"That's a beautiful dress, Glory," Gwen said to her bandmate, who was sitting beside her.

"I designed it myself. You know how much I love DIY," Glory replied, rubbing her feet before standing up. She glanced at the crowd of students celebrating below. "Come on, let's take a walk. My feet are going numb."

Gwen nodded and followed her down from the bleachers. They wandered around a table draped with crepe paper in the school's signature colors. The table also held wine bottles with candles, flyers for the game, and bowls of Gardener's nuts for the students to snack on.

"But I have to say, Gwen, you look absolutely stunning today. What's your secret?" Glory asked, casually grabbing a handful of nuts.

Gwen was wearing a high-waisted dress that perfectly accentuated her figure. "The secret is that I'm Don McLean's secret lover," she joked, referencing the American folk singer. Then, picking up a game flyer from the table, she shifted her attention to the football players warming up on the field. "I wonder if we'll win today."

"Hi, Gwen."

As Gwen and Glory were chatting, a voice came from behind. They turned to see Frank standing there.

"Frank?" Gwen said, recognizing the quiet classmate. He had never been one to approach her before.

Frank forced a smile. "Can I talk to you?" he asked.

Gwen hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Sure."

She remembered that Frank, like Peter, was often bullied at school. She always felt sympathetic toward those who were victimized by the school's troublemakers.

Glory raised her eyebrows at Gwen and said with a playful smile, "I'll give you two some space," before walking away.

After she left, Gwen asked, "What did you want to talk about, Frank? School? Maybe I can help you with something—though I'm not sure how much help I'd be."

"No, it's not about school," Frank replied, his forced smile still in place. "I just wanted to say, you look really beautiful today."

Gwen's high-waisted dress, paired with her blonde hair and a simple necklace, gave her a mysterious charm. Maybe Glory wasn't exaggerating, she thought. Perhaps I did dress a bit more maturely today.

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She quickly brushed off the thought and thanked Frank. "That's kind of you to say. Thanks."

"I haven't seen you in class lately. Is everything okay?" Gwen asked, trying to keep the conversation going even though the atmosphere felt awkward.

Frank was silent for a moment, staring at the students celebrating around the bonfire. "I've been dealing with some rough things."

Gwen assumed he was referring to being bullied. "I'm really sorry to hear that," she said. "But maybe it's all behind you now. We can move on from bad memories."

"I can't move on," Frank said, his eyes locking with hers, burning with intensity. "I tell myself I won't blame anyone, but that's a lie! I blame everyone. I can't lie to you anymore."

There was a strange, unsettling edge to his words, and Gwen instinctively took a step back.

"It's over now. All of it is over," Frank said, his voice growing more agitated with each word.

"I still remember the last school event like this—the spring dance. I was there, and I wanted to ask you to be my date. You were wearing those high heels, two inches taller than me. I was ready to ask you, but…" He trailed off, stepping closer to her.

"But Josh and his friends from the football team tied me to the stage as part of some stupid prank. They poured beer and juice on me. I felt like a sideshow attraction. I'll never forget what Josh did."

Gwen's breath caught. "Did you… kill Josh?"

Frank's eyes flashed with anger. "He got what he deserved!"

The resentment in his voice was chilling. He took a deep breath and smiled again, eerily calm. "I have power now, Gwen. Real power. I can do whatever I want. This is a gift from God. I'm the one in control now!"

He took another step closer, his eyes never leaving hers. "You were the only one who helped me that day. You stood up for me, untied me from the stage, and scolded everyone. From that moment, I knew I loved you. Gwen, I love you. Will you be my queen?"

Gwen stared at him in shock, realization hitting her like a wave. He was the one who had sent the creepy love letter to her locker.

"You're insane!" she shouted.

Without thinking, she grabbed the gondola filled with nuts from the table and swung it at Frank's head.

"Bang!"

The nuts scattered everywhere, but Frank stood unharmed. His expression darkened, and he raised his hand toward Gwen.

"Boom!"

Gwen flew backward, crashing into the table. A bottle of wine, topped with a burning candle, toppled over and shattered on the ground. The flames spread quickly, igniting the flyers scattered across the lawn.

Gwen's vision blurred as pain radiated through her body, but she forced herself to stay conscious.

The sudden chaos caught the attention of everyone nearby. The cheerleaders, football players, and other students stopped what they were doing and stared in shock.

The entire playground fell silent.

"I always believed in one thing: if your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away," Frank muttered, casting a dark look at the football players.

"Run!" Gwen shouted at the stunned crowd.

"Boom!"

Panic erupted. Screams filled the air as students fled in every direction, desperate to escape. What had started as a joyful celebration had turned into a nightmare.

The fire, fueled by the wind, spread quickly across the lawn, consuming everything in its path.

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