Madelyn continued, "You're aware of the situation I'm dealing with at school. I don't want to burden you with my problems."Serena responded, slightly puzzled, "Why Lorville, of all places? It's just a little town on the outskirts. But that aside, even if we aren't close, I hope you won't push me away when I try to talk to you."Madelyn nodded, her expression softening, "If you can respect my boundaries and studies, I won't shut you out."Overjoyed, Serena exclaimed, "Madelyn, you're the best!" and hugged her tightly.Madelyn had her reservations about Serena's sudden wish for friendship. Throughout their school years in Madelyn's past life, they'd had only minimal contact—just the usual pleasantries and the occasional nod. It was like they existed in parallel lines, and there was a real possibility they could someday pass by each other without acknowledgment.As she walked, Forrest appeared ahead. His black denim jacket contrasted against the stark white of the cast encasing his

After finishing her last set of chemistry practice papers, Madelyn couldn't shake off her restlessness. She frowned, trying to make sense of Forrest's strange behavior. 'What's up with Forrest? Is he acting crazy, or did I accidentally do something to make him think I like him? Maybe it's because I helped him pick up his stuff the other day, and someone took a picture, and now he thinks I'm chasing him?'Feeling an urgent need to know more, Madelyn grabbed her phone and quickly opened the school's online forum where the photo had been shared without her knowledge. She hadn't fully read the comments on that post, but she was curious to find out what people were saying. As she navigated to the forum and found the thread, her heart sank when she realized it had been hacked. Clicking on the link only brought up a frustrating 404 error, and she couldn't access the content at all.Right at that moment, a text message popped up, and it was from Serena.Serena: [Madelyn, you were so brave.

Claire lay unconscious, completely unresponsive despite Jadie's desperate attempts to wake her.With a satisfied smirk, Linsay sent a picture to someone on her phone and quickly left. She glanced at Claire and exchanged knowing looks with a girl nearby. Without hesitation, the other girl got a bowl of cold water and poured it over Claire. Instantly, Claire jolted awake, shivering and coughing as the icy water shocked her system. She struggled to get her bearings, disoriented and cold.Linsay looked down at Jadie, observing her messy clothes and scratched face. Acting superior, she spoke, "Jadie White, don't blame us. If anyone's at fault, it's the one who said and did things they shouldn't have. But your biggest mistake was trying to win over Forrest! He's my friend's crush, you know. If you ever mess with him again or flirt with his friends, don't be surprised if I accidentally show these interesting photos from my phone." She waved her phone, emphasizing her warning.Jadie had jus

Kristeen, who was in the top bunk next to Sheena, added, "We're not even using your stuff.""Why are you making so much noise? Can't you let me sleep?" One of the girls woke up and turned, pulling a blanket over her head.Jadie reassured Claire, "It's okay. Really. They've already used it. Don't worry about it. My brother will get me more if I run out."In the dim light, it was hard to tell what expression Jadie had. But from the way she spoke, it seemed like she wasn't upset, so the matter was dropped. Everyone knew Jadie as someone who didn't get into arguments much and was generally easygoing.Jadie took out a few new skincare products from under the cabinet and handed them to Claire. "You can have these. Think of it as a gift. Don't be mad anymore.""I can't take these. They're too expensive!""Shh, let's not wake them up again."Jadie got her clothes and went to the bathroom. After a quick shower, she changed into her pajamas. By the time Claire came back from brushing her

The first people that crossed Madelyn's mind when she thought about who might be responsible for Jadie's incident were Michelle, Jenny, and Lorrie. She couldn't think of anyone else, especially after her previous arguments with them.The three girls were touching up their makeup in the women's restroom. They straightened their ties as they smirked. At the same time, Michelle was humming a cheerful song."You seem to be in a good mood today," Lorrie commented."I am," Michelle raised her skirt and uttered with a smile.Jenny chimed in, "Did you guys check out the pictures I posted in the group?""Yeah. I'm delighted with the outcome. Keep up the hard work, Jenny," said Michelle.Jenny wiped off the excess lipstick from the corners of her mouth and continued, "I've been annoyed with Madelyn from the start. I would've had someone teach her a lesson that day if it wasn't for her good-looking brother."Michelle turned around, leaning against the sink. "You mean that distant, handsome