Lina didn't know something had changed until she stepped into her classroom the next morning.
It was subtle at first — the kind of silence that made your skin tingle. One girl paused mid-whisper. A guy at the back stopped laughing. A few students didn't even hide their phones as they sneakily snapped a photo of her walking in.
She froze near the doorway.
Did she spill something on her uniform? Was her bag unzipped?
Then came a voice she didn't expect. "Lina, right?"
It was Rachel — the class vice president. The same girl who barely acknowledged her existence before. But now she was smiling.
"That was really brave of you yesterday," Rachel said, holding up her phone.
On the screen played the video — the video.
Lina's voice, calm but steady: "Leave him alone." The comments below were exploding.
"Who is this girl? She's so cool."
"Protect her at all costs."
"She looks quiet but damn, she's
fearless."
Her cheeks burned. She didn't even remember anyone filming.
By breaktime, things got weirder.
Someone left iced coffee and bread on her desk. No name. Just there.
A classmate offered to carry her books.
Even their usually grumpy Chemistry teacher paused and said, "Good work, Ms. Mirasol."
She didn't even know he remembered her last name.
And just when she thought the day couldn't surprise her more, it did.
She was walking toward the library when a tall boy fell into step beside her. He wore a dark hoodie, earphones in one ear. His name was Renzo, a known upperclassman — quiet, always late, always alone.
"You okay?" he asked, without looking at her.
Lina blinked. "Me?"
He nodded slightly. "People like you… attract attention real fast."
Before she could reply, he walked off — like nothing happened.
Lina stood frozen in the hallway, heart thudding.
For the first time in a long time… someone noticed her. And not just anyone — but people she never even imagined would care.
And it scared her, a little.
Because she had no idea what came next.