THE ALPHA'S LITTLE NERD

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Anna’s POV

I stepped out of the car and shut the door behind me.

At first, nothing felt different.

Same school gates. Same chaotic morning. Same students rushing around like missing attendance would personally destroy their bloodline.

Then—

It happened.

Heads turned.

One by one.

Like a slow-motion movie scene.

A girl walking past me paused mid-step, her eyes dragging from my shoes… all the way up to my face. Her mouth parted slightly.

Two guys near the gate stopped talking.

“…Wait,” one of them muttered.

“Isn’t that—?”

“No way.”

I kept walking.

Slow. Steady.

Even though my heart had started doing backflips in my chest.

More whispers followed behind me.

“Who is she?”

“She’s new, right?”

“Are you blind? That’s Anna.”

“…Anna who?”

Okay.

That one almost took me out.

I adjusted my bag slightly, keeping my expression neutral like I wasn’t internally screaming.

A group of girls near the entrance went completely silent as I passed.

Then—

“Since when did she look like that?”

“I swear she used to dress like a haunted librarian.”

“Ouch,” I muttered under my breath.

Rude.

Accurate… but rude.

I pushed the door open and stepped into the hallway.

Big mistake.

The noise didn’t just drop—

It died.

Like somebody pressed mute on the entire building.

Then it came back.

Louder.

Messier.

Focused entirely on me.

“Anna?!”

“That’s Anna?!”

“No way—what happened to her?!”

I resisted the urge to turn around and check if there was another Anna behind me.

Because honestly?

Same question.

My grip tightened slightly on my bag strap.

Keep walking.

Don’t trip.

If you fall now, just leave the country.

A boy walking toward me completely missed his step and almost kissed the floor.

I bit my lip to stop myself from laughing.

Okay…

Maybe this wasn’t so terrible.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted someone pulling out their phone.

Oh hell no.

No viral videos today, thank you very much.

I quickened my pace—

Then slowed down again.

No.

Freya said to set the school on fire.

Running would ruin the effect.

So I straightened my shoulders, lifted my chin slightly, and walked like I owned the place.

Even if I absolutely did not.

The whispers followed me like background music.

“She’s actually… pretty.”

“Pretty? She’s hot.”

“Since when?!”

“Did she get surgery?”

Excuse me?!

I almost turned around for that one.

Almost.

Then—

“Anna!”

I froze slightly at the familiar voice.

Stella.

Perfect timing.

I turned.

And the second she saw me—

Her jaw dropped.

Actually dropped.

“…Okay,” she said slowly, walking toward me like I might disappear. “No one told me we were doing a full revenge-glow-up arc. I thought this was just a makeover.”

I crossed my arms.

“Say it,” I warned.

She circled me once.

Once.

Like I was a luxury car she was thinking about financing.

“I hate you,” she said finally.

I blinked.

“…That’s it?”

“You look illegal,” she added. “This is not fair. I leave you alone for one day and suddenly you come back looking like a billionaire’s toxic ex-wife.”

I snorted.

“Jealous?”

“Deeply,” she said without hesitation.

Then she leaned closer, lowering her voice.

“Half the school is staring,” she whispered. “Including people who didn’t even know you existed yesterday.”

I sighed.

“I noticed.”

She smirked.

“Oh, it gets worse.”

Before I could ask—

A hush fell across the hallway again.

Not loud.

But noticeable.

The kind that spreads because someone important just walked in.

And judging by the sudden tension in the air…

I already knew I wasn’t going to enjoy this.

Stella’s expression shifted.

“Oh,” she muttered. “Speak of the devil.”

I frowned.

“What—”

A sharp voice sliced through the hallway.

“Well, well… look who finally crawled out of hiding.”

I turned.

Melissa.

Of course.

She stood there with her little army behind her, arms crossed, eyes scanning me from head to toe. Her head was still wrapped in bandages.

Wow.

Didn’t know I hit her that hard.

No wonder everybody was acting weird.

Melissa’s lips curled into a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

“What is this?” she said loudly, making sure everyone could hear. “New clothes? New attitude? Or are you desperately trying to impress someone?”

The hallway quieted again.

Waiting.

Watching.

I tilted my head slightly.

Boldly.

“Good morning to you too,” I said calmly.

A few students snorted.

Her smile tightened instantly.

“Oh, she talks now,” Melissa mocked. “Careful, Anna. Dressing up doesn’t change who you are.”

I shrugged, keeping my expression calm.

If I wanted the pack’s respect, then I definitely had to put this witch back in her place.

“Yeah,” I said lightly. “And being loud doesn’t make you important.”

A few more laughs echoed around us.

Stella nearly choked beside me.

“That’s my girl,” she whispered dramatically.

Melissa’s expression darkened.

“You think you’re special now?” she snapped. “You’re still the same nobody. The weird nerd nobody likes.”

I scoffed.

“Is that what you’re scared of?” I asked. “That I might steal your spotlight? Then suddenly nobody will care about you anymore?”

Melissa smirked.

“Please. Like anyone would choose you over me. You’re still nothing. Just like your parents.”

That did it.

Something inside me snapped.

I stepped forward slowly.

Eyes burning.

“And yet,” I said quietly, my voice sharp enough to cut glass, “that nobody is the reason your head is wrapped like a failed mummy cosplay. Careful, Melissa. Next time it might be worse.”

That hit.

Hard.

The hallway went dead silent.

Melissa’s face flushed red with anger.

“You—”

Then—

The atmosphere shifted.

Not loudly.

Not obviously.

But enough.

Like pressure building before a storm.

Stella’s smirk faded slightly.

“Oh,” she muttered. “Here we go.”

I felt it before I saw him.

That gaze.

Heavy.

Sharp.

Impossible to ignore.

I turned.

Evan stood at the end of the hallway.

Hands tucked into his pockets.

Expression unreadable.

But his eyes—

Locked on me.

Not moving.

Not blinking.

Just watching.

Like he’d walked into school expecting chaos…

And found something worse.

The whispers started again, quieter this time—but far more dangerous.

“That’s Evan…”

“He’s staring at her…”

“No way…”

Melissa followed my gaze.

And the second she noticed him looking at me—

Something cracked in her expression.

Jealousy.

Raw. Ugly. Embarrassingly obvious.

Her nails dug into her arms.

“Of course,” she muttered bitterly.

I looked back at Evan.

Big mistake.

Because the second our eyes met—

His lips tilted slightly.

I held his gaze stubbornly.

Good.

Let him see it.

The old Anna was dead.

From today onward, I, Anna Valen, was done tolerating nonsense from anybody.

I expected anger.

Expected his usual psycho behavior.

I was prepared for literally anything.

But what I didn’t expect—

Was the subtle tilt of his head.

And that tiny smile.

Like he was proud of me.

Then he walked away.

The hell?

Evan Marcus being proud of me?

Absolutely not.

Clearly I was hallucinating.

But that smile—

God.

It was unfairly beautiful.

Soft.

Real.

Nothing like his usual annoying smirk.

It disappeared quickly, but I saw it.

And somehow…

That tiny smile became the best thing I’d seen all morning. Which is annoying considering who the smile belong to.

“Congratulations,” Stella whispered beside me. “You’ve officially started a war.”

I exhaled slowly.

“Fantastic.”

Melissa scoffed loudly and flipped her hair.

“This isn’t over, b***h,” she snapped. “You’re going to regret this.”

Then she stormed off with her group following behind her like angry backup dancers.

Very dramatic.

Very unnecessary.

I watched her leave before looking ahead again.

The hallway was still staring.

Still whispering.

I adjusted my bag and started walking again.

But this time—

With a little more confidence.

“Don’t worry,” I muttered under my breath.

“Let it burn.”