder what I said wrong .
I turned around " what's wrong?" I asked genuinely confused.
Then suddenly I felt a tap on my shoulder, it was Laura ! My breath hitched,I couldn't breathe. My heart was racing.
She grinned at me " hey !! " She said smiling.
" So I just told all of my friends here , what a troublemaker you are ." She said .
" W-what do you mean?"
She grinned. " Why don't you ask them ? "
She asked her tone mischevious .
" She said that you're a cheater, a fraud and .... And a theif "
My eyes widened in shock as her words sunk in ." What ?!" I stated abruptly.
She winced. My face softened just a bit before I continued ." What do you mean by that ... Could you elaborate?" I stated my tone soft yet persistent.
" Ummm .. she said that you stole her necklace, and that you always used to cheat on your exams and whatnot."
I was surprised to say the least, those were all the things she did ... To me !!
I turned to Laura, my hands trembling slightly, though I forced my voice to remain steady. "C'est quoi toutes ces bêtises ?!" What are all these lies?!
She crossed her arms, her smile icy. "You tell me. You stole my necklace, didn't you?"
"Tu sais que je n'ai jamais fait ça," I said, frustration boiling beneath my calm tone. You know I'd never do that.
"Then open your backpack," she challenged, her voice dripping with confidence.
My heart stopped. The air felt heavy, and I could feel every pair of eyes in the room boring into me. I knew what was in my bag. If they found my gear... I couldn't risk it.
"Why should I?" I said, buying time, though my mind raced for a solution.
Laura's grin widened. "If you have nothing to hide, then you shouldn't have a problem."
The class erupted in cheers, their voices a mix of taunts and encouragement.
I took a deep breath, steadying my nerves. Then I let my knees buckle, collapsing to the floor in what I hoped was a convincing faint.
The room filled with gasps and frantic whispers. I could hear the nurse rushing in, her voice urgent. "She's not fully recovered! She needs rest!"
I smirked inwardly, my eyes fluttering closed. They weren't getting into that bag not today .
The nurse's office was quiet except for the faint hum of the air conditioning. I could still hear the echo of Laura's accusations in my head. My hands clenched into fists.
Then a shuffle broke the silence.
I cracked one eye open, just enough to see Laura crouched by my bag, her fingers grazing the zipper. My pulse quickened.
I breathed in sharply, forcing my body to jolt upright. "Hey! What are you doing with my backpack?"
Her face drained of color, her hand snapping back as if burned. She looked like a guilty cat caught in the act.
"I—I…" she stammered, glancing around the room.
I smirked, keeping my tone light but firm. "Go ahead. Explain yourself, Laura."
Before she could speak, the nurse stormed back into the room. "What's going on here? Stop adding to her stress, kids! Out!"
Laura scurried out without another word, her face pale.
I exhaled deeply, grateful for the reprieve. "Thanks," I murmured to the nurse, but my relief was short-lived.
The room darkened without warning, the hum of the air conditioning fading to silence.
My breath caught as the bed beneath me tightened, constricting like a trap. I struggled, but it was no use. A low, menacing voice echoed around me.
"You thought you could escape me?"
I froze, every nerve in my body screaming in terror.
Scarlett's voice cut through the darkness. "Mia, are you alright? Your blood pressure is spiking!"
"Shh," I whispered urgently, my voice barely audible. "I don't want him to think I'm scared…"