She walked towards the gym with confident steps, her sports bag slung over her shoulder, ready for practice. But as soon as she entered, she spotted Matthew standing with his friends, talking loudly, his laughter echoing through the place. Annoyance stirred inside her—this boy had been bothering her for years.

The moment their eyes met, his gaze gleamed with mischief. He grabbed a ball, tossing it toward her casually but mockingly, and said in a taunting voice: "Oh look, the little mouse has arrived!"

Anger flared inside her, but she wasn’t quick enough to dodge the ball. It hit her lightly, making her stumble and fall to the ground. She could hear Matthew and his friends laughing, but fury clouded everything else.

As Matthew walked past her, she didn’t think twice—she stretched out her leg swiftly in front of him and—

"Oof!"

Matthew crashed to the ground in an almost comical way. For a brief moment, the laughter around them died down before erupting again from some of the students. Slowly, he lifted his head, looking at her with a mischievous, almost wicked glare. Then, a dangerous smirk formed on his lips. She instantly knew what that meant.

"You’re dead."

Her heartbeat quickened, and without hesitation, she jumped to her feet and ran as fast as she could toward the exit. Behind her, she heard his friends cheering excitedly: "Get her! Get her!"