The English Literacy class was usually a quiet hum of activity, but today, a palpable tension filled the air. Joey nervously shuffled his papers at his desk, his eyes darting around the room in a panic, clearly trying to avoid someone's gaze. Kris leaned back in his chair a few rows ahead, a smug grin playing on his lips as he watched Joey's discomfort.
"Lost something, Joey?" Kris's voice cut through the low murmur of the classroom, tinged with feigned concern that was far more menacing than outright anger. "Seems a little... clumsy today, wouldn't you say?"
Joey's hands trembled as he fumbled through his bag, his face pale with anxiety. He didn't answer, just kept his head down.
Kris's eyes narrowed, his patience clearly wearing thin. He pushed off his chair, a slow, deliberate movement that commanded attention. "You deaf, Joey? I asked you a question."
Before Joey could respond, Kris's temper flared. His fists clenched, and he advanced on Joey's desk, his intent clear.
But before he could deliver a blow, a voice rang out from across the room, stopping him dead in his tracks.
"Kris, stop!"
It was Sam, Kris's best friend, his voice trembling with urgency as he stepped between Kris and Joey, his hands raised in a plea for peace.
"The teacher is about to come," Sam continued, his tone desperate. "You can't do this here. Not now."
Kris hesitated for a moment, his gaze flickering between Joey and Sam. Then, with a frustrated sigh that was more like a growl, he backed away, his anger simmering beneath the surface as he resumed his seat, glaring daggers at Joey.
Meanwhile, amidst this simmering chaos, Mia stood at the front of the classroom, her expression a mask of steely determination, as she collected the worksheets from her classmates. She'd seen Kris's bullying tactics too many times, and her jaw was tight. As she moved down the rows of desks, her eyes locked with Kris's, a silent challenge passing between them.
With a slow, devious smirk, Kris extended his leg, his foot intentionally tripping Mia as she passed by his desk. The sudden movement sent Mia sprawling to the ground, her collected papers scattering across the floor like autumn leaves as laughter erupted from some of the other students.
"Nice one, Kris!" someone shouted, their voice quickly drowned out by the chorus of giggles that followed.
Mia's cheeks burned with humiliation as she struggled to regain her composure, her hands trembling with barely suppressed rage. She scrambled to her feet, ignoring the scattered papers for a moment, and turned to face Kris. Her eyes blazed with fury as she confronted him in front of the entire class.
"How dare you!" she seethed, her voice sharp with indignation, echoing in the suddenly quiet room. "You did that on purpose!"
Kris's smirk widened into a triumphant grin as he leaned back in his chair, his gaze meeting hers with an insolent challenge.
"And what are you going to do about it, Mia?" he taunted, his voice dripping with arrogance. "You can't touch me."
Before Mia could launch her next fiery retort, the classroom door swung open, and the teacher's stern gaze swept over the unruly class with disapproval.
"That's enough!" she barked, her voice cutting through the remaining whispers like a whip. "Mia, Kris, my office. Now."
As the class fell silent, the weight of the teacher's words hung heavy in the air, a harbinger of the consequences to come. And as Mia and Kris made their way to the teacher's office, the tension between them crackled with unresolved anger, their clash was far from over. In the teacher's office, after a stern lecture, they were both given a three-hour detention as punishment, leaving Mia seething with anger and Kris simmering with resentment.