The school hallways bustled with noise, but for Emily, everything moved in sharp focus. She walked with her head high, her eyes glittering, lips curved into a smile that concealed venom.
So little Hannah thinks she can betray me?
Emily's nails tapped against her phone as she walked. Already, her mind was crafting the perfect punishment — something quiet, sharp, and impossible to escape.
Hannah had always been easy to manipulate. Fearful. Needy. Now, she was dangerous — a weak link who had dared to side with Sara. That couldn't be forgiven.
At lunch, Emily slid gracefully into her usual spot, her friends fawning around her. But her eyes never left Hannah, who sat two tables away. Hannah's face was pale, her eyes darting nervously as though the truth she had confessed to Lina still weighed on her.
Perfect.
Emily leaned over to one of the girls beside her. "Did you know Hannah's been hiding something?"
The girl blinked. "What do you mean?"
Emily smiled, lowering her voice. "I heard she's been spreading lies about me. Something about Grace and Sara's father. She's desperate to make herself important."
Gasps rippled around the table. Just enough to plant the seed. Emily's whispers traveled like wildfire, carried by the mouths of those eager to stay in her good graces. By the end of lunch, Hannah's name was already mixed with words like traitor and jealous.
Hannah felt it immediately. The stares. The whispers. The way her classmates leaned closer when she passed. By the time she reached the library, her chest was so tight she could barely breathe.
"Why are they all looking at me?" she whispered under her breath, clutching her books like a shield.
"You know why," a voice replied.
Hannah spun to find Emily standing by the shelves, her expression sweet and poisonous.
"E-Emily…" Hannah stammered, taking a step back.
Emily stepped forward, her heels clicking softly against the floor. "I thought we were friends, Hannah. But friends don't betray each other."
Hannah's lips trembled. "I didn't—"
"Oh, but you did." Emily's voice was silk wrapped around steel. "You ran to Lina. You told her everything. Did you really think I wouldn't find out?"
Hannah's stomach dropped. Her knees felt weak. "Please… I didn't mean to—"
Emily cut her off with a sharp laugh. "You didn't mean to? That's pathetic. Do you know what you've done? You've put yourself on the wrong side, Hannah. And people who stand against me…" Her smile widened, cold and cruel. "…don't last very long."
Hannah's eyes filled with tears. "Emily, please, I'm sorry. I was just… scared."
Emily leaned close, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Good. Stay scared. Because if you say one more word about me or Grace, I'll make sure you don't just lose your reputation. You'll lose everything. Friends. Family. Future."
Hannah froze, unable to breathe as Emily brushed past her, leaving the faint trace of expensive perfume and raw terror in her wake.
That evening, Hannah sat in her room, staring at her phone. Her fingers hovered over Lina's number, trembling.
Tell her everything. Tell Sara. Tell someone.
But Emily's threat echoed in her ears. Friends. Family. Future.
Tears spilled down her cheeks. She wanted to be free. She wanted to be brave. But fear wrapped chains around her, pulling tighter with every beat of her heart.
Meanwhile, Sara was at the library, working on an assignment with Daniel. She looked up from her notes, her brow furrowed. "Have you seen Hannah today? She looked… strange."
Daniel glanced up. "She's been avoiding everyone. Adrian said she bolted out of class as soon as the bell rang."
Sara bit her lip. Something was wrong — deeply wrong. She remembered the flicker of guilt in Hannah's eyes the last time they crossed paths.
Lina walked in then, her face serious. "Sara, we need to talk. About Hannah."
Sara straightened, alarm sparking in her chest. "What about her?"
Lina hesitated, then leaned closer. "She told me the truth. About Emily. About Grace."
The words sent a shock through Sara. For a moment, the library felt too small, too suffocating. She gripped the table to steady herself.
Finally, pieces of the puzzle were fitting together. Grace's manipulations. Emily's relentless cruelty. And Hannah — caught in the middle, breaking under the weight of it all.
Daniel's jaw tightened. "So it's true. Emily's been working with Grace."
Sara nodded slowly, her heart pounding. "But if Hannah told us… Emily will know. She won't let her get away with it."
Lina's expression darkened. "Exactly. Which means Hannah is in more danger than she realizes."
Sara swallowed hard, determination rising despite the fear twisting in her stomach. "Then we can't let Emily get to her first."