ANNA'S POV:
I was walking through the school hallway, my bag slung lazily over one shoulder as the usual noise of the day buzzed around me.
Students crowded the corridors in clusters, some laughing, some rushing to class, some lingering around lockers like they had all the time in the world. The fluorescent lights above cast a dull glow over the polished floor, and the air smelled faintly of paper, perfume, and cafeteria food.
Just another normal school day.
Or at least… that's what I thought.
As I turned the corner, my steps slowed.
A small crowd had formed near the lockers ahead.
At first, I was about to ignore it. School drama wasn't exactly rare, and most of the time it was just people being loud for no reason.
But then I saw who was standing in the middle of it.
Mia.
My expression instantly hardened.
She was pressed back near the lockers, clutching her bag tightly to her chest, her shoulders tense and her face pale. A few boys stood in front of her, blocking her way like they owned the hallway. They were too close. Too loud. Too aggressive.
And Mia looked terrified.
That was all I needed.
Without hesitating, I walked straight toward them.
The closer I got, the more I could hear.
"Stop lying."
"Just give it back already."
"You think you can steal and get away with it?"
Mia shook her head, her voice barely above a whisper.
"I-I didn't take anything…"
One of the boys stepped closer, towering over her in a way that made my stomach twist with irritation.
I moved faster.
In one swift motion, I stepped directly in front of Mia, putting myself between her and the boys.
"What's your deal?" I said coldly, my voice sharp enough to cut through the noise in the hallway. "Why are you bothering her?"
The boy in front, clearly the leader, looked at me with a scoff, like I was some minor inconvenience interrupting his fun.
"What's it to you?" he snapped. "Go away. For your own sake."