Chapter 7 The school cafeteria

The school cafeteria was noisy. There was laughter, talking, and the sound of forks and plates. It wasn't like a normal school lunchroom; it was fancy, like a very expensive restaurant. Big, sparkly lights hung from the ceiling, shining like the sun. The long, shiny wooden tables gleamed, and at each one, students sat in groups. These groups weren't just random; they showed who was important.

Near the windows sat the richest kids, the ones who decided who was cool and who wasn't. Bianca, of course, sat right in the middle of this group. She tapped her polished nails on the table as she talked, and everyone around her laughed at just the right time, enjoying her stories. The middle tables were for kids who had money but not as much power. They were rich, but not rich enough to sit with the top group. And then, in the far corners, were a few quiet students. They were different, maybe shy, but they were rich too. They just didn't fit in with the other groups.

Elara didn't belong with any of them. She stood at the entrance, holding a few coins tight in her hand. The rough edges dug into her skin. She hadn't wanted to come here; she'd told herself she could just stay in the library during the break. But after standing for more than an hour in her first class, she was really thirsty. She couldn't help it.

The moment she stepped inside, everything changed. It was like someone hit the pause button on a movie. The talking didn't stop completely, but it got quiet enough for her to feel everyone looking at her. She tried to ignore it. Head held high, she walked to the counter. Her shoes were almost silent on the tiled floor.

"Can I get a bottle of water, please?" she asked. Her voice was steady. The cashier, who was talking to another student, stopped. For a second, the cashier seemed to hesitate, maybe wanting to say something mean or a warning. But instead, she just reached under the counter and put a bottle in front of Elara.

Elara handed over the coins. She felt the moment: the cashier's fingers stopped before taking the money, as if serving Elara was a huge problem. Then it happened. The laughter. It started as a small giggle from one table, then another, until it grew into a loud wave of fun that swept across the whole cafeteria.

"She actually bought something!" someone yelled. "Water! That's all she can afford," another voice added, followed by more laughter.

Elara held the bottle tighter, her nails digging into the plastic as she turned around. The laughter didn't stop; it just got worse. She had already been through too much today. Someone had dragged her, made her feel small, and forced her to stand outside her own class for hours. She was not going to let a simple bottle of water be the thing that finally made her cry. She took a step. Then another. Then-a foot shot out in front of her.

Elara barely had time to react before she tripped. Her hands shot out, but there was nothing to grab. The cafeteria gasped as she fell to the floor. The bottle slipped from her hand and rolled away. She barely felt the pain in her hands before she heard the sharp sound of liquid spilling, and a gasp that wasn't hers. It was Bianca's gasp. Elara looked up just in time to see a dark stain spreading across Bianca's clean white shirt. Coffee. For a moment, it was completely silent. Then, a shriek.

"Are you crazy?!" Bianca yelled, jumping to her feet, her eyes burning with anger. Elara didn't move. She wanted to say sorry, but she didn't even have the energy to talk. From the corner of her eye, she saw the new boy, Damien, stand up from his seat. For a quick second, she thought someone was finally going to help her. But that wasn't true. He didn't even look at her. He just turned and walked out of the cafeteria. She hadn't expected much anyway; he was new, and he looked very rich. Why would he help someone like her?

Bianca was very angry. She walked slowly towards Elara, who was still on the floor. "You think this is funny?" Bianca's voice was strangely calm, but the dangerous look in her eyes scared Elara. Elara knew it was better not to say anything. Bianca crossed her arms.

"You spilled coffee on my shirt and all over my shoes," she said. "You can't even afford coffee, let alone my shoes, can you pay for them?" Elara stiffened. If Bianca asked for money for that shirt, Elara would have to work day and night for almost a month to pay for it. And Bianca was not a patient person. Bianca smirked.

"No?" She made a clicking sound with her tongue. "I thought so." Without warning, Bianca bent down, grabbed one of Elara's shoes, and pulled it off her foot. Elara tried to pull away, but Bianca held her firmly.

"What...what are you doing?" Elara's voice was sharper than she meant it to be, but she couldn't help it. What was Bianca doing? But Bianca ignored her. She held up the shoe, looking at it with disgust before laughing. "Look at this thing!" she said, waving it so everyone could see. "No brand, no style... honestly, it's embarrassing... who even let you into a school you can't keep up with?" The cafeteria burst into loud laughter again.

Elara's heart pounded. She tried to reach for her shoe, but Bianca stepped back. Then, to her horror, Bianca pulled out a small knife. It was part of her keychain, the kind for emergencies, with a comb on one side and a knife on the other. The laughter stopped as students leaned forward, eager to see what would happen. Elara felt her stomach twist. Bianca spun the knife between her fingers before pressing it against the shoe's fabric.

"What happens when something is worthless?" she said, tilting her head. The knife cut into the material, tearing it slowly and carefully. Elara gasped. Bianca tore the shoe apart easily, her movements precise, as if she had done this many times before. For a moment, Elara couldn't move.

"Now it matches you," Bianca said sweetly, dropping the pieces of the ruined shoe onto Elara's lap. Elara could feel every eye in the room on her, waiting to see how she would react. She wanted to cry. She wanted to scream. She wanted to throw the ruined shoe in Bianca's face and tell her exactly what she thought of her. But she didn't do any of those things. Instead, she stood up.

One shoe ruined, humiliation burning inside her, she picked up her bottle of water. She turned her back on the cafeteria and walked away. She didn't look back; she knew she would start crying if she did. Her steps were uneven, one foot bare, the cold tiles in the hallway stinging her sock-clad foot. But she didn't stop.

She couldn't. The sound of laughter still rang in her ears, echoing down the corridor like a cruel song. Her vision blurred, tears almost falling. But she refused to cry. The pain, the shame, the anger – it was all stuck inside, pushing against her ribs like something alive, trying to get out. She climbed the stairs to her classroom. Each step felt heavier than the last.

When she finally reached the door, she stopped for just a second, took a sharp breath, and pushed it open. The room was empty, or so she thought. Then she saw him: Damien, the new student. He was sitting at his desk, one arm resting lazily on the back of his chair, his other hand spinning a pen. His eyes flickered towards her the moment she stepped in. For a brief second, something unreadable passed through his eyes.

Then, just as quickly, his face became cold and uncaring. Elara swallowed hard. She took a step forward, wanting to go to her seat, but she was so dazed that her foot caught the edge of a locker near the door. She tripped. Not hard enough to fall, but just enough to make a noise. Damien's pen stopped spinning. His lips pressed into a thin line, and with a sigh, he leaned back slightly, giving her a look that showed only disinterest. His eyes slowly looked over her – her messy hair, her tight jaw, her one missing shoe. Elara stiffened under his gaze. Before she could think better of it, she turned to leave. But then the sound of his chair scraping on the floor made her stop.

"Stay," Damien said suddenly. She turned back, surprised. He was already standing. His tall body was slightly shadowed by the light from the window. "I'll be the one to leave," he added. His voice showed no emotion. And without another word, he walked past her, leaving the classroom. Elara stood still for a moment, staring at the empty space he had just been in, completely confused by his strange action.