The ride home was silent.
Emily sat in the back seat of the car, her head turned toward the window, eyes glazed over. The city lights blurred past, but she couldn't focus on any of it. Her chest ached — not from the burns or bruises, but from something deeper.
When they pulled into the driveway, Mr. Clarke stepped out without a word. Mrs. Clarke slammed the car door and walked into the house first, not even glancing at her daughter.
Emily followed slowly, dragging her feet.
As soon as the front door closed, her father turned sharply toward her.
"What the hell was that stunt you pulled today?" he barked. "Calling us into that school like it's some emergency!"
Emily opened her mouth, trying to explain, but the words died in her throat.
"Are you trying to ruin our name?" he continued. "You sat there, embarrassing me — making it look like you're some poor abused child. What are people going to think of our family?"
"I'm being bullied, Dad," she whispered. "Every day. I'm not making it up."
"So what?" he snapped. "Do you want me to hold your hand at school now? You think life is going to be fair? Grow up!"
Her mother folded her arms from across the room. "You've always been dramatic, Emily. Maybe if you weren't so… quiet and strange, they wouldn't pick on you."
Emily took a step back. "You think this is my fault?"
Her father's palm struck her cheek before she saw it coming.
The slap rang loud in the room.
She stumbled backward, clutching her face, her eyes wide with shock. Not because it hurt — but because it didn't surprise her.
"That's your last warning," Mr. Clarke growled. "Next time you bring shame to this family, I won't be so gentle."
He stormed off, slamming the door to his home office.
Emily stood frozen.
Her mother walked past her like she didn't exist, scooping up her five-year-old sister from the living room and settling on the couch to watch her favorite show.
As if nothing had happened.
As if Emily wasn't standing there, broken, again.
She slowly climbed the stairs, her knees shaking. In her room, she shut the door quietly and locked it behind her.
Sliding to the floor, she wrapped her arms around her legs and rested her chin on her knees.
She didn't cry.
Not anymore.
Something inside her was hardening. Cooling.
The girl who used to dream of becoming an engineer… she was still in there somewhere.
But now, something darker was growing beside her dreams.
A quiet fire.
And when it was strong enough…
The world that crushed her would feel her rise.