My Writings

CHAPTER 1

THE UNTOUCHABLE

The shrill ring-ring—BAM of the old pink plastic alarm clock echoed through the room. It was one of the few things Ali had kept since changing high schools. She yawned deeply, still buried beneath the sheets. Another day.

She got up, washed her face, and began her ritual: black eyeliner, dark eyeshadow, black lipstick… and contact lenses with tiny sparkles that turned her blue eyes into a star-filled night sky.

The school uniform didn’t match her aesthetic, but that was never a problem. Ali had adapted it her own way: a padlock tied into the laces of her right boot and chains like spikes resting on the shoulders of her jacket.

Downstairs, her father shook his head in resignation.

“Are you going out like that again?” “Leave her alone,” her mother replied without looking up from her phone. “It’s her way of expressing herself, right, sweetie?” Ali didn’t answer. She didn’t need to.

“You look like a witch,” her little brother Theo sang teasingly. One glance from Ali was enough to silence him instantly. “Don’t bother your sister,” her father snapped, pointing at the boy. “And you, young lady… one day your luck at school is going to run out.”

Luck. She repeated the word mechanically, staring at her father. If there was one thing Ali lacked, it was luck.

She grabbed her backpack and left without saying goodbye. The morning sky was bright, a sharp contrast to Ali’s gloomy appearance.

Ahead of her, the massive high school building gleamed as if trying to intimidate her. It failed. Ali walked straight toward the old tree she always used as a refuge before the bell rang. No one bothered her there. Most students kept a careful distance—close enough to stare, never close enough to approach.

But that day, something seemed to disturb the balance she was so used to. Two new students were arriving. And in an elite school like Holly Valley, that never went unnoticed. In fact, the principal had organized a welcome gathering for the newcomers, knowing that joining halfway through the year would make them feel out of place.

Ali didn’t even hesitate. She hadn’t gone to her own welcome event—she certainly wouldn’t attend one for two strangers.

For her, an unspoken agreement ruled everything: Don’t intervene when someone is being harassed. Don’t get harassed. That’s it.

It was a strange balance, but it worked. Still, something felt off that day. Colorful posters covered the walls of the main hall: Welcome, exchange students. Photos, balloons, drawings… it looked like a children’s festival. Ali grimaced and frowned. Everything looked too happy. Too… artificial.

She passed by students whispering nonstop: “They’re arriving today.” “They say they’re beautiful.” “One’s a genius kid.” “I hope they’re in our class.” “There’s a welcome event this afternoon.”

She was heading toward her locker when a dull thud snapped her back to reality. A small boy with crooked glasses and a backpack far too big for him crashed at her feet after being shoved aside like a tin toy. “Help me…” he sobbed, clinging to Ali’s ankle. For a fraction of a second—less than a blink—a flicker of concern crossed her eyes. No one noticed.

Ali bent down, but only to remove him from her leg before continuing on her way. “Come on, get up, nerd,” one of the bullies growled, grabbing the boy by the collar to continue the “welcome.” “Make this the last time,” Ali said without looking back. “I hate being late.” It wasn’t a warning. It was an order. And everyone in that hallway understood.

The boy was dragged away again. Ali kept walking as if nothing had happened. The screams rose behind her, but faded the moment she turned her head. After all, life isn’t an amusement park. And if you don’t adapt, the strongest one devours you. She didn’t think about it any further.

CHAPTER 2

ANOTHER MARK IN THE CALENDAR

The week dragged on more slowly than usual.

Maybe it was because everyone seemed to be waiting for the second exchange student, who hadn’t arrived yet due to paperwork issues. Or maybe it was because, according to Ali’s calculations, there were still 136 days and two hours left until the school year ended.

Every morning, as soon as she got to class, Ali took a black marker and crossed out the previous day on her calendar. She did it with the solemnity of a prisoner marking off the days left until freedom.

Tsssh.

One more line. One less day..

She sighed, resting her forehead against the window glass. Outside, small birds fluttered back and forth, cheerful and carefree.

They’re so lucky, she thought. They come and go without schedules, without homework… without the weight of worrying about the same things we do.

Her brief moment of contemplation shattered when an explosion of laughter filled the classroom.

Ali didn’t bother looking. She knew exactly who it was: Anna and Luna, the two most popular girls in the grade… and probably the entire school.

“He’s a prince!” Anna exclaimed, waving her phone like a glowing trophy. “Let me see!” Luna squealed, snatching the phone from her. The moment she looked at the screen, her smile stretched almost to her ears. “Oh no… no, Anna, he’s perfect! Look at him!”

“How did you get his socials?” another girl asked, rushing toward them like a moth drawn to light. “I have my contacts,” Anna replied, flashing a smile that dripped with triumph and zero modesty.

The three of them settled into the desk next to Ali’s and began whispering and giggling as if tomorrow didn’t exist.

Ali pretended not to see them, opening her biology book while waiting for the teacher to arrive. She tried to focus on memorizing concepts… with absolutely no success.

Maybe it was the girls’ shrill voices. Or maybe it was curiosity—wanting to see the photo of this new prince who seemed to already have dozens of Cinderellas waiting for him.

Just a quick look, she told herself, lifting her head slightly to try and catch a glimpse of the screen. Another one.

But every time she tried without drawing attention, it was as if Anna deliberately turned the phone away, blocking even the faintest shadow of the boy.

The entire classroom felt charged with a strange electricity. A boy nobody knew already seemed to be liked by everyone.

Even the guys—who should’ve been jealous watching the girls drool over him—were happy, having heard that he was a great athlete and hoping to get him on the school soccer team.

“They say he’s the best soccer player there is—like if Neymar and Messi had a kid.” “They say he’s really tall.” “They say he has a lot of money.” “They say he’s a genius, but not arrogant at all.”

Ali took a deep breath and returned to her book.

136 days, one hour, fifty-seven minutes… she told herself, trying to regain her calm.

She turned the page, the way someone flips through a fashion magazine, only paying attention to the outfits in the photos. Still, she couldn’t help feeling irritated. Everyone seemed hypnotized by a boy who would probably end up disappointing them.

Everyone disappoints us sooner or later, she thought. Ali rolled her eyes and shifted her gaze back to the window. The sky had clouded over, and the birds were gone..

his is going to be a long day, she told herself, while around her classmates played, took selfies, and shared their problems as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

It probably was. For everyone except her.

She watched them with a mix of astonishment and quiet envy, and felt like a stone at the bottom of an aquarium filled with creatures of the most beautiful colors and shapes.

“I wish I could… get away,” she murmured, almost inaudible to the human ear. “Talking to yourself?” Julia asked, lightly tapping her desk to get her attention. “No—no,” Ali replied, startled by the intrusion.

“We’re organizing a surprise for Oscar,” Julia announced solemnly. When Ali didn’t even blink, she added, “The boy who arrives on Monday.” “Oh,” Ali said. “I’m collecting money to buy him a welcome gift.” “A welcome gift? That’s new,” Ali said, staring at her.

Uncomfortable, Julia nodded before continuing, “Whatever you can… will be appreciated,” she added with a forced smile.

Sighing, clearly annoyed, Ali pulled out her wallet and handed her a twenty-dollar bill. “Oh—wow, thank you!”

“Julia.” “Y–yes?” Julia stammered, surprised that Ali even knew her name. “If you make a card, I don’t want my name on it.” “But—” “I said I don’t want my name,” Ali interrupted, her expression darkening..

“All right,” Julia said quickly. She took a few steps away, then came back with another question. “What about going to the game arcades after school? We were thinking of inviting him so we can get to know him better.”

Ali looked at her as if she had just asked whether she wanted to walk on broken glass. “No.” “Oh… well…” Julia said, backing away, uncomfortable. “It’s going to be fun!” Ali reopened her book. “I’m not interested.”

This time, Julia didn’t insist. She went straight back to the other girls, who giggled quietly.

“What did you expect?” Anna whispered. “If you’d invited her to a cemetery, she probably would’ve said yes.”

Ali clenched her jaw

CHAPTER 3

THE NEW PRINCE OF HOLLY VALLEY

The rest of the week dragged on painfully slow. It was as if everyone had collectively agreed to waste time..

All anyone talked about ,was the boy who would be joining their class—what he was like, where he came from, why he had transferred so late in the school year… everything..

Even the teachers had eagerly joined in, sharing whatever information they had available.

“Has everyone completely lost their minds?” Ali muttered in exasperation after Mr. Bruck, the notoriously strict math teacher, willingly took part in the whole farce..

“This new young man,” Mr. Bruck said after an intentional pause meant to build suspense,“won the national math olympiads last year… and the year before.”

The class exchanged stunned looks, mouths hanging open. Apparently, the new boy wasn’t just handsome and a great athlete—he was also a math genius..

Just when it felt like the only thing left was for everyone to tattoo the newcomer’s name on their foreheads, the bell rang, breaking the spell that had nearly the entire class enchanted..

Ali hurried to grab her things—but to her horror, no one else moved. They stayed right where they were, continuing to talk to the teacher as if nothing had happened..

Damn it, she thought, sitting back down to avoid drawing attention to herself.

She rested her elbows on the desk, visibly annoyed, while the teacher continued listing facts about the boy.

He sounded more like a pop star than just another teenager.

Around her, the girls commented with exaggerated excitement. “They say he’s from the north, right?” Luna asked, dramatically fixing her hair. “From some super cold city, full of mountains.”

“Yes, yes,” Anna replied. “But don’t get your hopes up. I saw him first.” With a mix of irritation and resignation, Ali muttered,“It must be exhausting being that incredible. Poor thing.”

No one heard her. The laughter and comments continued. “What matters,” the teacher added, “is that he’s an outstanding student. The principal says he’ll be a great asset to Holly Valley.”

Ali narrowed her eyes. “Everyone’s completely lost it,” she muttered.

The bell had rung over a minute ago, yet no one seemed willing to leave the classroom. They kept crowding the teacher with questions, as if the new boy were an international celebrity.

Ali checked the clock again, frustrated. Finally, Bruck raised his hands. “All right, all right. You can go. No need to keep bombarding me with questions. You’ll meet him on Monday.”

That seemed to unfreeze the entire class. Everyone stood up at once and poured out, discussing theories, rumors, and ridiculous assumptions.

Ali grabbed her backpack and headed toward the door unhurriedly, wishing only for the noise to fade.

As she walked down the hallway, she overheard: “He’s going to be the most popular guy in Holly Valley the moment he arrives!” “Definitely. No competition at all!”

Ali took a deep breath and turned toward the stairs. “If that boy doesn’t show up walking on a rainbow while handing out miracles,” she thought, “someone’s going to cry.”

CHAPTER 4 THE NEWCOMER

That Monday, Ali arrived earlier than usual.

The plan was simple: get there early, go straight to her spot under the tree, and be there when the entrance bell rang—without having to deal with the madness surrounding the boy’s arrival.

The moment she stepped into the school, she sighed in relief at seeing no one around. She opened her locker, put her things away, and as soon as she closed it, she found herself face to face with a boy staring directly at her.

He had blue gradient hair, a nose ring, and a stuffed animal hanging from his backpack.R

“Hi,” he said. “Do you think you could help me with this?” He pointed at the locker.

Ali looked at him without saying a word, turned halfway around, and walked off toward her tree, book in hand.

There was no way she was helping him. That new boy would bring nothing but trouble.

“With that teddy-bear-out-of-a-toy-store look,” she told herself, shaking her head, “he won’t last a single day.”

It didn’t take long for Oscar to find help. In fact, Anna ran over as soon as she saw him. She didn’t just help him with his locker—she also gave him a tour and handed him sweets she always carried in her backpack to share.

Ali felt relieved to be under her tree, reading and listening to jazz, without having to worry about another idiot who would surely end up beaten up and crying for his mommy.

The moment of peace didn’t last long. Soon enough, she had to get up and head to class.

Once there, she found the new boy waiting at the classroom door, a group welcome gift in his hands, surrounded by girls asking him endless questions, taking photos without even trying to hide it, and interrogating him like seasoned detectives.

As soon as the teacher arrived, she opened the classroom door and formally introduced him. “Class, we have a new student. Let’s give him a round of applause. Please introduce yourself,” she said, making him blush even more.

“My name is Oscar Campbell. I’m sixteen. My favorite subject is literature, and in my free time I like knitting, playing soccer and collecting anime figures”

Literature and knitting? Yeah, now he’s really done for, Ali thought, an involuntary smile tugging at her lips.

“Very well,” the teacher said. “I think I’ll ask for your help—I’ve always wanted to learn how to knit,” she added, pointing him toward his seat.

Oscar walked to his desk, greeting everyone along the way. It didn’t take long before he raised his hand to answer the question the teacher had just asked.

Ali, who had also raised her hand, glanced at him with irritation. He smiled back at her. Immediately, Anna congratulated him with a thumbs-up and a wide grin. “133 days,” Ali whispered to herself.

As soon as the bell rang, Ali grabbed the book she had been reading and headed for her favorite spot, dodging everyone as usual.

“What’s her deal?” Oscar asked, pointing toward Ali. Just seconds earlier—when Ali thought no one was watching—she had lifted the skirt that fell below her knees slightly and pulled out her phone from what looked like a garter strap.

Phones were forbidden at school. Everyone had to leave them in a basket at the start of class—but she had figured out a way to hide hers and use it whenever she wanted, to check something Oscar hadn’t been able to see.

“Don’t mind her,” Anna said, smiling from ear to ear. “She’s the weirdest girl in the whole school.”

“I asked her for help with my locker, and she just turned around and completely ignored me.” “That’s the Ice Queen,” said a short boy from their class who dreamed of becoming a national team goalkeeper.

“Touch her and you die. No one gets close to her. Even the upper grades make room when they see her coming. By the way, my name’s Marco.”

“Nice to meet you,” Oscar said, shaking his hand.

Annoyed by the interruption, Anna tried to grab Oscar by the arm, but the other boys stepped in and began questioning him about his skills as a player.

To Ali’s surprise, no one gave him a welcome beating.

But she was sure that… wouldn’t take long.

CHAPTER 5 It's everything but fun and games.

At the end of the day, Ali gathered her things and got ready to go home to study, but before she could leave, Julia intercepted her..

“If you change your mind, we’ll be at the arcade downtown,” she said so quickly that Ali didn’t even have time to protest.

Ridiculous. I need to study or I’ll end up failing the year, Ali thought as she waited at the bus stop.

At the end of the day, Ali gathered her things and got ready to go home to study, but before she could leave, Julia intercepted her. “If you change your mind, we’ll be at the arcade downtown,” she said so quickly that Ali didn’t even have time to protest.

Ironically, Ali was one of the top students in her grade, yet she always felt the need to study—something that consumed all of her free time and kept her from joining clubs like the rest of her classmates.

She didn’t go to gatherings, birthday parties, or outings either. She avoided wasting time on things that, instead of helping her finish high school, would only make her stay there longer.

While waiting and reviewing the day’s lessons, she watched her classmates leave—some on buses, others on bicycles, and Oscar on a motorcycle that looked more like a hair cream commercial than an actual vehicle.

What kind of boy even owns an iridescent blue motorcycle?

He probably has dozens of mermaid-fan girls following him through the streets, hoping he’ll sell them tickets to the aquarium.

Does he have some kind of hidden power that prevents him from becoming the walking punching bag he already is? she thought, shaking her head as she boarded the bus.

On the way, while reviewing her notes, she reflected on how ridiculous the whole situation was. And yet, deep inside, one small voice encouraged her to go, while another urged her to head home like always.

It’ll just be one game, nothing more. Then you’ll go home, she thought.

No. You have to study. You can’t afford to waste time, she replied—this time out loud, causing the passenger beside her to stare.

Embarrassed, she stood up and got off the bus before reaching her stop, finding herself in the city center.

“Well done, Ali. Looks like you did that on purpose,” she muttered irritably, even though the faint curve at the corners of her mouth suggested otherwise.

Just a quick look. Just that, she told herself as she approached the arcade.

She had only been to a place like that once, during her little brother’s birthday—but this was a thousand times better. It looked like a retro-futuristic mix, with neon lights, glittering floors, and hundreds of electronic games, billiards, ping-pong, and air hockey—her favorite.

She stood there, wide-eyed, staring through the huge windows that revealed what was happening inside.

And what was happening… was that everyone was having fun. Everyone—except her.

Some were playing electronic games in teams, others were eating pizza, some were dancing, and every single one of them—absolutely all of them—were having the time of their lives.

For a moment, Ali hesitated. More than anything, she wanted to go in, laugh, and act like a normal teenager. But then she glanced at the padlock on her shoe and stopped.

It was a reminder. A silent reminder of who she had been, of the things she would never allow to happen again, and of who she was now.

With a deep sigh, she walked away.

She walked for half an hour before reaching home, heading straight to her room and locking herself inside, as usual.

That afternoon was unusually hot, and her room felt almost claustrophobic—but Ali forced herself to study.

She usually asked her teachers to send her extra assignments, but when she checked her email inbox, there was nothing. Not even spam.

“Ugh,” she muttered, dropping onto her bed.

There was a small damp stain on one corner of her ceiling.

Finally, something to do, she thought, unlocking her door and running down to the basement.

Hammer and paint in hand, she was stopped halfway when her father—who had just arrived home from work—asked what she was doing with all that.

“There’s a huge stain on my ceiling, and I’m going to get rid of it.” “With a hammer?” her father asked, taking it from her hand. “Well, it’ll need chipping. Everyone knows that.” “Let me see this terrible stain first,” he said, setting his briefcase down.

Soon, the whole family was gathered in Ali’s room.

“This girl can’t keep sleeping in a room like this. There’s a massive stain on her ceiling.” her mother said.

Taking some cleaning solution, her father wiped the stain away as if by magic. “See? It wasn’t that serious.” “But… it’s definitely going to come back,” Ali huffed, reaching for the hammer again.

“If you’d gone to the arcade with your friends, you wouldn’t be so bored.” Those words hit deep.

Ali felt an overwhelming urge to cry, but instead she ran out of the house, not stopping until she reached her grandparents’ home.

She rang the doorbell and pounded on the door desperately, tears streaming down her face as she begged them to open.

“Sweetheart, what happened? Did that brute of a son of mine say something again?” her grandmother asked, letting her inside.

Ali nodded and hugged her, crying like a little child.

“There’s a horrible stain on my ceiling and… he just threw cleaner on it… I’m sure it’s something toxic…” she exclaimed, hyperventilating.

“Well, if there’s such a dreadful stain, the most sensible thing is for you to stay with us,” her grandmother said with a wide grin.

What bothered Ali wasn’t the stain—it was her father minimizing everything by saying she was just bored because she hadn’t gone to the arcade with her friends.

She didn’t have friends. He knew that perfectly well.

And besides… how did he even know about that stupid outing?

She wondered about it while devouring a cake her grandmother had baked for the afternoon.

CHAPTER 6- The ice queen

The crossed-out days on the calendar began to pile up, and for some reason, everything seemed to be at peace.

Oscar had become the most popular boy at Holly Valley, and Anna, Luna, and several other girls wouldn’t stop following him all over the school.

In fact, the boys had started a new tradition: going to the arcade once a week. On Fridays after class, everyone went there to have fun.

“Isn’t she coming?” Oscar asked, pointing at her without the slightest discretion. “Forget it,” said Kay, one of the boys. “She never joins anything. From school to home, from home to school.”

“I’ll go talk to her.”

“Don’t,” Anna said. “She’ll get furious, and if you get too close to that tree, the Ice Queen will freeze you with her coldness.”

“Bah,” Oscar exclaimed with a smile.

“It’s true—you’ll turn into a shadow like her,” another boy added.

Ali pretended not to hear what they were talking about, but it was almost impossible. Not only were they as subtle as a pink elephant, they were also loud.

Before she could stand up and leave, Oscar hurried over, pretending to chase after his ball. “Hi,” he said with a smile. Ali looked at him without saying a word.

“I think we started off on the wrong foot… I don’t know if you know, but we’ve been meeting every Friday at Old Pedro’s arcade and—”

Ali rolled her eyes. Of course she knew they were meeting. The difference was that no one ever made the mistake of asking her twice.

“You’re interrupting my reading,” she said before he could finish the sentence. “I’m sorry. I just wanted to know if you’d like to come with us.”

“No,” she replied without blinking. Oscar stared at her in silence for a few seconds, clearly confused.

“Why not?” he finally asked. At that question, Ali was just as taken aback as he had been by her initial answer.

“I have more important things to do than waste my time,” she snapped angrily. “Oscar, come here!” Anna shouted, quickly approaching, grabbing him by the arm, and pulling him away from Ali as fast as possible.

“The Ice Queen deep-froze you, man!” Kay laughed when he saw Oscar being dragged off by Anna toward a safe place—that is, far away from Ali.

“She must have some kind of problem,” Oscar said, somewhat worried. “Mental,” Anna interrupted, making the others laugh.

“I’ve never met anyone so unpleasant,” Oscar admitted sadly.

“That’s because you’re too nice! People like her are better kept at a distance.” “We warned you—the Ice Queen takes hearts, freezes them, then shaves the ice and eats it,” one of the boys said with a sigh.

That comment left Anna feeling deeply uncomfortable. For the rest of the week, Anna couldn’t stop glancing sideways at Ali, with a hint of insecurity.

The idea that Anna—the prettiest and most popular girl—could feel insecure just because Oscar had exchanged a few words with Ali seemed impossible… but it was true.

Ali felt a strange sense of satisfaction about the whole situation. It was like having a hidden superpower, ready to emerge at any moment.

Still, that was exactly what had caused her trouble at her previous school. So that power would remain right where it was—inside her, completely dormant.

She was doing the right thing. and as long as she stayed on that path, nothing bad could happen to her.

Ali was more convinced than ever that her attitude was the correct one. That Friday, Mr. Mathewson, the literature teacher, announced that there would be a national essay competition—but only two essays could be submitted. The contest would first take place within the school, and then at a national level.

The winner would have their essay published in one of the most important newspapers and would also receive a $1,000 voucher to buy books.

Finally, a chance to prove my talent, Ali thought, smiling from ear to ear.

When Mr. Mathewson asked who wanted to sign up, Ali was the first to raise her hand—but to her surprise, everyone else started raising theirs too.

“How is that possible if…?” Oscar , muttered under her breath. He had raised his hand almost at the same time as her, and soon everyone else followed.

Everything became clear when the teacher congratulated him for being an example to his classmates.

Ali’s blood boiled, but she had no doubt she would win… or did she?… No. Not at all, she thought angrily.

Let everyone sign up. While they’re playing, I’ll be writing the best essay in the school—and with a bit of luck, the best in the country, she told herself with a smile, quickly grabbing her things as soon as the bell rang, ready to leave and write as if there were no tomorrow.

CHAPTER 7 Let the Competition Begin

The following week, no one seemed to remember the competition, which was extremely good news for Ali, who had set her mind on beating everyone.

She had spent the entire weekend researching and taking notes for her essay, which was already fully outlined. Every last detail was planned; she had even sent her plan to Mr. Mathewson, and he had replied that it looked very promising.

It was almost as rare as seeing a two-headed bird, but Ali was smiling right in the middle of class—and more than one person noticed.

“What’s wrong with her? Could it be that she’s secretly planning to kill us and that’s why she’s smiling?” Lidia whispered to Luna, who had also noticed Ali’s smile.

“Maybe a snake bit her and she’s happy because she poisoned the poor thing,” Anna commented, joining the conversation.

Soon everyone was whispering and glancing at her, but Ali didn’t care.

“Let them talk. I’m happy,” she told herself, smiling even wider. The deadline was only a few days away, and she had almost everything ready. That very day she would start writing, and she would surely be the first to finish.

Ali wasn’t a very confident girl—except when it came to two things: writing and makeup. That’s why she felt calm and happy, thinking that this essay would be her escape door from a reality that never made her smile.

That was why she sat there smiling like a fool, without caring about anything else.

Soon, everyone’s attention shifted to the soccer match the boys would have on Saturday. There was even an announcement over the intercom, interrupting the start of class to inform them that Saturday would be a wonderful day, as they would be playing against the Pure Heart team, followed by a day of fellowship.

Those two words made Ali shudder in her seat.

“Pure Heart?” she shouted furiously, making everyone turn around. Whispers spread immediately, until Kay, curious to know more, dared to ask her: “Do you know them?”

“Of course she knows them. Ali used to go to that school, didn’t you, dear? It’ll be a great opportunity to run into your little friends,” said Mrs. Lopes, the biology teacher.

Ali felt as if she were being burned alive. “They’re not my friends. I wish a meteor would wipe them off the planet,” she growled under her breath.

“Ali! That’s an awful thing to say. If you have nothing good to contribute, it’s better to say nothing at all.”

“I do have something to contribute: the Pure Heart players cheat in every single match, so good luck with the fellowship,” she said, standing up and leaving the classroom without permission.

Clearly, the whole matter had struck a nerve with Ali, who usually participated to earn points in her classes—but never to interact with others.

Furious, she grabbed the phone she kept hidden on her leg and called her mother to come pick her up, saying she felt unwell and needed to leave immediately.

“What are you doing out of class and holding a cellphone?” the principal asked. “I want to go home,” Ali said without further explanation. “And how do you plan to go home? You left class without authorization.” “If you’re going to punish me, go ahead. That doesn’t change the fact that I want to go home.”

“Come with me. We need to talk,” the principal said in a more understanding tone.

Mr. Fink was everything one would expect in a principal: a mix of psychologist and demanding teacher. Someone who always had a shoulder to cry on, but also someone who knew how to be firm.

When they reached his office, he motioned for Ali to come in and closed the door.

“Tell me what happened. Why did you leave Mrs. Lopes’s class? And where did you get that cellphone? You’re supposed to leave them in a locker.”

“I have two, but this one is only for emergencies. I never use it in class. Besides, my behavior is perfect and I work very hard to keep acceptable grades,” Ali said defensively.

“Your grades aren’t acceptable. They’re excellent.” Ali smiled, surprised by the compliment—but when the principal continued, her smile faded.

“We’ve been quite tolerant with you because we know your potential. But don’t get confused: having good grades and not interrupting class doesn’t make you a good student.” Ali opened her mouth in shock, but no words came out.

“I know, I know—shocking, right? But it’s true. You’re not a good student. Being a good student isn’t just about behaving well and getting good grades.”

Ali felt offended. If being a good student wasn’t about good grades and good behavior, then what on earth was it?

“Do you want to know what would make you an excellent student?” Ali nodded.

“Connecting with others. Giving your classmates a chance. You don’t have to be afraid of suffering again what you went through at your previous school.”

“I’m not afraid. People are afraid of me, and that’s not my problem. If I have to become Miss Friendly to be an excellent student, then my grades will drop and my behavior will get worse. In this life, you can’t have everything.”

“That’s true—you can’t have everything. But you can have the best of both worlds, and—”

At that moment, Ali’s mother arrived, interrupting the conversation.

“Ali, sweetheart, are you okay? I’m sorry, Mr. Fink—she called me asking me to pick her up because she wasn’t feeling well.”

“There’s nothing physical wrong with her. It’s more emotional. Why don’t you wait for your mother outside, Ali? I need to talk to her.”

Ali obeyed, but deep down she knew it was a bad sign. The principal would surely suggest therapy and a long parental talk she wasn’t willing to endure.

She already had enough with homework, studying, her essay, and… life in general.

She waited a few minutes until her mother came out of the principal’s office, looking as cheerful as always.

On the way home, she didn’t try to bring up the subject, smiling from time to time and inviting Ali to have lunch at an Asian restaurant she found quite picturesque

There, Ali was fascinated by the aquarium where you could choose a specimen to end up on your plate.

She had always liked fish, but she thought it was unfair to keep them trapped in tanks—that was why she didn’t have any. She didn’t have a dog or a cat either; one annoying brother was enough, she liked to say. However, when she saw the small octopuses, she was mesmerized. She wanted one—but not on her plate.

Her grandparents had an aquarium, she thought, and she begged her mother to buy one alive and keep it as a pet.

Her mother hesitated, but eventually gave in. There was nothing Ali could ask for that her mother wouldn’t give her. And as soon as the little octopus was placed in a thermal box filled with water, they went straight to her grandparents’ house to get the aquarium.

On the way, Ali looked up information to learn everything she could about octopuses, and by the time they arrived at her grandparents’ house to pick up the tank, she already felt like an expert.

That same afternoon, she would go to the pet shop to buy other things so Freddy could feel comfortable. In the meantime, he would have to settle for being admired instead of ending up on a plate.

Happy, Ali began her essay, and within a couple of hours she finished it. She decided to take a bath, change into a cute gothic dress she had been saving for a special occasion, and headed to the mall, credit card in hand.

Things had gone surprisingly well: her essay was finished, the principal would surely allow her to do what she wanted, her mother hadn’t scolded her or mentioned therapy, and now she had a pet.

Nothing could go wrong, she thought as she searched for the pet shop—but to her surprise, Anna was there.

“This can’t be happening! What is she doing here?”

“Waiting for Oscar,” said Kay, just as annoyed as she was.

“Oscar?”

“He works at the pet shop.”

“No way!”

“I know. I wanted to ask her out, but ever since she found out he works here, she always finds an excuse to come.”

“But weren’t you two dating or something like that?”

Surprised that Ali knew, he simply nodded sadly.

“Fine. But I need food for Freddy, so I don’t give a damn if that pretentious guy works here,” Ali said, heading into the pet shop.

“Wait, wait—I guess I could buy food for my cat,” Kay shouted, following Ali, who immediately started looking at aquarium supplies.

“Kay, what are you doing here… with her?” Anna asked, covering her mouth with her hands. Ali ignored her and continued inspecting the aquarium items.

“What are you doing with her?” Anna asked again, bewildered.

“I came to buy food for my kitty,” Kay replied, arms crossed.

“And her?”

“She came to buy things for her little dog.”

“Since when do you talk to her?”

“Since when do you come to the pet shop to run into the new guy?”

“And why do you care?”

“So annoying!” Ali exclaimed out loud, trying to focus on finding things for Freddy.

“Tell me about it—they come every day and scare off all our customers,” Oscar said with a smile.

“Do you do deliveries?” she asked seriously.

“Yes, madam. What can I offer you? A little dress, perhaps?” he said, showing her the cutest dog dress in the shop.

“Freddy doesn’t need dresses.”

“Ahhh, so it’s a boy. How about a onesie?” he said, pulling out a tiny outfit with a matching straw hat.

“He’s not a dog.”

“Oh, from the competition—meow!” Oscar laughed.

“He’s not a dog or a cat. I need a big tank, like that one,” she said, pointing to an extra-large one.

“Wow, that model is really big. What kind of fish is Freddy?”

“He’s not a fish. He’s an octopus,” Ali said, annoyed, certain Oscar would end up mocking her.

“An octopus? Wow! That’s the coolest thing I’ve heard in a long time. How long have you had him?”

“I rescued him today.”

“You rescued him—from something like the seafood section at the supermarket?”

“From a restaurant,” she replied irritably.

“Ohhh. Sorry, I’ve just never met anyone who has an octopus. I’ve read they’re very intelligent.”

“They can solve puzzles if you train them.” “Puzzles?” Oscar asked, fascinated.

“It’s basic training with food. Everyone knows that.”

“And for that you need food. I’ll go check with my manager to see what we have,” Oscar said, looking like a kid who’d made a mistake and was about to get scolded.

Ali knew she was being harsh—maybe even mean—but she had come to get things for Freddy, not to socialize. Looking around, she noticed Anna and Kay were gone and felt instantly relieved. At least for now, no one would find out about her pet—no one except Oscar.

A short while later, he returned with a middle-aged woman who complimented Ali on her look and explained how to keep her octopus comfortable. She even advised her to buy food at the supermarket since it was cheaper.

Ali was surprised and thanked her for her honesty. The woman even gave her a discount and assured her that everything would be delivered to her door the very next day.

“Ali,” the woman said.

“Yes?”

“My son likes you,” she added, while the little boy she was holding blew Ali kisses.

Laughing, Ali blew a kiss back at the child and promised to return once the damage she’d done to her credit card had healed a bit.

CHAPTER 8- Can I see your octopus?

The next day, any sign of interaction with her classmates had vanished. Ali walked past them like usual, making it clear that any hint of warmth had just been a misunderstanding.

Kay and Anna were arguing as always. They acted like Ali wasn’t there and didn’t mention their meeting at the pet shop to anyone.

But with Oscar, things were different.

“Hey, did you find food for Freddy?”

Surprised, Ali just nodded.

“And did he eat?”

“Yeah. He’s really good at cracking shells open. For a moment I thought I’d have to do it for him,” she said, a little more relaxed.

“Wow! I’d love to see him. Do you have pictures?”

“No!”

“You didn’t take a single photo?”

“Yes, but on my instant camera, with a note that says: Do not touch, do not eat.”

Oscar started laughing, which made Anna and some of the others come closer, stunned at what they were seeing

“What are you talking about?” Anna asked, trying to sound casual.

“Nothing,” Ali replied curtly.

“Pictures,” Oscar said with his usual smile.

“I love pictures!” Anna added, smiling at both of them.

Just then the bell rang, and Ali immediately felt relieved she didn’t have to keep interacting with them. She wasn’t trying to be nice or funny, but that dumb boy didn’t seem to understand hints—or bluntness.

He’ll forget about it and get bored like everyone else, she told herself, trying to calm down.

The last thing she wanted was to catch the attention of the most popular boy and end up with Anna as an enemy. Not because she was scared—she just didn’t want drama.

The rest of the day flew by, and in the blink of an eye, Ali was on her way home.

When she arrived, she changed clothes, had lunch, and when she was about to go back to her room to study when she found her little brother trying to sneak inside.

“What are you doing?”

“I brought him food,” the kid said, smiling.

“Freddy doesn’t eat fries.”

“I want to see him.”

“No.”

“Pleeeease!”

“Fine. Just for a bit. But don’t try to touch him or feed him fries,” Ali warned seriously.

When they went in, Freddy greeted them by sticking a tentacle out of the tank.

“Eww, he’s so ugly!” the boy said, stuffing a handful of fries into his mouth.

“He looks just like you. That’s why I brought him,” Ali said with an evil grin.

“Liar! He looks like you!”

“You.”

“No, you!”

“You. I almost named him Pedro because you look so alike.”

“Liar!”

They kept arguing until they heard laughter.

When Ali turned around, she saw Oscar and another boy carrying the new aquarium for her octopus.

Startled, she grabbed her brother’s arm and moved aside so they could set it down where she’d already cleared space.

“Hi,” he said with his usual smile.

“Hi,” Ali replied, embarrassed that he’d seen that whole family scene.

“Is he your boyfriend?” her brother asked, mouth full of fries.

“No! Of course not, shut up,” she said, turning red.

“Don’t worry. I have siblings too. One’s eight and the other is two.”

“The little one who was blowing kisses at me?”

“Yeah,” Oscar said, laughing.

“Are you dating his little brother?” the kid asked while inspecting the tank.

“Yes. I’m dating the whole family.”

“Oh. Okay.”

Oscar couldn’t stop laughing, but when he saw Freddy, he rushed over.

“Wow, he’s amazing! Look how he moves. Once you put him in the new tank, he’ll have so much more space.”

“I hope so,” Ali said, lowering her guard.

“But first he has to acclimate,” said the woman from the pet shop, coming in with Ali’s mom.

“I’ll make sure to watch a video,” Ali said.

“No videos. Beatriz is going to explain everything in detail. Can you believe we went to high school together? When she moved abroad, we lost touch,” her mom said, smiling.

“Wow.”

“But not anymore. They’re coming over for dinner tonight, so you two behave,” Ali’s mom added.

“Dinner?” Ali and Oscar asked at the same time.

“Yes. Portuguese-style octopus,” her mom said, laughing.

“You could make stuffed kids so I can be an only child again,” Ali said, pointing at Pedro.

“I can contribute two more,” Oscar said, laughing nonstop.

“Yeah, sure. Come on, Lisa. I think I’ll take that coffee you offered before we head back to the pet shop.”

Ali and Oscar were left alone in her room, and just when she thought there would be a painfully awkward silence, Oscar pulled out his phone.

“Can I film Freddy?”

“Just… don’t tell anyone he’s mine. And don’t use the flash. They’re deep-sea creatures—they like the dark.”

“Like you,” he said, pointing at the wallpaper that had once been covered in pink flowers but that Ali had carefully painted black, one by one.

She was surprised by what he’d said but tried to act indifferent, nodding.

“You did the right thing buying him rocks so he can hide.”

“When he gets tired of me or my brother trying to feed him fries, he can retreat to his cave and think up an escape plan,” Ali said.

Oscar laughed, and after recording a short video of Freddy, he showed her pictures of his pets.

“You have a lot of animals,” Ali said, surprised.

“That’s the advantage of working at a pet shop.”

“And being the owner’s kid,” Ali added sarcastically.

“Owner. My dad passed away five years ago. Mom remarried, but it didn’t work out. That’s why we’re here,” he said quietly.

“Oh…” was all Ali could say, realizing that the boy who was always smiling and cheerful had probably suffered a lot too.

Before she could try to say something better, Mrs. Campbell called him, and they had to leave

CHAPTER 9- The Dinner

Dinner at the Parkers’ house unfolded with an easy, almost family-like warmth. At eight o’clock sharp, Mrs. Campbell arrived with her three kids, and soon the adults were having drinks and appetizers while the kids went back and forth between Ali’s room to see the octopus and the garden to play.

“I brought Freddy a gift,” Oscar said, pointing to a bag.

“Wow… thanks,” Ali said, not quite sure what to do.

“They’re super fresh, so if it’s not past his feeding time…”

“He’s dying to feed the octopus, or so he says,” Beatriz Campbell laughed, nudging Ali’s mom.

“Ah… sure, come on,” Ali said, leading Oscar to her room.

“I brought small crabs, clams, and sardines.”

“Wow! That’ll be a feast. He might even snatch them right out of your hand,” Ali said, showing him how Freddy stretched out his tentacles to touch her.

“Geez!”

“Watch this.” She dropped in a clam, and the octopus opened it effortlessly and ate it.

“Woooow. You should make him an account and post photos and videos.”

“I’m way too busy for that. I have to revise my essay and study.”

“Did you write about him?”

“Of course not!”

“Aww, that’s too bad. It would’ve been really interesting,” Oscar said, sliding a small crab into the tank. “So what did you write about?”

“Tamagotchi. I have a huge collection. You could come over to my house someday and see them.”

“Tama-what?”

Oscar pulled one out of his pocket. The small plastic figure, shaped like an egg with a virtual pet to feed and take care, surprised Ali

“Pretty cool, right?” “Yeah,” Ali said, forcing a smile. “I have a thousand.” “A thousand?!”

“Yeah. They’re really fun. Here, you can have this one,” he said, taking out a pink egg shaped that matched his blue one.

She noticed and tried to think fast to avoid accepting it.

“But that’ll ruin your collection!” she said, pretending to care.

“It’s fine,” he said with a grin.

She took it and eyed it suspiciously. Part of her thought Oscar was incredibly sweet and just looking for excuses to get closer to her.

But another part—the one that was always on guard—told her he was probably making fun of her. That tomorrow he’d tell everyone how dumb she was and how he’d tricked her into keeping something that would just waste her time.

During dinner, she couldn’t stop thinking how ridiculous it was that he’d write about those virtual pets. He must be lying.

But why would he lie? she wondered, slowly bringing her fork to her mouth.

Maybe he wanted her to write about something silly so she’d lose the competition.

She frowned at him, but his response was the same as always: a smile.

Nothing seemed to affect him. If anything, she thought he seemed intellectually inferior.

So how the hell was he doing so well in school?

Oscar seemed to be everywhere at once: school, working at the pet shop, the arcade, playing soccer, volleyball…

How could he do all that and still be so immature? And how was it that she, being so focused, always felt like there weren’t enough hours in the day?

How—

“Ali, you’re going to the championship this weekend, right?” Mrs. Campbell asked, snapping her out of her thoughts.

“What?”

“The match against that other school… what was it called, honey?”

“Pure Heart,” Oscar replied quietly, knowing that name had put Ali in a terrible mood the other day.

Suddenly, the Parkers fell completely silent and looked at Ali.

“Pure Heart? You’re playing against those punks?” Mr. Parker asked, breaking the tension.

“Yeah,” Oscar said, not taking his eyes off Ali.

“Those horrible brats bullied Ali. That’s why we had to transfer her to another school.”

“Mom!”

“Sorry, sweetie… she doesn’t like us talking about it,” her mother whispered.

Oscar didn’t dare ask anything else, and the conversation quickly shifted to the youngest kid, which made everyone relax again.

The rest of the evening passed normally. When it was time to leave, Oscar shook hands with everyone—and hugged Ali.

She had already offered her hand, but suddenly found herself trapped in an unexpected hug that made her extremely uncomfortable. She tried to act natural, but that only made her mom burst out laughing.

What a night, she thought once the Campbells left.

“Yeah, what a night,” her father said. “But don’t think that just because I didn’t say anything about that darn octopus and the crater you made in my credit card buying toys for your pet, you can do whatever you want. I already told you: no boyfriend until you’re eighteen.”

“Ali doesn’t have a boyfriend. She has three,” Pedro said, eating a leftover slice of cake.

“Three?!”

“Yes, Dad. All the Campbell men. Didn’t you notice the little one blowing me kisses?” she said, laughing.

CHAPTER 10- Take Them Down

Since the dinner, something had changed in Ali. She was sure that by now everyone knew about her new pet—and her secret with Pure Heart.

But Oscar hadn’t said a word.

He uploaded Freddy’s video to his social media with the caption: my new favorite client.

Soon, positive comments flooded his feed.

Even Anna—who everyone knew would never have an octopus—came up to him asking how to get one as a pet.

Ali shook her head and started laughing when she realized that now all the girls were suddenly interested in octopuses.

“Do they sell them at the store where you work?”

“No. My mom rescued him from a restaurant.”

“A restaurant? They were going to eat him?”

“Yeah.”

“Poor thing!” Anna said, touching Oscar’s arm.

“Poor thing,” Ali muttered under her breath, mimicking Anna’s voice.

“Annoying, isn’t she?” Kay asked, catching her in the act.

“I… I have a headache and her voice is kind of…”

“Fake,” Kay said, turning around in the seat in front of hers.

“Shrill,” Ali added, holding her head dramatically, though fooling no one.

“I wanted to ask you about Pure Heart. You said they cheat, and you seem to know them well.”

“I don’t want to talk about those people.”

“I don’t want you to talk about them. I want you to talk about the cheating. I’m the team captain, and we play them in less than forty-eight hours.”

Realizing there was no escaping Kay, Ali sighed deeply and began explaining their dirty tactics:

Magnets hidden in the balls. Goalkeepers with iron bars tucked into their socks to hit opponents. Glass glued to the soles of their shoes to cut players.

Before she could finish, Oscar showed up—along with his usual group of followers.

“Iron bars? Ali, you’re making that up,” Anna said.

“I’m not,” Ali snapped, eyes flashing with anger, pulling out her hidden phone to show them photos of past matches where Pure Heart won only after players from the other team got injured.

“Where did you buy that to hide your phone?” Luna asked, amazed.

“I made it.”

“Quiet,” Kay said firmly. “What matters is they cheat. We have to tell the coach.”

“If it weren’t for Ali, we’d be lost,” Oscar said.

“But that was a long time ago. Maybe they use different tactics now,” Anna said, jealous.

“They’re not good and they’re not smart. I can describe their formations.”

“You know their formations?” someone asked.

“Yeah,” Ali shrugged, like it was obvious.

“But how do you know they’ll use the same ones Saturday?”

“They only have two. If Díaz is goalie, then Gomes is striker—or the other way around.”

She went on to explain both setups and their attack strategies in detail.

“How do you know all that?” Anna asked. “Did you leave an ex at Pure Heart?”

It was meant as a joke, but Ali heard the malice.

“Several. Maybe you should try your luck,” Ali shot back, sharper than she meant to be.

Anna pretended it didn’t bother her, but soon she walked off with the others.

“You were pretty harsh,” Oscar said, feeling bad for her.

“I didn’t call her over. Actually, I didn’t call any of you.”

“She’s right, she’s right,” Kay said, still taking notes and questioning Ali until the teacher arrived.

During recess, Ali headed toward the old tree with a smile on her face. She could already imagine her former teammates losing despite all their tricks.

Kay had run off to talk to the coach, while Oscar and the others hurried to their lockers to grab their phones and look up information about Pure Heart.

Suddenly, Oscar froze.

In one of the photos online… he recognized Ali.

“No way!” he muttered, bringing the phone so close to his face it looked like he might swallow it.

“What’s wrong, man?” one of the boys asked.

“Nothing. Nothing.”

The caption read: Bad streak for Pure Heart since Alison, their star player, left the team.

“It’s her… Her hair’s blonde,” he whispered in disbelief.

Ali didn’t just have blonde hair—she had freckles across her nose too. Without all the gothic makeup she usually wore, she looked like a normal girl their age. A pretty one.

“Wow,” he breathed.

He spotted her sitting under the old tree and suddenly realized: the makeup and attitude weren’t to stand out.

They were to hide.

He pulled out a pencil and finished a drawing he’d started the night before—Freddy as a giant, slightly terrifying octopus grabbing a chef with one tentacle and about to eat him.

When he finished, he walked over and handed it to her.

“It’s Freddy.”

Ali looked surprised, then laughed at the image of Freddy devouring the evil chef.

“You’re really talented.” “You too.” “Me?” “I saw you were one of Pure Heart’s star players. Now it’s boys-only.”

“Great. Now everyone knows I played on that stupid team,” she snapped.

“No. The others didn’t notice. And I won’t tell them if you don’t want me to.”

“Of course I don’t want you to!”

“The photo’s blurry, but you’ve changed a lot,” he said, scratching the back of his head.

“Apparently not enough,” she replied, staring at him.

“I recognized you because of the note that said ‘Alison was their star player.’”

“I only played because I’m terrible at gym, and it meant I didn’t have to run laps like a hamster.”

“The coach said maybe next year they’ll open spots for girls on the team—”

“And there come a couple future players,” Ali said, nodding toward Anna and Luna.

Oscar didn’t even have time to answer before Anna grabbed his arm, dragging him away to show him something “amazing.”

Ali chuckled and went back to her book, carefully folding Freddy’s drawing and tucking it between the pages.

That afternoon at the pet shop, Oscar tried looking up more information about her. Most of Pure Heart’s old articles had been deleted or set to private. But the comments were still there.

And the hatred toward Ali was obvious.

“What did she do to make them hate her so much?” he wondered aloud.

“Distract the boys from their work,” his mom teased.

“I was just—”

“Stalking.”

“No!” he said, blushing.

“Sure, sure. Who is she?”

“Ali.”

“Ali? Lisa’s daughter? The one from yesterday?”

“Yeah.”

“Wow. Lisa told me she had a rough time there. That’s probably why she hides behind all that makeup.”

“I thought the same! But look at these comments. Her team won because of her, and girls are still threatening her.”

“Jealousy. Look at her—she’s pretty, and if she’s also good at soccer, that’s deadly to other girls.”

“It can’t just be that. Look Oscar pointed at the screen: ‘I hope you die.’ ‘Tie your shoelaces… around your neck.’ ‘You’re ugly.’ She’s tagged in all of them, but her profile’s gone.”

“What did you expect? Of course she took it down.”

“But this is awful. It can’t just be jealousy.”

“Oh, it absolutely can. You still have a lot to learn about girls. Now get back to work. Later, maybe we can invite Lisa and her family for dinner to return the favor,” she said, winking.

CHAPTER 11 D-Day

“Today is Saturday, the sun is shining, and there’s nothing better than a soccer match to lift school spirit. We welcome the Pure Heart team and invite everyone to stay for the get-together right after the game,” the principal’s secretary announced over the speakers.

Everyone was there. The girls had made posters to cheer the boys on, and the team was ready to play—but the nerves were obvious.

Just like Ali had warned them, Pure Heart was known for cheating and injuring players on the opposing team. They had even been disqualified once before, and everything suggested they had no intention of changing.

The coach tried to calm them down.

“Before the match, both teams will be inspected. If they find anything suspicious, it’ll be confiscated.”

“And if they find everything Ali said they had, won’t they be disqualified?” Oscar asked. “This game decides who advances to nationals.”

“That’s if the girl told the truth,” another boy muttered.

“She showed us proof. They’re cheaters,” Kay said. “But what about what Oscar asked? Do they get disqualified, Coach?”

“That depends on the committee. For now, we wait for both principals. And I hope none of you thought about fighting fire with fire.”

Not even a minute later, the Holly Valley and Pure Heart principals arrived to inspect both teams.

They found nothing unusual on Holly Valley.

Then they went to check Pure Heart.

Everyone paced back and forth near the locker room, pretending they needed the bathroom.

Suddenly, a skinny kid came running toward them, completely out of breath, pointing toward the locker room.

“Did they find something?” the coach asked.

The boy nodded, unable to speak.

“What did they find?” Kay demanded, grabbing his shirt collar.

“Metal bars… itching powder… magnets… and crushed glass.”

“What?!”

“Did they disqualify them?” someone asked anxiously.

“I don’t know.”

“Alright. I’ll find out,” the coach said. “Maybe we won’t even have to play.”

They all stood there, tense, staring at one another.

“The weirdo was right,” one of the boys muttered.

“Yeah. We better stay on the Ice Queen’s good side or she’ll freeze us like her old teammates,” Kay joked.

“Stop it,” Oscar snapped. “If it weren’t for her, one of us would’ve ended up with a broken leg. Last time they literally broke someone’s leg.”

Kay raised an eyebrow. “You like the Ice Queen or something?”

“No! It’s just… it’s ugly to talk trash about people,” Oscar said, blushing.

“She just wants revenge,” Douglas, the goalie, said. “The girls are right. Probably some ex-boyfriend drama.”

“You don’t know anything—” Oscar started, but the coach came back.

“The match is still on,” he said. “Pure Heart claims it was all for a science experiment. Their coach—who also teaches chemistry—backed them up.”

“That’s a lie!” Kay shouted.

“I know,” the coach said. “But we teach them a lesson on the field. And your friend is right—no one who plays well needs that garbage to win.”

“Oscar perked up. “Ali came?”

“I went to her house earlier. After what Kay told me, I asked for advice. She said something like this might happen.”

“The Ice Queen even knew their coach was dirty?” Kay muttered.

“Her name is Alison. Enough talking. Five minutes.” said the coach

The first ten minutes were normal. Cheers from both sides. Nothing unusual. Then one of the Pure Heart players shoved a Holly Valley kid hard.

“Cheaters!” Kay yelled.

Soon it was chaos—kicks, pushes, rough play everywhere. Pure Heart wasn’t scoring… but they weren’t letting Holly Valley score either.

From the stands, the girls cheered like never before. Pure Heart’s behavior seemed to awaken something wild in Holly Valley’s students. Halftime: 0–0.

Oscar scanned the crowd, looking for Ali. No sign of her. Understandable. Her old teammates were there.

Still… he hoped she’d show up somehow. That’s why he carried a small sketch of her in his jersey pocket.

“Alright, boys,” the coach said. “Didn’t think we’d need this, but here’s a new tactic.”

He held up a paper clearly not written in his handwriting.

“Who made that?” Kay asked. “The former star player from the other team.” Oscar immediately knew. Ali.

The plan was simple: play in pairs. One takes the hits, the other advances. Rotate until someone reaches the goal.

They went back out like rock stars, the girls screaming their lungs out.

Minute 14.

It worked.

Oscar shielded Kay, took a brutal kick, fell—

—but when he looked up, Kay had scored. Goal. Red card for one Pure Heart player. Penalty. Oscar scored. 2–0.

The crowd exploded. By the end: Holly Valley 5 – Pure Heart 0

Nobody stayed for the after-party. They ditched and went for pizza instead.

Everyone kept talking about the mysterious former star player who’d helped them.

Oscar knew exactly who it was.

But he said nothing.

He let them keep believing it was some unknown ex-player.

“Probably the Ice Queen’s ex,” someone joked. “Just as bitter as her.” “Yeah, the plan was flawless. She must’ve asked him.” “Maybe it’s her current boyfriend,” another said.

“With how scary she looks?” Anna added.

“She’s not ugly. Just weird taste,” Julia said, eating pizza.

Oscar barely listened.

His legs were covered in bruises. He’d taken the worst hits. So he said goodbye, grabbed his motorcycle, and headed straight to Ali’s house.

The blinds were closed. He almost didn’t ring. But he did. Ali opened the door. No makeup. Jeans. T-shirt.

She looked… different. Softer. Younger. They both froze.

“To annoy me on a Saturday? Come in,” she grumbled.

“That’s not—”

“It was sarcasm. Come in.”

“We won. Five–zero.”

“I know.”

“You know?”

She nodded and opened the blinds, bringing him some juice.

“It was all thanks to you. The plan.”

“He told you?”

“No. I just knew.”

“And they beat you up anyway,” she said, eyeing his legs.

“Nothing serious.”

“I clearly told the coach—against Pure Heart you either hit or get hit!”

“I’m fine.”

“I’m not worried. Just stating facts.”

“…Oh.”He hesitated.

“Still… I wish you’d come.” “How do you know I didn’t?” she said, tapping her nose. “You were there?” Just then her parents and brother came home

Her dad frowned at first—then saw Oscar’s condition.

“Son, you look like a punching bag. Ali, get ice and ointment.” “I’m fine—” “No, you’re not. Sit,” her dad ordered, firm but kinder now.

When Ali came back, Oscar was teaching her little brother how to play with a Tamagotchi.

They both looked completely absorbed, like little kids.

A voice in Ali’s head told her she should go study. Be productive. Leave them alone.

But when she saw him smiling…

Those thoughts quietly disappeared.

CHAPTER 12- What does he even see in that girl?

The following Monday, Holly Valley was flooded with photos of the boys and congratulatory posters.

“Ugh, so much sweetness,” Ali snorted sarcastically as she shut her locker.

Just as she finished saying that, she saw a small kid running past, chased by the group of senior bullies.

“Get over here, cockroach!” they yelled, panting as they ran up the stairs.

“Now that looks a bit more like normal.”

“What are they playing?” Oscar asked, catching her off guard.

“Playing?” Ali looked at him in disbelief.

“Aren’t they playing?”

“Yeah. Hunting. If he gets caught, he loses his lunch money and maybe a tooth or two. If he doesn’t get caught, they wait for him after school and he earns a black eye,” Ali said with irony.

“That’s not true!”

“Believe whatever you want,” she said, leaving him alone in the hallway.

He started to follow her, unconvinced, but ran into some of the guys and they began talking about the game. For a moment Oscar forgot everything he had seen—until he heard the little boy crying.

“It’s true,” he muttered, running toward him to ask what had happened.

The kid explained as best he could before breaking down again. The others told Oscar it was better not to get involved, but seeing how stubborn he was, they stayed silent.

“We have to tell the principal!”

“No…” the boy cried.

“Don’t be scared. They won’t attack you anymore,” Oscar said, leading him by the hand.

“He’s crazy!” one of the boys said as he walked into class. “He’s definitely lost it!” said another.

Ali felt curious but didn’t dare ask. After all, it wasn’t her business. She had spent the weekend polishing her essay and had put it in a black folder that made it look even more professional.

As soon as the teacher arrived, she walked up and handed it in, pleased with her work.

Soon the others did the same, but there was still no sign of Oscar. Did he do something stupid? she wondered, staring at the door.

“Oscar’s missing. Does anyone know where he is?” Anna asked, almost as if reading Ali’s mind.

“He went to walk a student to the principal’s office,” one of the boys said.

Right then Oscar knocked and asked for permission to come in, and the teacher seemed more interested in what had happened than in teaching.

As usual, Oscar became the center of attention again—this time as an example to follow to stop abusive behavior.

Used to these talks and their lack of results, Ali began outlining work for other subjects.

I’m not going to waste time listening to empty words and a guy volunteering to be cannon fodder, she thought, pulling out another book without even trying to be discreet.

While everyone discussed ways to stop bullying and shared their experiences, Ali kept writing as if nothing was happening.

Finally, the teacher approached her.

“Does talking about what’s happening at school with those bullies bore you?”

“A lot,” she said without hesitation.

“Would you rather we talk about today’s lesson?” the teacher asked. Everyone booed.

“It’s not my decision.”

“Exactly. and since this topic bores you, I’ll continue with the lesson,” the teacher declared before a wave of complaints filled the room.

Everyone glared at Ali angrily, but no one dared say anything.

When class ended, the teacher collected the essays and left without even saying goodbye. His frustration was obvious.

“What’s wrong with you?” one of the boys asked from the door.

“You ruined a perfectly good free period!” another shouted as he walked away.

“What a bunch of lazy cowards!” Ali snapped, clearly angry.

“This must really affect you,” Oscar said quietly, approaching her. “Affect me? Nobody did anything to me. Why would it affect me?”

“Because of what you went through,” Oscar said, signaling the others to wait outside.

“I didn’t go through anything!”

“Your mom said—”

“She’s wrong,” she cut him off, leaving the classroom.

“Wait. It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it.”

“Listen carefully. If you think pretty words and stupid talks are going to change anything, fine. But don’t drag me into your crusade against windmills.”

“The principal promised it won’t happen again—”

“Do you really think he doesn’t already know? With all the cameras, counselors, everything? You think he doesn’t know?”

“I… I think this time he won’t be able to ignore it.”

“Believe what you want. Just stop bothering me,” she said, walking toward her tree without even looking at him.

Soon everyone gathered around Oscar to ask what he had been talking about with Ali.

“I don’t get what he sees in that girl,” Luna said, waiting outside with Anna.

“Oscar doesn’t see anything in her. He just wants to do a good deed,” Anna said in a schoolteacher tone.

“That’s what you think,” Kay interrupted.

“I know that’s how it is. Oscar sees her as charity work, nothing more.”

“Charity? Yeah, sure!” Kay laughed. “It’s true.”

“Bet you don’t know where he went Saturday after the game.” “He went home. I called him to check on him,” Anna replied angrily.

“And before that?” Kay asked ironically, pointing toward Ali. “That’s a lie!”

“They saw him leaving her house. Ask Tom and Marcio,” Kay finished, leaving Anna and Luna speechless.

CHAPTER 13- Ali’s fury

After a few days in which everyone had to attend sessions with the school psychologist—both individual and group meetings—and the students responsible for beating up the younger kid had been suspended, Holly Valley returned to what it had always been.

The bullies came back with promises to behave. Within minutes of arriving, Ali saw them grab the younger student by the collar and drag him away.

I knew it, she thought, neatly placing her things in her locker.

Oscar, who seemed to have his watch synchronized with Ali’s schedule, looked at her in disbelief.

“Call a monitor,” he told her before running after the bullies.

Ali ignored him and kept walking as if nothing mattered—until she suddenly found herself face to face with the bullies, Oscar, and the small kid.

“Let him go!” Oscar shouted.

“Make us, princess,” one of the bullies said, stepping forward to punch him—then stopping when he noticed Ali.

“You’d better not mess with her,” Oscar said when he saw her.

“She’s with them,” the kid cried.

“That can’t be true,” Oscar said, stunned, as the bullies bowed mockingly and let her pass.

“Our apologies, Your Majesty,” one of them said with an exaggerated bow.

“Wouldn’t it be easier to just take his credit card instead of beating him up every day? Probably he has an extension” Ali said as she walked between them without stopping.

“Hey, Her Majesty’s right!” one of them said, snatching the boy’s card before turning his attention back to Osca

Several minutes later, Ali was already seated in the classroom, waiting for class to start.

She heard loud shouting in the hallway, but as usual she opened a book and began reading like nothing else in the world mattered.

Soon the noise got closer, and Oscar appeared, his face twisted with anger and sadness.

“Why did you do that?” was all he could say.

Ali ignored him and kept reading while the others told him it was pointless, that she wouldn’t listen.

Still, he approached her and asked again, snatching the book from her hands.

“Give me my book back!”

“How could you? Was it fear?” he asked quietly, setting the book on the desk.

“Fear?” Ali laughed—a brittle, defensive laugh. “Were you expecting me to fight for your honor, princess?” she said, trying to sound convincing.

“I asked you to get help. But now I realize you’re friends with those losers.”

“I don’t have friends,” Ali said, glaring at him with such hatred that it made several students shiver.

“That’s right. You don’t. You’re too broken to look at anyone but yourself,” Oscar shot back before walking away.

Ali tried to keep reading, but his words shook her. She wanted to cry and scream—but she didn’t. Showing weakness was like wearing a sign that said attack me.

“If Oscar didn’t know martial arts, those guys would’ve torn him apart,” one of the boys said, knocking Ali’s things onto the floor.

Furious, she stood up and kicked him hard in the backside, making him stumble.

“Don’t ever touch my things again. And don’t you dare blame me for anything,” she said, her voice trembling with rage.

The boy ran back to his seat while others laughed and whistled mockingly.

For a moment, Ali felt like she might lose control. But when no one else dared look at her, she felt oddly relieved.

She just wanted the teacher to arrive so she could leave. When he finally came in, he announced that the essay winners had been chosen.

“Chosen?” Ali muttered. The teacher explained the essays had been voted on by other teachers and a group of students.

Ali immediately had a bad feeling.

Moments later, her fear was confirmed: Oscar and Anna had won.

Hers was well written and would count toward her grade, but the students hadn’t found an essay about Theodore Roosevelt interesting.

The teacher read part of Oscar’s essay—which, just like he had told her, was about tamagotchis”span>

Anna’s was a modern love poem titled “The Boy I Like.”

Ali felt her stomach twist.

A popularity contest. The winner isn’t the best—it’s whoever writes the dumbest stuff, she thought bitterly.

She couldn’t believe that two kindergarten-level essays had beaten one that had taken hours of research and seriousness.

As soon as the bell rang, she grabbed her things and left the school. She wasn’t staying another minute in that cheap sympathy contest.

No one stopped her. No one even noticed she had left without permission.

She wondered if it was because of her good behavior—or because she was invisible.

She walked aimlessly until she felt far enough away to let the tears fall.

She was shaking with rage. She didn’t know what hurt more—Oscar calling her broken, or losing the essay.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t even realize how quickly she reached home. She had never tried walking it before, but that day she hadn’t been thinking.

She opened the door, expecting her mother to yell or panic. Instead, just surprise.

“What are you doing here at this hour?” “Nothing,” Ali said, tears in her eyes.

“What happened?” “My essay didn’t win,” she cried.

“Well, it’s not that bad. You’ll win next time.” “THERE WON’T BE A NEXT TIME!” she shouted.

Her mother hugged her while Ali explained how unfair everything was. Then the phone rang, and her mother’s face changed completely.

“She’s not at school? And you don’t know where she is? Well, she’s here with me,” she said angrily. Ali ran to her room.

Freddy stretched out a tentacle like always to touch her, but she wasn’t in the mood. She fed him and collapsed on her bed, crying.

Minutes later, her mother called her and opened the door.

“The principal wants to talk to you.” “I don’t feel like it.”

“Ali!” “No.”

“We’re going. He’s waiting after school hours, so take a shower and get ready,” she said, closing the door.

Ali felt alone. Betrayed.

How can she force me to go? I’m not going, she thought, packing a few things into a backpack, ready to go to her grandparents’ house.

She climbed out the window and down a pipe, feeling in control again—until her father stopped her.

“Where are you going?” “I already told Mom I’m not going to that stupid meeting.”

“If you don’t go, they might expel you.” “Expel me? It’s their fault! Someone could’ve kidnapped me or something!”

“The only delinquent here is you. You ran away because you didn’t get what you wanted—and you let them beat up your friend.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I had to leave work because the principal called me, desperate, not knowing where you were. Five minutes later he called again saying you were home—but your classmates said you didn’t do anything when they beat up your friend.”

“I DON’T HAVE FRIENDS!” she screamed, crying.

“You’re not even trying to.”

“I don’t care about friends! The only thing I cared about was my essay being chosen—and they picked that idiot and his girlfriend’s instead. So leave me alone.”

“I didn’t say anything when we had to transfer you schools. I didn’t say anything when you started dressing like a funeral director’s daughter. I didn’t even say anything when you got sent to the principal’s office and your mom bought you an octopus. But this is enough. You need help.”

“If you didn’t say anything, that’s your problem. And if I’m so awful and I bother you so much, I can just go live with Grandma and Grandpa,” she said, grabbing her backpack and going back inside.

That afternoon was exhausting. Ali had to go with her parents to the principal’s office. As expected, he talked about trust and respect.

She would have to hand over her phone like everyone else, remove accessories from her uniform, stop wearing makeup, and visit the school psychologist once a week.

She looked at him without saying anything. She didn’t need to. Her face said it all.

CHAPTER 14- Did You Really Think It Would Be Easy?

Ali left the meeting feeling defeated—but she wasn’t going to give up that easily.

She might not have said anything, but there was no way she was showing up without makeup or without the padlock she wore on her boot.

The whole way home she had endured an endless lecture from her parents, and by the time they arrived, she didn’t feel like crying anymore. She felt like fighting.

She had done it before. She wasn’t afraid of the principal’s scolding, and she knew they wouldn’t dare expel her this late in the year.

So she wasn’t backing down.

The next morning she left home without makeup—but put it on during the ride and clipped the padlock to her boot minutes before the bus reached her stop.

Determined, she walked toward school and saw Oscar ride past on his motorcycle—with Anna behind him.

For a moment she froze. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

“Incredible. I wish those idiots who call themselves tough guys had beaten him up,” Kay muttered, irritated, glancing at her. Ali said nothing. She just looked at him, then kept walking.

“Wait. I don’t want to go in alone. Let’s walk in together like nothing affected us.”

Ali stopped and turned sharply. “Us?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Well… I don’t want to rub salt in your wound, but please wait for me. I don’t want Anna to see me upset.” “Fine,” Ali grunted.

She acted annoyed—but she was actually relieved. She didn’t want anyone to see she was affected either.

“So… what punishment did you get for skipping out?” Kay asked, slinging an arm over her shoulders.

“If you don’t move that arm, I’ll rip it off.” “Sorry, sorry. But seriously—how did you escape? What did they do to you?”

“I walked out the front door because it was hot and my grandparents have a pool,” Ali said without blinking.

“Through the door? … The door? Just like that?” She didn’t answer.

After putting her things in her locker, they headed to class. “And they didn’t punish you?”

“Why would they punish me?” she asked with a mischievous smile, leaving Kay speechless.

Soon the whole school knew what she had told him. Exactly what she wanted.

If everyone believed she hadn’t been punished—that she could do whatever she wanted—her reputation as untouchable would stay intact.

No one really believed the “too hot” excuse, but the fact that she was there with no visible consequences was enough.

“Why can she do whatever she wants and nothing happens?” people whispered as she passed.

Ali smiled triumphantly. But the truth was, everything that had happened yesterday still hurt.

Every now and then Oscar looked at her silently. It was impossible not to—everyone kept pointing and speculating.

“She’s lying. She didn’t walk out the door. She climbed the wall. And she did get punished,” Anna muttered angrily.

“Yeah, there’s no way they’d just let her leave without consequences,” Luna added.

Ali assumed they were talking about her—but she had something more important to do during break: Convince the school psychologist not to force her into sessions.

Not only did she manage that—claiming she wasn’t ready to talk about certain things—but she also convinced her that the makeup was part of her identity.

She left the office feeling victorious. She felt like she could convince anyone. Anyone except people her own age. Adults were easier. Just speak calmly, widen your eyes like a helpless deer, and done.

She’d learned that trick back at Pure Heart—pretending to be sick to skip class.

At home, though, things were different. Her father had already hired a private psychologist. Twice a week.

Ali cried, begged, and tried every trick she knew. He didn’t budge an inch.

“You’re the only teenager I know who spends all day locked up with no friends.” “I don’t have friends because I don’t want them!”

“But honey, it’s not normal,” her mother added softly. “I still meet up with my old classmates all the time.” “You also have two kids and a husband. Not exactly the same situation,” Ali replied, crossing her arms.

“Don’t get smart,” her father snapped.

“Well… how about baby steps? Get ready—we’re going out with your brother.” her mother said

“After the way she talked to us, you’re taking her out?” he asked.

“The problem is she’s always locked up with no friends. Come on, kids. To the car.”

“I’d rather stay—” “No ‘buts,’ young lady.”

Lisa Parker drove for a few minutes, and Ali instantly recognized the destination. The mall.

“You’re taking us to the mall?” “Yes.” “I’m not going in there,” Ali said, feeling betrayed.

“Why not?”

“Because the pet shop where that jerk works is there.”

“We can buy some things for Freddy. You can apologize to him while you’re at it.”

“Why would I apologize? I didn’t do anything.”

“Then there’s no reason to hide.”

“Are we buying Freddy a toy?” her little brother asked. “And you get to pick it, sweetheart.”

“Yay!” he cheered, sticking his tongue out at Ali.

Soon they arrived, but Ali refused to enter the pet shop.

“If you don’t come in, I’m going to start kissing you and calling you mommy’s teddy bear so everyone can hear,” her mom warned sweetly.

“No!” “Mommy’s little teddy—” “Mom, stop!”

Ali followed, mortified.

“I brought Ali so she could apologize,” her mom said, squeezing her arm. “I’m not doing that,” Ali muttered. “She doesn’t need to apologize,” Oscar said, emerging from the stockroom.

“Ali, weren’t you going to pick something for your octopus?” her mom nudged. “Do it. We’ll go get ice cream,” Oscar’s mom said, taking her brother’s hand. Seconds later, Ali was alone with him.

A setup. Obviously.

She turned her back.

“You don’t have to apologize,” Oscar said quietly. “I won’t tell your mom.”

“You’ve already said enough, haven’t you?”

“What do you mean?”

“Everyone knows I didn’t do anything when you went playing hero.”

He looked confused.

“Never stand between a bully and their victim. That’s like trying to rescue a deer from a tiger.”

“I didn’t tell anyone! The others did. But… are you actually defending those criminals after what you went through?”

“What I’m saying is you eventually have to learn to defend yourself. You stop being prey and become the predator.”

“So the best thing is to do nothing? Let some kid get beaten up?”

“It’s the most effective way to learn.”

“Is that why you left Pure Heart?”

“I didn’t leave because I was weak. I left because I became the predator.”

“Great. Becoming what you hate.”

“You don’t understand—”

“No. I don’t. When I found out you were bullied, I felt sorry for you and—”

“I DON’T NEED YOUR PITY!” she shouted.

“You don’t deserve it. I thought you were different.”

“Well, I think you shouldn’t have won that stupid contest with an essay about a toy—and I think those bullies should’ve beaten you up, idiot!” She ran. until she reached a bus stop and got on the first bus she saw. She just wanted to disappear. To cry.

Who did he think he was? Judging her like he knew her better than anyone? Maybe she should leave this place too.

Her phone rang. It was her mom. She ignored it—then texted that she was fine and heading home. She wasn’t. She had taken the wrong bus.

After checking routes, she got off and waited for another. Hours passed. Calls kept coming. Finally, the right bus arrived.

When she got off, she still had to walk several blocks. Halfway there, her dad found her driving around. “Get in. Now,” he said coldly.

The whole ride home, he didn’t say a word. At home, everyone hugged her, relieved.

“Oscar said you two fought and he couldn’t catch you,” her mom said. “It wasn’t his fault. It was mine.”

“Of course it was yours,” her dad said sharply. “You were jealous he won. That’s why you didn’t help when they beat him.”

“That’s not true!”

“They did beat him. He has a cracked rib.” Ali froze.

“But… they said he knows martial arts…”

“Doesn’t mean he didn’t get hurt.”

“And somehow it’s my fault?”

“No. But you could’ve done something, Alison!”

“No one did anything for me when I needed it most. Why should I?”

“Because we treat others how we want to be treated,” her mom said softly.

“I’d rather take care of myself and let everyone else do the same.”

The argument lasted for hours. Nothing worked. Punishments meant nothing to Ali.

Finally, her father decided: “Tomorrow, after school, you’re going to the psychologist. No discussion.”

CHAPTER 15- Yeah, sure

The next day, the atmosphere in Holly Valley had changed.

On the surface, everyone was doing the same things as always—running around, laughing, joking, cramming at the last minute—but something felt different, and Ali could sense it.

They looked at her furtively, but it wasn’t curiosity like before. It was anger.As usual, she ignored them and stared straight back at anyone who seemed even slightly challenging

This time she wasn’t going to let things get out of hand. And if she had to throw the first punch, so be it.

Still, it all stayed in looks. As always, no one dared say anything or bother her. Even the upper-grade bullies had started behaving, and Holly Valley seemed wrapped in that strange calm that comes right before a storm.

Ali headed to class like always. As soon as the lesson began, one of the monitors walked in and asked her to come with him to the principal’s office.

Clearly annoyed, Ali followed without saying a word.

When they arrived, the monitor told her to go in and wait.

“Alison Parker,” said the principal’s unmistakable voice.

Ali went in and sat down with a sour expression.

“If I remember correctly, I told you you couldn’t come wearing makeup and that you needed to see the counselor.”

Annoyed, as if someone were quizzing her on basic math, Ali exhaled. “I talked to the counselor. We agreed I’m not ready. And makeup is my form of expression.”

“It is a form of expression, I won’t argue with that, but… it’s not fair to the others.”

“If I take it off, it’ll be worse. And let’s be honest—none of the girls here want to wear black makeup like me.”

“Is that because of your history with…?”

“Yes.

“Well, you’ll have to do something to integrate.”

“But I didn’t come here to make friends.”

“School isn’t only about studying. For example, the essay competition—”

Before he could finish, Ali cut him off. “You mean the popularity contest.”

“I spoke with your teacher. He said your essay was excellent. Still, no one voted for you.”

“I assume the national competition will have mandatory videos and photos to determine the winner, right? —Ali asked ironically.” she asked sarcastically.

“The point is, you’re very smart academically, but not emotionally. What will happen when you go to university?”

“I’ll meet mature people who don’t need to make other people’s lives miserable because they have none of their own.”

The principal laughed and shook his head.

“No, Ali. University and work follow the same rules. If nobody likes you—or you isolate yourself—you’ll close doors before they even open. Recommendations often come from the impression we make, not just good work.”

“First impressions are everything. I already made a bad one, so I guess I’ll wait until I finish high school and make a better impression somewhere else.”

“Nothing’s lost yet. In fact, I’d like you to join the soccer team.”

“No!”

“Why not? The help you gave the boys helped them win.”

“I did it to get back at Pure Heart. Not because I cared about our team.”

“I know. I appreciate your honesty. But at least think about it. It’d be good for you—and good for the team. We could become mixed and compete at a higher level.”

“I don’t know.”

“Just think about it. Come see me in a week.”

Something inside her told her to ignore him. Keep doing what she always did. But she knew he was right—connections mattered.

That afternoon she had to go to the counselor while everyone else went to the arcade. It frustrated her twice as much: she’d lose study time, and if she had to lose it, she’d rather spend it playing air hockey or pool than talking to a stranger.

The place looked like some kind of hippie den—motivational posters, cheerful drawings, fake flowers. Ali felt like running away but forced a smile for her mom while they waited.

“Follow your heart.” “Age is just a number.” “Do what makes you happy.”

“What would make me happy is getting out of here,” Ali muttered.

“Relax, honey. If you don’t like her, we’ll find someone else,” her mother said, squeezing her hand.

Ali didn’t want someone else. She just wanted out. Every minute felt like watching paint dry.

Finally they called them in. The counselor—a woman in her fifties, a bit chubby, smiling ear to ear—spoke to Ali in a condescending tone.

“Why do you think you’re here, sweetheart?”

Ali shrugged.

Her mom spoke for her, recounting every problem Ali had ever had since childhood.

Ali stared at the paintings on the wall, bored. Nothing could be worse than this near-medieval torture.

“Ali,” the counselor suddenly said. “Would you like to wait outside while I talk with your mom?” She didn’t wait to be asked twice and bolted out like a bat out of hell.

In the waiting room, she pulled out her phone and—out of boredom—did something she rarely did: checked social media.

She used a fake name so no one would recognize her. Just like in real life, she had no friends online. She checked her classmates’ posts. They were all having fun.

Everyone except her was in the arcade. Anna kept appearing next to Oscar like a sticker you couldn’t peel off. Every time Ali saw them, she felt furious.

“That girl just doesn’t get that he doesn’t like her. And there’s the hero of Holly Valley, grinning like an idiot in every photo,” she muttered.

“Everyone’s having fun except me.” She put the phone away.

Then she saw the Tamagotchi Oscar had given her and decided to turn it on. A cute black-and-white pet appeared on the tiny screen and she started playing.

Having a virtual pet while owning a real one seemed silly, but she was bored, and once she started, she got hooked.

Soon the psychologist called her in.

She told Ali she could talk about anything she wanted, that it was a safe space.

Ali just shrugged and shook her head.

The first session ended without success, and Mrs. Parker left crying like crazy. Seeing how much it affected her mother, Ali felt more determined than ever not to tell that woman anything.

Psychology is useless, she thought while playing with the Tamagotchi on the way home

CHAPTER 16- Think About it

What Ali wanted most was for everything to go back to normal, and after three sessions, the psychologist called her parents to inform them that Ali wasn’t ready.

At first, her parents thought about looking for another professional, but they felt it would just be another waste of time and money, so after talking with Ali, they decided it wasn’t the right moment for her to see a psychologist.

She also decided to return the virtual pet to Oscar before it became an obsession, so one morning she left it on his desk. No warning, no note, no interaction.

He didn’t approach.

She secretly wished he would, but he didn’t. That hurt more than she expected.

On one hand, she felt glad things were going according to plan. But on the other—the side she never showed—she felt sad. Oscar had been one of the few people who hadn’t given up on her at the first rejection.

"Now it’s official. Nobody talks to me anymore" —she told herself, crossing her name off a list next to the calendar counting the days until school ended.

Her internal monologue was interrupted by the Literature teacher, who began talking about the essays—something Ali thought had been completely forgotten.

"Yesterday I spoke with the principal —the teacher continued— and he told me some of you weren’t satisfied with the result, so I decided to give you another opportunity".

"But what about those of us who won?"" —Anna asked.

"There might be room for a third winner" —the teacher said.

"The rules said there would be two per class, not three" —Oscar said, pulling out a paper detailing the essay’s purpose and the competition guidelines.

As the class began to stir, Ali’s pride hit rock bottom.

Winning out of pity is worse than winning out of sympathy, she thought.

"But what exactly is going to happen?"" —another boy asked.

"Kids, I made the mistake of presenting your essays to other students and it turned into a popularity contest instead of a performance-based one. But I’ll make sure there are three winners, not two, okay?"

"And who went to complain?"" —Luna asked, looking around.

"That doesn’t matter" —the teacher said.

"Yes, it does" —Luna insisted.

Furious as everyone began looking at her, Ali spoke up.

"I was called by the principal, but I didn’t ask for a second chance, and I’m not going to participate in this".

"But you pointed out something important, and I’m acting accordingly"- the teacher said.

"Teacher, I’ll go talk to the principal again. I would never complain about not winning".

"I believe you Ali" —the teacher said seriously.

"Liar, that’s what you wanted" —Anna muttered without looking at her.

"What I wanted was a normal high school, not one where writing about your crush and a toy makes you deserve first place. But since we’re not in a normal high school, I guess from now on I’ll bring a doll and decorative paper to write love letters during recess" —Ali said, raising her voice.

"Girls, don’t fight" —the teacher said.

"Everything was fine until she arrived" —Anna cried.

"The world was fine until you were born and polluted it with your existence" —Ali shot back angrily.

"Ali, enough. And you too, Anna."

"Why can’t you be like the rest of us? "—Luna asked while comforting Anna, who was rarely challenged.

"If I wanted to be a dumb blonde, at least I’d use a decent dye that didn’t leave my hair looking like yours" —Ali said, sharp as a blade.

"I’m a natural blonde!"" —Anna bawled.

"Enough, all three of you" —the teacher shouted, silencing everyone.

Some students tried to hold back laughter, pointing at Anna’s very artificial-looking golden hair.

As soon as the bell rang, Ali rushed out to talk to the principal. She had to wait, and when she finally entered, he greeted her with a smile.

"Did you think about what we talked?"

"No. I mean… I didn’t come for that".

"No? Well then tell me what brings you to this humble office" —he joked

"The Literature teacher seems to think I asked for my essay to be placed first, and now he wants us to rewrite them. I told him I didn’t do that, and even though he said he believes me, now everyone thinks I’m some kind of… of…"

"Bad loser?"

"Snake" —Ali sighed.

"Oh. I’ll talk to them".

"No, that’ll make it worse —she said, holding her head".

"You know what I think would be a good idea?"

"Join the soccer team?"

"I was going to say tell them you spoke with me and it was all a misunderstanding… but if you joined the team… well, let’s say that would be the cherry on top because… we have a new coach with little experience who’s going to need help…"

"You?"" —Ali asked in disbelief.

The principal nodded, blushing a little.

"What happened to the other one?"

"He didn’t like that a girl had designed the winning attack strategy."

"Emotional blackmail doesn’t work on me" —Ali said firmly.

"Touché. Actually, he got an offer from a school closer to his family and left".

"Do the others know?"

"That he’s leaving, yes. They even organized a farewell party".

"And that you’ll be the new coach?"

"That, no. So please don’t say anything."

"Who would I even tell?"

"Come on. I’ll talk to your class" —he said, standing up.

"But it’ll be worse if you talk to them".

"Leave it to me. They see me as some kind of authority "—he joked.

When they stepped out, they ran into Oscar waiting to talk to the principal.

"Oscar, good thing you’re here. I need a little help" —he said, pointing at Ali.

She looked at him incredulously, but before she could protest, the principal continued.

"What would you do if I told you we have one of the best players who could take us to the interschool finals but isn’t sure she wants to play with us?"

"I’d tell her maybe that’s a good way to make friends. But she’s not interested in making friends".

"Not interested, or scared?"

"I’m not scared "—Ali snapped.

"And who said we were talking about you?"

"Good, because I don’t even like soccer. I only played so I wouldn’t have to run laps."

"You could build a track, Carlo" —Oscar said casually, making Ali raise an eyebrow at the familiarity.

"I’m not spending money on blackmail without confirming she doesn’t have two left feet. Maybe she’s rusty for football".

"I am" —Ali said, trying not to laugh.

"Come on. I have to clear up the essay mess and announce tryouts for the girls".

"How many do we need, Carlo?"

"At least four".

"I don’t know if that many will want to join".

"We’ll see" —the principal said, looking at Ali.

And somehow, just a few words from him calmed the class and cleared up the misunderstanding.

Then he announced that any girls who wanted to join the soccer team could try out, since the goal was to create a mixed team. Anna was the first to raise her hand, seeing it as a chance to get closer to Oscar.

"Easy, easy. You’ll have to come tomorrow after school for selection" —the principal said.

Ali remained unmoved while all the girls showed exaggerated enthusiasm.

Afterward, everyone kept talking about it. Some boys were for it, others against it, but Oscar decided it was a great idea.

Ali tried to leave, but Oscar caught up and tapped her shoulder.

"I… I liked it a lot, but it’ll end up taking away my study time "—she said, completely unguarded.

"You’re always studying".

"It’s not as easy for me as it is for everyone else…"

"That’s a lie. You’re very smart. You just don’t give yourself a chance to show it. If everyone ignores you, how will they see your potential?"

She was stunned.

Who’s going to read your essays if you don’t have friends?" —he continued

"I do have friends…"

"Here?"

"Well… no…"

"Then it doesn’t cost anything to try. Come tomorrow".

"I don’t know…"

"Carlo asked me to challenge you. To say you’d do badly, so you’d come prove him wrong. But I know you’re smart enough to see through that kind of trick."

"That stuff is for kids".

"I know. That’s why I came to tell you what I think. Carlo says you’re scared. And I think so too".

"I’m not scared" —she said defensively.

"You’re scared things will go back to how they were. But they won’t".

"I’m not scared… I… I have to go…"

"Ali."

"What?"

"I won’t let them hurt you again" —Oscar said before leaving her alone.

CHAPTER 16- The Surprise

No one expected Alison Parker to show up for the mixed team tryouts.

In fact, practice had already started, and it looked like everyone had completely lost their coordination.

Playing among boys was one thing. Having the girls trying to keep up alongside them was another.

The principal—now turned coach—had asked them to make a few simple passes and take a penalty shot, but the ball kept flying everywhere except toward the goal.

During one of those attempts, Julia kicked the ball and it went straight toward the door.

Someone stepped in and stopped it with their foot. It was Ali.

Dressed in black shorts and a matching shirt, she only made a couple of small movements before sending the ball straight into the goal—without even having to get close.

Everyone froze, mouths open. Even the goalkeeper, who so far hadn’t had to make the slightest effort.

“Well, well… someone decided to accept the challenge. Why don’t you show us what you’ve got?” the coach said, tossing the ball back to her.

“What do you want me to do?”

“Pass it to Oscar. Kay, don’t let her—but no brute force, she’s a girl.”

“She’s a girl?” Ali repeated sarcastically, already sprinting with the ball.

She slipped past Kay easily and sent a clean pass to Oscar, who was so stunned he didn’t even move. Kay quickly stole it back.

“Wake up!” Ali shouted, stealing the ball from Kay and scoring.

They all stared at each other and started whispering.

“You play?” Kay asked, sounding more like he was stating a fact than asking a question.

“And you?” Ali shot back with a grin.

“Well… we’ve got one,” the coach said, smiling.

No one could believe what they were seeing.

Ali hadn’t just impressed the boys with her skills—she was smiling. She even looked… friendly.

Anna watched her with anger, but when everyone else went over to congratulate her, she followed too.

“Alright, give her some space before you scare her off. Let’s play a real match,” the coach said, worried Ali might change her mind.

He quickly split them into two teams and intentionally put Ali on the worse one to see how she’d handle it.

“Ali, you’ll be captain of your group. You’re with Anna, Luna, Igor, and… all those sitting on the bench.”

Ali gave a sly laugh, clearly understanding what he was doing, but she said nothing. She just nodded and gathered her team to talk strategy.

Soon they were playing.

Her teammates were a disaster.

But Ali had already set things up: two “shock forces.” One to block attacks near their goal, another to recover the ball. Anyone else who couldn’t really play would simply get in the other team’s way.

With everyone in position, the match started.

Ali stole the ball quickly, but since no one backed her up, she lost it just as fast.

She knew she needed at least one more decent player.

Still, the blocking strategy worked. It frustrated several of Oscar’s scoring attempts.

It wasn’t until the second half, when Oscar was about to score, that Ali stole the ball from him and kicked it away from the danger zone.

She hadn’t even meant to score.

She just wanted to clear the area. But the ball went straight into the net. Goal.

Her whole team exploded with cheers.

The coach picked her up and hoisted her onto his shoulders in celebration.

Ali didn’t just know how to play—she knew how to play as a team. And that mattered most.

Proof of that came when one of the boys suggested replacing Kay with her as captain.

She immediately refused.

“No way. Kay has way more experience than I do.”

Oscar felt like, for the first time, he was seeing the real Ali—the one pretending to protest while being carried around.

“Where did you learn to play like that?” one of the boys asked, stunned.

“I’ve got a little brother. And he’s really annoying,” Ali replied with a smile.

She still wasn’t sure if showing up had been the right choice.

But what Oscar had told her the day before kept echoing in her head.

Maybe… she needed to give others—and herself—a chance.

CHAPTER 17- A New Ali?

The days went by and, little by little, Ali began to feel something she had never felt before.

Comfort.

It was completely new. For the first time in her life, she didn’t have to stay in a constant state of hypervigilance—and that was simply wonderful.

She still had doubts. She still felt insecure. But playing soccer had given her something she’d never had before: Camaraderie.

When she arrived, people greeted her. Hiding under the old tree was no longer an option, since she now spent recess talking about soccer with everyone else.

Ali always insisted she didn’t even like the sport, but ever since she’d started training and getting to know her classmates better, it didn’t seem like such a bad idea anymore.

One day, out of nowhere, Kay stopped her.

“You were Pure Heart’s star player, weren’t you

Oscar laughed and rubbed the back of his head. “You’re only figuring that out now?” he said, unable to hold it in.

Ali started laughing too.

“I wouldn’t say star… but I played until I got injured,” she said, pointing to the padlock on her boot.

“What happened? Did you fall?” Kay asked.

“I refused to play and… had an accident. That’s all,” she said, clearly uncomfortable.

Oscar frowned, worried, but said nothing.

“What kind of accident?” Kay insisted.

“I fell off a ladder and broke my leg. Something dumb,” Ali said, even more nervous.

“That sucks!” Kay replied, not noticing she was on the verge of tears.

At that moment, Ali excused herself, saying she had to return a book, and left them alone in the yard.

A few minutes later, she found herself alone in a hallway. She slid down into a corner and started crying, not realizing Oscar had followed her.

“No one’s ever going to hurt you again,” he said softly, touching her shoulder before hugging her.

“Don’t touch me,” she said, startled.

“Sorry.” “Don’t you dare tell anyone what you know—or that you saw me crying—or I’ll turn you into mincemeat.”

“Please don’t hurt me! I beg you!” Oscar said dramatically, pretending to be terrified.

“Stop it!” Ali said, trying not to laugh.

“If you’re going to attack me, at least spare my beautiful face!” he added, covering himself with his hands. Ali burst out laughing.

She only stopped when she heard footsteps approaching. It was Anna.

Looking for Oscar, as usual.

“Your girlfriend,” Ali muttered, nodding toward her. “She’s not—” Oscar started, but Anna had already reached them.

“What are you two doing sitting on the floor?” she asked impatiently. “The floor was dirty, so we decided to clean it. Want to help?” Ali replied.

Oscar started laughing uncontrollably while Anna forced a tight smile.

“Very funny, Ali,” Anna said stiffly.

“Well, now that it’s clean, I think it’s time to go,” Ali said, standing up.

Oscar regretted that she left, but didn’t say anything.

Anna immediately took the chance to sit beside him and started talking about a new romance manga she was reading.

Not wanting to be rude, Oscar listened like always. But he couldn’t stop yawning now and then.

CHAPTER 18- Déjà Vu

For Ali, things seemed to be going great.

But deep down, something kept warning her not to relax. Everything that goes up… eventually comes down.

Still, little by little, that fear started giving way to a side of herself she didn’t even know existed—the version of her who could simply walk around without worrying.

She could talk to people. Even smile.

Things she used to consider signs of weakness. And yet… no one bothered her.

Those new feelings spread into every part of her life.

She talked more at home. She took her little brother to martial arts practice. She greeted the neighbors. She went grocery shopping by herself. She went to soccer practice. She even realized she could study less and still get good grades.

Everyone noticed the change. Everyone congratulated her. But one day—just as her fears had predicted—the teacher announced a new girl would be joining their class.

Ali decided not to care. Everyone would be excited about the new student anyway.

So she focused on her final projects… and on training for the mixed team’s debut match.

That afternoon, during practice, they were working in pairs, passing the ball back and forth, when she heard a voice she hoped she would never hear again.

“Alison Parker?”

She ignored it, thinking it was just her imagination.

“Ali!”

Kay pointed toward the benches.

When Ali turned around— She went pale.

It was Violeta Gomes. Someone from her past.

Someone she never, ever wanted to see again. “What is she doing here?” Ali asked the coach.

“Oh right, everyone gather up! This is Miss Gomes. She’s your new classmate.”

“New classmate…” Ali muttered under her breath, glaring at her.

Everyone rushed over to welcome her. Everyone except Ali.

It felt like the ground beneath her feet was collapsing. This can’t be happening.

During penalty practice, she tried to ignore Violeta. Pretend she didn’t exist.

She even pinched herself, but the girl was still there. Worse—she was already laughing with Anna.

“Just act like she’s invisible,” Ali told herself. She scored.

“Let’s go, Ali!” Anna and Violeta shouted together. The sound made her stomach twist.

Oscar noticed. “You know her?” “No.”

“She says you went to the same school.” “Maybe. I don’t remember.”

“Was she the one who bullied you?” he whispered. “That’s none of your business!” Ali snapped.

The tension spread through practice like poison. By the time it ended, everyone quietly went home.

Ali ran. Locked herself in her room. Cried.

Then her phone rang. Violeta’s voice. “Hey Ali… decided to live like a zombie?” Laughter. Click. Ali threw the phone so hard the screen shattered.

CHAPTER 19- The Worst Nightmare

If Ali thought that by ignoring her everything would be fine, she was wrong.

Violeta had joined forces with some of the other girls in the class, and soon Ali felt as if she were reliving everything all over again.

She knew exactly what would happen: first they would speak badly about her behind her back, then the teasing would begin, and finally, the physical harassment.

She also knew that eventually she would no longer be able to ignore her and would have to confront her. But that first week, she did nothing. The shock of having her in the same class was too much to break out of the trance she seemed to be in.

Ali became withdrawn again and stopped talking to anyone. Thousands of thoughts ran through her mind.

It was like returning to hell millimeter by millimeter, and it was confirmed one day when a younger student said in front of others that the rules didn’t apply to her and she could look like a corpse without anyone doing anything about it.

“What did you say?” Ali asked, staring at her, though the girl didn’t back down.

“What you heard. The rules don’t apply to you like they do to the rest of us, and we’re going to complain to the principal.”

“And do you think no one else has already done that?” Ali said, slamming her locker shut while pretending to laugh.

Maybe she had left those girls speechless, but she was afraid.

Since arriving at Holly Valley, she had only had one problem—with some older bullies who decided to harass her because of her appearance. That had been enough for her to react, leaving the five boys on the ground.

“Pum, pow, pum.”

All that could be heard afterward were “ouch” and “please stop” from the bullies, who from then on treated her like a queen, calling her “Your Majesty” and bowing to her.

From that day on, everyone at Holly Valley kept their distance. No one dared even look at her, much less challenge her.

Ali was worried—and rightly so. To make matters worse, she had missed calls and hateful messages on her phone.

Since she didn’t have social media, she didn’t know what was already circulating. But seeing her classmates’ faces and how they checked their phones whenever she walked by, she could guess.

“How are you?” Oscar asked, approaching her.

“She posted something about me online, didn’t she?”

Oscar nodded silently.

“Show me.”

“I went to talk to Carlo and—”

“He couldn’t find out who was responsible, but he’s going to investigate,” Ali interrupted, laughing so she wouldn’t cry.

“I think you should talk to him.”

“It doesn’t make sense. She’s been here a week and everyone already prefers her,” Ali said, lowering her head.

“Not everyone. I prefer you,” he said, looking at her in a way he never had before.

“You don’t know what you’re saying…” Ali began, before Anna, Violeta, and Luna approached.

“Oscar, come with us,” Anna said

“I’m talking to Ali.”

“She’s not very talkative, aren´t you Ali? I was surprised to see you dressed like that… like a little girl in a Halloween costume,” Violeta said between laughs. Luna said nothing but laughed along.

“Don’t ever speak to me again,” Ali said, standing up.

“Oh, how mean. I just wanted to reconnect after so long.”

“Leave her alone,” Oscar intervened.

“Well, if you ask me to,” Violeta said with a fake giggle, taking Anna by the arm. Anna was clearly furious seeing Oscar defend Ali.

“Thank you,” Ali whispered to Oscar before the bell rang.

CHAPTER 20- The Hero

Ali felt her head spinning. On one hand, the nightmare seemed to be starting again; on the other, someone was defending her.

That had never happened before. No one had ever taken the time to talk to her, and those who had weren’t as honest as Oscar.

Before she could think further, Oscar tapped her shoulder to signal that the bell had rung and then took her by the arm

Ali looked at him in disbelief but said nothing. For the first time, she felt someone was protecting her, and she didn’t know whether she felt anger or relief.

“Come on,” he said, holding a basket with yarn and knitting needles.

“Are you going to teach me how to knit?” “If you’d like.”

“Maybe I’ll make a rope to hang myself.”

“Don’t joke about that,” Oscar said seriously, leading her to a corner of the yard and showing her how to knit.

Anna was furious like never before.

“I can’t believe it! Look at them! It’s not fair. I’ve spent whole weeks texting him, going to that stupid pet shop, getting covered in dog hair, and now they’re there together as if nothing happened.”

“He probably didn’t see what I posted about her, but don’t worry—he will soon, just like everyone else, and Ali won’t have any escape. She’ll have to leave like she did from Pure Heart,” Violeta said with a smile.

“Why do you hate her so much?” Luna asked, somewhat frightened.

“Because she always thought she was superior, always had that untouchable princess air,” Violeta replied, fury flashing in her eyes.

“But is it true that she dated all the boys in her class at Pure Heart?”

“No, but no one needs to know that. In fact, I’m going to post her number so everyone has it,” Violeta said, adjusting her hair and laughing.

“But… making that up and posting her number so people call her is—”

“Stop being ridiculous, Luna. Violeta’s right. Ali always thought she was superior, and now she won’t leave Oscar alone.”

“Actually, he’s the one who looks for her. She’s always been very withdrawn and—”

“Shut up, Luna!” Anna shouted.

“If you like her so much, go be with her. Just make sure you don’t say a word, because I’ll make sure they do to you what they did to that idiot,” Violeta said, pulling Luna’s hair.

From a distance, Ali and Oscar watched.

“Looks like we had a small rebellion,” Ali said, returning to her knitting.

“I can’t believe that girl!” Oscar said, standing up.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m going to stop them.”

“Wait… I’m coming with you,” Ali said.

As soon as Oscar approached, Violeta let go of Luna, who had been crying.

“Are you okay?” Oscar asked her.

“We were just playing, right, Luna?” Violeta said with a smile.

“Would you like me to pull your hair?” Oscar asked, staring at her seriously.

“You? ” Violeta asked, laughing.

“Tell them it’s nothing, Luna,” Anna said nervously.

“I’m fine,” Luna replied, looking at the ground.

Ali took out a pack of tissues and handed it to Luna, who took it silently and excused herself.

“You should be ashamed!” Oscar said.

“You should be ashamed for hanging out with that zombie,” Violeta shot back.

“I dress like this because I want to, not because it’s my natural face… like in your case,” Ali said, staring at her.

“Let’s go,” Oscar said, taking her by the arm.

“Oscar, wait!” Anna shouted, but Violeta quickly silenced her.

“Let him. Being with Ali will soon be social suicide, and he’ll drop her like any rational person,” Violeta exclaimed angrily.

“I’m going to see if I can find Luna,” Ali told Oscar, who nodded.

On the way, two older boys stepped in front of her and blocked her path.

“A little bird told us that goth girls are easy, so why don’t we go somewhere?” one of them said while the other laughed.

Furious, Ali kicked one of them between the legs and punched the other.

“The only place we’re going is to hell, idiot!” she shouted, trembling with rage.

“Ali, Ali, are you okay?” Oscar said, running toward her.

“I’m going to kill them!” she said, wiping away the tears starting to spill.

“It wasn’t a big deal, it was a joke.” One of the boys said

“What did you say to you, you animals?” Oscar demanded, just before Ali ran into the girls’ bathroom.

“Damn it!” she cried, unaware that Luna was hiding in one of the stalls doing the same.

When Luna heard her crying and swearing, she came out and offered her the same pack of tissues Ali had given her earlier.

“Oh!” Ali exclaimed, surprised.

“Did you read what they wrote?” Luna asked.

“No. I broke my phone,” Ali confessed.

“It’s really awful,” Luna said.

“That I’m easy and stupid, along with my phone number.”

“You know?”

“It’s not like Violeta is very creative…”

“So you’re not crying because of that?”

“Two idiots clearly read the post and believed it.”

“Did they mess with you?” Luna asked, worried.

Ali nodded and wiped away the tears that had smudged her makeup. “You should tell the principal!”

“I already dealt with those idiots. The problem is that now I look like I came out of a horror movie,” Ali said, starting to laugh.

“Maybe this will help,” Luna said, taking out a compact from her pocket.

“It has black. Perfect,” Ali replied.

“I bought it for the pearly shade,” Luna said with a smile.

“Thanks,” Ali said, handing it back after touching up her eyes.

“You’re welcome. I don’t know you very well, but I don’t agree with what they’re doing to you.”

Ali opened her mouth in surprise. Of all people, she never expected Anna’s best friend to support her.

“Thank you. I… I don’t want to get you in trouble. Violeta has hated me since elementary school. First she started talking about me behind my back, then everyone stopped talking to me, and finally they started insulting and attacking me. That’s why I left Pure Heart.”

“Wow. I never thought you had been bullied.”

“I don’t think I even realized it myself, at least not until it was too late… I think it’s better if I go. If they see us together, they’ll start doing the same to you.”

“Violeta threatened me with that while she was pulling my hair, and Anna just laughed.”

“She only cares about one person…” Ali said, trailing off.

“Oscar. But he likes you,” Luna said with a smile.

“Me?” Ali asked, incredulous.

“Yes.”

“No, that’s not true,” Ali said, blushing.

“He’s always talking about you,” Luna insisted.

As soon as they left the bathroom, Oscar was waiting outside. Before leaving them alone, Luna gave Ali a slight nudge and walked away.

“I was worried. Are you okay?”

“Yes. Thanks.”

“Come on, Carlo wants to talk to you.”

“Carlo?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“The principal.”

“Yes, I know.”

“He’s… dating my mom.”

“I know that too.”

“You know?” Oscar asked, surprised.

“I overheard a conversation and drew conclusions.”

“Overheard…” Oscar said teasingly.

CHAPTER 21- You’re Leaving

The weekend passed like a flash amid viral posts about Ali and dozens of messages on her phone. Many showed genuine concern, but it was the few mocking messages that affected her most.

No one expected her to show up on Monday—especially without makeup and having removed the black dye from her hair—but she did.

When she arrived, no one recognized her.

Oscar, who had seen a photo of her before she started wearing all that makeup, had to look twice before approaching.

“Ali?” he asked, receiving no answer.

Everyone stared and pointed, wondering who the new girl was. Some of the boldest even approached her to ask if she had a boyfriend. Ali ignored them all.

When Ali had something in mind, it was nearly impossible to change it. And when she saw Violeta and Anna laughing while looking at a phone, she didn’t hesitate.

She walked up firmly, tapped Violeta on the shoulder, and waited for her to turn around.

Oscar followed close behind, unsure if it was really Ali. But when Violeta turned, all doubts disappeared

Ali punched her, knocking her off balance and sending her crashing to the ground.

“This place is too small for both of us. It’s your turn to leave,” Ali said, turning away.

Violeta, lying on the floor, began screaming when she noticed her nose was bleeding

“You’re crazy! You broke my nose!” she shouted in desperation as everyone stared in horror.

Oscar, who couldn’t believe what had just happened, followed her.

“Ali, Ali, wait!” he shouted, running after her.

“Is that Ali?” Kay said, staring open-mouthed.

“Where has she been all my life?” another boy said, red as a maraschino cherry.

Ali kept walking but slowed her pace slightly so Oscar could catch up.

“This is all my fault,” he said seriously.

“It’s not. I should’ve done that a long time ago,” Ali replied, trying to hide the smile forming on her lips.

“But now you’re going to get in trouble.”

“I don’t care. Don’t you see? I’m free!” she said at last, smiling.

When they reached the principal’s office, she knocked and asked to speak with him, unaware that he still knew nothing about what had happened.

“Oscar and…”

“Alison Parker,” she said, somewhat annoyed that they couldn’t recognize her.

“Ali?” the principal asked, looking her up and down.

“Yes. Isn’t it obvious?”

“No, but come in and tell me what brings you here,” he said, just before the office phone began to ring. It was the high school nurse informing him that one student had hit another.

“Yes, I think I already know who it was,” the principal said, looking at Ali seriously.

“It was me,” she confessed as soon as he hung up.

“But it was my fault...—”

“Oscar, wait outside,” the principal said, leaving no room for further discussion.

“But Carlo…”

“Do as he says. We don’t want your mom to lose her boyfriend,” Ali whispered, joking for the first time in a long while.

Oscar waited outside, and even when the entrance bell rang, he paid no attention.

Several minutes passed, and if it hadn’t been for the recess bell ringing, Oscar wouldn’t have noticed the time.

“Geez, they’ve been in there for an hour already. Is he going to expel her?” he wondered, clutching his head.

CHAPTER 22- The visit

A few days had passed since Ali punched Violeta, and so far, neither of them had returned to class.

The secrecy was such that when Oscar asked the principal about Ali, he refused to give any details about the decision he had made.

So Oscar decided to go to her house. To his surprise, he was not the only one with that idea. Luna, Julia, and Kai had taken the sameinitiative, and soon the four of them headed to Ali’s house instead of the arcade.

Determined, they rang the doorbell, and Ali answered with a clean face.

Without makeup she was even more beautiful. Oscar could not help blushing when he noticed her large blue eyes and her nose covered in freckles.

"Hi, she said, surprised to see them.

We came to talk to your sister, but if you don’t have a boyfriend… Kay began before Luna interrupted him.

It’s her, idiot. Don’t you remember we saw her like this the other day?

Yes, it’s me, Ali said, laughing as well.

We came to see how you are and to tell you that we’re not going to let them punish you.

Ali’s mother, even more surprised than she was, immediately invited them in.

Let them in, Ali! she called out with a wide smile.

In no time, they were all sitting in the living room, devouring the snacks Ali’s mother had just prepared.

What did the principal tell you? Julia asked.

He gave me a few days off, Ali replied, making invisible quotation marks in the air.

Carlo suspended you? Oscar asked

Yes, but only until Monday. We had a meeting, and I told them I couldn’t keep running away from my problems. And that if the only way to face them was with punches… then so be it.

And what did the principal say? Luna asked.

That I’m right.

Wow, they all exclaimed at once.

All this time I… shut myself off. I tried to distance myself, covered myself in makeup, dyed my hair black, and every day when I looked in the mirror… I was basically looking at a stranger.

You look much better like this, Kai said, staring at her.

She’s beautiful either way, Oscar said, somewhat annoyed.

Ali pretended not to notice what was happening and asked if they wanted to meet Freddy. She knew that would distract Kai and the girls, and it did.

Kai, Luna, and Julia began feeding Freddy, who, despite being an octopus and not liking light, seemed delighted by all the attention.

During that carefully orchestrated distraction, Ali thanked Oscar.

Thank you, Oscar, she said.

For what?

For worrying about me even though I… wasn’t the best person.

Don’t worry about that, he replied with a smile.

I left you alone when those bullies tried to hit you, and instead of apologizing, I got angry when you asked if I did it out of fear.

Was it because of that?

Yes. I used to believe that going unnoticed and shouting were the solution. I built a reputation for being mean. I punched one of the bullies on the second day of class when they tried to steal my lunch money, and from then on, I focused on keeping everyone away.Out of fear of being hurt again.

Out of fear of being hurt again.

Yes, Ali said, lowering her head.

What matters is that no one is going to hurt you anymore. You don’t have to focus on pushing people away but on letting them see your true self.

I know. That’s why I decided to show up as I am. No more gothic makeup or black dye for my hair.

Oscar blushed again, but before he could say anything, one of the girls called Ali to ask if they could give Freddy more food. He now had several tentacles outside the tank, demanding attention.

Frustrated, Oscar followed her and was surprised to see that Ali was not the same girl he had met: withdrawn, irritable, and always defensive, but someone willing to talk to everyone and smile.

None of them had known this side of Ali, and when they suggested going to the arcade, she did not hesitate and left with them.

That day, with no sign of Violeta, Ali laughed and joked with the others, who were now determined not to let the principal expel her.

CHAPTER 23-The Decision

At the first opportunity they had, the group went to speak with the principal. He told them the matter did not depend on him but on the conduct committee, which was already reviewing the case of the two girls.

Ali has to stay. She’s a good person, Oscar protested.

And she’s our best player, Kai added.

And she has an octopus as a pet. That makes her special, right? Julia said.

An octopus?… Fine. I know Ali is… different, and that she’s our best player and we need her for the debut match. But I already told you, it’s not up to me. The committee has to make a decision, and they’ve probably already done so.

Can we speak with them? Oscar asked.

I think that’s a good idea, the principal said, calling one of the committee members to explain that the students wanted to speak before a final decision was made.

Minutes later, the four of them stood before the committee members, who listened patiently to each of their arguments.

That girl had been harassing Ali for years. That’s why she left her previous school and came to Holly Valley. Imagine her horror when she found her here.

She posted horrible things about Ali, Luna said, holding up her phone.

We know, said a man in his fifties who taught physics to the seniors and was part of the committee.

Do you think she did the right thing? another committee member asked.

Yes, they all answered in unison.

After so many years of enduring that kind of mistreatment, anyone would react that way, Oscar said solemnly.

Very well. We had already reached a decision, but after hearing you, I think we will take a few more minutes, the committee chair stated.

That Monday, they had practice after school. It would be the last one before the match. However, no one could concentrate on what they were supposed to do.

All eyes were fixed on the door, expectant.

Suddenly, the principal’s phone rang. The committee had reached a decision, and the girls had already been notified.

What did they decide? Oscar asked nervously.

That I can stay, but only if we win the match, Ali said, approaching them.

Everyone, even Anna, welcomed her back, and many were stunned to see her without makeup and with her natural hair.

Maybe we’ll have to put makeup back on you and give you a black wig. You might distract more than one player, the principal whispered in her ear, patting her on the back.

You heard him. We have to win, Kai shouted, taking his position.

They all followed and began training seriously, planning their attack and defense strategies

At one point during practice, Oscar approached Ali

Of course, she replied with a smile.

As soon as practice ended, Oscar gestured for Ali to get on his motorcycle.

I… I’ve never ridden one of those.

Don’t worry. I won’t let anything happen to you, he said, handing her a helmet he kept under the seat.

Do you always carry two helmets in case you have to take someone? Ali asked, trying not to laugh.

Always.

And where are you taking me?

It’s a surprise. Get on and hold tight, he said, starting the engine.

The ride was smooth. It seemed as if every traffic light had turned green in agreement to let them pass. Within minutes, Oscar parked in front of a building Ali had never seen before.

How was the ride?

It was fun. But where are we?

Come on. I have to show you something, he said, taking her hand.

The place appeared closed to the public, yet Oscar seemed to know everyone there, and they were allowed in without issue.

It was new, and many walls still had fresh paint signs. But one sign caught Ali’s attention the most: AQUARIUM in neon letters, accompanied by fish.

An aquarium? Does it have octopuses? Ali asked enthusiastically.

Of course it has octopuses.

But how…?

We sold them part of the equipment, Oscar said with a smile.

Wow. And do they already have animals here?

Yes. Come, he said, leading her into what looked like an underwater world.

Hundreds of colorful fish Ali had never seen before, sharks, crabs, and of course, octopuses—large, small, and intimidating.

Freddy wouldn’t last two days here. Look at them. They look like octopuses on steroids, Ali said, pointing at one.

It must have heard you. It just released ink, Oscar laughed.

Octopuses don’t hear. They sense vibrations.

Then you gave it bad vibes.

Me? It probably saw you as a predator with that blue hair of yours.

Octopuses only see in grayscale.

I thought I’d trick you with that last one, Ali laughed.

So you were trying to make a fool of me? he asked, stepping closer.

More or less, she replied, still laughing.

Oscar moved even closer and, before Ali could anticipate it, he kissed her.

The kiss lasted only a few seconds, but to Ali it felt much longer.

Oscar counted the seconds and stepped back, waiting for her reaction. She simply stood there, stunned.

I wanted to ask you if…

I think it’s getting late. We have the match tomorrow and…

Ali, will you be my girlfriend? he said, taking out a ring shaped like an octopus.

I…

Think about it. You don’t have to answer me now, he said, taking her hand.

CHAPTER 23- The mixed team

The next day, everyone was nervous about the game, but Oscar was nervous about Ali’s answer; she had taken the ring with the promise of thinking it over.

When Oscar arrived, Ali was already there warming up while Kai was trying to impress her. And for the first time in months, Anna felt jealous because of him.

-Don’t look now, but Anna is coming.

-Do you think it worked?

-Just let me remove this invisible lint from your shoulder. Said Ali, winking at him.

Anna ran toward them and asked Kai if they could talk, looking at Ali as if she wanted to stab her in the chest.

I’ll leave you. Said Ali, smiling.

-Do you like him? Oscar asked; Ali hadn’t seen him arrive.

-Who?

-Kai

-Kai? Ali asked before the principal/coach interrupted them.

-That’s enough flirting. Get moving, we’re heading out, said the principal, clapping his hands to get the boys’ attention.

They all went out onto the field, and despite the coach’s protests, Anna stood next to Kai and refused to go to her position, which resulted in her ending up on the bench, and Julia taking her place, who out of all of them was the worst player.

Anyway, between Oscar, Kai, and Ali, they managed to keep the match tied, zero to zero.

It felt as if only a couple of minutes had passed, but suddenly the referee blew the whistle, signaling that the second half had begun.

Oscar took the opportunity to approach Ali.

-I… I want to tell you that… I understand if you like Kai. He’s more handsome and better at playing soccer than I am, and…

-Kai? Look, said Ali, pointing toward the bench where Kai and Anna were kissing.

-Wow!

-I think my little plan worked, said Ali, winking.

-Plan? What plan are you talking about?

Ali, who had grabbed a water bottle and was drinking quickly, pointed again toward Kai and Anna.

-You helped him with Anna?

Duh. Now we’d better score a goal. I refuse to end tied zero to zero with a team that almost scored an own goal. She said with a smile.

The referee’s whistle sounded again, and everyone was finally focused on playing.

Anna blew kisses at Kai, and the coach yelled at him to concentrate since the minutes were passing and the score remained the same.

It wasn’t until, at one moment, out of nowhere, Ali scored a goal and the entire Holly Valley crowd began to cheer.

-That’s our star player! the coach shouted happily.

However, the initial joy didn’t last long. During a distraction from Kai, one of the members of the other team scored, tying the match.

Panic began to spread among the Holly Valley players, who started yelling at Kai for his distraction.

-Guys, let’s focus, there’s little time left in the second half! Oscar shouted.

Those words made everyone get into position and forget the bad moment to focus on getting the ball, and that’s what they did.

For the next ten minutes, they tried to control the ball until finally Ali managed to take it from one of the opposing team’s players and pass it to Oscar, who scored a goal with barely a minute left in the match.

The referee blew the whistle, and everyone began to celebrate. The coach, who had given them a speech about caution, had everything ready to celebrate.

Quickly, they lifted Oscar onto their shoulders and carried him to the boys’ locker room.

-Wait, wait, he said, looking around for Ali.

When he finally saw her, she showed him a chain she was wearing under her jersey with the ring he had given her.

-Put me down, put me down! he shouted, running toward her.

-Congratulations, we won thanks to you! she said with a smile.

-And thanks to you, but what about what I asked you? Do you want to be my girlfriend?

Blushing, Ali put the ring on her finger, and Oscar didn’t wait to kiss her.

THE END.