"Let me go, please," Violet pleaded, her voice barely above a whisper. She had been struggling for the past month, carrying the weight of an unwanted pregnancy as a middle school student.
Paige smirked, her cold eyes glinting with malice. "Roses are red, violets are blue... but you didn't tell Chang-ho to put your milky thighs down before fucking you." Laughter erupted around her, sharp and cruel.
Chang-ho—the golden boy, the biggest catch. His father was the school's main donor, which gave him untouchable status. He often visited the middle school, a high school student with a fanbase of younger admirers. Rumors swirled about him and Violet, but they weren't just whispers—they were true. He brought her flowers, gifts, and stolen kisses, making her the envy of every girl. But envy had a sharp edge, and when Violet discovered she was pregnant, Chang-ho's affection evaporated.
He denied her. In front of everyone. He wiped his hands clean, casting her aside like garbage.
Despite the whispers, the glares, and the humiliation, Violet pressed on with the unwavering support of her mother. But at three months pregnant, complications forced her to take a break. Now, she was back—to finish her exams, to survive. But Paige and her pack had other plans.
Paige stepped closer, her manicured nails trailing from Violet's belly up to her chin. "I just came to take my exams. Please... let me go," Violet begged, her head bowed in submission.
The slap came so fast, so hard, that she barely registered it before her body slammed against the wall. A sharp sting spread across her face as blood trickled from her nose. Paige gripped her collar while the others grabbed her arms.
"Chang-ho would never touch trash like you in his right mind. You probably drugged him, you filthy slut," Paige sneered before striking Violet again.
"Give me the bat," she ordered.
Morgan hesitated. "Paige, stop. She's pregnant."
"Do you want to be next, dummy?" Alyssa snapped.
Brittany handed over the bat without question. Paige swung—aiming for Violet's face—but Violet barely managed to dodge. The impact shattered the mirror behind her, glass raining down like deadly confetti.
Alyssa seized Violet by the throat, tightening her grip as she landed punches on her face. "You dare dodge? You're going to regret this, bitch."
Sabrina shoved Violet against the wall, her dress quickly soaking in blood.
"This is insane!" Morgan's voice cracked with panic. "I've gone along with your shit before, but this? This is too much! She's bleeding—she's in pain—are you all blind? If you touch her again, I swear I'll report you!"
Silence. A moment of hesitation.
Then Samantha swung the bat.
Morgan crumpled to the floor, unmoving.
"Is she dead?" Violet's voice trembled.
Paige ignored her. Instead, she crouched and gathered shards of the broken mirror. Her fingers glided over the jagged edges, a twisted satisfaction in her eyes. Then, without warning, she forced the shards into Violet's mouth.
Violet thrashed, but the others held her down, covering her mouth and nose until she had no choice but to swallow. Blood poured from her lips, staining her chin crimson.
Still, Paige wasn't satisfied. She took another fragment and pressed it against Violet's cheek, dragging it slowly down her skin, just below her left eye. Violet barely felt the cuts anymore. Pain blurred into numbness.
The bat came down again. And again. And again.
Until all she could see was red.
---
The Rescue
Just as Paige prepared to land another blow, the washroom door burst open. A shrill scream echoed through the hallways, piercing the air like a siren.
Someone had seen them. Someone had sounded the alarm.
Footsteps thundered toward them. The girls scattered, their laughter dying in their throats as teachers stormed in. Ms. Sophie, Violet's class teacher, froze at the sight before her—blood pooling on the cold tiles, Violet's limp body barely clinging to consciousness.
"Get help! Now!" she shouted.
Another teacher rushed in to assist, and together they lifted Violet's broken form, carrying her out as horrified students gathered in the hallway. Whispers and gasps spread like wildfire. The sight of her bruised and bloodied body silenced even the cruelest of tongues.
The ambulance arrived within minutes. Paramedics worked quickly, placing an oxygen mask over Violet's face as they loaded her onto the stretcher. The doors slammed shut, sirens wailing as they sped toward the hospital.
---
At the Hospital
The doors to the operating room swung open, and the doctor stepped out, flanked by two nurses. Ms. Sophie and Violet's grandmother immediately stood, their eyes desperate for answers.
"She's been moved to the ICU," the doctor began, his tone calm but measured. "Her baby is stable and has been transferred to the children's ward. Please follow me—I need to explain everything in detail."
They hurried after him, hearts pounding.
"Violet made it through the surgery," the doctor continued, "but her vitals are unstable. We managed to stop the internal bleeding, but there was trauma to her brain—she had been bleeding for some time before we operated. We repaired the damage, but there's still a risk. Anything could happen in the next few hours."
Her grandmother's hands trembled as she clutched her chest. "And the scars?"
The doctor sighed. "Most of the cuts on her face weren't deep, but the one beneath her left eye was severe. It will leave a permanent scar. Unfortunately... her child bears the same mark."
A sharp breath escaped her grandmother's lips.
"We also removed the mirror fragments from her throat and mouth," the doctor continued. "She'll need time to heal, but she's strong."
Then, as if remembering something, he reached into his coat and handed over a small, bloodstained notebook. "Before she lost consciousness, the nurses gave her a diary in the ambulance. She was writing in it. I think you should keep it."
Violet's grandmother took the diary with trembling hands, her eyes burning with unshed tears.
Somewhere beyond the sterile hospital walls, the world kept moving. But for Violet, everything had changed.