"Why hasn't she arrived yet?" Mrs. Zhao said worriedly, peeking again from the kitchen doorway.
She glanced at the living room where the television flashed warnings —
"Heavy rains and strong winds are expected in Beijing today. Stay tuned for updates on the Weather Forecasting Channel..."
Mrs. Zhao wiped her hands nervously.
"Why isn't she answering her phone? You gave her the umbrella when she left, right?" she asked anxiously.
Mr. Zhao nodded silently and turned toward the window.
The storm outside had worsened — rain pouring heavily, trees bending under fierce winds.
Suddenly a sharp lighting bolt flashed across the sky
Far away, at the rooftop of Beijing International High School,
a lone figure stood under the stormy sky.
A girl — drenched, trembling — stood near the edge.
In one hand, her phone buzzed endlessly; in the other, a crumpled sheet of paper she could barely see through her tears.
She glanced once at the paper... then closed her eyes.
From her soft cheeks, silent tears slipped down, merging with the cold rain.
Above, lightning tore across the dark sky,
and a loud rumble of thunder made her hair whip around her face, wild and free.
For a moment, she stood still — feeling the wind, the cold, the pain.
Her mind swirled with memories she had tried so hard to forget —
the laughter, the whispers, the cruelity.
She clenched her fists, feeling her nails dig into her own palms. Tears blurred her vision, but the burning pain inside was far greater.
"Why... hasn't the cruelty ended... Why is it always me..." her voice cracked and shattered like fragile glass.
She tried to hold...but she can't and
"WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE THIS?"
Her scream ripped through the silent night, echoing into the cold emptiness around her.
"WHY IS IT ALWAYS ME? WHYYYYY?"
Her throat ached from crying, her chest heaved painfully.
"I can never forgive you all..." she whispered — no, she cursed — spitting the words out like poison.
"You... bloody monsters..."
Without thinking,
She opened her arms wide,and makes a step forward " maybe if I disappear.....it won't hurt anymore".she muttered and close her eyes , and lean forward.
" Fall now....they win . So ...make them pay first". A low steady voice whisper behind her and a bloodstained hand grabbed her and pulled her back
This wasn't the first time pain visited her...Let's go back.....
Alarm ringing like it owes someone money...
"Elara! Get up! You're going to be late on your first day!" her mom's voice thundered like judgment day.
Elara groaned, dramatically threw a pillow over her head… and then sprang up like a horror movie jump scare.
"OH CRUD—I completely forgot I have school today!"
Then she checked the time.
7:30.
School starts at 8.
Her soul left her body.
"AAAAAAAAAAH!"
She shot up like a rocket. Her hair? Giving full bird's nest realness. Eyes? Wild. Energy? PANIC MODE. She zoomed to the window, opened it dramatically, and shouted into the sky,
"WHY DIDN'T YOU WAKE ME UP, O BETRAYER WIND?!"
Downstairs, her mom shouted, "I'm heading to the restaurant! Breakfast and house keys are on the table! Don't miss the bus! And Zhiyu, don't forget to lock up!"
Elara blinked.
"Oh. We're alone. Chaos it is."
Meet Elara—16 years old, 5'5" of unfiltered energy and running purely on vibes and spite. Her hair looked like a war zone, her bangs cut with hope and scissors, and her eyes said, "I haven't slept since 2014." Her smile? The kind that makes you check if your wallet is still there. Her fashion style? School uniform… that looked like it lost a fight with a washing machine.
She shared a home with her father, stepmother, and younger brother Zhiyu—15, round-faced, and shaped like a marshmallow in a school uniform.
She dashed to get ready, brushed her teeth like a chainsaw, tried to tie her tie but ended up choking herself.
"Why do uniforms always look like rejected fashion ideas from 1820?!"
She ran, grabbed cold toast, and dramatically posed at the door.
"I was born to slay. Or at least survive."
Zhiyu stared at her, holding a cup of milk like it was his emotional support animal.
"Why are you like this?" he asked.
"No time. Get on the bike!" Elara said in rushed.
Zhiyu clung to the back of her cycle. She pedaled like a woman possessed. At one point, a dog barked at her and she barked back.
She dropped Zhiyu off, gave him a thumbs-up, and sped off. Then came the turn of doom.
CRASH.
A boy barely dodged her and fell flat like a pancake.
"BRO, ARE YOU OKAY?!" she yelled.
"DO I LOOK OKAY?!" the boy snapped
"Sorry, traffic laws aren't real in panic mode!"Elara apologies
She zoomed off, screaming apologies and trying to fix her hair using her reflection in a passing car window. She screeched to a stop at the school gate. Looked at her watch.
"Five minutes late?! Oh come ON, Universe!"
"Halt!" the guard waved his stick like he was about to start a fencing match. "Late students not allowed. No late entries."
Elara pleaded "But I'm barely late! It's still morning!"
"Rules are rules."the gaurd said sternly
The same boy she hit earlier stepped out like he was walking a runway. The guard bowed. Bowed.
Elara's jaw dropped.
"You let him in? I literally flattened him with a bike! What happened to 'rules are rules'?! Why did you let him in?
Gaurd explains ' cuse he's prin..- '
"I don't care if he's the Prince of Mars, this is discrimination!" Elara grunted
Before the guard could blink, Elara dove under his arm and ninja-rolled into the school.
"Bye Grandpa!"
Up ahead, the boy (a.k.a. Human Pancake) glared at her.
"Hey, about earlier—I'm sorry! You okay?" Elara asked catching to him
"You again?" the boy said annoyingly
"Yeah, me again! Surprise, I go to school too!" elara replied with a annoying smile
He didn't even blink.
"The real danger is parents giving bikes to toddlers."the boy said teasingly
"Someone should take your bike away."
Elara smirked and reply "Someone should take your attitude away."
As they walked, Elara spotted three boys sneaking over the school wall like dollar-store spies.
She gasped.
"Are you guys… breaking in?!"
"Shut up or we're toast!" one of them whisper-shouted.
"Oh no. Should I go call the guard to assist your illegal entry?" Elara teased and introduce herself proudly
"Elara. Taekwondo champ. Call me if you need a kick."
"You only won that trophy 'cause no one else showed up!" said the chubby one.
"Still a win," she grinned and said
"I think I should call security..."
"Oh please don't! We're already on thin ice!" one of the boy panicked
"Bribe me." Elara grinned
"YOU'RE INSANE."the boy exclaimed
One boy chucked his bag. She caught it.
Second boy's bag exploded mid-air. Chips and candy flew like confetti.
"BRO, YOU BROUGHT A GROCERY STORE?!" Elara said shockingly
"MY SNACKS!" the boy cried in devastated manner
Elara teased him "Not anymore. Gone. Like your reputation."
The third boy shoved the chunky one—
He fell.
Right on Elara.
Bam.
His lunchbox smacked her straight in the face.
Elara shouted furiously "I AM GOING TO FIGHT—"
"Shhh!" the last boy jumped down like a K-drama star. No scratches. Perfect landing. Flipped his hair.
He just took his bag from her hands, nodded slightly, and walked off like he didn't just body-slam her friend into her face.
"YOU'RE WELCOME?" she shouted. "Ungrateful squirrel."
Then came the whistle.
The guard spotted them.
"RUUUUN!"
Chubby tripped again. Elara grabbed his hand.
"I am not dying for you, bro, MOVE!"
They stormed into the nearest classroom and slammed the door behind them.
The teacher blinked at them.
"You must be the new student." teacher said calmly.
"Yeah," Elara said, trying not to pant like a dog. "Elara. New. On scholarship. Very sorry. Not a criminal. Mostly."
The teacher gave her a look.
"Find a seat. And please don't enter like that again."
Elara turned to the class with a bright smile.
"Hey, I'm Elara. You can call me Ara. I'm here on scholarship and I plan to top this class—academically and dramatically."
Someone muttered from the back, "Can't wait for her to leave."
Elara smiled wider.
"Oh, I'm not going anywhere."
Someone else muttered, "Oh no, she talks."
Elara flipped her hair.
" buckle up babes, I'm just getting started "