For Lizza, high school life was a brand new beginning. At first, she was full of anticipation, curious about the campus life she was about to enter. Her personality had always been cheerful; she was straightforward and disliked beating around the bush. When she first entered high school, Lizza quickly made some friends in her class, all of whom were drawn to her frankness and vivacity. She adapted well to the new environment, maintaining an open attitude towards everything, whether expressing her opinions in class or joking with her classmates; she handled it all with grace.
However, things did not go as smoothly as she had imagined. As time passed, Lizza gradually realized that she had become the focus of the teachers’ attention. The homeroom teacher particularly liked her personality and often praised her for her enthusiasm and participation in class. Not only that, but on several occasions, the teacher also took the time to chat with her after class, encouraging her to put more effort into her studies, saying she was a student with potential who would surely have a bright future.
Originally, Lizza should have felt happy about the teacher’s goodwill, but this attention unknowingly led her into a predicament. Her classmates began to develop strange feelings towards her. She hadn’t done anything wrong, yet she found herself inexplicably isolated.
“Why is the teacher always so nice to her?” This was what her classmates often whispered behind her back. Gradually, Lizza could sense that the way her classmates looked at her had changed; it had become cold, even tinged with hostility. When she spoke up in class, no one was willing to engage with her anymore; after class, her classmates no longer initiated conversations with her. The friends who had once surrounded her seemed to have vanished overnight.
Once, Lizza tried to join a group of classmates discussing their homework, but as soon as she approached, they deliberately lowered their voices and pretended not to see her. This indifference and disregard sent chills through her heart. She had never experienced such a situation before; in the past, she could easily blend into any group, but now, she felt like an outsider.
She quickly understood that the teacher’s goodwill and attention had not benefited her; instead, it had made her a target for attack. Those neglected classmates displayed strong jealousy and hostility towards her, as if every move she made was subject to their criticism and magnification.
This invisible pressure made Lizza begin to loathe school. She no longer spoke up voluntarily and stopped participating in class activities. Every day upon entering the school gate, she just wanted to quickly hide in her seat, avoiding any interaction with others. She became quiet, closed off, a stark contrast to the vibrant girl she had once been.
Lizza’s low spirits directly affected her studies. She lost interest in her textbooks, rushed through her homework, and her test scores plummeted. Once praised by her teachers, she now found herself at the bottom of the class rankings. Every time report cards were handed out, Lizza dared not look; she knew her position in class no longer mattered, as her classmates had long stopped caring about her.
This sense of isolation and frustration led Lizza to develop a deep aversion to school life. She hated school, hated those indifferent gazes, and even hated herself. Every time she walked onto campus, an indescribable pressure surged within her, a pressure that quietly pushed her towards the brink of collapse over time.
During this painful period, Lizza’s academic situation worsened. She could no longer concentrate, even daydreaming in class. She knew she should try harder, should change everything, but no matter how she tried, she couldn’t shake off that feeling of powerlessness. School had become a suffocating place for her, each day tormenting her patience and will.
