THE NINTH MISFORTUNE
RIPOSTE

As Janed and his friends walked together towards the classroom, a sudden gust of students swept past them, rushing in a frenzy like the wind. Startled, Janed instinctively reached out and grabbed one of the boys by the collar. The boy, frail and clearly a junior from his uniform, stumbled to a halt, looking wide-eyed at Janed.

"Hey, what's going on?" Janed asked, his voice firm but friendly.

The boy's eyes lit up in recognition. "Oh! Senior Janed!" he exclaimed, his tone brimming with admiration. Janed was well-known around school, not only for his good looks but also for excelling in both sports and academics. The boy's sudden awe didn’t come as a surprise to anyone. Letting go of the boy's collar, Janed gave him a nod, encouraging him to explain further.

"The forms for the clubs just came out!" the boy said hurriedly. "Everyone's trying to get their favorite club before the entry limits run out."

Janed nodded in understanding as the boy hurried off, caught back in the tide of rushing students. He turned to his friends, pondering whether they should go to class first or follow the crowd to the club sign-up hall when Jui appeared, walking briskly towards them.

"Senora let us out early to check the clubs," she announced, her tone laced with less to no excitement.

"Lucky," Rosch grinned mischievously.

Without wasting time, they joined the mass of students heading towards the main hall, where club registration was in full swing. The atmosphere in the hallway buzzed with excitement, and as they arrived, it became clear why. Dozens of students were swarming around the tables, grabbing registration forms from the club representatives. Amid the chaos, Jui stood still, watching the excited faces around her with mild indifference.

"I’m not really interested, to be honest," she said with a shrug, as she eyed the students hurrying to secure their spots in their favorite clubs. But it wasn’t long before Janed, with his star reputation, was spotted by the club presidents. They swarmed him like bees to honey, each one eager to recruit the school's most popular senior.

Rosch chuckled, nudging the others as Janed was soon encircled by hopeful club leaders. "The celebrity’s been taken down. Let’s go," he giggled, gesturing for them to leave Janed to his fate.

The group retreated to a long wooden bench that ran along the wall in the corner of the hall. They sat down, watching the sea of students swirling around them. For a moment, they simply observed the chaos, lost in their thoughts.

It was Stella who broke the silence, sighing heavily as she leaned her head back against the wall. "The procedures for the trial have begun. Lucy's on the go," she murmured, sounding both weary and relieved.

Lara leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. "What happens now?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

Stella ran a hand through her hair, her gaze distant. "It’s a long process. Right now, she’s just gathering evidence. I hope it’s over soon, though." Her voice wavered slightly, revealing the stress of the situation. She desperately wanted to escape from the mess that was Odette and her father.

"You’re staying with your grandparents, right?" Rosch asked, glancing at Stella.

She nodded, her expression softening. "Yeah, it’s a bit of a commute to school, but it’s so much better than being with Odette."

Jui snorted, shaking her head. "That woman really knows how to get under someone’s skin."

Stella giggled in agreement, feeling grateful for her friends' unwavering support. "I’m just glad you guys hate her as much as I do."

They laughed together, a moment of lightheartedness amidst the chaotic day. As they talked and joked, Rosch kept glancing towards the center of the hall where Janed was still trying to politely refuse the persistent club recruiters.

"I don’t think he’s getting out of there anytime soon," Rosch sighed, watching Janed’s attempts to escape with amusement.

The girls laughed in agreement. Lara stood up, stretching her arms above her head. "I’m going to grab some apple juice from the vending machine. Anyone want something?" she asked, rolling her shoulders as she stretched.

"Get one for me too," Jui said, raising her hand.

"Mango for me," Stella added with a small smile.

Lara turned to Rosch. "What about you, babe?" she teased, grinning at him.

He shook his head with a chuckle. "Just come back quickly," he said, smiling warmly at her.

Lara winked playfully before skipping off towards the vending machine. She reached the machine and quickly punched in her order, pressing the button for apple juice twice. After paying with her card, she bent down to retrieve the cans from the slot. But just as her hand reached in, someone roughly shoved her from behind, causing her to slam her forehead into the machine with a loud thud.

"Ow!" Lara yelped in pain, clutching her forehead with one hand as she turned around, fury blazing in her eyes. Her voice echoed through the hall, a sharp contrast to the previous hum of excited students grabbing club forms. Lara, still clutching her forehead in pain, glared at the students around her. "Who the hell has a death wish?! Why would you push me? Show yourself, idiot!"

The vending machine area, once chaotic with bustling students, now became eerily quiet. Everyone paused, turning their attention to the scene. Some of the students rushed over to help, offering her wet handkerchiefs to soothe the swelling. But Lara wasn’t interested in being tended to; her focus was entirely on finding the culprit who had shoved her.

Back at the bench, Stella, Rosch, and Jui, alarmed by the sudden outburst and the gathering crowd, exchanged worried glances. Without a word, they stood and hurried over to see what had happened. As they reached the vending machine, the sight of Lara cradling her forehead and surrounded by concerned onlookers sent a wave of worry through them.

"Lara!" Stella gasped, her eyes widening in shock. "Oh my god, what happened?"

Lara’s jaw clenched, still scanning the faces of the students nearby as she answered. "Some idiot pushed me into the vending machine. I swear, if I find them…" She trailed off, her anger palpable as her eyes flickered over the crowd.

Stella moved closer, gently inspecting the swollen bump on Lara’s forehead. "That’s a pretty nasty bump. You need to get that checked."

At that moment, Janed appeared, having finally managed to escape the club recruiters. His face immediately darkened with concern when he saw Lara’s injury. "What the hell happened here?" he asked, his voice sharp with worry.

Lara looked at him, still fuming. "Some jerk pushed me while I was getting the juice. I hit my head on the machine."

"She’s just making a scene," came a voice from within the crowd, dripping with condescension. Camila Alvarez emerged from the group of students, her head held high, a smug smirk playing on her lips. She was one of the most popular girls in school, known for her striking beauty and icy attitude. Her long, dark hair cascaded down her back in perfectly styled waves, and her flawless skin seemed to catch the light, emphasizing her high cheekbones and full lips. Her uniform was always impeccably worn, and her nails gleamed with a fresh coat of pink polish. Camila had a commanding presence, and as she stood in front of them now, her arms crossed casually, she radiated confidence and superiority.

She scoffed, casting a dismissive glance toward Lara before turning her attention to Janed. With a practiced smile that had charmed many in the school, she looked up at him through her lashes. "There was no one behind her. She probably just tripped and hit her head," Camila said, her voice laced with mock pity. "How stupid." Her arms remained crossed, the gleam in her eyes suggesting that she was enjoying this far more than she should.

Janed didn’t immediately react, his face remaining calm, but the smile that curled on his lips didn’t reach his eyes. It was cold, sharp—a smile that made it clear he wasn’t amused. "You don’t get a say in this," he replied, his voice low and intimidating, but perfectly composed. His words cut through the air with enough force that even the surrounding students grew tense, sensing the shift in his demeanor.

Stella, standing close by, clenched her fists. She had never liked Camila. The girl treated friendships like accessories, collecting people around her like they were possessions, toys to be played with and discarded. Most of the students didn’t mind; they were blinded by Camila’s beauty and social status, happy to be in her orbit. But Stella could see right through her. The fake smiles, the manipulative words—Camila was toxic, and Stella hated how she always tried to insert herself into situations where she wasn’t wanted.

"Well then," Camila said with a light shrug, her voice still carrying that air of superiority, "I hope you find this imaginary person who pushed her." She gave Janed one last look, her eyes lingering on his face before she turned on her heel, her long hair flowing elegantly behind her as if she were walking down a runway.

She glanced over her shoulder, addressing the crowd of students that had gathered. "Come on, move along," she commanded, and just like that, they scattered. It was almost as if she had them under some spell, her influence over them apparent in the way they quickly returned to their activities, obedient and unquestioning.

Lara, still holding her sore forehead, was fuming. Her face flushed red with anger as she glared in the direction Camila had walked off. "That absolute nutcase of a woman!" she seethed, her voice shaking with rage. "How dare she act like I’m lying?!" She balled her fists, clearly on the verge of marching after Camila to give her a piece of her mind.

Rosch quickly stepped in, placing a firm but gentle hand on Lara’s shoulder, his touch grounding her. "Listen, Lara, calm down for now," he said softly, meeting her fiery gaze with a steady one of his own. "Getting worked up will only make it worse. Let’s get you to the school nurse so she can look at that bump."

Lara took a deep breath, her anger slowly dissipating as she looked at Rosch. His calm demeanor had always had a way of soothing her. She sighed, nodding. "Yeah, you’re right. I shouldn’t let her get to me."

Rosch smiled at her in that reassuring way of his. "Exactly. She’s not worth it."

With Rosch’s arm still resting gently on her shoulder, they turned and began walking toward the school nurse’s office, Stella and Jui following close behind. Stella cast one more glance over her shoulder, her eyes narrowing in the direction Camila had disappeared. She didn’t trust that girl—not one bit. But for now, Lara’s well-being came first.

As they walked through the hallway, the school buzzed with the usual energy of students, but all of it felt distant compared to the tension in their group. Lara’s anger simmered just beneath the surface, but with Rosch’s support and the presence of her friends, she focused on getting to the nurse.