JESSICA'S POV
The sting from the slap was f*****g intense. Not like a normal slap. It was a hot, sharp pain that dug into my cheekbone, and it brought everything back—the graffiti, the whispers, the feeling of being a toy. Alyssa's hateful smile swam in my vision.
"You b***h," I breathed, my hand pressed to my burning skin. "It's not my fault I live with them!"
"Everything about you is a fault," Alyssa said, her voice a low purr of malice. She nodded to the others. "She doesn't get it. Let's make it clearer."
They moved. Not like humans. Fast, a blur of motion. Hands grabbed my arms, yanking me away from the door. Another girl shoved me hard from behind. I stumbled, my backpack slipping from my shoulder. A fist connected with my stomach, driving the air from my lungs in a painful gasp.
