Lunch hour buzzed through the institution like a tidal wave of voices and footsteps, washing over every corridor and hallway. Students spilled from classrooms, laughter and chatter echoing off marble walls. But for Jenna, it felt like walking through a battlefield where every laugh felt like a dagger, every whisper a threat aimed at her back.
She’d barely made it to the lunch courtyard when the whispers began—murmured taunts, subtle glances. She kept her head high, ignoring the pain that pulsed behind her eyes. But it wasn’t long before Cassia found her.
“Oh, look who decided to show her face,” Cassia drawled, loud enough for the entire table to hear. She leaned against a pillar, perfectly manicured fingers curling around her green juice, her lips twisted in a cruel smile.
Jenna halted,
