Did someone just dump food in my hair?

I heard gasps ripple from the corner of the cafeteria. Cute.

I sprang up from my seat, whipping around to find some girl standing there, tray in hand, while two wannabe backup dancers behind her giggled like toddlers who just discovered the word "poop."

Oh, look. Brown hair, big brown eyes, heart-shaped face...

Ding ding ding — Lewis' stepsister. Guess being a pain runs in the family. How charming.

I tilted my head back and spotted Lewis lounging with that irritating smirk stretched across his stupid face.

Oh, this is going to be so much fun, I thought, barely holding in my laughter.

Grabbing a napkin from Sophie, I wiped the gunk off my face, then turned to Miss Food Bomber.

"Are you done, or do you wanna keep embarrassing yourself?" I asked sweetly.

She straightened up, tossing on a smirk like it was designer clothing. "What?"

"Aww, were you expecting me to cry and sprint dramatically to the bathroom?" I cooed. "Sorry, kid — wrong movie. Maybe try getting an upgrade?"

Her nose flared like an angry cartoon bull. One of her friends — the human equivalent of static noise — called me a freak, setting off laughter around the cafeteria.

Adorable.

Sophie stood up, fists clenched, but I casually yanked her back down. No way was I letting her get dragged into this mess.

The food-thrower narrowed her eyes at me, practically seething.

One of her backup singers piped up, "What are you gonna do, eat it?"

Cue weak high-five.

I strolled right up to Lewis' stepsister, dropped the napkin on her head like it was a crown, and stepped back to admire my work.

She shrieked, slapping it away like it was radioactive.

"Ew!" she howled, staring at the napkin like it was about to bite her.

I grabbed another napkin, patting my hair like I was at a spa, making sure it was nice and damp.

Their faces twisted in confusion.

Perfect.

"Uh, you know there's a bathroom for that, right?" another girl squeaked, voice full of panic.

I grinned. Oh, sweetheart. You have no idea.

"You want to bully someone?" I said sweetly, stepping closer, "Let me show you how it's actually done."

Without a second thought, I grabbed Lewis' sister by the hair, yanking her back against my chest. She yelped like a kicked puppy.

Lewis locked eyes with me, his smirk frozen.

Good.

"It's a mistake! Please, forgive me! Pleaaaase!" she shrieked, as I shoved the soggy napkin into her mouth and pushed her forward, sending her sprawling onto a table — knocking food everywhere.

The napkin flopped out of her mouth like a sad white flag.

The cafeteria gasped.

I sauntered over to Sophie, plucked another napkin from her trembling hands, and wiped off my uniform with the grace of a queen.

Lewis’ sister and her goons? Sprinting like roaches when the lights turn on.

Lewis? Sitting there, practically snapping his phone in half, glaring daggers at me.

I dramatically dropped the used napkin onto someone's abandoned pizza slice. "Here, since everyone’s dropping things today."

A girl squeaked, "She's a freak!"

I shot her a look.

She immediately shut up, staring at her tray like it was the most fascinating thing she'd ever seen.

The whole cafeteria was dead silent, everyone gawking at me like I’d grown horns.

I smirked.

Let them stare.

Nobody lifted a finger when they thought I was the prey. Now they'll remember why you don't poke the sleeping dragon.

Without another word, I turned and strolled out, feeling the weight of their stares cling to my back — especially Lewis'.

Oh, Lewis. I know you sent your baby sister to pick a fight for you.

How's it feel watching your grand master plan flop like a fish out of water?

Bet you're having a blast.

Just as I stepped into the hallway, Sophie caught up, panting like she’d run a marathon.

"That was so cool," she gasped, hands on her knees.

"Yeah?" I chuckled, walking down the hall like I hadn’t just flipped the cafeteria upside down.

"Uh, the bathroom's that way," Sophie pointed awkwardly in the opposite direction.

I flashed her a grateful smile. Thank God I made at least one friend before all this chaos. Otherwise, I'd be lost between these identical walls, probably trying to bathe in the janitor's closet.

Not that it mattered — after today, the whole school would either fear me, hate me, or both.

We ducked into the bathroom together. I immediately attacked my hair, pulling it loose from its sad ponytail, letting it fall around my shoulders.

Five minutes packing that thing, wasted.

As I washed out the remnants of whatever mystery sauce they’d dumped on me (now confirmed: smelled like barbecue and poor life choices), Sophie dug out a towel from a cupboard I didn’t even know existed.

"Wait here," she chirped and dashed out.

Two minutes later, she reappeared, victorious, holding a clean uniform.

I blinked. "Where did you even get that?"

She flipped her hair. "I have, like, five extras in my locker. Duh."

Of course she does.

I changed quickly — surprisingly, it fit perfectly — and started combing through my now-wavy hair, fixing it up in the mirror.

That's when I noticed Ariel, leaning against the wall, arms folded, dramatic as hell.

"You don't know what you just got yourself into," she warned.

I side-eyed her reflection. "Oh, I'm very aware."

She pushed off the wall, strolling towards me like she thought she was about to deliver the final boss speech.

"Lewis won't let this die down."

Was that supposed to scare me?

I smiled sweetly, patted her shoulder, and said, "Good. I was getting bored anyway."

With Sophie trailing behind me, I pushed the bathroom door open and walked straight back into the lion's den.