Kiara didn't just leave the cafeteria.
She ran.
But the second she turned the corner, her face twisted from fear to pure, poisonous anger.
And by the time she reached Section A's hallway…
She was already spreading rumors.
Kiara slammed her bag onto her desk, furious.
Her friends froze.
"What happened? Why do you look like you fought a tiger?"
Kiara hissed,
"It's Lia."
Everyone immediately leaned in.
"What did she do?"
Kiara smirked — the kind that only insecure people have.
She took a breath and lied loudly:
"She threatened to break my bones because she's jealous of me.
And she attacked me first."
The hallway gasped.
"WHAT?!"
"Lia?? Violent??"
"I heard she pays people to scare students—"
"She acts rich so she can bully people—"
And louder rumors started building.
Section A believed everything.
Of course they did.
They always did.
Mayo came running like an Olympic sprinter.
"GUYS GUYS! FAKE NEWS ALERT!"
Jay jumped from her seat.
"What happened NOW?"
Mayo panted.
"Kiara is saying Lia tried to beat her and—and threatened her because she's jealous!"
Jay:
"…JEALOUS? JEALOUS OF WHAT, HER BAD PERSONALITY OR HER FAILED EYELINER?!?"
Mika:
"This girl wants hands."
Percy:
"No, she wants FEET. Lia should kick her."
Aries cracked his knuckles.
"Let's go. We're ending this."
But Angelo blocked him.
"No. Lia will kill us if we interfere."
Lia, who had been calmly organizing her notes, sighed.
She wasn't angry.
She was disappointed.
"Kaisi bakwaas afwaayein phaila rahi hai yeh? (What nonsense rumors is she spreading?)"
Jay:
"Girl I'm ready to fight in all languages — even Morse code."
Mika tapped Aries.
"Do you think Lia will actually fight her?"
Aries replied,
"No.
Lia won't fight her."
Angelo added,
"She'll destroy her socially. That's worse."
But something else was brewing…
As they left for their next class, whispers followed Lia everywhere.
"Isn't she violent?"
"She threatened Kiara…"
"I heard her real family is scary…"
"She thinks she owns the school…"
"She's pretending to be rich…"
Jay heard one girl say,
"I bet her clothes are fake."
Jay instantly turned.
"YOU WANNA DIE?"
Aries held her back like carrying an angry chihuahua.
"Jay, no murder before math class."
Jay scratched the air.
Section E was heading to the second floor when they found Section A waiting on the stairs.
Arms crossed.
Smirking.
Waiting.
Jay:
"Oh here we go. The Power Rangers think they're tough."
The leader of Section A, a tall boy named Reeve, stepped forward.
"Well, well. Look who arrived — the fake rich girl."
Section E collectively said:
"…who?"
Reeve pointed at Lia.
"Her.
Rumor says she threatened Kiara.
Rumor says she thinks she can boss everyone around.
Rumor says she hides behind Kairav's money."
The hallway gasped in excitement.
Jay's fist curled.
Aries stepped forward.
Angelo looked ready to swing.
But Lia pushed through them.
She walked up the stairs until she was eye-to-eye with Reeve.
And in a cold voice, she said:
"If you truly believed those rumors…"
She stepped forward.
He stepped back.
"…you wouldn't be shaking right now."
Reeve swallowed hard.
But the boys of Section A didn't back down.
They circled the stairs.
Someone shoved Jay.
Someone grabbed Angelo's hoodie.
Someone poked Aries on the shoulder.
And someone —
the biggest mistake of the century —
pushed Lia from behind.
For one second, everything froze.
Jay whispered,
"…that's it. We're dead."
Lia turned around slowly, eyes empty.
Then—
She spun and kicked the boy in the stomach.
He flew down three steps.
Aries yelled, "LET'S GOOOOO!" and punched another guy.
Angelo grabbed someone who tried to run and dragged him back like a ragdoll.
Jay screamed, "YEH LO!" and slapped a guy so hard he questioned her GPA.
Section E exploded into chaos.
But Lia?
Lia was a different story.
She dodged a punch like she was stepping over a puddle.
Grabbed another boy's wrist.
Twisted.
Pushed him into the wall.
Kicked another in the knee.
Blocked a hit without looking.
And swung her schoolbag straight into someone's face.
Percy whispered,
"She's not fighting… she's conducting a dance class."
Mica:
"A violent one."
Even Kairav arrived and froze because—
Lia was literally taking on half of Section A by herself.
And winning.
When teachers arrived—
"STOP!
STOP IT AT ONCE!!"
But they didn't dare touch Lia.
Lia froze only when Kairav placed a hand on her shoulder.
She looked at him…
and only then calmed.
The hallway was destroyed.
Section A was destroyed.
Section E looked like they enjoyed it.
Teachers trembled.
Principal:
"Lia… you're coming with me."
Kairav stepped forward.
"She didn't start it."
Jay:
"They pushed her first!"
Aries:
"And they talked bad about her!"
But Lia raised her hand.
"I'll take the blame."
Everyone yelled "WHAT?! WHY?!"
She answered simply:
"Because I can handle it."
And she walked away, calm, graceful, dangerous.