At first, it hurt more than I wanted to admit.
My phone was gone. Just like that. Messages erased. Photos lost. Little pieces of my life scattered somewhere I'd never find them again.
But later that night, lying in bed and staring at the ceiling, something inside me shifted.
Maybe… it wasn't the end of the world.
Maybe it was a reset.
I let out a small breath and whispered to the quiet room, "It's fine."
And surprisingly—I meant it.
Everything important was still here.
The people who mattered.
The feelings I was finally learning to accept.
Maybe this was God's way of telling me it was okay to let go of the past. To stop holding onto things I didn't need anymore.
To start fresh.
The next week at school, I walked in without my phone, head held a little higher than before. Calvin noticed immediately.
"You okay?" he asked.
I nodded. "Yeah. Really."
Xavier studied my face for a moment, then said quietly, "You look stronger."
I smiled. "I feel like it."
That's probably why they thought they could try me.
Three girls I didn't recognize blocked my path near the lockers, eyes sharp, smiles fake.
"So you're Hinata," one of them said. "The girl who gets attention from everyone."
Another laughed. "Must be nice."
I tilted my head. "Is there something you need?"
They clearly expected me to look nervous. To back down.
I didn't.
"Stay out of our way," one snapped.
I smiled—not sweet, not scared. Calm.
"Or what?" I asked.
Silence.
I stepped past them, shoulder brushing one lightly—not aggressive, just confident. "If you're looking for drama, try someone else. I'm not interested."
Behind me, I heard whispers. Frustrated ones.
Calvin caught up to me, eyes wide. "Wow. That was… impressive."
Xavier nodded once. "They won't bother you again."
I didn't feel powerful because I won.
I felt powerful because I didn't need to fight at all.
As I walked down the hallway, I realized something important.
I wasn't the girl who got hurt and stayed broken.
I wasn't the girl who needed saving.
I was someone new now.
Someone who could fall, lose things, get back up—and still move forward.
And this time, I wasn't afraid of whatever came next.