Only a few days remained until the grand school festival, and the entire campus buzzed with chaotic energy. From banners fluttering in the corridors to students dashing around with supplies, every corner of the school screamed "Festival time."
Alex walked into her classroom, arms crossed and expression tense. "Okay, so who's in charge of the fake blood and haunted props?"
Natalie popped out from behind a stack of boxes labeled 'Severed Limbs', "That would be me! I even got costumes for all of us—zombies, haunted dolls, creepy nurses—you name it. We're turning this classroom into a living nightmare!"
"Excellent!" Alex grinned. "Let's make them scream, guys!"
"Yeah!" They all cheered.
Meanwhile, across the hall in Class B, Daman stood in front of a full-length mirror, dressed in a frilly black-and-white maid outfit. "Why do I feel like I've lost a bet with the universe…"
"You look delightful." a classmate cooed as he walked by, nearly choking from laughter.
Daman turned to glare. "Shut it."
The twist of Class B's Maid Café was both cursed and brilliant—boys as maids, girls as butlers. It was already attracting attention of the students.
Back in Class A, Rose was stuffing fake organs into a bowl of red jelly while muttering, "I should've just transferred to Class C. I heard they have a fantasy theme..."
Nat looked at Rose. "Just think that ours is a fantasy theme as well."
"No it's not!!! And this is too gory for a cute girl like me...."
Meanwhile, Class C was immersed in fantasy escape room puzzles. Spells, runes, and locked treasure chests lined the floor as students argued about puzzle difficulty.
And Class D? Their theme was mini games of different kinds. "One more balloon-dart board and we'll be set on that section!" someone cheered.
Outside, the courtyard was becoming a hub for student-run stalls. Handmade jewelry, cute keychains, and a photo booth with themed costumes had already begun popping up. It was shaping up to be the most ambitious festival the school had seen in years.
Back in Class A, Alex looked over the checklist. "Alright. Jump scares, fake limbs, fake blood, cursed dolls, check. All we need now is a working fog machine and someone to crawl around pretending to be possessed."
Nat pointed. "Rose."
"I WILL TRANSFER TO CLASS C!" Rose shouted in despair.
________________
The rehearsal was going smoother than ever. Despite the usual mischief—Daniel forgetting lines, Daman accidentally dropping his crown mid-dialogue, and Tracy "accidentally" delivering her lines way too close to Alex—the play was finally coming together.
"Okay, great job, everyone!" Mike clapped his hands. "Now, before you go, we need to check costume measurements, props, and finalize the list of stage placements."
Students began to shuffle over to the side table, comparing costume tags, adjusting cloaks, and trying on props. Alex, already tired from juggling swordplay, dramatic lines, and keeping Catherine from glaring daggers at her off-stage, scanned the group.
Catherine wasn't there.
Dan noticed too. "Hey, where's your best frenemy, Catty Cathy?"
Alex frowned. "Dunno. Haven't seen her since the break."
It was then that she remembered something. Earlier that week, she had caught a glimpse of a faint bruise on Catherine's arm when they were backstage. Catherine had brushed it off with a laugh, saying it was just from a stupid fall. But the image stuck with Alex, she wasn't able to shrug it off.
Without another word, Alex stepped away from the group. "I'll go look for her." she said simply, already walking off before anyone could stop her.
The halls were quiet, still bathed in the amber light of the setting sun. Most of the school had cleared out.
She passed two classrooms, then heard it—voices. One was Catherine's. The other, a male voice dripping with impatience.
"I said just give me the money."
"No." Catherine's voice trembled, but she held her ground. "You said that was the last time."
"Yeah, and I changed my mind. That's what people in relationships do, right? They help each other. Don't act like you're some saint."
"You only ever come around when you want something." Catherine said, her tone sharper now. "And once you get it, you disappear. I'm done being used."
The boy's eyes narrowed, and his tone dropped. "I have no time, Catherine. Give me the money!"
When Catherine didn't respond, he stepped forward and raised his hand as if to strike.
Before it could fall, the door burst open in a blur of movement.
In less than a second, Alex was across the room. She snatched the boy's wrist mid-swing. Her eyes were a storm, seething with fury.
"Touch her," Alex said, "and you'll regret it."
The boy blinked in shock, then scowled. "Back off, freak. What's your problem?"
He grabbed her collar roughly, his face twisted in frustration. "Ah, the infamous Alexandra. Always acting like you're the damn hero. Always getting in other people's business."
"Let go of my clothes, while I'm being nice."
"Aww! You want me to let go? What will you do if I don't? Will you go crying to to daddy?" The boy scoffed.
He then smirked and pulled out his phone from his pocket. "You wanna play hero? Fine. Let's see how long your friend here can keep pretending she's got dignity."
He waved the phone tauntingly at Catherine. "One tap, and this goes to everyone. Pictures. Videos. You know what I'm talking about."
Catherine's face went pale. Her lips trembled as she broke down, tears spilling freely now. "Please… please don't," she begged. "I'll do whatever you want. Just… just don't hurt her. Don't do this."
That did it for Alex.
Her gaze flicked to the phone—and that was all she needed.
In a blink, her hand darted to his, grabbing his index finger—the one curled around the phone—and twisted it sharply back.
CRACK.
The boy howled in pain, his grip loosening instantly. The phone slipped from his hand—and Alex caught it mid-air with perfect timing.
"AGH! You psycho!" he shrieked, staggering back, holding his hand in pain. His finger was bent slightly, unnaturally.
"Now let's see what you can do." she said coldly. She then turned to Catherine, who was surprised by what happened.
"What do you want to do with it?"
"Give it to me… I will handle it."
Alex handed it over without hesitation.
The boy, still reeling, roared and charged with a raised fist.
Alex sidestepped him and gave him a single shove with her palm.
He stumbled, legs tangled, and crashed to the floor with a loud thud.
Alex stepped closer, her voice low and deadly. "That was a finger. Next time, I'll break the whole damn hand you dared to touch me with."
The boy's eyes watered, his jaw clenched with a mixture of fear and fury. With one last glare at the two girls, he turned and bolted out of the classroom, cradling his broken finger.
Silence followed.
Catherine stood frozen, looking at Alex with wide eyes.
"You… didn't have to do that..." she murmured.
Alex exhaled slowly, shaking out her shoulders. "Hmm, but, what's done is done, right?" She grinned. Catherine looked at her bewildered, then wiped away her tears and chuckled lightly.