Lila's POV
Class had finally ended, and I let out a small sigh of relief as I packed my notebook into my bag. I hoped I wouldn’t run into Abigail and her friends again today. The hallway felt quieter now, and I just wanted to find a peaceful spot to work on my assignment. As I walked down the stairs, my phone suddenly rang. I pulled it out and saw Mom’s name on the screen.
“Hi, Mom,” I said, trying to sound cheerful.
“Hi, Lila, am I bothering you, sweetheart? How’s school?” she asked, her voice soft and tired.
“Ah, no, Mom. I just got out of class. I’m going to take a quick break before going to the library to work on my assignment. What’s up?” I asked, slowing my steps.
There was a short pause on the other end. “Umm, I know I shouldn’t be saying this, since you haven’t been paid yet,
