Claimed by My Bully Alpha (by Anna Kendra) novel Chapter 4

Aurora’s P.O.V

The day dragged on. Each passing minute felt like an eternity as if the hours were stretching just to torture me. I couldn’t focus, couldn’t concentrate on anything. The bell couldn’t ring fast enough for me to escape the suffocating atmosphere of the classroom. I was barely aware of the teacher’s voice droning on about something I couldn’t bring myself to care about. All I could think about was how long it was taking for the clock to reach lunch.

I had never been the best in academics, and I haven’t exactly been enjoying my high school life. I don’t have the motivation nor the time to devote myself to my studies.

I was only here because nobody would look at a high school dropout and think, “Ah, that’s the one. She’s definitely going places.”

I wanted to stay in school for as long as the universe would allow, because graduating would get me a better job than a waitress working at a tiny diner for minimum wage. I was here because of duty; of the obligation to make life easier for my brother.

And so, I sat at the back of the class, by the window, drifting in and out of focus as the seconds tick by ever so slowly. The class wasn’t very productive to begin with and my attention span refused to be cooperative today.

I just had to survive this class. And then the next, and the next and the next…until it was finally lunch time.

Because I didn’t have a lot of money and was trying to save up each dollar I managed to scrape by, lunch time had never been in my favor. I couldn’t buy the expensive cafeteria food other people did. I couldn’t have the lunch I wanted to eat.

At least our school had a free lunch system for those in need, but that wasn’t the best lunch available. If anything, it was the leftover scrapes from the cafeteria section that hardly filled my stomach. However, a beggar wasn’t a chooser. And at that moment, I would take anything the lunch lady offered, even a stale slice of bread without any condiments.

I let out a sigh of relief as the bell rang; glad that half the day was already over and done with. Everybody raced to the cafeteria, while I stayed behind to slowly gather my belongings. The teacher left shortly after and only then did I finally open my tiny wallet to check inside.

I knew I didn’t have much, but I unzipped my wallet to check what was left and pressed my lips together when I found about five dollars and a few cents at the bottom.

Finally, the bustle slowed, and the lunch lady could finally hand me the tray of scraps she could afford to give me—a few crackers and a loaf of dry bread. “Thank you,” I said, but she was no longer looking at me.

With a sigh, I turned around, hoping to find a quiet corner to finish my meal. Maybe there was an empty seat at the -

But I wasn’t able to finish my thought, because as I turned around, I bumped into the worst person I could possibly butt heads with at this time. Mia Anderson.

My tray fell to the floor as a result of the collision, causing a loud clatter of a sound that drew a good few heads in this direction. I looked at the scene unfolding in horror, watching as everything fell to the floor in slow motion, the food splattering on the ground and on our bodies as Mia let out a blood-curdling shriek and jumped back with an agility that defined her status as the cheer captain.

It was a huge loss for my stomach, but for Mia, it was something else entirely…because much to my horror, Mai was now clutching her purse to her chest, examining it as if that was the most precious belonging she ever held…and maybe…it was.