Avery stumbled back, clutching her head, blood streaking her hair. Her friends rushed toward her, panic written across their faces, and the sound of their crying and shouting blurred into nothing for Lana. Her chest heaved violently, hands trembling, heart hammering in her ears. The adrenaline roared through her veins, she wanted to do more, wanted to make them feel the years of fear they had caused....but she knew she was already deep in trouble. For once, she didn't care.
Her eyes landed on the front of the car. A baseball bat leaned against the bumper, heavy and real. It was now or never.
Without hesitation, Lana sprinted to it, yanking it free. One of Avery's friends, a girl, let out a scream.
"Stop! Lana, stop!" she cried, eyes wide in terror.
But Lana didn't hesitate. She swung the bat down hard on the girl's body. A scream ripped out of the girl's throat, echoing across the street.
The boys rushed at Lana, trying to stop her, but she moved with a precision born of years of pent-up fear and fury. The bat swung again and again, connecting with heads and shoulders. Two of the boys went down immediately, clutching their skulls, moaning in shock. Another two ran off screaming for help.
Lana's chest burned with fury her arms shaking from the force, but she didn't stop. She kept moving, eyes locked on Avery, who was on the ground, sobbing and pleading, trying to crawl backward.
"Please! Lana! I'm sorry! Please!" Avery shrieked, tears mixing with blood on her face.
Lana didn't say a word. She raised the bat once more and slammed it down hard on Avery's body. The impact made Avery cry out, thrashing, but it wasn't just pain, it was the first time she felt the balance of power shift.
Around them, the street was silent except for the ragged breathing and soft moans of the others. All the girls whom had laughed, spat and cursed in her face. They laid on the ground badly beaten.
Lana finally found a sense of peace. She might be in deep trouble but she didn't ever regret doing this.
Lana's hands shook, her chest heaving, eyes wild and wide. She looked at Avery, at the stunned friends, and for the first time, she felt no fear. Only rage and release, years of it finally pouring out.
Present Day....
Lana walked across campus, backpack slung over one shoulder, hands brushing the straps now and then. The sun was warm, people around her laughing and talking, but she kept her eyes ahead, moving steadily.
Her mind drifted back, just for a second. Three years ago, after everything that happened… the suspension, the warnings, the whispers from everyone who'd seen or heard, the shame, the fear. It had been rough. It had hurt. But it hadn't broken her.
She had saved up for years, worked whatever jobs she could get, and finally made it here. First year of Uni. She'd earned it. She'd survived.
She shook her head slightly, taking a deep breath, letting the memory fade. Her hands still shook sometimes when she thought about it, but now it was different. Now it was fuel. She kept walking, steady, aware, ready.
Lana stood in the long line for registration, papers clutched in her hands, waiting her turn. The chatter around her blurred into background noise. Her mind wasn't on the forms or the tuition, but on her mother.
Her mother had been her rock through everything. Every late night shift, every extra job, every exhausted smile had been for her. Lana remembered the quiet mornings when her mom had woken before the sun, already heading out to work, just to make sure she had a shot at something better.
When Lana had finally told her mom about the fight, about standing up for herself, she'd seen a mix of pride and worry in her eyes. "I'm proud of you," her mom had said softly. "You stood your ground. You made them see they can't mess with you."
Lana's chest tightened just thinking about it. She had stood up not just for herself, but for her mother, for all the sacrifices she'd made. Her mother had given everything she could, and now Lana had a chance to give something back. To work hard, to finish school, to get a good job, and make sure her mother didn't have to struggle anymore.
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, looked down at her papers, and let herself smile a little. This was for her mom. This was for them.
When it was finally her turn, Lana handed in her papers and completed the registration, trying to stay focused. She stepped away, rifling through her folder to arrange everything neatly.
Then..bam. Someone bumped into her from behind, sending her papers scattering across the floor.
She looked up, startled, and froze. The figure in front of her didn't stop. Tall, fit, walking with a group of friends, laughing like nothing had happened.
"Are you blind?!" she yelled, her voice sharp, but he didn't even turn. He just kept moving, the laughter of his friends echoing behind him.
Lana groaned, cheeks flushing with irritation. Her hands shook slightly as she bent down to pick up her papers, gathering them as quickly as she could. Her teeth pressed together, jaw tight.
With a final glare at his retreating back, she muttered under her breath, "Unbelievable," and walked off, anger coiling in her chest.
---
He strode down the hallway, shoulders back, a smirk plastered on his face as he walked with his friends. The laugh bubbling from him was loud, the kind that made everyone in earshot turn their heads.
"Bro, you won't believe this," he said, elbowing one of the guys. "That girl I hooked up with last weekend… dry as a damn desert. I swear, man, I thought I was imagining it at first."
"No way," one of his friends said, grinning. "You sure it wasn't just… you know… nerves or whatever?"
He laughed, shaking his head. "Nerves? Bro, nerves don't smell like that. And don't even get me started on how bad she smelled. I mean, come on. How is that even legal?"
Another friend groaned. "Dude, you're too much. You really gonna tell us all the details?"
"Hell yeah," he said, rolling his eyes. "You gotta know what you're missing out on—or what you're dodging. I'm telling you, it was like… an experience I'll never forget… for all the wrong reasons."
The guys all laughed, loud and careless, slapping each other on the back. His smirk stayed, confident and unchecked, completely unaware of the girl he'd just run into minutes ago on campus, the one whose papers he'd knocked over without a second thought.
"Man, I'm telling you, some girls just… nah. Just leave 'em," he added, flicking his hand like the whole thing was a joke.