That day, Alia came to school feeling different.
After what had happened with the writing on her desk the day before, she had started being more careful.
She didn't want to attract attention.
She also didn't want to run into Ravian too often at school.
Even when she saw her older brother walking toward her from the opposite direction in the hallway, Alia deliberately turned into another corridor.
Ravian saw her.
But he didn't call out.
They had made an agreement.
At school, they were simply two people who didn't know each other.
At least, that was what Alia wanted.
But avoiding Ravian didn't make the problem go away.
Quite the opposite.
As soon as Alia entered the classroom, she found something on her desk.
A small piece of paper.
Alia picked it up.
There was only one sentence written on it.
Don't act so close to Ravian.
Alia stared at the note for several seconds.
Then she crumpled it up and tossed it into the trash.
Naya, who sat beside her, saw it.
"Again?"
Alia nodded.
"You have to tell the teacher."
"No."
"Alia."
"I don't want to cause trouble."
"But they keep harassing you."
"I can still handle it."
Naya sighed.
"You're too nice."
Alia smiled faintly.
"Maybe."
But the truth was, Alia wasn't unafraid.
She simply didn't want the problem to reach her family.
Especially Ravian.
She knew her older brother.
If Ravian found out someone was truly harassing her, he would definitely step in.
And that would only expose her secret.
The next class was gym.
Alia hoped everything would go normally.
But when she opened her locker to get her gym shoes, she froze.
Her shoes were wet.
Water filled the insides.
Alia lifted one of them.
Naya noticed immediately.
"Oh my God."
Alia said nothing.
"Who did this?"
"I don't know."
"Alia, this has gone too far."
"I can dry them."
"You want to do gym in wet shoes?"
Alia shook her head.
"It's fine."
She carried her shoes to a spot where the sunlight reached.
But several students passing by just laughed.
"Poor thing."
"Her shoes are wet."
"Why not buy new ones?"
Alia turned around.
Selina and her two friends stood a few yards away.
Selina smiled.
"Oops."
Alia stared at her.
"You know something?"
Selina shrugged.
"I don't know anything."
"Did you do it?"
"Don't accuse me."
Alia sighed.
"I'm not accusing you."
"Good."
Selina stepped closer.
"Then don't ask so many questions."
Naya was about to fire back.
But Alia stopped her.
"Enough."
Alia then took her shoes and walked away.
Selina watched her back.
Her face showed satisfaction.
She felt that Alia was far too easy to intimidate.
Gym class finally began.
Since Alia's shoes hadn't dried yet, the teacher allowed her to use a spare pair from the equipment room.
Alia participated as usual.
But throughout the class, she could feel several unpleasant stares.
She tried not to care.
After gym ended, all the students returned to class.
Alia walked toward the locker room.
She opened her bag.
But her water bottle was gone.
She searched through everything in her bag.
It was nowhere to be found.
"Naya, did you see my bottle?"
"No."
"That's strange."
Alia went back to the field.
But the bottle wasn't there either.
As she passed the side of the gym, someone called out.
"Alia."
She turned around.
Daren.
Daren was holding a water bottle.
"Is this yours?"
Alia recognized it immediately.
"Yes!"
Daren handed it to her.
"I found it near the bleachers earlier."
Alia accepted it.
"Thank you."
Daren looked at Alia's face.
"What's wrong?"
"What?"
"You look like something's bothering you."
Alia smiled.
"It's nothing."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah."
Daren didn't fully believe her.
But he didn't press her.
"Then I'll get going."
Alia nodded.
"Take care."
Daren had only taken a few steps when a voice came from behind him.
"Daren."
Daren stopped.
Selina stood near the door.
"What?"
"Are you close to Alia?"
Daren furrowed his brow.
"Why?"
"Because I'm curious."
Daren gave a faint smile.
"If you're curious, ask her directly."
Then he left.
Selina glared angrily at Daren's back.
More and more people were taking Alia's side.
And that made her hate it even more.
At dismissal, Alia deliberately waited until the classroom had mostly emptied.
She didn't want to run into too many people.
By the time she finally left, the hallway was fairly empty.
Alia walked toward the gate.
But someone deliberately slammed into her shoulder.
Her books fell to the floor.
Alia was startled.
She bent down to pick them up.
"It was an accident."
Selina's voice.
Alia looked at her.
"You?"
Selina smiled.
"What?"
"You did that on purpose."
"Don't flatter yourself."
Selina then walked away.
Alia clenched her fists.
For the first time, her patience was beginning to run out.
But she still didn't chase after her.
She picked up her books and put them back in her bag.
As she was about to leave, she heard someone's voice.
"Alia."
She turned around.
Ravian stood at the end of the hallway.
They were far enough apart.
There wasn't another student around.
Alia immediately walked over to him.
"Ravian."
Ravian looked at his younger sister's face.
"What happened?"
"Nothing."
"That's a lie."
Alia fell silent.
Ravian looked at the books that were slightly disorganized.
"Who was it?"
"Don't get involved."
"Alia."
"I can handle it."
Ravian took a breath.
"I already told you."
"Told me what?"
"If anyone's bothering you, tell me."
Alia shook her head.
"I don't want my identity exposed."
Ravian fell silent.
Alia then looked at her older brother.
"I want to deal with everything on my own."
Ravian finally nodded.
"Fine."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
Alia smiled.
"Thank you."
They then walked away from each other.
No one saw their conversation.
Or at least, that's what they thought.
At the end of the hallway, someone was actually standing there.
Selina.
She hadn't heard the entire conversation.
But she had seen enough to make her suspicious.
Ravian had been talking to Alia.
Alone.
And from the way they looked at each other, their relationship seemed far closer than that of merely an upperclassman and a new student.
Selina clenched her fists.
"I won't let you get away with this."
The next day, things got even worse.
When Alia entered the classroom, her chair was gone.
She searched the entire room.
It wasn't there.
Naya helped her look.
Eventually, they found the chair behind the school building.
Someone had deliberately put it there.
Alia stood motionless.
Naya was truly furious by then.
"This has gone too far!"
Alia sighed.
"I'll bring it back."
"Let's report it!"
"Don't."
"Why?"
Alia fell silent.
Because she was afraid.
Not of Selina.
But of the consequences.
If she reported it, the matter might reach the teacher.
If the teacher asked why Selina hated her so much, Ravian's name might come up.
And if everyone started looking into their relationship...
Her secret would be exposed.
Alia eventually carried the chair back to the classroom herself.
All day, she tried to act normal.
But when dismissal came, Naya couldn't accompany her because she had to attend a school activity.
"Call me if anything happens."
Alia nodded.
"Don't worry."
She walked alone to the bathroom to wash her hands before heading home.
The hallway was starting to empty.
Alia didn't know that Selina and her two friends were watching her from a distance.
Selina smiled.
"Follow her."
Mona looked hesitant.
"Selina, don't go too far."
"She needs to know her place."
Keira let out a soft laugh.
"Relax."
They then followed Alia.
Meanwhile, Alia had no idea that footsteps were beginning to sound behind her.
She opened the bathroom door.
And went inside.
Then she set her bag down beside the sink.
Water ran.
Alia washed her hands.
As she lifted her face and looked in the mirror, the bathroom door suddenly shut.
Alia turned around.
Selina stood there.
Keira and Mona were behind her.
Alia immediately sensed that something was wrong.
"Selina?"
Selina smiled.
"Finally, we can talk without anyone interrupting us."
Alia took a step back.
"What do you want?"
Selina walked closer.
"I just want to tell you something."
"What?"
"Never go near Ravian again."
Alia fell silent.
"I'm not going near him."
Selina let out a small laugh.
"Don't lie."
"I'm not lying."
"Do you think we're stupid?"
Alia began to feel afraid.
She backed away again.
Meanwhile, Selina kept moving closer.
And this time, Naya wasn't there.
Daren wasn't there.
No teacher was there.
There was no one who could help her.
Alia gripped her bag strap tightly.
She didn't yet know that the next few minutes would be the worst point of her entire time at school.
And without any of them realizing it, someone was walking toward that bathroom.
Someone who would change everything.