Catherine's POV
The silence that followed the slap didn't even last three seconds. Lucy stood frozen, her hand pressed against her reddening cheek, her eyes blown wide with a shock that quickly curdled into a manic, unthinking rage. She didn't stop to consider the cameras, the crowd, or the fact that she had just been dismantled in front of the entire student body. Instead, she let out a guttural scream and rushed forward to fight back. She lunged at Sasha, her fingers curled like claws, aiming for Sasha's hair and face. Sasha didn't flinch; she braced herself, her jaw set, ready to turn the hallway into a wrestling ground.
I moved instinctively, stepping between them to shove Lucy back, but before things could spiral out of control, a booming voice cut through the chaos.
"Enough! Everyone, back away right now!"
