Chapter Four: The Unexpected Attack

Mina was alone in the apartment that evening, the quiet pressing in around her like a weight. She sat curled on the old couch, her mind tangled in a restless swirl of thoughts, worries that wouldn’t settle no matter how hard she tried to push them away. The only sounds were the distant hum of the city outside and the faint ticking of the clock on the wall.

Suddenly, a sharp crash shattered the stillness. Glass exploded inward, scattering shards across the room like cruel stars. Mina jumped up, heart pounding wildly in her chest. She barely had time to turn before she saw a jagged hole in the windowpane—a rock or some other projectile had been thrown straight through it.

Her breath caught in her throat as she noticed the small, crumpled note tied to the rock with a thin piece of string. Hands trembling, she reached out and carefully untied the note, unfolding the paper. The message was short, harsh, and filled with menace:

If you love your little lie, you’ll stay put.

Mina’s skin prickled with unease. The words weren’t just a threat—they were a warning. Her mind raced, but she didn’t know who would want to scare her like this or why. Was it something from her past? Or someone in her present?

Fear took hold and she bolted toward her bedroom, her footsteps hurried and uneven. Slamming the door behind her, she locked it and leaned back against it, trying to slow the rapid pounding of her heart.

The front door clicked open and Cara stepped in, tired after a long day but expecting to find Mina safe. Her eyes immediately caught the shards of glass sparkling cruelly on the floor.

Swearing quietly, Cara hurried toward Mina’s room, her voice sharp and urgent.

“Mina! Are you in there? Talk to me!”

She heard soft, even breaths—Mina was there, but silent. Cara pushed the door open gently and found her sister curled up asleep on her bed, exhaustion washing over her like a fragile shield.

Relief flooded Cara, but it was tinged with worry. She set about cleaning the broken glass, her movements methodical despite the tension knotting in her stomach. Once the mess was cleared, she collapsed onto the couch, her body finally giving in to fatigue, but her mind refusing to rest.

Morning light filtered through the curtains, soft and golden. Mina dressed slowly for school, still shaken but determined not to show it. Cara stood in the doorway, arms crossed and eyes sharp.

“Who did this, Mina? Tell me.”

Mina’s voice was steady but guarded.

“It was random vandalism. Some kids messing around.”

Cara’s gaze hardened, but beneath her anger, a deeper, more personal fear simmered.

“This isn’t the first time. You know that.”

Cara pulled out a heavy-duty lock from her bag, the metal cold and unforgiving in her hands. With a grim expression, she installed it on the front door, making sure it was secure.

“No more easy targets,” she muttered.

Mina nodded, but the weight of the situation settled heavily on her shoulders.

At school, Mina moved quickly through the crowded hallways, the note burning like ice in her pocket. Whispers and sideways glances followed her as if the message had become a spotlight shining down on her.

Some students exchanged knowing looks, others giggled quietly, making Mina’s skin crawl with discomfort. She wanted to disappear, to be invisible, but a small part of her longed for connection—a chance to talk to someone besides Cara.

Reaching her desk, her heart sank. The surface was vandalized, covered in cruel words scrawled in childish handwriting: Childish, Man-stealer, Nobody likes you.

Tears prickled at the edges of her eyes, but she forced herself to look away, burying her face in her arms to hide the sting of humiliation.

It was like the old school all over again—the same hostility, the same loneliness. Friends who had never been friends, only people who took pleasure in her suffering, laughing behind her back.

Cara had let her come here because she felt guilty—forcing her into this world she didn’t belong in.

Suddenly, a soft tap on her shoulder startled her. She looked up to see Luchus standing there, holding out a damp face towel.

Mina’s gaze narrowed, suspicion flashing in her eyes.

“Finally decided to be nice for once? Funny, since yesterday you didn’t want to so much as touch me. So what’s changed?”

Luchus looked at her steadily.

“Zoey wasn’t fair to you.”

Mina took the towel wordlessly, watching him as he turned away. Zoey, she thought. So that was the name behind the cruelty.

“Thanks, I guess,” she murmured, still trying to make sense of why he’d help.

As Luchus disappeared into the crowd, Mina stared after him, conflicted and confused. She decided not to think about it too much and waited for their teacher to arrive.

Lunch break came and went, and Mina found herself alone once again, tucked away in a quiet corner of the schoolyard. Her mind was blank, exhausted by the morning’s events.

Then a voice broke through the silence beside her.

“Is this seat taken?”

Startled, Mina glanced up. A boy, maybe a year or two older, stood beside her, a slight smirk playing on his lips. His dark eyes held a spark of amusement.

“No, it’s not,” she replied cautiously.

He sat down without waiting for a proper invitation, dropping his tray beside her.

“I’m Zack,” he said, extending a hand.

Mina hesitated but shook it anyway.

“Mina.”

There was an awkward pause, then Zack gestured vaguely toward the crowd.

“You know, it’s kind of rude to just watch people like that,” he said, nodding toward a group of loud students nearby. “Or is it just my imagination?”

Mina gave a small, dry laugh. “I’m not exactly the most popular girl around.”

Zack grinned. “Understatement of the century. But hey, popularity is overrated.”

She arched an eyebrow. “Is that your personal motto?”

“Something like that.” He shrugged. “Besides, I’m a senior. I’ve got no time for middle school drama.”

Mina couldn’t help but smile a little at his sarcasm. “You’re a senior?”

“Yeah. And sarcastic. What else do you want from me?” He chuckled softly.

She looked down at her lunch tray again, the food untouched. “I’m not really hungry.”

Zack leaned in a bit. “You want to talk about it? If you don’t mind, that is.”

Mina blinked, surprised by the offer. She hesitated, then shook her head.

“Not really.”

“That’s okay. I’m not exactly a professional listener either.” Zack gave her a knowing look. “But sometimes it helps, you know?”

She glanced up at him. “Thanks.”

He smiled, the kind of smile that felt like a small lifeline thrown in a storm.

“So, what do you like to do when you’re not being watched like some kind of reality TV star?”

Mina thought for a moment. “Read. Draw sometimes. Music.”

Zack nodded approvingly. “Good choices. I’m into chess and bad science fiction. Don’t judge.”

Mina laughed, a genuine, soft sound. “I won’t.”

For a few minutes, they talked about books and movies, music and weird hobbies. It felt easy, like slipping into a warm room after being out in the cold.

When the bell rang signaling the end of lunch, Zack stood and stretched.

“Well, Mina, if you ever want to escape the chaos, you know where to find me.”

She smiled back. “I might just take you up on that.”

As he walked away, Mina felt a strange warmth spreading inside her—a fragile hope that maybe, just maybe, she wasn’t so alone after all.

For the first time in a while, Mina felt a spark of something like hope.

The night before, Mina had been so sure she was alone in this world.

Now, at least, she wasn’t entirely invisible.

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