The Schoolgirl: Behind the Mask"

.Chapter Two: Alas’s Cryptic Words

The first period ended without Alasia understanding a single word. Her mind was consumed by that strange look from Alas. Why was he looking at her like that? Had he noticed her hand trembling as she handed the book to Suzy?

As she walked through the crowded hallway toward the library, she felt a long shadow trailing her. She didn't turn around; it was a public place, and there was no reason for concern. But suddenly, at the corner of the abandoned staircase leading to the old labs, a hand reached out to block her path.

Alasia stopped abruptly, her heart pounding violently. It was Alas. He stood there with total coldness, hands tucked into his school pants pockets, his messy hair partially covering his forehead. He didn't speak immediately; instead, he just stared directly into her eyes—a look that made her feel completely exposed, as if he were reading every dark thought she tried to hide.

"What do you want, Alas?" Alasia asked, trying to regain her calm and perfect tone.

Alas tilted his head slightly, a ghost of a mocking smile appearing on his lips: "Stop it, Alasia. This coordinated voice, this smile that looks like a toothpaste commercial... Don't you feel like you're suffocating, wearing this mask all the time?"

The words shocked her. It felt as if someone had poured ice-cold water over her on a winter's night. She tried to respond, but her voice came out shaky: "I don't understand what you're talking about... I'm fine, and everyone knows..."

Alas interrupted her sharply, taking a step closer: "Everyone sees what you want them to see. They love the angel; they love the girl who makes no mistakes. But I saw you behind the gym last week—I saw you crying bitterly, hitting the wall with your fists. An angel doesn't do that, does she?"

Alasia’s eyes widened, and she felt the ground swaying beneath her. "You... you were there?"

"I’m always here, watching the great school circus," Alas said as he slowly backed away, turning to her one last time before disappearing around the corner: "A word of advice: the mask you’re wearing is starting to melt, and if you don't take it off yourself, your real face will burn underneath it. Think about it, Alasia."

Alasia remained standing there, unable to move. The words spun in her head like a hurricane. At that moment, Zane appeared—the quiet student who always carried a sketchbook, walking behind Alas like a shadow. He gave Alasia a brief, sorrowful look, as if pitying her for her exposed secret, then followed Alas without a word.

Alasia returned to class, but the world around her was no longer the same. Suzy was laughing loudly, and the teacher was explaining equations that mattered to no one, but the echo of Alas’s voice was louder than everything: "Don't you feel like you're suffocating?" For the first time, Alasia felt her tie tightening around her neck, to the point where she truly couldn't breathe.