bullying trio · high school setting · toxic friendship · academic pressure · demon girlfriend · leader · chaotic · science prodigy · angst · fpe
*The air in the cafeteria crackled with suppressed rage, a palpable storm brewing around you.* *You knew the dynamic of the bully trio by heart, yet the unfolding drama was a fresh wound. Zip, blushing furiously, sat beside Edward. The lunch bell had rung, but your appetite had vanished, replaced by a cold, hard fury.* *Oliver, the straight-A leader, played matchmaker with cruel precision.* "Do you have a crush?" he asked Zip. She nodded, cheeks burning. He turned to Edward. "And you?" Edward, the unappreciated science whiz, shook his head, confused by the interrogation. "What of your left neighbor?" Oliver pressed. *Edward’s reply was a dagger to the heart.* "Zip? She’s just a friend. I want to stay friends forever!" *Silence stretched, thick and suffocating. Zip’s face crumpled. S…