Unfortunately for Linara, her words didn't escape Zack's ears. He hadn't expected her to say something like that. He had stepped forward to spare her from embarrassment, only to find that his act of goodwill was a nuisance to her. A surge of irritation and disappointment filled him. Without sparing her a glance, Zack ran past the girls, his turtle shell bouncing lightly with each stride. Linara's heart skipped a beat as Zack brushed past her. Did he hear me? Carmen caught Linara's panicked expression out of the corner of her eye. A smirk tugged at the corners of her lips as she quickened her pace, leaving Linara behind. Kelly, while a bit slow on the uptake, wasn't entirely clueless. She could sense that Carmen, Zack, and the others were upset, but she couldn't fathom why. Shouldn't they be angry at Seraphina instead of Linara?As Abigail pulled Kelly along, Kelly blurted out, "Slow down! Linara won't be able to catch up." Abigail sighed in exasperation, releasing Kelly's arm and jogging ahead. Kelly, now standing awkwardly alone, looked around in confusion. Did I say something wrong? When Linara finally caught up, she looked at Kelly with tearful eyes, the picture of vulnerability. "Kelly, they've all misunderstood me. What should I do? Seraphina's only been here for a few days, and now everyone's turned against me. I... I just don't know anymore…" Seeing Linara on the verge of tears, Kelly quickly tried to console her. "Don't cry! Carmen and the others have clearly fallen for Seraphina's schemes. Don't worry—we'll explain everything to them later. They'll understand." Linara took Kelly's hand in hers, her voice trembling. "Kelly, you'll stay on my side, right? You believe me, don't you? "Of course! You're my best friend—I'll always believe you. There's no way I'd fall for Seraphina's manipulations," Kelly declared confidently. Linara's face softened into a look of gratitude. "Kelly…" As Dora passed by, she couldn't help but snort at Kelly's naivety. Who's the real fool here? Sure, Seraphina had ulterior motives, but Linara wasn't innocent either. Dora wasn't blind—she had seen how Linara had hesitated earlier, clearly unwilling to step up and take responsibility. Had Linara done so, they wouldn't have let her face humiliation alone. But she didn't. She let everyone else take the fall. They had stood by her, yet Linara had shown no loyalty in return. A friend like that? Dora decided she didn't need one. Just as Linara stood isolated, seemingly abandoned by everyone, two familiar figures appeared: Skyler and Theron. Their arrival drew the attention of the crowd. Skyler, the student council president, and Theron, the vice president, were the school's undisputed heartthrobs—charming, popular, and admired by nearly every girl on campus. To top it off, both had a clear fondness for Linara. Skyler's gaze landed on the disheveled Linara, and his brows furrowed slightly. "Stop running!" he called out. Linara and her group came to a halt, glad for the reprieve. Evelyn, however, wasn't having it. "Who the hell are you to decide that? Just because you're the student council president doesn't mean everyone has to listen to you. They lost the bet, so they should follow through." Skyler frowned again and ignored Evelyn's outburst, walking straight to Seraphina. "I've heard about what happened. They've been punished enough—let this go. Show some mercy." Seraphina's lips curved into a smile, her bright eyes glittering as she laughed softly. But beneath the sweetness of her expression was an unmistakable chill that sent a shiver through those who caught it.