The children had started returning to the classroom.
Adri had already gone and taken his seat. I didn't turn to look at him again.
The belongings scattered in front of me, my hair and clothes—mildly disheveled—I quietly tried to fix them.
Then I rested my head against the seat and sat still.
The four walls, once wrapped in silence just moments ago, were once again filled with the brightness of youthful energy.
I sat with my head bowed in peace,
but apart from the sounds of footsteps and laughter,
certain words spoken in different tones reached deep into my ears—
"Look at her!"
"Yeah, look at her seat and clothes… what's written all over them? Who did this?"
"Whoever did, did the right thing. It suits her."
"Exactly!"
(Sounds of laughter)
My head remained down.
A heavy weariness had enclosed both my body and my soul.
My heart didn't need the help of my eyes to understand that, in that moment, most eyes—knowingly or unknowingly—were fixed on me.
Some might be laughing at me,
some making fun of me,
some sharing their opinions about me—
and only a few, very few, might truly not care.
The classroom buzzed with movement,
children's voices, jokes, laughter—
I could feel it all quietly.
I also felt the sound of footsteps approaching me.
Those steps came and stopped near me.
And just then,
I felt the warmth of someone's hands on my shoulder.
When I lifted my head and looked that way,
someone stood before me—
a face I recognized…
...but it was a face I deeply wished to forget.
It was the same girl—the one who had lied to me that day and, through her lie, had led me to those three.
I turned my eyes toward her, and saw—
her hair was strikingly red, as if she had dyed it.
But no… the color was natural.
Her hair had that kind of red,
like the vibrant strawberries
that grow in green fields.
Her hair was very long.
Her eyes were slightly small,
her nose thin and long,
her skin fair,
and her height, a little short.
This girl's name is Thao.
I was looking at her, and she looked at me too.
Just like always, she seemed a little afraid—nervous.
Her eyes were trembling slightly,
as if there was some inner struggle happening within her heart.
I didn't react.
I simply began lowering my head again.
I didn't want to make her feel bad—
but I didn't want to talk to her either.
And then, I heard her voice—slightly panicked—
"Freya!"
"Freya! You should change your dress..."
Even after hearing her,
I didn't look her way or respond.
"Freya, you should really change this uniform.
If you don't have anything extra,
you can take something from my locker..."
Hearing her words surprised me a little.
And for some reason, the anger I held toward her softened slightly.
But still, I said nothing.
A few seconds later, her trembling voice reached me again—
but this time, there was less fear in it...
and more of sorrow, wrapped in quiet knots of regret.
"Freya… what happened that day…
I admit, I was at fault too.
What happened to you—
in some way, I was a part of it.
I was involved too.
Please forgive me..."
Her words made the pain from those past moments
bleed fresh again—
like wounds that had never really healed.
Yet still, I didn't say anything.
After a while, she added,
"Freya, I want to tell you everything...
But not here...
Somewhere else, later."
She waited—maybe hoping for some reply.
And then...
A few seconds later,
I heard her footsteps walk away.
She had returned to her seat.
I knew exactly why she was saying all that—
because others around us were listening,
tuning in with silent curiosity to every word we exchanged.
I didn't want to accept her help.
But the state I was in…
wasn't exactly something I could manage on my own either.
So maybe...
maybe I would have to take her help.
I'll thank her later for it.
The moment I thought that, I began to rise.
Seeing me get up, Thao's face—
which until now had been clouded in a strange darkness—
suddenly lit up like morning sun breaking through.
She looked at me,
gestured a soft "good" with her eyes,
and walked beside me with a gentle smile.
But before I could step outside,
a group of girls stopped me—
among them are Alicja and Josefa.
One of the girls among them spoke—
her hair was short and slightly curly,
falling just to her shoulders.
She was tall,
and wore glasses over her sharp eyes.
In a tone that carried an odd wave of emotion, she said,
"Freya, where are you going?
Are you okay?"
She raised her eyebrows as she added,
"You don't really look okay."
I knew they were asking these questions on purpose,
just to poke at me.
I was about to step forward and say something, when—
a soft voice came from beside me:
"Freya is coming with me.
She just needs to change her clothes."
That timid, quiet voice was Thao's.
She was saying it all without even making eye contact.
She was nervous,
because today, all eyes had suddenly turned to her.
I didn't know why Thao wanted to stand by me...
but she was.
"Oh…
Well then, Freya, we'll come with you too,"
said the same girl with the glasses,
her eyes flicking upward toward me,
wearing a smile that didn't quite reach her heart.
I thought to myself—
"I don't want to go with you."
Just then, Thao softly said,
"I'm going with her."
She was just about to open her mouth to say something more
when Josefa's sharp, cutting gaze
sealed her lips shut.
And in trying to escape that silent pressure,
Thao fell quiet again—
her eyes dropped back down.
"Freya, let us come with you, okay?
Do you have a problem with that?"
"We're just helping you."
Yeah... I knew exactly how much they "wanted to help" me.
The ones who planted the seeds
are now trying to chop the tree—how noble!"
"I'll go alone," I said clearly.
"Oh come on, Freya, we'll just come along with you!"
I tried to move forward,
but they wouldn't even let me take a single step...
Just then, a heavy but pleasant voice reached not only my ears but everyone else's too—
"Alicja and Josefa, and you—short hair,
why aren't you letting Freya go?"
The moment I heard that voice, I recognized it—it was Adri's.
I turned toward him, and he looked at me…
But as soon as our eyes met, I looked away.
Most people were surprised to see Adri speak up like that,
because he honestly couldn't care less about what's going on with anyone.
He's never gotten into fights,
and he never involves himself in anyone's drama.
But today, he spoke up for someone…
and that someone is me.
Alicja and Josefa looked at him and said in the same tone at once,
"Adri, there's no need for you to get involved.
Mind your own business."
Hearing this, Adri stood up from his place and started moving toward them.
Seeing Adri, some girls there suddenly felt shy.
(I like Adri too, but unlike them, I don't blush.)
He first looked at me, but I kept my gaze lowered.
Then, turning to Alicja and Josefa, he said,
"I want to tell you the same thing—mind your own business.
I want to repeat this to you: stop worrying about her and focus on your own work.
or maybe you are very empty inside and all you know is how to waste time, which is why you put on these dramas with anyone." I knew Adri had been quietly watching everything from his seat all along.
As always, I couldn't tell what he was thinking by looking at his face.
But I never expected Adri to speak up for me.
With an annoyed expression, Alicja snapped,
"Adri, you've never spoken up in anyone else's problems before—
so why are you suddenly here defending Freya?"
A thought also crossed my mind—why did Adri come to speak up for me? Was it because I am his friend?
And THAT ...….
how weak am I that I can't even speak up for myself.
I looked at him with a slow hidden glance without nodding, and on his face, as always, the same expression flickered — I don't give a fuck about your nonsense.
Then Josefa's voice cut in, "Is there something going on between Adri and Freya too?" She gave me and Adri a dirty look.
I was left stunned, thinking, "What is she even saying? Did she come here after smoking hash or weed instead of having breakfast?"
No one could read Adri's expressions from his face, but I could tell that his lips were about to utter some harsh words, but he was holding himself back.
Some girls who were blushing and smiling shyly at Adri like crazy were now looking at me with eyes that seemed ready to chew me up raw.
I didn't even know what hurt them more — that Adri is involved with someone, or that Adri is involved with me.
Apart from him, the other boys and girls were a bit shocked too.
Because Adri is known for his honor, yet now his name is being linked with Freya—whose name bears an unblemished stain.
Josefa didn't stop there; she began to say who knows what else.
Could it be that between you and Freya, the same things are happening that exist between her and Hugo?
Well, I thought the three of you were friends.
But I never imagined any of this.
Did she seduce you too, just like in that video where she is with Hugo?
If I tried to tell anyone, "I didn't do this, it's not my fault," would anyone believe me?
No—because everyone always finds it easier to blame someone.
I was shattered inside, and I knew that if I spoke up, they'd only twist it further, but if I stayed silent, everyone would blame Adri.
And he stand for me , now I would stand by him.
I was just about to open my lips to say something when Adri interrupted:
I don't fucking care about your nonsense or what you think of me, because your job is to gossip nonsense , and my ears are allergic to nonsense.
"But don't spread any false rumors about Freya, so let me make it clear that Freya and I are just friends."
good friends...…..
Hearing this, the girls who were about to tear me apart now showed a faint glimmer of relief on their faces.
I don't know where you all get these useless rumors from. Maybe you have so much free time that you make up whatever stories you want about others.
I don't care about time-wasters like you, but stop spreading pointless lies about Freya.
Freya and I are friends, and as far as I know, Hugo and Freya are just friends too.
He looked at me for a second.
I couldn't meet his eyes.
Adri's face still showed no expression—just emptiness.
Josefa said angrily, "Adri, do you know about Freya's video? Are you trying to say that Freya isn't in that video?"
Hearing this, I looked at Adri, but his arms trembled slightly, and a faint shiver ran through his head as well.
I knew what his answer would be, yet something strange stirred in my heart as I waited for his reply. Adri looked toward Alicja and Josefa and said without any emotion,
"I don't know if Freya was in that video or not."
Hearing this didn't hurt me, because Adri had already told me this calmly before.
Freya, you've pulled Adri to your side as well.
I had to speak now.
I raised my lips and said,
"Josefa, Adri is just my friend, and what's shown in that video is wrong.
No matter how many times I tell you, you won't believe it, because you think only what you want to think."
Thao, who had been quietly standing for a long time, smiled faintly at my words.
Josefa, hearing this, stepped toward me in anger, when suddenly a loud voice interrupted.
When everyone turned to the voice, a short, stout man was standing there—our teacher.
In a sharp, angry tone, he said,
"What's going on here?"
Everyone started sitting in their respective places.
Then the teacher, in anger, said that those who were fighting should stop right there.
I, those girls, and Adri stopped.
The teacher asked angrily, "Freya, who did this to your dress? And why are you fighting? You're a good girl, so what happened to you? Your grades are also lower than last time."
Then Alicja and Josefa said, "Freya did it herself because she wants to get us scolded. Didn't you see how she was talking to us?"
The teacher looked at them and asked, "Freya, is this true?"
I shook my head no.
Then Alicja and Josefa said, " obviously , She won't nod or agree. It's her fault. If you don't believe us, ask others."
Adri said,
"well , those people are just your lackeys anyway."
Josefa said,
"And you're Freya's."
Then the teacher said, in irritated voice
"Be quiet.
Adri, you shouldn't get involved in all this, you should go."
Adri said,
"But—"
Before he could say anything, the sound of heels was heard.
When we looked, it was Miss Ceil.
Her face showed she had an idea of what was going on here.
Mr. Frank greeted Miss Ceil.
Miss Ceil told Mr. Frank something, and hearing it, Frank's expression changed from anger to agitation.
He said,
"I have to leave, but you take care of them."
He started to leave but turned back and said,
"Adri, you come with me too."
Hearing this, Adri pointed his finger at hime and said,
"Me" ?
"Yes, you go.
But...
Go."
Adri looked at me and walked away with Mr. Frank.
Now I was alone.
Ceil listened to everyone and then the Principal came to make a decision.
The Principal was the mother of the girl with the glasses.
Most of the kids had spoken against me, so I was punished.
I was put in time-out for the entire day and later was asked to clean the entire classroom by myself.
After school, I stayed for a while and cleaned the whole classroom.
I didn't see Adri again because I was out of class.