Angela flinched.
Slowly, she stood up, her hands trembling slightly, and walked out without another word.
Her vision blurred with tears as she made her way to the school garden.
Each step felt heavier than the last.
She wiped her eyes quickly, refusing to let anyone see her cry.
At the garden, she spotted the gardener, a man in his early forties, calmly tending to the plants.
Mr. Matt.
He looked up as she approached.
"How can I help you, young girl?" he asked kindly.
Angela swallowed before answering.
"I… I've been assigned here for punishment," she said softly. "The disciplinarian will come later to supervise. I believe the principal has already informed you."
"Too bad," Mr. Matt said with a light chuckle, still looking at her. "The work here isn't much. That means you're lucky."
"Really?" Angela asked, her face brightening instantly as a smile spread across her lips. "But I still have to sweep the surroundings too… and I'll miss my classes for two whole weeks. Isn't that bad?" she added, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course it is," he replied gently. "What happened?"
"It's Fiona," Angela said, her expression tightening. "The rude girl from my class."
"What? Fiona again?" Mr. Matt shook his head. "That girl is something else."
"You already know her?" Angela asked, surprised.
Mr. Matt let out a small sigh. "Who doesn't know Fiona in this school? She's proud, rude, and cruel… all because she comes from a wealthy family."
Angela nodded slowly, then lifted her chin with quiet determination.
"Well… she can't mess with me. I'm not the shy type. I'll show her what I'm made of." She smiled faintly. "Thank you so much, sir."
"I'm Mr. Matt, the school gardener," he said kindly.
"Nice to meet you," Angela replied, smiling to herself.
At least… I've made one friend today.
Back in the classroom, Fiona sat comfortably with Lisa and Julie.
"So… what about the punishment?" Lisa asked, leaning forward with curiosity.
Fiona scoffed. "You know I'm not doing that. Fiona doesn't sweep halls," she said with a smirk. "Not because of that girl."
She leaned back slightly, a cunning look in her eyes.
"I have an idea. I'll just hire someone to do it for me."
"Hire someone?" Julie frowned. "What do you think the principal will say if he finds out?"
Fiona waved her hand dismissively. "Leave that to me."
She glanced at her wristwatch, then stood up abruptly.
"My driver must be waiting," she said, adjusting her bag. "Goodbye, girls."
With a confident smile, she walked out of the classroom.
Angela was still in school, she hurried back to the classroom to pick up her bag, only to find a single student inside.
"Hey," the girl said with a friendly smile. "I'm Elsa… and I know you're Angela."
"Yeah," Angela replied simply.
"I'm really sorry about what Fiona did to you," Elsa continued as she folded her arms and sat on a desk. "She's always like that."
Angela sighed softly. "She's really something else."
She turned, about to leave, when Elsa spoke again.
"Wait… please, I need your help."
Angela paused and looked back. "Okay… what kind of help?"
Elsa hesitated for a second, then smiled.
"I want to learn how to dance," she said. "And… I'd also like to be your friend."
Angela blinked in surprise.
"Really?" she asked, a small smile forming on her lips.
"Of course," Elsa nodded. "Is that okay with you?"
"Why not?" Angela replied warmly.
"My mom has always wanted me to learn dancing," Elsa continued. "She even planned to send me to a dance school so I can compete in a big competition in Montreal."
"A dance competition?" Angela asked, her interest piqued.
"Yes," Elsa said eagerly. "So… when can we start?"
Angela thought for a moment.
"Maybe tomorrow," she said. "Around 5 p.m., after I'm done with my punishment. I'll introduce you to my dance team."
Elsa's face lit up with excitement. "Thank you so much, Angela!"
Angela smiled. "No… thank you."
She picked up her bag quickly.
"I need to hurry to the club," she added, turning toward the door.
As she walked away, her stomach suddenly reminded her of something important.
She hadn't eaten anything all day.
With a small sigh, she changed direction and headed toward the cafeteria to grab something before leaving.
.
"Three… two… one… go, girls!" Angela called out to her team.
She stepped back and sat down, watching them closely as the music played.
They moved in perfect rhythm, confident, sharp, and full of energy. Every step, every turn, every expression blended beautifully together.
Angela smiled to herself.
They're amazing, she thought. Tonight's show is going to be great.
When the music stopped, she stood up and clapped lightly.
"Good job, girls," she said proudly. "That was brilliant."
She then turned to the others.
"Well… this is Elsa," Angela continued. "She wants to join our team. She's a good dancer; she just wants to learn more. I hope you girls will like her."