Chapter 4

Daisy transferred into my class.

She was very popular. The other students loved hearing her rags-to-riches story.

With her outgoing personality, she quickly gathered a large group of friends.

In comparison, people didn't like me much.

"Bastard child, it's a miracle the Fosters were willing to keep you."

"You barely say three words a day. What's the difference between you and a mute?"

"Look how gloomy she is, I bet she's growing mushrooms. Ugh, I can almost smell the stench of decay."

"Daisy, it must be awful living with her, right?"

They said these things right in front of me while Daisy smirked.

At first it was just mean words.

Then they started hitting me.

Daisy especially loved slapping my face. She said she enjoyed the sound and rhythm as she hit me over and over:

"This is all payback."

"You stole my parents for over a decade. You deserve to suffer. I'll make sure you pay for every day."

"How dare you try to scare me that night, you little mongrel."

SLAP—

SLAP SLAP—

Two girls flanked me, pinning my arms so I couldn't fight back.

"Still not making a sound? You really are pathetic."

She grabbed my face. I cried out in pain, whimpering:

"Please, stop..."

They all burst out laughing.

A boy eagerly filmed the scene on his phone.

They had taken over the girls' bathroom. No one else would come in.

Daisy's arm got tired. She shook out her wrist and kicked over a red bucket.

The bucket was filled with dirt they'd dug up from the school garden.

They smeared mud all over my face and clothes.

"Tsk tsk, so filthy. Let's clean her up."

I was dragged to a toilet. The two girls shoved my head towards the bowl.

"Please, don't—"

I had already begged them.

I had already given them a chance.

"AHHHHHHH!!!"

The two girls shrieked like pigs being slaughtered, even louder than Daisy that night.

"Snake! There's a snake! From her bag, ahhhh!"

"Get away!"

"Kill it! Kill it!"

I was there when they dug up dirt from the garden.

I could guess what they were planning, so I brought my pet along.

It's very obedient and listens to me well.

The three girls and one boy ran for their lives, screaming the whole way.

The little snake slipped out the window, returning to the garden.

I calmly walked out of the bathroom.

They stared at me in shock as I entered the classroom, stuttering:

"Y-you... did you b-bring it in?"

"No," I answered honestly.

I would never actually hurt them at school. It was just to scare them.

I smiled. "But if you try to hurt me again, it might come back."