Mira's Bloodline

Mira's heart raced as she looked around, trying to make sense of what was happening.

She was back in the classroom— but how? Wasn't she just in that strange, eerie place? Was it all a dream? Or worse... an illusion?

Her mind spiraled with a flurry of questions.

Had that place really been magic? And if so, what kind of place was it? Was her wish real? Had it come true? The answers seemed just out of reach, taunting her with their uncertainty.

Her thoughts swirled faster until the one thing that could offer some clarity hit her—she needed to go back.

She needed to see if it was real, to prove to herself that what she had experienced wasn't some wild fantasy.

Determined, Mira ran back to the backyard, her pulse quickening with every step. She stood before the wall, her eyes scanning it as if they could will the answers to appear.

She reached out, her fingers brushing the stone, but the cold hardness beneath her touch only mocked her.

Nothing. Nothing changed. The magic, the glow— it was gone.

Confusion washed over her, and her mind raced to catch up.

Was it a dream? Or just my imagination? The thought felt like a punch to the gut.

"No, no, no," Mira whispered to herself, shaking her head furiously.

She couldn't accept it. It couldn't be just her mind playing tricks. It had felt so real.

As she stood there, lost in a whirlwind of thoughts, the sound of footsteps reached her ears. Mira stiffened, already knowing who it was without even turning around.

The sickly sweet cologne they wore gave them away—the girls.

"Hey, ugly duckling. What are you staring at?" Prudence's voice was dripping with derision, and Mira could practically feel the venom in her words.

Mira's instinct was to lower her head, to shrink away, to let them have their fun. But something inside her snapped.

No more running. She couldn't. Not again.

"I... I... I was just—" Mira stammered, her voice faltering as she tried to find the words.

What could she say? How could she explain what had happened without them mocking her?

But then, as the thoughts raced in her mind, an idea sparked.

Maybe... maybe if one of them tried to touch the wall, I'd know for sure. If they can't go through it, maybe it was real.

With a burst of courage, Mira raised her head and looked them square in the eyes. For the first time, she wasn't shrinking from their cruel gazes.

"Why are you asking me? Is it bad to stay at a place?" Her voice, though shaky, was sharp.

The words were rude, cutting. But her body trembled with the weight of her defiance.

The air between them thickened as Belina stepped forward, her eyes narrowing. "You little brat," she hissed, her hand flying toward Mira's head to deliver the customary knock.

But Mira wasn't about to let her.

In one swift move, she dodged, her body instinctively pulling back—just in time.

Belina's punch missed, and Mira watched in stunned silence as Belina's knuckles slammed into the wall instead. The sickening sound of impact filled the air.

"Ahhh!" Belina shrieked, clutching her hand as she stumbled backward, wincing in pain. She fanned her hand, her face contorted in frustration and anger.

Prudence and Maddie turned to her, their eyes frosted with fury.

How dare Mira act like that?

But Mira stood frozen, her eyes wide in disbelief.

She didn't enter the wall? The realization struck her like a lightning bolt.

Her mind raced. It wasn't real. But she had felt it. The magic. The sensation of being in another place.

Before she could process anything further, the trio turned their ire back to her.

Their eyes seethed with anger, but Mira was caught in her own shock. She had dodged Belina's blow.

She had won for once, but at what cost?

The tension in the air thickened like a storm on the verge of breaking.

Mira could already feel her body going cold as she realized one horrifying truth: These girls weren't going to let this slide. I might've dodged one attack, but I wasn't getting out of this unscathed.

Mira's heart pounded in her chest as she took a step back, her breath coming in shallow gasps.

Without thinking, she bolted forward, running as fast as she could. The sound of the trio's angry footsteps echoed behind her, relentless and fierce, like wild cheetahs on the hunt.

Oh no. What was I thinking? Mira chastised herself, panic surging through her veins.

She was doomed. They were closing in on her, and the feeling of dread weighed down on her like an anchor.

But then, in the distance, her eyes locked onto someone—someone she never thought she'd see at a time like this.

Justin...

Her heart skipped a beat. Maybe, just maybe, she could give her thoughts a chance. Maybe the wish she had made wasn't in vain after all.

"Justin! Justin!!" she screamed, desperation creeping into her voice.

Justin, who had been speaking to someone, turned at the sound of her frantic call.

His eyes met hers, and Mira swore she saw something—something that might've been a smile.

He started jogging toward her, a look of recognition and warmth crossing his features.

Mira froze, her heart racing as she stood there, barely able to process the situation.

Was this real? Could this possibly be happening? The wish... it worked. The well was real!

She stopped in her tracks, a grin forming on her face, her breath quick and shallow as she waited for him to reach her. She didn't care about the trio, the cheetahs on her tail.

Justin was coming toward her.

This was her moment.

But just as Justin reached her, something shattered her dream.

He passed by her without even acknowledging her presence.

Mira stood there, rooted to the spot, speechless. It was like she wasn't even there—like she was invisible, a mere shadow.

No... The thought hit her like a cold slap across the face. It was all a dream. It was never real.

Her chest tightened as she turned, her heart sinking when she saw where Justin was headed.

Of course, it wasn't her. How could I be so stupid?

There, standing like the queen of the world, was Maddie—grinning, wearing that all-too-familiar fake sweetness.

She walked straight up to Justin and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close.

"Baby," Maddie purred, her voice sickly sweet as she hugged him tightly.

Mira's world came crashing down in an instant.

She had been a fool to think that she could ever be the one.

I'm the ugly duckling... The thought stung like a thousand needles. Maddie's the one who belongs with him, not me.

Mira's chest tightened, and tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. She could feel the weight of her self-doubt crushing her from the inside.

Her heart shattered with the realization that no matter what, she would always be the outsider, the one who didn't belong.

With a shaky breath, she turned away, desperate to escape the suffocating scene in front of her.

She ran—faster, farther—until she was completely out of sight, away from their mocking laughter, away from the crushing truth.

Mira stumbled to her secret place, her safe haven, where no one could see her tears. She collapsed against the cold, hard ground and wept, her sobs echoing in the emptiness.

She was utterly alone, drowning in her pain.

She had thought the wish would change everything, but nothing had changed. She was still the invisible, unwanted girl.