The sun had barely stretched its arms across the sky, but the house was already alive with noise — laughter, footsteps, slamming doors.
But not Nelly.
She had cried herself to sleep the night before, and now her body refused to move. Even her dreams were heavy. Her pillow, still damp with tears, muffled her soft breathing.
Suddenly—
SPLASH!
A bucket of cold water poured across her face, her arms, her entire blanket.
> "Wake up, village rat!"
She gasped, jerking up, eyes wide in shock, mouth trembling.
Bella, Clara, and Luna stood in front of her, each holding empty buckets and wicked grins.
> "Oh, poor thing," Clara mocked. "Didn't hear the alarm? Or did you dream too long about being important?"
> "This isn't your parents' burnt shop anymore," Luna hissed. "You don't get to sleep like a princess here."
> "Maybe the cold will wash off that pity face," Bella added. "It's disgusting."
Nelly shivered in her soaked nightwear. Her teeth chattered as she looked around for something dry. Her voice cracked, "Why… why are you doing this?"
> "You really want to know?" Luna stepped closer, arms folded. "Because you're nothing. A charity case pretending to be part of us."
> "You think just because Jimmy defended you once, you matter?" Bella added, voice sharp. "He was probably bored."
Clara leaned close, her voice a mock whisper.
> "We soaked your uniform too. Let's see what you'll wear to school now. Maybe your tears?"
Nelly's lip trembled. She looked down at the cold, dripping sheets, her entire body shaking — not just from the water, but from pure shame.
She didn't reply. She didn't fight back.
She just cried.
Luna scoffed. "Look at her. Crying again. That's all she knows."
Julie burst in moments later, eyes wide.
> "What is going on here?!"
Bella smiled. "We were just helping her wake up. She looked tired."
Julie glared at them. "You've gone too far—"
> "Shut up, maid," Luna snapped. "You're next if you don't mind your business."
Julie swallowed her words. She moved quickly to Nelly, helping her off the bed.
Nelly whispered, "I just wanted to go to school. That's all."
Julie hugged her tight. "I'll find you something dry. Don't let them break you."
---
Nelly, wearing oversized clothes Julie found, walks into school late. Everyone stares. But she walks. One foot in front of the other.
And unknown to her — Jimmy saw her enter the gate that morning, soaking wet, face swollen from crying.
He looked away.
But his jaw clenched.
He felt something
---
✍️ : The Gift That Bite back
After school started, Jimmy's sharp gaze caught the trembling figure of Nelly at the gate — soaked, red-eyed, but still walking.
He smirked. Then disappeared inside.
Moments later, Nelly felt a small package quietly placed on her desk.
Opening it, she found a neatly folded school uniform — fresh, clean, and crisp.
Her heart fluttered with a fragile hope.
When Jimmy approached, she whispered, "Thank you…"
He gave a brief nod and turned away.
Nelly rushed to the bathroom, eager to change out of the drenched clothes.
The new uniform smelled fresh, soft — but soon, something else stirred.
At first, it was just a little itch. Then it spread.
Her skin crawled under the fabric. She scratched her arms — once, twice — but the itching only worsened.
She tried to ignore it.
But by the time she sat in class, the itching was unbearable.
Her hands scratched uncontrollably, fingers clawing at her arms, neck, and legs.
Whispers began to circle.
> "Is she sick or something?"
> "Look at her scratching — does she even wash?"
> "Gross! Doesn't she know hygiene?"
Laughter followed.
Nelly's cheeks burned hot with shame and pain.
She wanted to disappear.
But she was trapped.
A voice behind her sneered, "Maybe she should have stayed in bed."
Her eyes filled with tears, but she held them back.
All she could think was: How could Jimmy be so kind… then so cruel?
---
Jimmy watched from across the room, lips twitching in a smirk.
But beneath it all, something flickered in his eyes — a strange mix of satisfaction and... confusion.
He didn't know why.
*********
Nelly scratched helplessly, fighting the unbearable itching as whispers and stares surrounded her.
Suddenly, Luna's cold voice sliced through the chatter:
> "Look at you, trusting Jimmy to come to your rescue with a new uniform."
She sneered, folding her arms.
> "Did you really think he cares? That he's your knight in shining armor?"
Nelly's hands trembled. Her voice was barely a whisper:
> "I just… I thought maybe…"
> "Maybe what?" Luna laughed cruelly. "Maybe that you're worth something? That anyone here wants to help you?"
> "You're just a charity case, a joke."
Luna leaned closer, eyes glinting with malice.
> "And now look at you — scratching yourself like a stray dog in class."
The room filled with cruel laughter.
Nelly blinked back tears, biting her lip to stop herself from breaking.
But inside, a spark flickered.
No one would keep breaking her.
>I can't take this anymore !!!!she screamed crying so loud too
---
The itching was unbearable. The stares, the laughter, Luna's cruel words—all crashing over Nelly like a wave.
Her hands wouldn't stop scratching, frantic and desperate.
Her face burned with shame. Her heart felt like it would shatter.
She clutched her bag tightly, trembling.
Without a word, she bolted out of the classroom, tears streaming down her cheeks.
The hallways blurred as she ran through the school gates, faster and faster — until the noise faded behind her.
---
✍️ Back at Home: Julie's Fury
Nelly slammed the door behind her, collapsing against it, sobbing uncontrollably.
Julie appeared in the doorway, her eyes flashing with anger and pain.
> "Nelly! Stop crying and listen to me."
Nelly whimpered.
> "You think this world is kind? You think people will hand you flowers and sing lullabies? No!"
Julie's voice cracked, but her words hit hard.
> "You're stronger than this. You've been through fire before — and you're still standing."
> "You will learn to fight. Not with fists, but with your heart and your mind."
> "They want to break you? Then let them try."
Julie pulled Nelly into a fierce hug.
> "But you must promise me — you will not let them win. You cannot give them that power."
Nelly nodded weakly, wiping her tears.
> "I don't want to be weak anymore," she whispered.
Julie smiled through her own tears.
> "Good. Because you were never weak. You just forgot that you're a warrior."
Nelly thought over what Julie said and found her words encouraging she was never like this...I mean she can't let anyone bully her and go scout free is it because Mr Benson wanted to help and the respect she has for him made her to keep quiet and continue being humiliated??
Well let's check out the next part
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