Chapter 4

Mr. Parker saw the crowd of students and coughed lightly.

"Ms. Carter, so many students are watching. Even when disciplining children, you need to use appropriate methods. Leave her some dignity."

With that, he turned and left.

Mom looked down at me.

"Still not getting up?"

"Fine. You can lie there all you want. No one's going to care about you!"

She took a deep breath, suppressing the anger churning inside her.

"Continue the fitness test. Don't let one person hold up the entire class."

The sound of footsteps gradually faded.

The murmuring voices also disappeared.

No one looked at me on the track anymore.

The sun grew stronger and stronger, beating down directly on my body.

I still lay there lifelessly, the blood on my forehead gradually drying.

Half an hour passed. The fitness test was completely over.

Some students glanced my way, their eyes showing some reluctance.

"Aria's health isn't good. Nothing really happened to her, right?"

Victoria pursed her lips.

"She's totally faking it. Didn't you see how angry Ms. Carter was?"

"And she's still lying on the ground playing dead."

Her close friends chimed in quietly, "Aria's just been spoiled rotten. Taking advantage of her mom being assistant principal, she always steals the spotlight, and now she's faking illness to drag down the whole class."

"Exactly. Does she really think she owns the school?"

Victoria listened to these words, the corners of her mouth curling up slightly.

Then she turned and walked toward Mom.

She lowered her voice and said quietly to Mom, "Ms. Carter, just now some students wanted to help Aria up, but Aria said..."

She paused, hesitant to continue.

Mom frowned. "Said what?"

"She said... she won't get up unless you apologize to her."

Mom's expression instantly darkened.

"Ms. Carter, Aria has been lying there for a long time. If this continues, something will definitely happen. How about... you just apologize to her? It's just one sentence. Get her up first, then deal with it."

The plastic water bottle in Mom's hand deformed slightly from her grip.

She clenched her back teeth, her voice filled with endless fury.

"Who does she think she is? Wanting me to apologize to her? Completely useless!"

"She's taking advantage of the fact that I'm her mother to be this brazen!"

"If she's got guts, she can lie on the track all day!"