Laughter echoed through the school hallway. Not the kind that came from joy, but the cruel kind—sharp and mocking, like knives.
Garah kept her head down, her shoes scuffing against the dusty floor. Her uniform was neatly pressed, but still too faded for the school's glossy standard. Her blouse didn’t match the bright white of her classmates’. Her skirt was a little too long. Her bag was patched up with old thread.
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To them, she was a walking target.
"Hey, garbage girl," sneered Zyreen, standing in front of her locker with her arms crossed. Students crowded around, phones in hand, already recording.
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Garah didn’t answer. She tried to step past, but Zyreen blocked her path.
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"I said, when I ask you to do something, you do it," Zyreen hissed.
Francisco leaned against the wall nearby, smirking. Pearl rolled her eyes. Kate clicked her gum and laughed under her breath. Jason and Andrew just watched silently. That was the worst part—no one ever helped.
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"I didn't do anything to you," Garah said quietly, her voice shaking—but firm.
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The hallway froze.
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It was the first time she'd spoken back.
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Zyreen’s grin faded. “What did you say?”
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"You bully me because you’re bored. That’s not my fault."
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Pearl stepped forward, eyes blazing. "We don’t like looking at you. You’re disgusting. Like mold that won’t go away."
A loud slap echoed through the hallway. Zyreen's hand had left a red mark across Garah’s face. Phones were still recording.
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“Don’t act brave,” Zyreen spat. “You’re nothing. Always have been.”
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No teachers came. No one stopped it. They never did.
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"Let’s go," Zyreen said, tossing her hair. “She’s not even worth our time.”
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The group walked off laughing, their echo fading down the corridor. Garah stood alone in the middle of the hallway, her cheek burning, her fists clenched.
Some students muttered, “Poor thing…”
Others whispered, “She deserves it.”
But none of them stopped to help.
Garah turned slowly toward the window. Outside, the wind moved through the trees, soft and calm—so opposite of everything around her. She stared, almost wishing she could disappear into it.
But
something in her eyes didn’t break.
It burned.
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