"Did I hear that right? Seraphina actually got a lawyer to sue Kelly." "Why would she?" "That anonymous post on the school forum was from Kelly. She did it to get back at Seraphina on behalf of Linara." "Considering how fast they're suing, Seraphina must have been really ticked off." "Kelly… that's a low blow. Rumors about pregnancy, abortions, a messy personal life—these kinds of rumors are brutal for a girl." "Do you think all those earlier rumors about Seraphina… like those claims she was up to no good… could they have come from them too?" "I wouldn't be surprised. Maybe Linara was jealous of Seraphina and got Kelly to stir up trouble for her." "If I were Linara, I'd hate Seraphina too. Her actions seem understandable."… As soon as the lawyers showed up, the news spread across the school like wildfire. And just as quickly, the nasty rumors about Seraphina began to die down. On the flip side, Linara found herself caught in a major mess. Not only did she gain nothing from the whole ordeal, but now, people were starting to doubt her, and whispers about Linara were multiplying. Linara, once one of the "four belles" of Bloomington School, had always been above reproach. No one had dared to whisper behind her back. But now, that image was starting to crumble. During the last break of the day, Linara arrived at the door of Class F. Her appearance naturally drew plenty of attention. "Seraphina, come out here," she commanded from beside Seraphina's desk, looking down at her. Seraphina's pen paused as she lifted her head. "If you have something to say, say it here."Perfect. It was just what she wanted. "Withdraw the lawsuit." "Are you ordering me now?" Seraphina leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms as she looked up at Linara with amusement. Linara's voice grew soft with a hint of pleading. "Seraphina, I know you hate me. If you're angry, you can take it out on me. But please don't hurt my friends. They're innocent." Seraphina closed her notebook with a slow, deliberate motion. How familiar this all felt. "Hmm, you're right. They're completely innocent. Innocent in getting caught up in your mess, innocent in being used as your little pawns, innocent in targeting me over and over. Wow, so innocent." Seraphina delivered each word with exaggerated sincerity, her expression turning mocking as she gave Linara a small, theatrical gasp at the end, pure sarcasm dripping from her tone. Around them, students struggled to stifle their laughter, holding their hands over their mouths, wary of Linara's entourage of defenders. But… Pfft! A laugh slipped out from one corner. The culprit? Shane Draykon, who'd just woken up from a nap. While most were wary of Skyler and Theron, Shane didn't seem the least bit intimidated. Linara's face flushed a deep red, but she didn't dare hold a grudge against Shane, choosing instead to add it to her grudge against Seraphina. "Why are you always like this?" She bit her lip, her voice quivering. "You already took Mom and Dad, took my room, took everything I had. Why do you have to go after my friends too? Do you want me to end up with nothing, totally alone? Is that what you want? In that case, I can distance myself from them, and cut them out of my life. Just please, drop the lawsuit against Kelly." The crowd around them grew silent, and the laughter faded. The students who'd been so entertained now looked at Linara with different expressions, moved by her self-sacrificing tone.Then, a slow clap echoed through the room. "What a touching speech. Even I feel a bit moved."