Chapter 3

I shouldered Naomi’s schoolbag. From now on, I was Naomi Wyth. Annie became Naomi.

As soon as I stepped into the classroom, a book flew at my face. I dodged to the side.

“Tasha told you to bring breakfast, and you didn’t. You have a death wish?”

It was Michelle—Tasha’s loyal little minion, the one whose laughter pierced the video like a venomous knife. Her cruel delight in the suffering of others was palpable, a dark pleasure that twisted her face into a sneer of sadistic glee

I ignored her and walked straight to Naomi’s seat. The wooden desk was carved with all sorts of insults: “bitch,” “whore”...

“Still admiring those words we carved just for you? Not enough? How about we carve them on your face?”

Michelle’s grin grew even wider when I stayed silent. She sauntered up to me, her beady eyes gleaming with malice as she looked down, her smile morphing into a cruel sneer. “I think that’s a brilliant idea,” she drawled. “Tasha will absolutely love it.”

Something feral simmered in my veins, seething and coursing through my entire body with a mind of its own. It was a wildfire of rage, and I had no intention of quelling it.

Without a moment’s hesitation, I surged forward, my arm cutting through the air with a fierce intent. The slap exploded with a thunderous crack, reverberating through the room like the roar of a storm. A vivid, crimson handprint bloomed across Michelle’s face.

“You dare hit me? Just wait until Tasha gets back—you’re dead!” Her voice turned shrill, like a broken chord.

The other students, caught off guard, froze, their smiles fading.

I narrowed my eyes. “Why aren’t you laughing anymore?”

Michelle raised her hand, about to strike back, but the class bell rang. She shot me a venomous glare and returned to her seat.

I stuffed the schoolbag into the desk. My hand touched something wet. The desk was filled with greasy snack wrappers, emitting a sickening stench.

The homeroom teacher, Ms. Rosetta, walked in. She glanced at me before saying, “Naomi, class has started. Why aren’t you sitting down?”

“My desk is full of trash Tasha and her friends stuffed in, and the chair is covered in glue.”

I watched as her expression stiffened. She slowly lifted her gaze, snorting, “Are you saying Tasha did this to you?”

I said nothing, just stared at her quietly.

She scoffed, her laughter tinged with contempt. “Impossible!” she spat, her voice dripping with disdain. “Tasha is the top student in the grade—she would never do something like this. Even if she isn’t here today, I won’t let you besmirch her name!”

Michelle shot me a smug look, nodding slightly, her lips curving into a smile. “Ms. Rosetta, she’s just jealous of Tasha. Everyone knows Tasha’s a good student.”

“Sit down. If you don’t want to learn, don’t disrupt the others,” Ms. Rosetta snapped at me.

I flipped the desk over, revealing the trash inside. The greasy wrappers spilled onto the floor, drawing gasps from the class.

Michelle’s eyes blazed with venomous defiance. “Maybe you’re just lazy and have a secret love for snacks,” she sneered, her voice dripping with scorn. “You probably didn’t even bother to throw out your trash and now you’re trying to pin it on me!”

Ms. Rosetta’s gaze was contemplative, her expression settling into a thoughtful frown. “I find it hard to believe Tasha would target you,” she said slowly, her voice carrying an edge of reluctant wisdom. “If she did, perhaps it’s time for you to reflect on why. There’s an old saying: it takes two to tango...”

I dashed forward, delivering another sharp slap that resounded through the classroom. I smirked at the teacher. “Ms. Rosetta, does this sound like a one-sided slap to you?”

No one expected me to be so bold. Even the teacher was stunned.

Her face flushed a furious crimson, veins throbbing in her neck as if ready to burst. “Naomi!” she roared, her voice trembling with rage. “How dare you lay a hand on your teacher!” Her words were a torrent of indignation, each syllable punctuated with a fierce determination. “I’m calling your parents! You’re not staying in this school!”