Diana the queen

The sound of glass shattering echoed through the house, a harsh punctuation to the bitter argument that Diana couldn't escape, even in her own room.

"You never listen to me! What's your problem? I could beat you to death today!" Her father's voice thundered, each word laced with frustration and anger.

Diana clenched her fists, her heart racing as tears welled up. She hated these moments, the helplessness that gripped her when her parents fought. Desperate to drown out their voices, she grabbed her headphones and pressed them over her ears, trying to lose herself in the music.

"They could kill each other for all I care," Diana whispered bitterly to herself, the melody a feeble shield against the emotional chaos around her.

~~~

Deuce hurried down the bustling street, relief flooding him as he spotted his mother among the market stalls. He embraced her tightly, seeking solace in her warmth amidst the chaos of their difficult circumstances.

"How was today? Did you make enough sales?" Deuce asked, his voice tinged with concern and hope.

"We thank God," his mother replied softly, a fleeting smile masking deeper worries that etched lines on her face.

"Don't worry, Mom. I'm working hard now, and I'll work even harder. Dad will make it, don't worry," Deuce reassured her, squeezing her hand gently.

"I thank heaven every day that you're my son," his mother murmured, pulling him close in a fierce embrace, tears of gratitude and fear mingling on her cheeks.

"Mom, I have good news," Deuce said, his eyes lighting up with excitement.

"What is it?" Her voice rose with anticipation.

"I've been admitted to Diamond High School."

"Really?" Her eyes filled with tears of joy as she hugged him tightly, their shared laughter a brief respite from their daily struggles.

"I'm so happy for you."

"I'm happier. Diamond High, here I come," Deuce declared proudly, a mix of determination and hope shining in his eyes.

~~~~

The dining room was tense, the air heavy with unspoken resentments as Mr. Batman's harsh words cut through the strained silence.

"What's this? Why is it watery?" Diana's voice rang out sharply, her frustration bubbling over as she grabbed a plate of soup and poured it over a maid's head. The maid cried out in pain, but Diana's laughter was sharp and bitter.

"Get out of here!" Mr. Batman's command was sharp, his disappointment evident as the maid fled, leaving behind a trail of shattered dignity.

"Good job, my daughter," Mr. Batman's voice softened slightly, a rare note of approval laced with pride. "That's why I like you. You're not like your weak brother and mother."

Diana's mother and brother sat in silence, their heads bowed, their meals forgotten as shame and helplessness weighed heavily upon them.

"Come here, give Daddy a hug," Mr. Batman's tone shifted again, a fleeting tenderness in his voice as Diana reluctantly rose to meet his embrace.

"Keep up the good work. I'll leave my properties in your hands," Mr. Batman murmured, his words a fragile promise amidst the fractured family dynamics.

"Okay, Dad. I'm off to school," Diana replied coolly, breaking away from her father's embrace and ignoring her mother's silent plea as she left the suffocating atmosphere of their home.

As she stepped outside, the waiting car door opened smoothly, a stark contrast to the turmoil within, and she entered, the facade of a perfect daughter firmly in place as the car whisked her away.

Diana strode confidently through the corridors of Diamond High, her arrival heralded with reverence and fear by her peers.

"She's here! The queen of Diamond High has arrived! Clear the entrance!" a girl's voice rang out, commanding obedience from those around her.

Exiting her car with practiced grace, Diana adjusted her sunglasses, her gaze coolly assessing the world around her.

Diana removed her glasses, her expression disdainful as she approached another girl who wore similar spectacles.

"What is this? Do you call these glasses?" Diana's voice dripped with contempt, her gaze sweeping over the other girl's eyewear. "Get rid of this dirty thing."

The girl flinched, her fingers nervously adjusting the frames as Diana's superiority loomed over her. The subtle power play was clear, Diana asserting her dominance with every word and gesture, leaving the girl visibly shaken in her wake.

Spotting a boy blocking her path, she paused, her expression unyielding.

"Diana, I've been meaning to tell you—I really like you. Here's my heart token, take this," the boy stammered, offering her a bottle of drink. Diana accepted it with a smirk, her eyes flickering with amusement.

"Thanks," she replied casually, passing it to her second-in-command without a second glance.

"I didn't get to properly thank you," Diana said, pouring the drink over the boy's head, her laughter ringing out sharply as humiliation colored his features.

"How did that feel? Humiliated, right?" Diana taunted, her voice laced with disdain as she moved closer to him.

"Next time, go to class. What class are you in? Are you rich? Very, very rich?" Diana's words were a calculated insult, her finger poking at his insecurity.

"Get out of my way," Diana ordered, pushing the boy aside, satisfaction evident as he stumbled into his friends, their shocked whispers trailing in her wake.

Entering the classroom, Diana's boredom was palpable, her restlessness evident as she surveyed her domain.

"I'm bored," she muttered dismissively, her second-in-command swiftly presenting a trembling girl before her.

"She's one of the scholarship students, Ania," the girl introduced nervously, prompting Diana to stand up.

"What's your name?" Diana demanded, her tone cutting through the air like a blade. The girl's fear was palpable, her response barely a whisper.

"Don't you have a mouth? I can see it. Should I cut it off for you?" Diana's threat hung heavy in the air, her hand hovering menacingly over a pair of scissors.

"Please, I'm sorry! What did I do wrong? I'll do anything," the scholarship student pleaded, her desperation raw as she bowed before Diana, who smirked cruelly.

"What can you do? Do you have money? You're just a poor brat. You don't deserve to be here. Being born poor is like a disease—you can only cure it by dying," Diana's words dripped with contempt, her superiority cutting deep.

"And just so you know, what you did wrong was being born poor," Diana added dismissively, turning away as Ania and the others followed her out of the classroom, the weight of her presence casting a long shadow over the girl left trembling in her wake.

They ascended to the rooftop, where Diana's authority reigned supreme.

Diana signaled to one of her girls, who promptly handed her a cigarette and lighter. Igniting it with practiced ease, she offered it to the trembling scholarship student.

"Do you smoke?" Diana's question was more accusation than inquiry, her impatience evident as the girl hesitated.

"Don't be silent! I hate when people stay quiet around me," Diana's frustration boiled over, her smoke curling in the air as the girl flinched, shielding her face from the acrid scent.