The Vipers had claimed the central corridor like a pack of wolves, their eyes locked on the entrance, waiting for Allison.
"Hey, witch!" Erica’s voice cut through.
"Hey, nerd!" Marcus added, his laugh booming off the metal lockers. "Where’s the bird in your hair today? Did it finally fly away to find a better nest?"
A wave of cruel, echoing laughter followed them down the hall—the kind of sound that would have crushed most girls.
But Allison didn’t care. She kept her eyes forward, her chin tucked in that signature Ainsley way.
By the stairwell, Dean Sterling Vance watched the scene, frozen in a state of clinical shock.
He actually choked on his morning coffee, the liquid splashing unheeded onto his tie as he crushed his clipboard against his chest.
"What are they doing?" he sighe
