To Be Antagonist Girl

10:softhearted

Alia silently repeated Thalia's name in her mind, her lips curling into her signature smile. With a touch of curiosity, she inquired,

"Excuse me... who are you?"

Thalia, towering over her, ignored her question, her gaze descending upon Alia with a haughty air.

"You're Alia?" she queried, her tone cold and detached.

Alia nodded gently, her expression remaining serene and unsullied. "Yes..."

Thalia clicked her tongue in disdain, circling Alia once, scrutinizing her from head to toe before returning to her original position. Her lips curled into a sneer as she spoke,

"You look like a b***h, it's irritating."

Alia's cheeks flushed, and she instinctively stepped back, her eyes revealing a hint of timidity, embarrassment, and anger. She lowered her head, muttering,

"I'm not..."

Thalia waved her hand dismissively, her expression filled with scorn. "Stop, you don't need to explain so much to me. I've seen plenty of bitches like you before."

She continued, her tone hardening, "Anyway, I came here to tell you that I hate your kind. I hated you from the first sight, and even if Seraphina protects you, my hatred for you remains unchanged!"

With those words, Thalia strode past Alia, her shoulder brushing against her with force, causing Alia to stumble and nearly lose her balance. She spoke over her shoulder without turning back,

"Don't think you're something special just because Seraphina takes you under her wing. Others might fear her, but I, Thalia, am not intimidated."

As the sound of her footsteps gradually faded away, Alia stood alone on the path, her head bowed in silence. A gentle breeze blew, lifting the strands of hair by her cheek, yet she remained motionless, appearing hurt and pitiful.

After all, she must maintain her role to the fullest, even when alone. She couldn't forget her character, not after returning to Brooklyn University to be more than just a mere extra. Feeling a dull ache in her shoulder, Alia reached out with her other hand to gently press it, muttering under her breath,

"Thalia... you're still as willful and self-centered as ever."

However, despite her arrogant demeanor and the irritating assumption that she has everything figured out, Thalia Kensington remains the darling of her esteemed family, earning praise and admiration from others solely due to her surname.

They often commend her as a spontaneous and authentic individual. Therefore, in her previous life, Thalia would often taunt Alia, who was despised by all, saying:

"You, a mere speck from a commercial college, make the air around you feel tainted when you're around."

Such remarks stemmed solely from her honest and unpretentious nature, didn't they?

With her privileged background, Thalia is not easily swayed by external opinions. She follows her conscience and walks her own path, refusing to conform to the herd mentality.

She shuns the clique of princes in the student council and avoids joining the chorus of praise for Kara. Instead, she holds a deep-seated disdain for hypocritical individuals.

Alia sighed softly, lowering her head with a slight furrow in her brow. She rubbed her shoulders, her voice barely audible against the howling wind.

"The third knight…has been found," she muttered.

Thalia, seated before the easel, scowled at the unexpected appearance of Alia.

The crease in her brow betrayed her true feelings; she truly didn't want to see Alia at that moment.

--

"Hey, what do you want?" Thalia demanded impatiently.

Alia blushed slightly, feeling a twinge of unease. She hesitated for a moment before speaking again.

"Thalia…"

Her voice trailed off, leaving the air hanging with unspoken words.

At that moment, the vast studio was occupied solely by the two of them. Alia, her voice trembling, spoke:

"I...I've come to apologize."

She cast a fleeting glance at Thalia before quickly averting her gaze, as if afraid of what she might see in her compatriot's eyes.

"For what I said yesterday, making you dislike me...I'm sorry," she continued, her voice wavering. "But I'm not..."

After a moment of hesitation, as if searching for the right words, Alia bit her lip and proffered the paper clasped in her hand to Thalia.

"This...is for you," she said softly.

Thalia regarded the paper being tendered to her with both hands, but she made no move to accept it, leaving Alia's hands suspended in midair. She stared at Alia for a moment, her expression unreadable, before finally reaching out to take the paper.

The paper depicted a portrait of Thalia, but under Alia's brush, the usually domineering Thalia had been rendered with a touch of unexpected tenderness. The details were executed with utmost care, making it impossible for anyone to look away from the portrayed Thalia.

"You think..." Thalia sneered, a mocking smile curling the corner of her mouth.

"By showing me this kindness, you believe I'll stop disliking you?"

Alia raised her head to meet Thalia's gaze, and her face flushed a deep crimson.

Thalia's smile faded, and she crumpled the paper in her hand into a tight ball. Without a word, she tossed it out the window, treating it as if it were mere garbage.

It was evident that this painting had been crafted with great care and attention, but what did that matter to Thalia? She despised Alia's timid and submissive nature above all else.

Even Kara, who enjoyed a sterling reputation within the department, failed to win her favor. In Thalia's eyes, both of them belonged to the same undesirable category.

Alia's face paled, and Thalia cast her a dismissive glance.

"Are you finished? Then you can leave now."

Alia struggled to hold back her tears. As she exited the studio, her head hung low, and she walked away quickly, stealing glances out of the corner of her eye to see Thalia picking up her brush and resuming her painting as if nothing had transpired, a faint smile playing across her lips once again.

This was just the beginning.

To depart, Thalia exited the teaching building, her ears catching snippets of a conversation ahead, filled with a malicious sense of schadenfreude.

"Looks like Alia's book has been torn again," one girl whispered, her tone filled with mockery. "Who has the audacity to ignore even Seraphina's warnings?"

"Indeed, such a pitiable sight," the other girl chimed in, but the sarcasm in her voice was unmistakable.

Thalia's brow furrowed as she overheard their cruel words, recalling the pallor of Alia's face as she had hurriedly left earlier, along with the painting flung out the window. She cast a chilly glance at the gossiping girls before turning away, determined to steer clear of their mockery.

Inside the classroom, Alia sat in her solitary perch at the front, a seat usually avoided due to its prominence.

Her books, once neatly stacked, were now marred with scratches. Out of the corner of her eye, she spied a fleeting figure outside the window, but quickly dismissed it, focusing instead on the damage before her.

Finally... the moment of truth had arrived.

Thalia crouched beside the window, ensuring that Alia wouldn't spot her. She peered into the classroom, her gaze settling on the long-haired girl sitting alone in a sea of empty desks. A faint aura of sadness hovered around her, contrasting sharply with the cheerful atmosphere of the school.

The gentle smile that had once adorned her face was now replaced by an expression of profound sorrow and helplessness.

Thalia stared at Alia's pale profile, her brow furrowing in concern. Despite her initial aversion to Alia's innocuous smile, seeing her in such a vulnerable state, as fragile as a glass about to shatter, filled Thalia with a sense of unease and displeasure.

Alia attempted to force a smile, but her efforts were thwarted by the emotions welling up inside her.

Tears began to trickle down her cheeks, her fingers trembling as she flipped through the pages of her damaged book. Her voice, once melodious, now sounded ragged and hoarse, as if it were being torn apart by her inner turmoil.

"I cannot weep, Alia," she murmured. "I made a promise to Mom and Dad to be resilient... I refuse to unsettle them even in their eternal rest..."

Tears flowed freely down Alia's delicate face, like shattered pearls trailing across her porcelain skin.

Thalia watched with a heartfelt sorrow, noting the tight fists Alia clenched.