"Apologize to Flora!" "Why should we? Everything we said is true. Wasn't Flora kicked out of the research lab?" Seeing Kaylee's eyes flare with anger only fueled the group's smugness.
"Flora is amazing! She got into the research lab on her own merit! You can't insult her like that! Apologize!" Kaylee clutched the book to her chest, her usual soft-spoken nature replaced with uncharacteristic fierceness. Her voice trembled, but her determination was clear. "Kaylee, we're talking about Flora. Why are you getting so worked up?" A girl with short hair rolled her eyes mockingly. "Oh, did we hit a nerve? You still haven't told us how you managed to join the Rose Design Team." "The Rose Design Team only recruits famous top-tier designers, yet you, Kaylee, are just a freshman. Why did they invite you?" Kaylee's hands shook as she held her book, her eyes red with emotion as she glared at them.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt"Like attracts like, I guess. Flora must have used sdirty tricks to get into the research lab, and you, you're just as low..." With a resounding "smack," the girl's words were cut short as Kaylee's book hit her squarely in the face. In that moment, Kaylee was like a wild animal. "Don't you dare talk about Flora like that!" "Don't you dare!" "You have to apologize to her!" Kaylee's voice shook as she spat out each demand, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. She was furious. She didn't care what they said about her. But Flora was her idol; she wouldn't allow them to describe her with such filthy words.
The girls were stunned, none of them had expected the usually timid Kaylee to lash out.
"Are you crazy!" The girl who had been hit got up in a rage and slapped Kaylee across the face. Kaylee's ears rang, her face numb. She didn't know where she found the courage, but she lunged forward and grabbed the girl's hair. The fight escalated as more girls joined in, and passing students quickly stepped in to break it up.
Kaylee had becthe talk of the Fashion Design Department after shining in a collegiate fashion design competition, already a notable figure. Her usually sweet nature made the news of the fight spread like wildfire throughout the University of Maple Grove. Someone even posted about it on the forum.
Flora didn't see the forum post until eleven o'clock. It was Connor who forwarded it to her.
Connor: Flora, your friend is in trouble.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmConnor: I'm coming to see you now.
He had downloaded the University of Maple Grove forumsolely for Flora. He never cared for the , haying installed a plugin that alerted him only to posts about Flora and her friends.
Flora clicked on the link, watched silently for half a minute, then turned off her phone screen. She put on her jacket and left the dormitory.
Eilies and Cynthia, who were still studying, were completely om bewildered. They were too busy preparing for exams to check the forum and had no idea what had happened. Flora had just reached the Fashion Design Department building when Connor called: "Where are you? I'm at the entrance of your university." "I'm in front of the Fashion Design building." "Wait for me, five minutes." X