Chapter 2

The next day, I styled my hair, put on Vivian’s clothes, and walked onto the campus.

The moment I entered the classroom, everyone stared at me with weird expressions.

Especially two red-haired girls sitting by the window.

Their eyes locked onto me, filled with a twisted mix of shock and malice.

I lowered my head, copying Vivian’s timid posture, and walked to a seat.

But before my butt could even touch the chair, one of the redheads grabbed my hair from behind.

"You bitch."

She leaned in, her lips brushing my ear, and shoved me hard.

"Didn't I tell you to never show your face in front of me again?!"

Her grip tightened. My throat closed up, and my face turned red.

She didn’t let go. Instead, she stroked my cheek with her other hand. It felt like a cold snake slithering across my skin.

Then, without warning, she slammed me forward.

I couldn't react in time. My forehead crashed hard against the brick wall.

The surrounding students quickly looked down. Nobody wanted to get involved.

Blood started trickling down my temple. I looked up at the redhead. A mocking smirk plastered her face.

Her eyes said: *You can't escape me.*

The other redhead grabbed my hair, pouring a bottle of ice-cold water over my head. She laughed like a lunatic. It made my ears ring.

"You bitch. Why do you get the best dorm room? Why do you get free meals and the best scholarship? Huh? Just because you have a pretty face? And what was that disappearing act? You just wanted attention, didn't you?!"

The girl speaking was Megan. Every word she threw at me felt like a knife.

Rage burned hot in my chest, like a million fire ants eating me alive.

But I couldn't fight back yet. Not until I found out what happened to Vivian. I had to play the victim.

I looked at the leader, Chloe. She had a perfect, sharp face and pale skin. But her eyes were pure evil.

She pinched my chin, lifting my face.

"Believe me," she whispered, "I could ruin your life in a second if I wanted to."

She raised her hand to slap me, but the sharp click of high heels in the hallway stopped her.

The onlookers quickly dispersed. Chloe let go of my face and sat back in her seat. The classroom went dead silent.

I slowly dragged myself up from the floor. As soon as I stood, I locked eyes with the female professor walking in.

Her face was cold and indifferent. She scanned the room, then looked at me.

"Sit down," she said coldly.

I kept my head down and walked back to my seat.

Strangely, both Chloe and Megan had lost their arrogance. They sat there, behaving like perfect students.

After class, I ran into Mr. Davis, the academic advisor, in the hallway. When he saw me, his face went pale. He dropped his coffee mug, completely frozen.

I picked up the mug and walked over to him. "Mr. Davis, you dropped this."

He stared at me, his eyes filled with sheer terror. It took him a long time to grab the cup.

"You... how are you here?"

"Me?" I smiled sweetly. "Where else would I be?"

He swallowed hard, nervously adjusting his glasses. "No... nothing."

Then he turned and practically ran away. I watched him look back over his shoulder three times. I quietly followed him.