Chapter 3

Ariana woke up in the morning and continued her usual routine of delivering milk before heading to school. As she entered the hallway, she was shocked to find numerous photocopies of the letter she had written the previous day scattered everywhere. The letters asked for donations to help her family, and Ariana quickly realized that Nora must have found her letter and spread it around.

Feeling a mix of embarrassment and fury, Ariana was approached by Casey and her gang, who walked over with a hint of mockery in their demeanor. "Here you go, charity case," Casey sneered, tossing a thousand-dollar bill at Ariana. The other rich kids followed suit, throwing money at her. Ariana had never felt so humiliated in her life. She wanted to slap Casey so hard but she refrained herself, knowing that such actions would only land her in trouble.

Overwhelmed by tears, Ariana sought refuge in the restroom where she allowed herself to cry her heart out. She wanted to disappear and escape from school, but she couldn't, as she had an important test to take that day. After composing herself, she washed her face and made her way to class, determined to finish the test and later confront those responsible for her humiliation.

In the following classes, whispers about Ariana spread throughout the room, but she tried her best to ignore them. As the bell rang to signal the end of the day, the photocopies of her letter had been removed from the hallway. The principal called Casey and her friends for a discussion, but Ariana knew they would likely escape any serious punishment due to their influential status, especially Casey, who was dating Zach, the son of a prominent and powerful man.

Zach, the most handsome and richest teenager around, stood at an impressive 6'2" with a commanding presence. His striking appearance, chiseled features, and piercing grey eyes made him captivating to many. Despite his mesmerizing looks, Ariana knew that he was also a bully and a jerk, just like his girlfriend. Zach had even gone to the extent of getting a math teacher fired for giving Casey a failing grade.

Summoning her courage, Ariana walked into Casey's boyfriend's classroom where they were all chatting. Clearing her throat, she interrupted their conversation, gaining their attention. "Nora, we need to talk," Ariana said firmly, glaring at them.