A shift In power !

The hallway buzzed with the usual school chatter, students moving between classes, unaware of the brewing tension near the lockers. I barely had time to react when a strong hand gripped my arm and yanked me toward the farthest corner of the corridor, near the janitor's closet. I stumbled slightly but steadied myself, my pulse quickening—not with fear, but with something else. Anticipation.

Ivy Min-sung stood before me, flanked by her usual minions Courtney Courtyard, and Hae-in Park. Their expressions flickered between amusement and malice, a scene I myself had lived through too many times before. Normally, this was the part where i would shrink back, stammering out a weak excuse or pleading with my eyes for them to stop.

But… not today.

"So," Ivy drawled, flipping her sleek, honey-blonde hair over her shoulder. "Looks like someone's been getting a little too comfortable lately." She said and crossed her arms, tilting her head with a signature smirk. "I think you need a reminder of where you stand."

Courtney snickered. "Yeah, you don't get to act like you belong here… after all, we did tell you to lay low."

I watched as Hae-in leaned in. "And you've been trying to show off more lately."

I inhaled deeply, my fingers curling into fists. A week ago, I would have frozen, my stomach twisting into knots. But I was done being the scared little girl in the corner.

Soon, i lifted my chin, my glare tearing right at her, and my gaze empty.

That caught them off guard. Ivy's smirk faltered just a little. "Excuse me?"

"What do you benefit from doing this, Ivy?"

"My… you even have the guts to speak my name." I watched as her smirk disappeared, and got replaced by something else, a look that would have sent shivers running down me… but that was before, before I came to my senses.

"Ha! What madness is this?" Courtney stepped forward, but Ivy interrupted with her hand sticking out.

I obviously knew I was out matched, and didn't say more, a one on one, and I would have slapped her sorry face off.

"Making lower class mates do your bidding… that's pathetic to me." I leaned back on the wall, my hands now crossing the same way as Ivy, and when she noticed that, she immediately dropped her hands.

"What now? Just because you've grown few wings, doesn't make you able you fly… know your place."

"Do you usually do this? Drag people to the corner to threat at them? Or do you have something to say to me, if you do… speak."

I could see the veins popping at the side of her head, her teethes gritting, and her fists squeezing tighter than before,

She chuckled. "Your trying to act tough…" Ivy bent to my ear, her words coming soft on my ear, and her nails digging into my shoulders. "But not to worry… I'd break that shell of yours."

"Shell?" I laugh. "What is it that you brought me here for? Last I checked… I was about heading to class."

Ivy's smile returned. "I nearly forgot…" With that, I saw her reach her hand out, and there it was bunch of notes, getting slammed into my chest by her own hands. "Do them… or else-"

"What?" My head tilted, my eyes still empty without emotion. "You'd beat me?" a smile crept on my face, and that made her take a step forward.

"You think I now fret you because you have a new… Aura?" Ivy shook her head, giving me the look of disappointment. "Unfortunately, I don't work that way." The papers that I tried pushing back into her hands, we're now back in mine, and it was totally unfortunate, she still looked down on me.

"Ha… how pathetic." Before the papers could fully get into my hands, I dropped them to the ground, Ivy remained still, looking down at them with gritted teeth's.

"You bitch… Are you crazy?" Courtney spat from behind, and Ivy soon rose her head.

"Pick them up." It sounded more like an order, but her eyes raged.

"And why?" I tilted my head again, but this time around, I sighed… why bother wasting my time here? The thought came to me sharp, and I bounced off the wall and walked past them.

But then, before I could take any more further steps, and hand grabbed mine.

"Didn't you hear me." I could feel her vibrating with anger, and when I didn't reply, a d only tried walking away again, she raised her hand, aiming t land a bit on my face, but out of a quick instinct… I caught her hand, moving it away from my face, and giving her the most dangerous glare.

"Do you have a death wish?"