Once Best Friend, Now My Bully Mate

DA'S

d once laughed at my jokes now acted as if I carried a plague. They gave

her friend. "She should be in the dungeo

second girl replied, her voice

nd this school," another chimed in. "She shou

see me cry. Crying would be a victory for them. And I would not give t

could still feel the weight of their stares-mocking, pitying, loathing. I curl

ng each other in some roughhousing game, slammed into my desk. My bag toppled to the floor. On

wasn't an ounce of remorse on his face. "Maybe y

e. The heat of real anger began to simmer

y sneered. "A traitor's daughter

oice rising despite myself. "The exam is

"Isn't the 'honor student' supposed to be so smart? Can't take

I tried to ignore them, but my heart was pounding. This exam ma

student beside m

k at me. "I'm not getting

ch rejection landed like a slap. No one

lose everything, all because of a crack

peared in my pe

ed a spare pencil case toward m

n't looking at me like I was garbage. He wasn't wh

whispered, my

smile, as if lending a pencil to a paria

, I didn't care. For the first time all day, someo

back to my desk, gripping the bor

to the exam paper. Numbers were easier than people. Equations didn't judge. They didn'

my paper, Mr. Donald-my teacher-didn't even look at me. He just

who used to brag about

t students," he used to say. "I have

d couldn't eve

in. I wouldn't let

y. I'd skipped breakfast, and the small dinner we'd shared last night hadn't done much to fill

s packed, but I spotted a small empty spot at a table wi

se me. Ca

et me finish. She pulled her t

ant a traitor s

ne around to hear, "Yeah, go sit with the

o another table. A group of boys was eating there. T

with her," one

bounce," anot

you'd think I wa

. My hands trembled as I pushed the chair bac

ood. At least food

stopped cold, as if she'd just seen

er arms. "No.

a'am. I just want m

door. "Leftovers are in there. Eat

t silent. Some watched. Others whispe

anger, hurt, all of it tangled together. I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. In t

e ultimate sacrifice-his life for the Alpha's. And now the very p

nds s

small s

ticed a famil

ev

me, a tray in his hands. I stood there, b

eat together," Steven said, s

hank him for being the only dece

my eyes. A crash e

red the sound of something s

," I whispered

for both of us. was overturned on th

asn't the

sn't just o

as o

. I must have looked like someone h

r. It spread fast-loud, sharp, cruel. The entire room erupte

ctually looks like tras

so hard I thought

ng from a nightmar

n stoo

hing hard. He didn't pretend it was an accident. He just glared

liating me

bled. "D-Don

's daughter doesn't deserve cafeteria food

ery single person was watching me now

most. What hurt most was the c

asn't enough. The boy I once loved had bec

t courage I had left and stepped closer to him, trying

re? Isn't the cafet

final. "It's a new rule. Traitors don't eat here.

yes boring into mine-daring me to argue

he laughter

dn't cry

and stared at the boy who had once p

rld I needed prot