Chapter 10

"Sir, are you okay?" Ariana asked as soon as they were far away from that dark alley.

"Yes, thank you," the man expressed his gratitude to Ariana. "You shouldn't walk to places like that in the middle of the night. Had it not been for you, something bad could've happened."

"Can you find your way home, or do you want me to take you home?"

"I can manage from here, dear. Thank you."

"You're welcome, and please be careful."

After preparing dinner and taking her shower, Ariana crashed on her bed. She wished she had slapped Casey again because now she was feeling bored and would love to chat with Annie.

Morning came, and Ariana went about her usual morning routine. She worked extra hours at the coffee shop. After school, Jeffrey came to the coffee shop looking for her, and she excused herself to sit down with him.

"So?" he asked.

"What?" Ariana replied.

"Why didn't you come to school today?"

"I didn't need to be told that I'm expelled. How's Casey doing?"

"You've got some guts for slapping her. Your fingers left imprints on her face, and she didn't come to school today," Jeffrey chuckled. "So, are we still doing the presentation together?"

"Since I'm not expelled, then yes," Ariana smiled.

So she spent her days like that. After delivering milk, she worked at the coffee shop, and afterward, she went to the library with Jeff. Following that, she worked part-time at the gas station before heading home.

Sometimes, she ran into the old man she had encountered the other day. She discovered that he had a son studying abroad, and their relationship was strained. They became acquaintances, and Jack enjoyed having Ariana around.

One Saturday, Ariana finished her shift at the gas station. As she was walking home, someone suddenly dragged her, covering her mouth to prevent her from screaming. She struggled, but the person's grip on her was just too strong. Eventually, the person let go of her, and before she could utter a word, she received a hard slap on her cheek, causing it to burn. She raised her head to see the person who had hit her, and to her shock, it was Casey and her crew, all wearing smug smiles on their faces.