Ayla's POV
As she walked closer, my heart started hammering like it had joined some secret gym just to practice beating faster. Goosebumps rose on my arms with every step she took toward me.
I knew I had done nothing wrong, but the way she was walking, head high and anger written all over her face, made me feel like a wife caught cheating on her husband.
Her eyes glinted with anger sharp enough to cut glass. Her aura didn't just intimidate, it throttled.
And then she reached me.
Before I could even process what was happening, she grabbed my hand and yanked it away from my walking angel. Just like that, the CEO-drama moment I had been living in ended before it even started.
The other girl pulled my hand back too, hiding me behind her like some prize she had just won. But Elena wasn't having it. She didn't even give me a second to breathe before pulling again. My angel didn't accept defeat either, she pulled back with even more strength.
Suddenly, I was being tossed between them with enough force to make my wrist scream for help.
For one horrifying second, I felt like a piece of paper caught between two hurricane-force winds.
The cafeteria hummed around us. Some students even shouted "Eeeh!" after every pull, like they were watching a live wrestling match. Phones came out one by one, and I was pretty sure at least ten people were recording. Congratulations to them, they had just captured the most dramatic moment in Solaria's history.
"Enough!" I screamed, yanking my hands free from both of them. "If you guys want to do a talent show or strength contest, face each other and beat yourselves up! Don't use me!"
And with that, I stormed out of the cafeteria, leaving both of them standing there, staring at each other like two ticking bombs waiting to explode.
The cafeteria went dead silent the moment I slammed the door behind me, my stormy exit echoing off the marble floors. I could still hear whispers chasing me down the hallway like a shadow army that refused to mind its business.
"Girllll, the new girl is not to be joked with!" someone hissed.
"Can't you see the two kids from the wealthiest families are fighting for her?" another gasped, and a ripple of laughter followed.
And phones? Oh, there were plenty of those, flashing and following me like I had just walked off the set of a romance drama gone wrong. I could already imagine the Solaria gossip group exploding tonight.
"Elena Morgan vs. The Other Girl, only God knows what her name is."
I muttered that part under my breath as I stormed away, eyes already stinging with tears.
I bolted straight to the restroom, pushed open a stall, and sat on the toilet lid, heart still thundering. My wrist was red, aching from how both of them had pulled me like some prize to be claimed. The moment I saw it, fresh tears spilled again.
I didn't even know why I was crying so hard. Maybe because it wasn't just my wrist that hurt, it was my pride. My dignity. My everything.
What had I even done to deserve that kind of embarrassment?
It was still morning, and I was already in this kind of mess.
All I did was come to this school on scholarship, that was all.
Why did they make it seem like I did something wrong, like I had become the center of a battle between two rich girls who saw me as… I don't even know, a shiny new object they could tug between themselves?
I was still sitting there, quietly crying, the stall door locked, when a group of girls walked into the restroom. Their laughter and footsteps echoed through the tiled walls.
"Are they really fighting for the new girl?" one of them said.
"Maybe they like her," another replied, snickering.
That set the others off laughing.
"Didn't you see how they were dragging her earlier?"
Someone else jumped in, giggling.
"Did you see that? When she stepped out, their stare down was the most interesting part. I swear, Elena almost killed her with that look."
"Can't believe Eden also has that side of her," another said. "She wasn't even scared. First time I've ever heard her voice since I got into this school."
A shaky breath escaped me.
Even here, behind a locked door, they were still talking about it.
Another voice broke through. "Who are you rooting for, Elena or Eden?"
One laughed. "Elena, of course. It's obvious Eden's the quiet type, she'll lose soon."
"Please," another scoffed. "Elena doesn't like anyone. She just likes keeping puppets. Maybe she just didn't want to see her puppet in someone else's hands."
Laughter filled the room again, echoing like tiny knives.
Then one voice cut through, low and confident.
"The new girl can keep enjoying this for now, but when Sophie comes back, it won't be funny. You know Sophie doesn't play when it comes to Elena."
That made my anger flare so hot I almost burst out of the stall, but I didn't have the confidence to.
Another girl chimed in. "You know Eden and Elena never get along. They've always been rivals. Maybe they're just using her as a political tool. Happens all the time in Solaria. Elena probably just wants another puppet to show her dominance, and maybe for the first time, Eden's trying to recruit someone to her side."
"Recruit?" one laughed mockingly. "What could she possibly want from that broke scholarship girl? Maybe she's just a new toy to them."
They all burst into laughter again, their voices echoing like knives.
"Solaria's going to be fun this year. It's going to be a long series of drama," one of them said as they left. "A new toy has arrived. I can't wait for Sophie to come and put her in her place."
The door shut behind them, and silence returned, heavy and suffocating.
I just sat there, shaking, my tears falling onto my red wrist.
Their words replayed in my head like a broken record. Toy. Puppet. Instrument.
Was that really how they saw me?
I never even wanted to be close to anyone. I just wanted to live my school life like everyone else, but why were they making it so difficult for me?
Maybe Vivienne was right.
Maybe I really am just a lowlife from Lima, Ohio, someone rich kids like them can play with until they get bored.
Because in Solaria, kindness feels like a setup, and being noticed feels like a trap.
Maybe this school isn't a dream after all, just a jungle wearing a crown.
And I was so happy when I first stepped into it, thinking I was one of the luckiest poor kids to ever get the chance to school here.