---
Lavinia gripped Rocky's arm tightly.
Her fingers were tense but steady.
She looked at him with serious eyes and said in a voice she tried to keep calm despite the turmoil inside her:
"I want to talk to you about something important."
Rocky was flustered for a moment, and his features changed quickly.
He looked around as if searching for an escape, then said while turning his gaze away from her:
"Now? I think I'm busy."
Before Lavinia could respond…
She felt another hand grab Rocky's arm from the opposite side.
She looked over to see a blonde girl standing with full confidence,
her golden hair carefully flowing down.
A cold smile formed on her lips.
The girl said in a sharp, arrogant tone: "Yes, he's busy with me, so could you leave? You're interrupting our date."
At that moment,
Lavinia felt anger surge through her body like fire.
She clenched her teeth hard, her chest rising with her rapid breaths.
Then she said sharply, staring directly into the girl's eyes: "I'm interrupting your date?"
The blonde girl stepped closer.
Until the distance between them was almost nonexistent.
She raised her hand, running her fingers through her hair with obvious pride, and said in a provocative tone: "Yes, you are."
It was clear that the girl was declaring her hostility without hesitation.
Her looks were filled with defiance and hatred.
Lavinia clenched her hands tightly and stared at her with intense anger.
Suddenly,
Rocky quickly stepped between them and said nervously, raising his voice slightly: "That's enough! Shelly, stop!"
Then he turned toward Lavinia and added in a confused tone: "Lavinia, this is Shelly… one of my friends from my previous school."
Shelly smiled sarcastically and immediately said, as if she had been waiting for this moment: "One of your friends? No, his ex-girlfriend."
Lavinia froze in place.
Her body trembled without her noticing, and her eyes widened with shock mixed with pain.
As for Rocky,
So he remained standing in his place, stiff, with the signs of tension becoming more obvious on his face.
Shelly continued in a more malicious tone, looking at Lavinia and then turning her eyes back to Rocky: "Yes, and maybe we'll get back together like before… isn't that right, my dear Rocky?"
Rocky raised his voice with clear anger this time: "Stop it, Shelly! That's enough!"
Shelly laughed lightly and said: "It's the truth, Rocky."
Lavinia stood between them, feeling like an intruder in a scene that had nothing to do with her.
She gathered herself with difficulty, then said in a voice she tried to keep steady: "Alright then… I wish you both a happy date."
She turned to leave.
But Rocky suddenly grabbed her hand.
She turned to him.
Her eyes were full of questions.
Rocky spoke quickly, as if afraid she might misunderstand: "Lavinia, I'm sorry… I only promised Shelly to accompany her on the festival day. There's nothing between us, we're just friends… please don't take this the wrong way."
Lavinia gently pulled her hand away, nodded without saying a word, then walked away with slow steps.
---
On the other side of the corridor, micheal was hiding behind the wall, listening to every word.
He frowned and said in a low voice: "Damn it… good thing she didn't see me… she's annoying."
---
At the end of the festival…
Lavinia changed her clothes and put on casual wear, then left the school.
She was walking alone down the road.
Many thoughts crowded her mind.
The image of Rocky with Shelly did not leave her head.
She said to herself angrily: "Damn it… I didn't expect her to be his ex-girlfriend. I'm really hopeless."
She continued walking,
but suddenly she felt a light hit on her back.
She stopped in shock and turned around.
To find Micheal standing behind her, smiling.
He said, laughing: "You idiot, I was calling you."
Lavinia replied tiredly: "I didn't hear you."
He looked at her closely and said jokingly: "What's bothering the giraffe?"
She sighed and said: "Nothing… I'm just tired.And luckily,
it didn't end in a disaster like last year."
Mikel laughed and said: "Yeah, otherwise it would've been a real disaster."
The two laughed together and began talking.
---
When Lavinia arrived home,
she went straight to her room.
She closed the door behind her, sat on her bed, then reached out to the album.
She said calmly: "It's been a while since I opened it… but I remember there are pictures that indicate the blonde girl will be joining our school."
She opened the album with anticipation.
There were many shifting images.
But she froze when she saw the pictures clearly.
Her eyes widened in shock.
The blonde girl… Shelly… was in the photos, and also at the school wearing the school uniform.
And she was together with Lavinia.
But what was strange was that their expressions in the pictures were full of tension, as if they hated each other.
Lavinia shouted loudly: "Damn it! Why her? Why is she joining us?!"
She went straight to the end of the album and sat thinking, then said in a low voice carrying a hint of hope and hesitation: "Maybe… she has changed."
----