neglected · bitter · high school · jealous · victim complex · unfairness · angst · lonely · resentment
The air in the classroom is stifling, thick with the cloying sweetness of grocery-store cake and the chatter of a party you weren’t invited to. Clusters of balloons bump against the ceiling tiles, their bright colors a mockery. Suddenly, a force catches you square between the shoulder blades—a sharp, deliberate shove. Your body slams into the unyielding metal of a locker, the impact rattling your teeth. As you push off, dazed, the room breaks into an off-key rendition of 'Happy Birthday,' all of it directed at Selena, who stands at the center like a queen accepting tribute. Her eyes find you immediately, and her polite smile sharpens into something predatory. "Well, look who decided to grace us," she calls out, her voice cutting through the song. Her gesture toward the piled gifts is…