Beneath the Bully's Gaze

The Lion's Den

The hallway buzzed with the sound of students shifting between classes, the air thick with the hum of gossip, laughter, and the faint clink of locker doors. Mira moved among them like a shadow, careful not to be seen, her gaze fixed on the floor as she shuffled to her locker. She knew the rhythm of these halls—quiet, unnoticed, blending into the background. It was safer that way.

But today, something was different. There was a heaviness in the air, an unsettling energy that brushed against her skin like an invisible storm. It made her feel exposed, vulnerable.

She brushed it off as she fumbled with her locker combination, her fingers nervously twisting the dial, trying to focus on anything but the feeling creeping up her spine.

Suddenly, a sharp burst of laughter sliced through the air, and Mira's breath caught. She didn't have to look up to know where it came from.

---

Ethan Carter stood at the far end of the hallway, his icy blue eyes scanning the crowd like a predator surveying his prey. His presence seemed to warp the space around him, drawing people in or pushing them away with a glance.

The soft chuckle that escaped him was like a warning, an omen. He wasn't just the star of the school—he was the king, untouchable, ruthless, and everyone else was just a pawn in his game.

Mira had never been the target of his attention until now. She was just another faceless student, trying to blend in. But she had made the mistake of looking him in the eye last week. The consequences of that moment were about to unfold.

"Watch this," Ethan muttered to his friends, his voice laced with a venomous amusement. The group around him smirked, eyes lighting up with sadistic anticipation.

---

Mira didn't notice Ethan approaching until it was too late. The sudden slam of a locker door against the wall made her jump, and her head snapped up. Her breath hitched when she saw Ethan standing just inches away, his presence suffocating her like a vice.

His grin spread wider, a cold, calculating smile that sent a shiver down her spine. "Hey, Mouse," he sneered, his voice low, a mockery of friendly greeting. "Miss me?"

The nickname—one he'd taken pleasure in using for months—made her stomach churn. She gripped her books tighter, trying to steady herself, but her hands trembled. "I—I don't want any trouble, Ethan," she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Trouble?" he scoffed, as if the word itself was laughable. He leaned in closer, his voice dripping with condescension. "Why would I give you trouble? I just came to... chat."

But Mira could see the cruelty in his eyes, the way his smirk deepened like a snake about to strike. It wasn't a conversation he wanted. It never was.

"Please, just leave me alone," she whispered, her heart pounding in her chest as she tried to shut her locker. But Ethan was faster. His hand shot out, slamming the locker door shut with such force it rattled the entire row of lockers.

"You don't walk away from me," he said, his voice now a low command, cold and unyielding.

The hallway, once full of chatter, had gone deathly silent. Mira's heartbeat hammered in her ears as she tried to shrink back into herself, to disappear, but Ethan wasn't done. Not yet. His friends, standing behind him like shadowy figures, snickered in the background, already enjoying the show.

"Why are you doing this?" Mira asked, her voice cracking with a mix of confusion and fear.

Ethan's eyes flickered, darkening with malice. "Why?" he repeated, his voice laced with venom. "Because you think you're better than me. You think you can stand up to me, speak back to me in front of everyone like you matter. Let me show you what happens when people forget their place."