I leaned back against the wall, feeling the cool surface against my spine. Just then, the door burst open with a loud bang, startling me.

A group of exhausted people stumbled in. Even without exchanging words, I could see from their weary glances that they'd been through a lot together. They looked like they'd been through hell and back.

A girl among them let out a sigh of relief. "Phew, that was a close one."

A boy followed her, "Yeah, we're lucky to be alive."

A shy girl, who had been sitting quietly in the corner, stood up and approached them.

"Oh, you guys are back too. Thank goodness you're alright."

Lawrence, ever the calm presence, stepped forward. His voice was gentle yet commanding, which I suppose was what made him such a charismatic leader compared to the rest.

"Did something happen?"

Before anyone could answer, another girl burst out, her voice high with excitement.

"Oh my gosh, you guys won't believe this. We were walking into the convenience store and suddenly, this pack of zombies just..." She trailed off as her eyes locked onto me.

"Jane?" I blurted out, my voice trembling.

Her eyes widened in shock. "My god, Serena is that you? You're alive? I can't believe you're here! I was so worried about you."

Overcome with emotion, I ran to her and threw my arms around her. Tears welled up in my eyes as I sobbed against her shoulder, relief washing over me.

Jane blinked, still in shock, but then hugged me back tightly. I could feel her relief mirrored in her embrace.

From the side, the guy wearing red jacket raised an eyebrow. "So, what's up with those two?"

Eugene, who had been rummaging through the supplies the group brought back, looked over at us.

"What the...? I just came to see what you guys brought back." He shook his head in exasperation.

"What's with the soap opera? Man, that's it for me. I'm really leaving now."

Despite the chaos and tension, seeing Jane again filled me with a newfound hope. For a moment, amidst the apocalypse, I felt a sense of belonging and love that I thought I had lost forever.

Lawrence's voice cut through the murmurs and the lingering tension.

"Stay close Eugene. Don't wander off on your own."

Eugene gave a mock salute, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Yes sir! I don't want to die, you know."

With a click of his tongue, he turned on his heel and left the classroom, disappearing once again into the halls.

Jane and I slowly pulled away from our hug, the weight of unspoken words hanging in the air. Her eyes searched mine, filled with a mix of hope and fear.

"What about the others? Do you know what happened to our friends?"

I shook my head, "I don't know. You're the first one I've met so far."

A shadow crossed Jane's face. "Maybe it's better if we don't know."

The thought of asking her about her friends crossed my mind, but I held back. Perhaps she was right; sometimes ignorance was a safer refuge than the harsh reality.

"I'm so glad I found you here," I said, my voice breaking with emotion.

Jane managed a small smile, a flicker of hope in the midst of despair.

"Yeah, we should do our best to stay alive."

She was right. In this world overrun by chaos and danger, the only thing that kept us going was the belief that our friends and loved ones were out there somewhere, fighting to survive just like us.

We embraced again, the comfort of her presence giving me strength. We held each other tightly, as if the act alone could shield us from the horrors outside. When we finally pulled away, we wiped the tears from our faces and exchanged a determined smile.

Suddenly, the sliding door burst open, catching us all off guard.

A girl with striking blonde hair stepped in, her voice bright and cheerful. "I'm back! Am I late?"

Lawrence turned to her, his expression calm but slightly stern. "We've all been waiting for you, Scarlett."

Scarlett shrugged nonchalantly. "I noticed all the zombies by the front gate, so I thought I'd check them out for a bit."

Harry's face tightened with concern. "You shouldn't have done that. It's too dangerous."

I decided to introduce myself, but before I could, Scarlett stormed towards me, her eyes blazing with anger.

"What the hell? What's up with the new face here?"

Her expression was fierce and intimidating, her voice rising.

"I said, why the hell is there a newcomer here?"

Lawrence stepped in, trying to diffuse the tension. "I was just about to introduce her. We helped her earlier today."

Before I could say anything, Scarlett cut me off. "Are you guys even sure she's not infected?"

I understood the extra caution given the circumstances, but cutting me off like that wasn't really cool. I walked toward her to tell her I wasn't infected but....

Scarlett's eyes widened, and she pointed accusingly. "Hey! She's got blood on her hand."

Everyone's eyes turned to me, their expressions shifting to horror.

Scarlett didn't relent. "She is infected, isn't she?"

I looked down at my hand, realizing for the first time that there was a streak of dried blood. My heart pounded in my chest as fear and confusion swirled within me. The room fell silent, the weight of Scarlett's accusation hanging heavily in the air.

Oh shit.

Desperation clawed at me as I tried to explain. "It's not mine! I'm not infected, I swear!"

Lawrence stepped forward.

"Let's not jump to conclusions. We'll check her thoroughly. For now, let's keep calm."

Jane cowered and stepped back, her face pale with fear. I was equally stunned, my mind racing for the right words, but nothing came.

Scarlett's eyes were like daggers.

"I asked, are you sure you're not infected?" She turned to the others, her voice rising.

"Hey, who the hell brought her here?"

Jane stepped forward, her voice trembling but determined.

"Scarlett! Why are you being so mean to her? She's my friend."

Scarlett's face twisted with anger. "Friend, huh? Who cares if she's everyone's best friend? What if she turns into a zombie all of a sudden and kills us all? Don't you remember how we just barely made it here? So every time we're out, are we going to bring a friend back here?"

Lawrence intervened, his voice calm but firm.

"Scarlett, we should help others when we can."

Ethan nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we need survivors."

Scarlett's eyes narrowed, a mocking smile playing on her lips.

"Oh, is that right? Then let's say that's the case." She turned her glare back to me.

"So, when do you plan to leave?"

What?

The hostility in her voice was palpable, and it cut through me like a knife. I felt my heart pounding, my throat tightening with a mix of fear and frustration. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself.

"I'm not infected," I said, my voice shaking but resolute.

"I just... I don't know how the blood got there, but it's not mine. I wouldn't endanger anyone here."

Scarlett pressed on, her tone icy. "Well, you've been saved. Is there anything else you need from us?"

She barely paused before continuing, her words cutting me off again.

"We're running out of food, and every time we go outside, we risk our lives to find more. We're not exactly in a position to help others. Am I wrong?"

The guy with red jacket chimed in, his voice firm.

"Isn't she right? We can't just bring people here and drain our resources. I think we should send her out."

Their hostility washed over me like a cold wave, making my nerves fray. How naive I had been to think I'd found a sanctuary among kind people.

Jane's voice was a desperate plea. "Are you insane? Don't you know what it's like out there?"

A girl with grey hair stepped forward, her expression thoughtful. "I don't think it's such a terrible idea to let her stay."

The room buzzed with tension, the group clearly divided and unable to reach a consensus. Lawrence stood silent for a moment, deep in thought, before placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder. He turned to address the group, his voice steady and authoritative.

"She seems to have something to say. Let's hear her out."

I cleared my throat, feeling the weight of everyone's gaze. "Um... yeah."

Lawrence chuckled, breaking the tension. "Haha, I thought as much. Well, I think everyone's ready to listen."

Scarlett rolled her eyes dramatically. "Oh my god. You've got to be kidding me! Do you like her or something? Why are you taking her side?"

The girl with glasses stepped forward, her voice firm. "That's enough, Scarlett. I want to hear what she has to say.

She turned her gaze to me, her expression encouraging.

I took a deep breath, steadying myself.

"Once you get infected, the symptoms arise within an hour."

Ethan nodded in agreement. "She isn't infected."

Scarlett shot him a withering look. "How do you know it can't take any longer? I can't take that risk."

The girl with glasses held up a hand to silence Scarlett. "Scarlett, let's just hear her out."

I met Scarlett's hostile gaze, then looked around at the others. "I know you guys don't want me here, but I promise I can make myself useful."

Scarlett scoffed, her arms crossed, but the others seemed intrigued, waiting for me to continue.

"Before I met you guys, I found some food, I promise I won't hold you back. I'm really thankful that you helped me, and I will make sure not to put you in danger. Also... I've got enough food for us."

I opened my bag and pulled out the buns I had scavenged, holding them up for everyone to see.

"I've been surviving on my own for a while now. I know how to scavenge, how to avoid zombies, and how to defend myself. I can help with supply runs, stand watch, whatever you need. I just need a chance to prove myself. I can run pretty fast too. I can really take care of myself. Trust me, and I will help you search for more food. So... can I stay here with you guys?"

Scarlett's lips twisted into a skeptical smile. "You expect me to believe that?"

I sighed, feeling the weight of her disbelief. It seemed we were back to square one. How could I convince her when she wouldn't even listen to me? The thought of going back out there alone, sleeping in empty buildings, scavenging for food, and constantly looking over my shoulder was daunting. It would be tough to survive all by myself again...