The cafeteria buzzed louder than ever before. Every whisper, every giggle, every stare — all aimed at one person.
Aria.
Her phone had exploded with notifications that morning. The photo — her and Ethan kissing on his table, his hands on her waist — was everywhere. It was in the school group chat, on everyone's stories, even pinned on the hallway notice board by someone cruel.
Now, as she walked through the cafeteria doors, every eye turned toward her. Whispers filled the air like a swarm of bees.
"Isn't that Ethan? The quiet one?"
"She's really gone crazy for him."
"Guess the bully fell for her own victim."
Her jaw tightened. Her steps didn't falter. She walked like a queen through the chaos, pretending the weight of their stares didn't burn holes in her skin.
Then came the voice she didn't want to hear.
"Well, well… look who finally showed her true colors."
It was Chloe. Her former best friend, the one who had always stood beside her, now stood in front of her — hands crossed, smirk cruel and sharp.
"Didn't think you'd fall this low, Aria," Chloe sneered. "From school queen to the charity girl kissing the nobody."
Gasps erupted around them.
Aria slowly turned, her expression cold. "Say that again."
Chloe laughed. "Oh, everyone already knows. You're obsessed with that loser. You went from bullying him to begging for him. Pathetic."
Something in Aria snapped.
Before anyone could blink, she grabbed Chloe's collar and slammed her against the cafeteria table. The sound echoed, shocking everyone into silence.
"Watch your mouth," Aria hissed, her eyes burning. "You don't get to talk about him like that."
Chloe pushed her back, her nails scraping Aria's arm. "You think you're tough now because you kissed him? Please, everyone saw it. You looked desperate!"
That was it.
Aria's fist connected with Chloe's jaw — hard. The crowd screamed as trays fell and students jumped aside. Chloe grabbed Aria's hair, and the two girls crashed to the floor, fighting like a storm unleashed.
"You think you're better than me now?" Chloe cried.
"I am better than you," Aria shouted back, pinning her down. "Because I finally learned what love is, something you'll never understand!"
Just then, a familiar voice cut through the chaos.
"Aria!"
Ethan.
He rushed forward, pulling her back, his calm presence clashing with the chaos around them. Her chest rose and fell, her knuckles scraped and bleeding. When she looked up and saw his face — his quiet, steady eyes — her heart softened.
"I told you I'd protect you," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Even if it means fighting the world."
Ethan looked at her, and for the first time, he didn't see the fierce, untouchable girl from school — he saw the real Aria, raw and broken but burning with something real.
He smiled faintly. "You don't need to fight for me, Aria."
She looked down, still shaking. "Then who will?"
The crowd stared, silent, as he gently took her hand — and walked her out of the cafeteria, leaving Chloe humiliated and the whole school in stunned silence.