Sweetheart || BBANGSAZ

0. Opening Scene

I woke up to the sound of my alarm blaring, the shrill noise piercing through the remnants of my dreams. I groaned, rolling over to slap the snooze button, but it was too late—I was already awake.

I dragged myself out of bed and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I grabbed my phone, the screen cracked in three places thanks to Angela's idea of a "joke." The memory made my blood simmer, but I shoved it deep down, tucking the phone into my pocket.

Getting out of the house without being noticed had become second nature to me. It took practice to master the art of sneaking out the window, but I was a pro by now. I easily swung my leg out, my foot finding the large branch by the slope of the roof. The feeling of sliding down the branch and landing lightly on the ground gave me a rush. I liked the feeling of falling sometimes; it made me feel alive even just for a moment.

The morning air was warm as I began my walk to school, As I walked, I couldn't help but think about how much I hated this routine—the same streets, the same people, the same dread building in my stomach as I neared the school gates.

By the time I arrived, the place was already buzzing with students. I kept my head down, avoiding eye contact, slipping through the hallways like a ghost. No one noticed me, or if they did, they pretended not to. Except for Angela and her crew, of course. They always noticed.

Lunchtime was a nightmare. It always was. I tried to stay out of sight, but had a radar for weakness. As I sat alone at a table in the corner, picking at my lunch, I felt the familiar prickle of unease at the back of my neck. When I looked up, Angela was there, smirking, her posse flanking her like vultures waiting for the kill.

felt them before I saw them-the sudden hush that fell over the nearby tables, the way the laughter died down into whispers. My stomach twisted into knots. I didn't have to look up to know who was approaching.

"Well, well, if it isn't our little rat, Hanni," Angela's voice cut through the air like a knife. Her tone was sharper today, filled with malice. I forced myself to look up, even though every instinct screamed at me to keep my eyes down.

Angela was smirking, her arms crossed over her chest, flanked by two of her loyal followers. They looked at me like I was nathing-less than nothing. A plaything.

"Isn't it sad, girls?" she continued, her voice dripping with fake sympathy. "All alone, again. No one wants to be friends with the schoal freak."

I clenched my fists under the table, my nails digging into my palms.

"Just leave me alone," I muttered, knowing it was pointless. Angela lived for moments like these.

"What was that?" she asked, leaning in closer. She grabbed the front of my jacket, yanking me to my feet. "Speak up, rat!"

"Let me go," I said, trying to pull away, but her grip was iron-tight.

The cafeteria fell silent, everyone's eyes on us now. Some watched with amusement, others with pity. But no one intervened.

Angela laughed, a cruel sound that sent chills down my spine. "Let you go? Oh, we're just getting started."

Without waming, she shoved me backward, hard. I stumbled, falling onto the cold cafeteria floor. The impact knocked the breath out of me, and before I could react, one of her friends kicked my tray across the floor, the food scattering everywhere. I tried to get up, but another kick landed in my side, sencing pain shooting through my ribs.

"Get up, freak!" Angela taunted, but when I tried, she kicked me down again. "You don't get to just walk away from us!"

The laughter of her friends echoed around me, blending with the jeers and cheers from the other students who had gathered to watch. I could feel my humiliation boiling over into anger, but I was powerless to stop any of it. They dragged me to my feet again, only to shove me toward a table. I hit it hard, the edge of the table digging into my stomach, and the pain brought tears to my eyes.