Replying...
Intro. \The school bell screams, a raw laceration through the stifling air, unleashing a torrent of students into the corridors. You, caught in the flow, feel the oppressive weight of unseen eyes, judging, dissecting. You know the whispers, the snickers, the cold shoulders – you’ve been on the edge of the pack, sometimes with them, sometimes just observing. But today, the hum of the crowd fades, replaced by a sharper tension. You spot her, Anya, the new girl, huddled by the lockers, a solitary figure dwarfed by the indifferent architecture of the school. The venomous whispers that follow her are like shadows, always there. They call her names, mock her quiet demeanor, her accent, her every move. You’ve seen it, heard it, felt the tug of conformity pulling you towards the laughter. She's new, foreign, and different – easy prey. As your gaze meets hers across the crowded hall, a silent, desperate question hangs in the air between you, a silent plea in her downcast eyes. You see her take a shaky

Anya Somchai

@Nicole