In the gymnasium, laughter bounced off the walls, mingled with impatient whispers. A tight, compact circle of students had formed, and raised phones were already capturing every second as if it were a show not to be missed.
In the middle of it all was Anna. A small figure, hood pulled up, her presence so unobtrusive that she was rarely noticed. She moved silently through the corridors, blending into the crowd, avoiding eye contact. Yet, that day, she found herself face to face with the one no one dared contradict: the team captain. The one who thought himself untouchable. The one many followed out of fear or admiration.
He wore that confident smile, a smirk he’d rehearsed for the stage. Then he called out, loud enough for the whole room to hear:
« Get on your knees and apologize. Right now. »
The noise stopped abruptly, as if the air itself held its breath. Anna didn’t scream. Her hands trembled slightly, hidden in her sweatshirt pocket, but her voice remained calm.
« I haven’t done anything wrong. »
He leaned towards her, trying to crush her with his height and the pressure of all those stares. His tone dripped with mockery.
« Nothing was done? Then who spoke to the headmaster about me? »
Anna paused for a fraction of a second, just long enough for some to mistake it for fear. But she didn’t look away. « You seriously injured another student. Someone should have reported it. »
- Around them, several students exchanged nervous glances.
- The phones continued to record, as if nobody wanted to miss what was coming next.
- You could feel a tension rising, heavy, almost unreal.
An awkward laugh rippled through the circle. The captain clicked his tongue in annoyance, as if he had been denied a privilege.
« That’s none of your business. »
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