Chapter 3

No one was willing to go against Mia's wishes to approach me.

But there were plenty of people who insulted and toyed with me to please Mia.

My notebook was drawn on with ghost faces, my chair had various colored drinks spilled on it, and bugs would be pulled out from time to time.

This was actually a novel experience. I kept a straight face, wiped away the water, and crushed the bugs to death with tissue paper. Holding the corpses, I walked toward the boys laughing the hardest.

"Is this yours?"

My innocent voice and words combined with my cold face—they stopped laughing, their eyes evasive.

After that, fewer people bullied me, but the isolation became more severe. I sat alone by the back door.

Because every one of my deskmates had been threatened or bribed by Mia.

At the end of the first semester of seventh grade, during the New Year family gathering, my first-place ranking for the whole grade was praised by relatives one after another.

Only I was paying attention to Mia. She had originally been praised as noble as a little princess, but my first place stole all the compliments.

Mia was only thirteen, but her malicious gaze stared at me like a venomous snake.

I met her gaze without evasion. This move was tantamount to provoking her.

So Mia's abrupt voice rang out.

"Olivia's studies are quite good, but she's not really a good person. I heard that Olivia offended the entire class by herself, and no one wants to sit with her."

Every word revealed undisguised malice toward me. My dad had a bad temper and his face already showed anger.

I patted Dad's hand soothingly.

"Dad, it's New Year's. Don't get angry just because a stray dog barks a few times. It doesn't look good."

Hearing me call her a stray dog, if looks could kill, I probably would have died under her knife-like gaze long ago.

"As for cousin, I think you know the reason behind why I'm isolated better than I do."

The tension between us and Second Uncle's family was palpable. A few relatives tried to smooth things over:

"It's New Year's, let's not talk about these things. Come, have some candy."

As soon as the New Year's dinner was over, Mia and Second Uncle got in their private car, gave us a disdainful look, and drove off.

Back home, my hot-tempered dad criticized Second Uncle's family's current attitude.

My mom tried to calm Dad down on the side. I touched the somewhat hot crystal necklace, lost in thought.

The next second, the doorbell suddenly rang. As if sensing something, I quickly got up to open the door.