Selene felt the weight of the day pressing on her as she walked into Blackridge High. The whispers, the pointed looks, the stifled laughter—it all felt heavier than usual. She had gotten used to being an outcast, but some days, the isolation cut deeper. Her eyes slid over the rows of students, the faces familiar yet distant.
Lila and her clique were waiting, as they always were. The moment Selene stepped into the hallway, Lila’s sharp voice rang out.
“Well, if it isn’t the stray,” she said, loud enough for everyone to hear.
Selene kept her head down, trying to ignore the sting in her chest as she walked past them, her footsteps quickening. Lila wasn’t done, though. She stuck her foot out, sending Selene stumbling forward. Her books crashed to the floor, the impact echoing louder than sh
