The forest was dark, cold, and eerily silent. Midnight cloaked the world in its shadow, and the moon struggled to cast its light through the dense canopy of leaves that defied its glow.
The sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the stillness—a desperate rhythm of someone fleeing for their life. She sprinted through the forest, fear coursing through her veins like fire.
Someone was after her, a shadow in pursuit, intent on taking her life.
The chase felt endless, her legs burning with exertion as she turned to steal a glance behind her. But her footing failed her—a rock caught her step, and she tumbled to the forest floor.
Gasping, she scrambled to her feet, heart pounding like a war drum. She whipped around to check her back, only to find nothing but the dark void.
Her breath caught. Her eyes scanned the shadows around her, desperate and wide, and that's when she saw it—him.
Standing ahead, cloaked in darkness, the pursuer watched her.
She swallowed hard, the weight of dread making her knees weak.
"Please... please don't hurt me," she begged, her voice trembling with despair.
Deep down, she knew her pleas were futile. His eyes, cold and merciless, offered no hope.
The dagger in his hand gleamed, raised high in the dim light. Her scream tore through the air.
"Ahhh!"
But instead of the sting of a blade, she felt the chill of water splashed on her face.
Mira jolted awake, gasping.
Her nightmare dissolved into the harsh reality of laughter ringing in her ears.
"Oh wow, Sleeping Beauty finally decided to join us," someone said, their tone mocking and amused.
Mira blinked, water dripping down her face as her eyes adjusted to the sight of Maddie, the infamous goddess of the campus.
Beautiful, adored, and utterly terrifying. Maddie stood there, arms crossed, her lips curling in a sneer.
"Who do you think you are?" Maddie snapped, her voice sharp as a blade.
Mira's gaze darted downward, her hands trembling.
Maddie's long black curls, tipped with a hint of grey dye, framed her striking face. Her piercing black eyes and rose-pink lips might have belonged to a model, but her expression was anything but kind.
Maddie's loyal entourage flanked her—Belina and Prudence, her ever-present minions.
"Hey, ugly duckling," Belina sneered, her caramel-toned curls bouncing as she leaned closer. "We've been looking for you everywhere, and here you are, sleeping like a fool."
Prudence added with a smirk, her fair skin glowing in the sunlight that streamed through the window. "You're really pushing your luck, aren't you?"
"I... I didn't mean to—" Mira stammered, adjusting the glasses that had slipped down her nose.
She lowered her head, avoiding their piercing gazes.
A flick to her forehead made her flinch, her glasses nearly falling again.
"Hey! Look at me when I'm talking to you, stupid girl," Maddie barked, her tone laced with disdain.
Mira reluctantly obeyed, her eyes meeting Maddie's with fear.
"I asked you for sandwiches without pickles. What did you bring me instead?" Maddie hissed, her irritation growing. "Do you want me to have a heart attack? You're seventeen, but you're already trying to kill people. How noble of you."
Maddie sighed dramatically, tossing the sandwich bag in Mira's face.
"You know what? This is my fault. Why did I trust an ugly duckling like you with something as important as my food? Your disgusting appearance probably contaminated it anyway. If I ate it, I'd probably catch whatever hideous disease you're carrying."
The venom in her voice cut through Mira like shards of glass. Satisfied with her cruel tirade, Maddie turned on her heel and strutted away, her minions following close behind.
Belina and Prudence each gave Mira a hard knock on the head as they passed, their laughter echoing in the air like a cruel symphony.
Mira sank to her knees, clutching the sandwich bag.
Mira stared at the nylon bag on her lap, her hands trembling slightly as she adjusted the glasses that had slid down her nose.
She carefully tucked the bag into her backpack, a hollow ache gnawing at her stomach.
She hadn't eaten all day—her entire allowance had gone to buying Maddie the sandwich.
Maddie's cruel words echoed in her mind, a relentless loop that pierced her self-esteem: Ugly duckling. Unfitted. Out of place.
Unable to contain the wave of self-loathing building inside her, Mira darted into the restroom. She closed the door behind her and approached the mirror, hesitating before raising her gaze.
What she saw made her heart sink.
A girl in a dark blue school jacket, a white shirt, and a mini skirt stared back at her. Her dark skin, which she felt people viewed as burned rather than beautiful, seemed to emphasize her insecurities.
Her glasses, too large for her small face, covered half of her features, while her messy, shoulder-length curls looked dull and lifeless, void of the vitality that others' hair seemed to possess.
Her rounded face bore a single mole on her cheek, and though her plump lips were naturally striking, they were overlooked amidst her unkempt appearance.
Her black eyes, once full of curiosity, now reflected exhaustion and despair. Though she stood at 166 cm, her posture and demeanor made her seem small and insignificant.
Tears welled up in her eyes, spilling over as she sobbed silently.
She despised how she looked, how she felt, and the never-ending misery of her life.
Why couldn't she be like the others—beautiful, confident, carefree? Why did she have to bear this life full of cruelty and nightmares?
Her sobs quieted eventually, leaving her feeling drained. She rinsed her face at the sink, but the cold water did little to soothe her swollen eyes or her bruised spirit.
Resigned, she pulled her hoodie over her head and stepped out of the restroom, keeping her head low as she walked.
Voices approached, breaking the fragile silence of her thoughts. Mira lifted her gaze briefly, her attention snapping to the group coming toward her.
Her breath caught in her throat.
In the center of the group was Justin.
Sweaty from a basketball game, his blue eyes seemed to shine even brighter, and his presence radiated effortless charm.
For a fleeting moment, his gaze met hers, and the world around her seemed to slow. Her heart raced, her pulse quickening with the faintest hint of hope.
Justin. Her secret crush.
Her world glittered in that split second, a forbidden warmth washing over her. But reality struck like a cruel slap when she heard Maddie's voice call out to him.
"Justin!" Maddie's tone was sugary sweet, dripping with possessiveness.
Mira's heart sank as she watched him turn toward Maddie with a smile that could light up the darkest night.
Maddie ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck as he lifted her effortlessly, their laughter ringing in the air.
She gave him a peck on the cheek, then another on his forehead, the picture-perfect couple in the eyes of the onlookers.
Mira's chest tightened, a bitter reminder of her place in the world.
Justin was Maddie's—how could he ever notice her, the ugly duckling, when he had someone like Maddie by his side?
She hurried past them, keeping her head down, her footsteps quick and purposeful.
Reaching the library door, she paused to take a deep breath, trying to rid herself of the suffocating weight of humiliation.
Inside, Mira sought refuge among the rows of books, gravitating toward her favorite: Beauty and the Beast.
She ran her fingers over the cover, allowing herself to imagine a world where she could be something more.
But the fantasy was fleeting—Maddie and Justin's perfect image shattered any hope she had.
She put on her wireless headphones, immersing herself in the story. As the minutes ticked by, exhaustion pulled her into sleep.
Once again, she found herself in the dark forest.
The air was cold and heavy, carrying an oppressive, chilling aura that sent shivers down her spine.
Her skin prickled with goosebumps as voices echoed around her—desperate, tortured cries, like lost souls stripped of their bodies.
Mira pressed her hands over her ears, tears streaming down her face.
"Ahhh! Please! Just stop!" she screamed, her voice breaking in anguish.
The voices fell silent, the sudden quiet more terrifying than the noise. Slowly, trembling, she uncovered her ears and opened her eyes.
Her breath hitched.
A pair of glowing red eyes stared back at her from the shadows.