"The topper of the class, and of the entire school, is none other than Huang Ara!"
Applause filled the classroom as Ara stood up to receive her graded paper. The teacher's words echoed in her ears, followed by cheers, claps, and whispers of admiration.
Ara bowed her head slightly, thanking the teacher, then took the paper in her hands. She forced a small smile as she walked back to her seat, pretending to enjoy the attention that surrounded her. She had been at the top for as long as anyone could remember, smart, cheerful, and seemingly perfect.
But no one knew the truth.
Inside, Ara was tired. Tired of pretending everything was fine. Tired of the whispers and the stares. Tired of carrying the weight of secrets that no one could see.
She sat down again, keeping her back straight, her paper neatly placed on the desk. A few classmates gave her envious looks, some even whispering about how "perfect" she was. Ara ignored it, wearing the same polite smile she always wore.
Later that day, she walked down the hallway with her best friend Ningning, heading to their lockers before lunch.
The whispers followed her.
"Look, it's Huang Ara."
"She's so perfect."
"Why can't I be like her?"
Ara had grown used to those comments. At times, the praise felt like a shield, distracting her from the pain she carried at home and in her heart. Other times, it felt like a cage, trapping her into being someone she wasn't. Today, though, something felt different.
"Oh no, I forgot my chemistry book!" Ningning groaned, snapping Ara from her thoughts.
Ara smirked. "Not surprised."
"Yeah, yeah," Ningning muttered, rolling her eyes but smiling all the same. "Just wait here, okay?" She rushed back toward the classroom, her ponytail bouncing as she ran.
Ara leaned against the lockers, chuckling to herself. But that strange unease didn't go away. It sat heavy in her chest, as if warning her about something.
And then she saw them.
At the far end of the corridor stood three familiar figures, staring at her like predators who had just spotted their prey. Her smile vanished, replaced with a rush of dread.
Karina. Winter. Giselle.
Her ex-friends.
A chill ran down Ara's spine. Memories she had tried to bury clawed their way back, dragging her into the past.
Six months ago.
"How does that feel, Miss Huang Ara?"
The sharp sting in her ear made her wince. The taunting voice belonged to Karina. Cruel laughter followed, filling the empty alley.
Ara lay on the cold ground, blood staining her uniform, her vision spinning. She tried to push herself up, but her body refused to listen.
Winter stood over her, a cruel smirk on her lips. "Why don't you just leave already? We only kept you around because of Ningning. Honestly? We can't stand you anymore."
Tears blurred Ara's vision. She had done everything to be a good friend, always supporting them, always standing by their side. She had never understood why they turned against her, why they hated her.
"Say something, you moron," Karina snapped, her voice sharp like a knife.
But Ara couldn't. Her throat closed up. She was too scared, too broken, too hurt.
Winter grabbed her collar, lifting her slightly, her fist raised as if ready to strike again.
Giselle stood nearby, frozen. She didn't laugh like the others, didn't add to their cruel words. But she didn't stop them either. Her uneasy expression, the way she flinched when Ara cried... it was burned into Ara's memory.
"What are you guys doing?!"
The shout broke through the air.
Winter froze. Karina's smirk faded. Even Giselle's eyes widened in shock.
At the entrance of the alley stood Ningning, her eyes wide, her face pale with horror.
For one split second, Ara met Ningning's gaze. Relief filled her chest. But then everything went dark.
Ara never remembered what happened next.
What she did know was this... when she woke up in the hospital, Ningning was there by her side. Ningning never spoke to Karina or Winter again. The bond they once had shattered that night.
Ara had spent weeks in the hospital. Her body slowly healed, but the wounds inside lingered. She relied on medicine to dull the pain, but some nights, the memories came back sharper than ever.
And always, one thought haunted her.
Giselle.
She had never hit Ara. Never laughed. But she had never defended her either. Why? Was it fear? Guilt? Ara didn't know. All she knew was that Giselle was different. Something about her wasn't the same as Karina and Winter.
And maybe... just maybe... she needed saving too.
"Ara."
The soft voice pulled her back to the present.
Her heart clenched. She didn't need to turn around. She already knew who it was.
Karina.
Ara's body tensed. Slowly, she turned her head, her eyes meeting the girl who had once been her closest friend... and her worst nightmare.
Karina's expression was unreadable, her usual confident smirk replaced with something else. Something Ara couldn't quite name.
The hallway around them seemed to disappear. The whispers, the noise, the laughter from other students... it all faded, leaving only the four of them standing there.
Ara's mind screamed at her to run, but her feet stayed rooted to the ground.
A.N:-
- I really hope you enjoyed this chapter!
- No hate to the Aespa members, this is just a fictional imagine.
