"Where do you think you're going, fatty?" Miguel sneered.
She didn't know why their words always found a way to cut so deep but they did. Every single time. Sofía said nothing and attempted to slip past him once more. Before she could, another body stepped into her path from the left.
Mateo.
Or Jerk, as she privately named him. Tall. Broad. All muscle and no brain. His actions matched the nickname perfectly.
"Not so fast, fatty," he said with a grin that made her skin crawl.
"I'm going to be late for my class," Sofía replied, forcing confidence into her voice. She could endure a lot but only up to a point. Thankfully, they hadn't pushed her to the edge today.
Yet.
"She talks," Lucía hissed.
Sofía had dubbed her the black witch mostly because of the pitch-black lipstick she wore every single day. It looked horrific, but for reasons beyond Sofía's understanding, Lucía never went without it.
"Yes," Sofía answered curtly.
The moment the word left her mouth, regret followed. She bit down on her lip, jaw tightening. Sarcasm was dangerous. She had just waved a red flag directly in front of a raging beast.
"Oh! She talked back to you, Lucía," Miguel said, delight flickering in his eyes as he poured fuel onto an already burning fire.
Sofía, on the other hand, blamed her sudden boldness on the dull ache settling low in her abdomen. Her period was approaching making her irritable, sharper than usual.
And that sharpness could get her killed by these mannerless people.
"I didn't," she murmured quickly.
The last thing she wanted was to provoke them. She had no desire to relive the humiliation from months ago when they had dumped noodles and pasta all over her after she reported their bullying to the authorities.
That decision had cost her dearly.
Instead of protecting her, the school had warned her. Her scholarship had even been threatened. Since then, their cruelty had only intensified.
"You didn't?" Lucía spat, stepping closer.
She towered three inches over Sofía. Sofía was five-four small enough to be easily overpowered.
"Wanna hang out with us sometime?" Axel asked casually from where he leaned against the wall, watching like it was all a game.
"No, thank you," Sofía replied politely and tried to move around Lucía.
Lucía's foot hooked deliberately around Sofía's ankle.
Sofía wasn't prepared. She stumbled and crashed to the ground with a painful thud.
Laughter erupted behind her.
Her cheeks burned as she hurriedly straightened her skirt, which had ridden up slightly from the fall. She didn't look back not even once. Tears blurred her vision as she bolted for the girls' restroom.
She locked herself inside a stall and wiped her tears harshly, anger flashing in her eyes as she stared at the floor for a full three minutes.
"It's okay, Sof. Keep calm," she whispered to herself.
She was all she had.
There was no one to share her pain with. No one to shoulder her burdens. No soul on this planet loved her.
Just her.
Alone.
With her demons.
Except for one person her best friend.
"You're strong," she murmured. "Ignore those bastards and bitches. They'll pay for this someday. You'll work hard. You'll be successful. That will be the best slap to their faces."
She said it quietly, trying to convince herself. Trying to mold her thoughts into something survivable.
Even though she looked normal on the outside, only God knew what ravaged her soul each night. The nightmares clawed at her relentlessly but she was still breathing. Still standing.
That had to be enough.
With a heavy sigh, she stepped out of the stall and washed her face, scrubbing away dirt and the remnants of tears. Her heart felt unbearably heavy as she headed to her first class, arriving just in time before the teacher entered.
"Take your seats, class," Mrs. Mendoza said.
The room settled instantly. Sofía slid into her usual spot at the back, right beside the window. Pulling out her notebook, she began taking notes.
None of the bullies were in this class.
A small mercy.
After three consecutive periods, recess finally arrived. A time of laughter for others but torture for her. The cafeteria terrified her. That was where the noodles and pasta had been dumped over her head.
Since that day, she avoided it completely.
Instead, she had found her sanctuary an empty classroom on the top floor of Domingo Faustino Sarmiento. Hardly anyone ever went there. It was cluttered with extra desks and chairs, forgotten by the rest of the school.
It was hers.
Dropping onto one of the cleaner chairs, she groaned softly. She had forgotten to bring food irritation rising instantly until she remembered the packet of chips and biscuits she had shoved into her bag earlier.
Opening the front zipper, a genuine smile curved her lips when she found them.
Maybe God hadn't forgotten her after all.
She munched quietly while gazing out the window. Below, a few teachers stood near the parking lot, talking with the head of the school authorities. She didn't spot her math teacher, Ms. Monica and she silently prayed that the woman was absent.
Two minutes later, the gates swung open.
A sleek black Range Rover rolled inside.
The windows were heavily tinted she couldn't see who was inside from her vantage point. The vehicle stopped, and the head of Domingo Faustino Sarmiento approached, followed closely by several teachers.
Still chewing her chips, Sofía watched as the door opened.
A man stepped out.
All she could see were his broad, powerful shoulders and jet-black hair.
He didn't even turn to face the headmaster only nodded briefly before allowing the teachers to escort him inside.
Sofía stared at the beautiful car for a full minute, admiring it until dread slammed into her chest.
Math class was next.
The subject she hated the most.
The only one she could never fully understand.
Too many formulas. Too many methods. Too many similarities.
She hated math.