Chapter 120: Mia’s threat

At school, the break period had finally come to an end. Students who had spent the short interval chatting with their friends, visiting the cafeteria, or moving between classrooms were now returning to their respective classes for the remaining lectures and upcoming tests. The once-busy corridors gradually became quieter as the sound of hurried footsteps faded behind classroom doors, leaving only the occasional voice drifting through the hallways.

However, Mia had no intention of returning to class just yet.

She remained in an empty hallway, leaning against a row of lockers along the wall with her legs crossed and her arms folded. Her posture appeared casual at first glance, but there was something calculated about the way she carried herself. Her chin was slightly raised, and her narrowed eyes remained fixed on the opposite end of the corridor, as though she were waiting for someone who had already tested her patience.

Her appearance was striking enough to attract attention, while her expression carried an intimidating edge that discouraged anyone from approaching her without a good reason. Even among students who had never spoken to her directly, Mia’s reputation was familiar. She was known for her confidence, her sharp tongue, and her ability to make others think twice before challenging her authority.

This was the kind of influence she had established among the sophomores and, to a lesser extent, throughout the school. Her standing in academic activities and other student affairs had only strengthened her reputation, making her someone people preferred to respect from a distance rather than risk provoking.

Yet, despite the confidence she usually displayed, Mia found it difficult to remain comfortable in her current position.

She had been trying to maintain a casual facade, but the effort felt unnatural. Every few seconds, her attention drifted toward the corridor entrance, and her fingers occasionally tapped against her folded arms. The longer she waited, the more aware she became of the unusual situation she was investigating.

After another minute passed, she glanced down at the pink watch around her wrist.

She studied the time briefly before inhaling and straightening her posture.

Only a minute had passed since the break ended.

That was enough.

Mia pushed herself away from the lockers and adjusted her clothing before looking down the corridor once more. Her reason for remaining behind was connected to a matter that had been bothering her for several days: Jack’s disappearance and continued absence from school.

At first, she had treated the situation as another example of Jack’s unpredictable behavior. He was hardly the most responsible student, and his involvement in trouble had made it difficult to determine when he was genuinely facing a problem and when he was simply avoiding the consequences of his actions.

However, the longer he remained absent, the more unusual the situation became.

Jack had not merely missed a single lesson or skipped an afternoon of detention. He had disappeared from their usual circle, leaving Victor increasingly anxious and Mia without the answers she expected from someone who considered herself the person in charge.

She would not admit that she was deeply concerned about him. Concern was not an emotion she readily displayed, especially when it involved someone as troublesome as Jack. Nevertheless, curiosity had begun to outweigh her indifference.

Something about his absence did not add up.

And Mia disliked unanswered questions.

She wanted to discover what had happened, determine whether Jack had deliberately disappeared, and find out whether someone else was involved. Until she understood the situation, she could not decide what to do next.

There was another reason she had become interested in the matter. Victor had recently revealed information about Jack’s last known activities, including his unexpected connection with a freshman girl named Sofia.

The revelation had caught Mia’s attention immediately.

She had been displeased to learn that Victor had kept such information from her, especially when it concerned a member of their own circle. As far as she was concerned, he had no right to decide which details were important enough to share with her and which could be kept to himself.

She intended to address that issue with him later.

For now, she had a more immediate target.

According to Victor, Sofia was a freshman who had recently become the subject of Jack’s interest. She was known for her youthful appearance, quiet manner, and unusually reserved behavior around other students. Unlike many people who sought attention through loud conversations or obvious displays of confidence, Sofia carried herself with a gentle composure that made her difficult to read.

Some students described her as polite and soft-spoken. Others found her unpredictable because she rarely volunteered personal information and tended to keep to herself when she was not with people she trusted.

Mia found that combination suspicious.

It was not necessarily evidence of wrongdoing, but it was enough to make her curious, particularly because Victor had mentioned that Jack seemed to behave differently around the girl.

Mia had never considered Jack the type to become genuinely interested in someone without making a considerable amount of noise about it. His usual behavior was far less subtle, and the thought of him quietly spending time with a girl who kept her distance from everyone else was strange enough to demand an explanation.

She unfolded her arms and began walking.

According to Victor, Sofia regularly returned to class about ten minutes after the break ended. She also spent a considerable amount of time in the girls’ bathroom, although he had admitted that he did not know why.

Mia considered that detail as she moved through the corridor.

Naturally, a student could have perfectly ordinary reasons for spending time in a bathroom. It was a private place, and there was nothing inherently suspicious about wanting a few moments alone. However, Mia had already decided that she needed to speak with Sofia, and the girl’s routine provided a convenient opportunity to do so without drawing the attention of other students.

She did not particularly care whether Sofia’s reasons were personal.

She wanted answers.

As she passed the classroom doors, Mia noticed several students glancing at her through the narrow windows. A few looked away immediately when they realized she had noticed them. Others whispered to one another, apparently wondering why she was still outside when the next lesson had already begun.

Mia ignored them.

She had never been particularly concerned about what other students thought of her movements. Her reputation had been built on confidence, and she had no intention of allowing a few curious looks to influence her decisions.

Nevertheless, a strange feeling had begun to settle within her.

It was difficult to explain, but the more she thought about Jack’s absence, the less comfortable she became. She had expected to find an obvious explanation, perhaps an argument, a disciplinary problem, or another incident involving his usual companions.

Instead, she had been left with scattered details and an unfamiliar girl who seemed to know more than she had revealed.

That uncertainty made her increasingly cautious, even if she refused to acknowledge it openly.

She rounded another corridor and finally arrived at the female bathroom.

The door stood beside a short stretch of tiled wall, away from the main classroom entrances. The area was relatively quiet, with only faint sounds of movement coming from beyond the door. Mia paused outside for a moment, checking her watch once more.

She had arrived at precisely the time Victor had described.

Mia glanced down the hallway to make sure nobody was approaching. Then she reached into her pocket and brought out a small packet of pills she normally carried. She examined it briefly before slipping it back into her pocket, intending to use the excuse of needing to take her medication if anyone questioned why she had come here during class time.

It was a simple precaution.

She had no intention of allowing an unnecessary explanation to interfere with what she wanted to do.

After taking a quiet breath, she opened the door and entered.

The bathroom was largely empty. Its tiled floor reflected the overhead lights, while the sinks and mirrors along one side of the room remained undisturbed. A faint scent of soap lingered in the air, mixed with the familiar smell of cleaning products used by the school’s maintenance staff.

Mia’s footsteps sounded louder than she expected as she moved farther inside.

She glanced toward the stalls and immediately noticed that one of them, positioned near the left corner, was occupied.

A small smile appeared on her face.

There she was.

Mia approached the nearby mirror and paused in front of it, studying her own reflection for a moment. Her expression looked composed, but her eyes had become harder. The longer she stared at herself, the more her patience seemed to thin.

She was accustomed to getting information when she wanted it. Having to search for someone who was not even particularly important to her was an irritation she had no intention of tolerating for long.

She turned away from the mirror and faced the occupied stall.

Inside, Sofia had been enjoying a brief moment of privacy when she heard the bathroom door open. She initially paid little attention to the sound, assuming that another student had come in to wash her hands or check her appearance before returning to class.

Then the footsteps moved farther into the room.

Sofia became aware that the person had not immediately approached the sinks. Instead, the steps continued toward the stalls before stopping nearby.

She waited for a moment, listening.

The silence that followed felt strange.

Sofia adjusted her grip on the strap of her bag and glanced toward the door. She had been intending to return to class soon, but something about the unfamiliar presence made her hesitate.

Before she could decide whether to speak, the stall door was suddenly pulled open.

Sofia barely had time to react before a hand seized the front of her collar and dragged her forward.

"Hey! What are you doing?"

Her startled protest was cut short as she was pulled out of the stall and forced to face the person standing before her.

It was Mia.

Sofia recognized her immediately, although she had never had a proper conversation with her before. Mia’s reputation was difficult to avoid at school, especially among freshmen who had heard stories about her temper and the way she dealt with people she disliked.

Seeing her this close was considerably less reassuring than hearing about her from a distance.

Mia’s narrowed eyes examined Sofia’s face, and her grip remained tight around the front of the girl’s clothing.

"You!"

The word escaped her mouth like an accusation.

Sofia blinked in confusion.

"Me? What have I done?"

Mia did not answer. Instead, she shoved Sofia away from her with enough force to send the younger girl stumbling backward into the tiled wall.

The impact produced a dull thud.

Sofia gasped and struggled to regain her balance, one hand moving instinctively toward the wall behind her. The suddenness of the confrontation left her bewildered, and for a moment she could only stare at Mia, trying to understand why someone she barely knew had attacked her without warning.

Mia stepped forward, cracking her knuckles as she studied the freshman with an expression of open hostility.

She had expected Sofia to react in several possible ways. Perhaps the girl would immediately become defensive, or perhaps she would attempt to leave the bathroom and seek help. Instead, Sofia looked genuinely confused, as though she could not understand the reason for Mia’s anger.

That reaction irritated Mia even more.

"Do you have any idea how long I’ve been looking for you?" she demanded.

Sofia swallowed and straightened herself as much as she could.

"No. I don’t even know why you’re looking for me."

"Don’t play innocent with me."

"I’m not playing anything. You pulled me out of a bathroom stall and pushed me against a wall without even telling me what this is about!"

Sofia’s voice trembled slightly, but she tried to keep it steady. She was frightened, yet she understood that allowing her fear to control every word might only make the situation worse.

She had heard enough stories about school conflicts to know that responding with insults could quickly turn a misunderstanding into something more serious. If she could get Mia to explain herself, perhaps there would be a way to resolve the situation before it went any further.

Sofia drew a careful breath.

"What you’re doing is wrong. The school authorities don’t tolerate violence or harassment, especially when it happens in a private area like this. If someone reports you, you’ll have to explain yourself to the school office."

She paused, looking directly at Mia.

"I don’t think the authorities will be pleased if they find out that you attacked me for no reason."

For a moment, Mia said nothing.

Then her expression hardened.

"Shut up, you moron! Don’t think threatening me with the school authorities is going to stop me."

Sofia’s eyes widened.

"I’m not threatening you. I’m telling you that you should stop."

"Then answer my question!"

Mia’s sudden shout echoed through the bathroom.

Sofia flinched, her shoulders tightening as she tried to understand what Mia wanted from her.

"Your question? You haven’t asked me anything!"

Mia’s jaw tightened.

"Where is he?"

Sofia stared at her.

"Where is who?"