lost Puppy

The air in the hallway buzzed with murmurs as students crowded the lockers. Elena’s footsteps echoed faintly, and the sound of muffled laughter filled the background. She held her books tightly to her chest, her face set in a determined expression. But beneath her calm exterior, a storm brewed.

The rumors Mia had spread were spreading faster than wildfire. Everywhere Elena turned, people whispered behind cupped hands or openly smirked when she passed.

"Did you hear?" one girl said loudly enough for Elena to hear. "She thought Mia wanted to be her friend. Can you believe it?"

Another voice chimed in, "She’s just another loser who doesn’t know her place."

Elena’s jaw clenched, but she kept walking, forcing herself to ignore the comments. She wouldn’t cry. Not here, not now.

A group of students near the vending machines burst into laughter, and Elena couldn’t help but glance their way. Mia stood at the center, her perfect face lit up with amusement. Her long, golden hair shimmered under the fluorescent lights, and she looked every bit the queen of Kingston University.

Gabriel was there too, leaning casually against the wall, his arms crossed as he watched the scene unfold. His expression was unreadable, but he didn’t seem to be stopping Mia either.

Elena’s stomach churned. How could she have been so naive? She’d thought Mia might be different, that maybe she’d found an ally in this intimidating place. But now, all she felt was anger at Mia, at the students mocking her, and most of all, at herself for letting her guard down.

Mia’s voice cut through the noise, sharp and mocking. "You know, I really felt bad for her yesterday," she said, her eyes gleaming with malice. "She looked so desperate. Like a lost puppy, following me around."

The crowd erupted in laughter, and Elena’s cheeks burned.

"Maybe we should get her a leash," another girl added, her voice dripping with cruelty.

Elena stopped in her tracks, her hands tightening around her books. Her heart pounded in her chest, and for a moment, she considered turning around and confronting them. But then she saw Gabriel’s gaze flicker toward her.

Their eyes met briefly, and something in his expression made her freeze. Was that... pity?

Elena turned away, refusing to let him see how much this was affecting her. She quickened her pace, heading toward her classroom.

The whispers and laughter followed her like shadows, growing louder with each step she took.

By the time she reached her seat, her hands were trembling. She dropped her books onto the desk and sat down, trying to steady her breathing. The room was still empty, giving her a moment to collect herself.

She stared at the blank notebook in front of her, willing herself to focus. But the words from the hallway kept replaying in her mind.

"Lost puppy."

"Doesn’t know her place."

"Desperate."

Elena clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. She wasn’t weak. She wouldn’t let them break her.

The classroom door creaked open, and Elena’s heart sank as Mia walked in, flanked by two of her friends. They strutted in like they owned the place, their laughter echoing in the quiet room.

"Oh, look," Mia said, her voice loud and mocking. "There she is. Our little charity case."

Elena didn’t look up, keeping her eyes fixed on her notebook.

"Cat got your tongue?" Mia taunted, leaning against Elena’s desk. "You were so eager to talk yesterday. What happened?"

Elena bit the inside of her cheek, refusing to give Mia the reaction she wanted.

"Aw, don’t ignore me," Mia said, her tone sickly sweet. "I was just trying to help you fit in. You should be thanking me."

Her friends giggled, and one of them added, "Maybe we should teach her some manners."

Before Elena could respond, the door opened again, and Gabriel walked in. The room fell silent, all eyes turning toward him.

He looked between Mia and Elena, his brows furrowing slightly. "What’s going on here?" he asked, his tone calm but authoritative.

"Nothing," Mia said quickly, her voice taking on a sugary tone. "Just having a little chat with our new friend."

Gabriel’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t press further. Instead, he walked to his seat at the back of the room, his gaze lingering on Elena for a moment before he sat down.

Mia huffed, clearly annoyed that her moment of glory had been interrupted. She flipped her hair over her shoulder and turned back to Elena. "Don’t think this is over," she muttered before striding to her seat.

Elena exhaled slowly, her shoulders relaxing slightly now that the attention was off her. But the tension in the room was still palpable, and she could feel Gabriel’s eyes on her from across the room.

As the lecture began, Elena tried to focus on the professor’s words, but her mind kept wandering. She couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. Mia wasn’t the type to let things go, and Elena had no doubt that she would continue to be a target.

But if Mia thought she could break her, she was wrong.

Elena might have been hurt, but she wasn’t defeated.

As the professor droned on, Elena's mind buzzed with the events of the morning. Her pen tapped rhythmically against her notebook, a nervous habit she couldn’t quite control. She felt the stares boring into her from different corners of the room, especially from the back where Gabriel sat.

Why was he looking at her? Was it amusement? Curiosity? Or something else entirely?

The bell rang, signaling the end of the lecture. Elena hurriedly gathered her things, desperate to escape the suffocating atmosphere. As she made her way to the door, a voice stopped her.

"Elena."

She froze. It wasn’t Mia or one of her lackeys it was Gabriel.

The room had emptied quickly, leaving them alone. Elena turned slowly, her heart pounding in her chest. Gabriel stood casually by the desk, one hand in his pocket, the other holding his phone.

"What do you want?" she asked, her voice sharper than she intended.

A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, but his eyes betrayed no hint of mockery. "Relax. I’m not here to bully you."

"Then why are you here?"

He took a step closer, his gaze unwavering. "Mia won’t stop. You’ve made yourself her favorite target. I just thought you should know."

Elena’s stomach twisted. Was this a warning? Or was he trying to intimidate her further?

"And why do you care?" she shot back, her voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions inside her.

Gabriel’s smirk faltered, replaced by a look she couldn’t quite decipher. "Maybe I don’t," he said with a shrug. "But if I were you, I’d watch my back."

Before she could respond, he brushed past her, leaving her standing alone in the empty classroom, her heart racing.