I was minding my own business at the dining table, doing my homework because, honestly, studying in my room is like asking to be abducted by aliens.
Plus, I was home alone.
Mom was at work. My brother? Gone. Probably somewhere arguing with gravity.
So yeah. Peace.
Or so I thought.
Then the door slammed open.
Jack came in first like a tornado with legs, collapsing onto the couch like gravity personally betrayed him.
Mark, Ethan, and Liam followed right behind him like they owned the place.
All of them looked… suspicious.
Smirking. Bruised. Too energetic for people who looked like they had just survived a war.
I stared at them slowly.
"…What did you do?"
Liam dropped onto a chair like he was announcing the end of the world. "Nothing."
Mark adjusted his glasses calmly. "Define 'nothing.'"
Jack pointed at the ceiling. "We simply engaged in… light disagreement."
Ethan said nothing. As usual. Just stood there like a locked file.
I narrowed my eyes. "That sounds illegal."
They moved into the kitchen like they lived there.
I stayed at the table, watching them invade my space.
Liam opened the fridge like it was his personal property. Jack sat on the counter like a cat that pays rent in chaos. Mark leaned against the wall, looking tired of everyone's existence. Ethan stood perfectly still like he was guarding classified information.
"Wow," I said, tapping my pencil. "You all look like rejected superheroes."
Liam smirked. "We prefer 'legendary.'"
"More like 'liability,'" I muttered.
Mark sighed. "We need a break."
Jack waved him off. "No break. We are built different."
I pointed at him. "You are built like bad decisions."
Then Liam leaned closer. "Any gossip?"
I squinted. "About what?"
"Emma," he said immediately.
I blinked. "Oh. Her? She's still existing, unfortunately."
Liam groaned like that was a personal attack.
Jack ruffled my hair. "You're cruel."
I shrugged. "I learned from watching you people."
Mark suddenly straightened slightly. "Guys… maybe we should slow down. The danger level is getting ridiculous."
Jack grinned. "Danger is my brand."
Liam nodded proudly. "I am not stopping."
Mark rubbed his temple. "We're going to end up in a documentary called 'Why They Shouldn't Have Done That.'"
I nodded seriously. "I'll narrate it."
Then Jack suddenly stood up.
"I'm going to sleep. Goodbye to everyone who deserves peace."
And he walked off like he had just finished a royal announcement.
Liam stared after him. "He acts like he pays taxes."
Mark and Liam suddenly stepped closer to me.
Before I could react, they both hugged me at the same time.
Too tight.
"Okay—breathing—guys—"
"We're leaving," Liam said.
Mark nodded. "Don't die while we're gone."
"Wow. So supportive," I said.
Ethan looked at me quietly, gave a small nod… and left without a word.
As always.
Weird.
--------
The hallway didn't feel real anymore.
Everything slowed down like I was stuck inside a bad dream I couldn't wake up from.
Regina was still standing there like nothing had happened—like I was just another thing she could push aside when she felt like it.
Isla laughed beside her, like it was entertainment.
And the worst part?
No one moved.
No one spoke.
Just eyes watching… then looking away.
Like silence was easier than being human.
My chest felt tight as I tried to breathe properly, but it was like my body wasn't listening anymore. My hands shook as I pulled my ruined shirt closer, not even thinking—just trying to hold myself together in whatever way I could.
Regina tilted her head slightly. "Still here?"
Her voice was calm.
Too calm.
Like she expected me to disappear quietly.
Something inside me cracked—not loudly, not dramatically… just quietly breaking in places I didn't even know existed.
I tried to stand straighter.
Tried.
But my body didn't agree.
My vision blurred a little from shock, and I swallowed hard, forcing myself not to fall apart in front of them.
Isla rolled her eyes. "Pathetic."
That word hit harder than anything else.
Because it wasn't just insult—it was permission.
Permission for everyone watching to keep doing nothing.
And they did.
Then footsteps cut through the noise.
Sharp.
Fast.
Familiar.
The crowd shifted slightly.
A presence changed the air immediately.
"Move."
One word.
Cold.
Controlled.
Liam.
He stepped in first, eyes scanning the scene, his expression dropping instantly.
Behind him—Mark.
Then Ethan.
Then Jake.
All of them.
And for the first time, the hallway didn't feel so loud anymore.
It felt dangerous.
Not for me.
For them.
Regina scoffed lightly. "Oh, look. The little group arrived."
Jake's jaw tightened. "Say that again."
His voice wasn't playful this time.
Not even close.
Mark didn't look at her at all. His eyes were on me.
Just me.
And that alone changed something in the air.
Ethan moved slightly forward, quiet but sharp. "Leave."
Simple.
Final.
Isla smirked. "Or what?"
Silence.
A long one.
Then Liam spoke, softer—but colder than anything before.
"Or you'll regret it."
That made her pause.
Just for a second.
But it was enough.
Regina clicked her tongue, like she was bored now. "Whatever. She's not worth it."
They turned.
And walked away like they owned the hallway.
Like nothing had happened.
Like I wasn't still standing there trying to piece myself back together.
The moment they were gone, everything loosened at once.
My legs gave way slightly before I could stop it.
Someone caught me.
Mark.
Not dramatic. Not loud. Just steady.
"You're okay," he said quietly—not asking, just grounding it like a fact he refused to argue with.
I didn't answer.
Because I didn't trust my voice.
Jake looked away for a second, jaw clenched so tight it looked like it hurt.
Liam muttered, "This is getting out of hand."
Ethan didn't say anything at first.
Then he looked at the empty hallway and said, very softly:
"They crossed a line."
And somehow, that sounded like a promise.
Not a statement.
A promise.
I exhaled shakily, gripping my sleeve tighter.
"I'm fine," I lied automatically.
Nobody believed it.
But nobody forced me to say more either.
Jake stepped closer, voice quieter now. "We're not letting this slide."
Mark nodded once.
Liam looked at me, then away. "You shouldn't be alone in this place."
Ethan finally met my eyes.
And his expression wasn't anger.
It was something heavier.
Something protective.
"Next time," he said calmly, "you don't face them alone."
And for the first time that day…
I believed I wasn't actually alone anymore.
Not really.