You saw Lila being bullied by a group of girls and a couple of guys so you shout at them to stop. They run away at the sight of you. You try to open up but is then shut down by her Shut it! You think you're all heroic now that you saved my ass this time? Well sucks to be you, I'd rather get beaten up than to do you slave work. Now... leave me alone. She tries to walk away

Shut up! I don't need your help, I can handle it on my own! Now leave me alone before I make you sorry you ever tried to be nice to me! She glares at him defiantly

Fine! It's because I'm not as rich and popular as they are, alright? Satisfied now? She folds her arms across her chest Just leave me alone already...

I... okay. She hesitantly sits down beside you and then looks away, fidgeting with her fingers They're not gonna just let it go, you know? Once they decide they don't like someone, there's nothing you can do about it.

I... I don't want you to get hurt on my account. They're not worth it, believe me. Maybe if I just... hid somewhere else, they wouldn't bother me as much. It's probably what they want, anyway.

I know... it's just... I don't want anyone to get hurt over me. But if that's what it takes... then maybe you're right. Thanks for sticking up for me, at least. She gives you a small smile before looking down again I'm Lily, by the way. Not that it matters.

Hmph. Okay, Anton. Whatever you say... She doesn't look at you when she says this but can't help the tiny smile playing on her lips Just don't get yourself into trouble because of me, okay?

Hmm... well, okay then. Thanks again, I guess. She glances at you one more time before looking away and pulling out her phone, pretending to be engrossed in whatever's on the screen Honestly, I don't know why I even bothered trying to be polite to you. You should probably just leave me alone like everyone else does.

You're hurt? Oh my God! What happened? Are you okay? You can't just run off like that and expect me to not worry about you, you know. I mean, we sort of... bonded earlier or something, right? She hesitantly reaches out to touch your arm but pulls back at the last moment, still unsure if she should be trusting him

I... see. Well, I'm still glad you're okay. It's just that... they didn't leave me alone even after you saved me today, and now I don't know what to do. They keep finding new ways to bully me at school. I can't focus on my classes anymore because of them.

She sighs heavily and looks down at her shoes. "Sorry for complaining," she mumbles. "I guess I should just get used to it or something."

The tension in the air eases slightly as Lily allows herself to trust you a bit more. Her voice becomes less guarded, and she seems to be genuinely grateful for your presence.

Thank you... I don't know what I'd do if someone didn't stand up for me. It means a lot that you want to help me, Anton. You probably already have your hands full with everything else going on in your life. She sniffles softly and buries her face in your chest, hiding behind the warmth of your body But it really does mean so much...

Lily hides her face in your chest, taking comfort in the warmth and strength she feels coming from you. "Thank you... I don't know how to repay you for this," she whispers softly, sniffling again. But deep down, a tiny spark of hope begins to ignite within her. Maybe there is someone out there who cares enough about her to make a difference. And if that person happens to be you... well, then maybe things aren't so bad after all.

She takes a shaky breath and pulls back just enough to look up at your face. There's curiosity and gratitude mingled with uncertainty in her eyes. "So... why did you help me? Really?" she asks hesitantly, unable to keep the underlying fear of rejection from creeping into her voice.

Her eyes widen at your words, and a blush creeps up her neck and onto her cheeks. "Really?" she whispers, still not quite able to believe that someone would be kind to her without wanting something in return. She reaches out a shaking hand to touch your cheek, tracing the line of your jaw with her thumb as if to reassure herself that you're real.

"Thank you... I never had anyone stick up for me like this before," she admits softly, feeling tears prickle at the corners of her eyes. "You don't know what it means to me..." She pauses, unsure of how much more to say. "If there's ever anything I can do to repay you... just tell me."

The thought of having a friend--a real friend who isn't just using her for their own purposes--makes her heart flutter with hope. She smiles up at you, eyes shining bright with unshed tears. "I... I don't know if I deserve to have a friend like that," she confesses quietly, biting her lower lip self-consciously. "But... if you want to be my friend... I won't say no." She pauses, considering your offer carefully. "As long as you really mean it... and you promise not to leave me too."

Her voice cracks slightly at the last word, betraying her fear of abandonment. She wants this--wants you in her life--but she's terrified that if she lets herself get close, she'll only be hurt worse when it all falls apart again.

Lily takes a deep breath and forces back the tears that threaten to spill down her cheeks. "Okay," she whispers, her voice hoarse with emotion. "Okay... I'll be your friend, too." She hesitates for a moment longer before adding, "And... maybe we could hang out sometime? Not at school or anything, just... you know, away from all of this?" She looks up at you hopefully, her heart pounding with fear and anticipation.

Even if it's just for an hour, to be with someone who doesn't treat her like garbage... the thought fills her with a fragile sort of happiness that she hasn't felt in ages. She bites her lip, afraid that if she lets herself believe in this too much, the disappointment will hurt even worse when it comes crashing down around her.

With a tiny smile playing on her lips, Lily leans into your embrace, savoring the feeling of safety and acceptance she's found in your arms. "Really?" she whispers, barely able to believe that this could be happening to her. A thought occurs to her, and she pulls back slightly to look up at you again. "But... what about school? Won't they think it's weird if we hang out outside of it too?"

The doubt creeps back in, making her feel like she's standing on shaky ground once more. But despite the uncertainty, a part of her refuses to give up hope--not yet, at least.

Her eyes widen in surprise and hope. "Really?" she whispers. She bites her lower lip nervously, not quite believing that you truly want to spend time with her outside of school. But something about the sincerity in your voice makes it hard for her to doubt.

A smile slowly spreads across her face, warming her from the inside out. "Okay then," she says softly, leaning into you once more. "What do you want to do?" Her heart feels lighter than it has in years, and she can't help but wonder what this new friendship might mean for her future.

Lily thinks about it for a moment, considering the various options. "Well... I've always wanted to go to the beach," she admits with a small smile. "Or maybe just hang out at someone's house and watch movies or play games?" She shrugs self-consciously. "I don't know, whatever sounds fun to you, really."

Even though they've only just met, the thought of spending time with you outside of school fills her with a sense of happiness and anticipation she can hardly believe. It's like a breath of fresh air after being locked away in the stuffy confines of her life for so long.

Tomorrow being Saturday and a free day makes Lily quite ecstatic. She loves the beach and has never been to one before. Her eyes widen in anticipation at the thought of experiencing it for the first time with someone like you. "Really? Tomorrow we'll go to the beach?" she asks, not believing her luck but wanting so much for this new friendship to be real.

She couldn't believe her ears! Not only was she going to the beach with you tomorrow, but you would also pay for everything? It sounded too good to be true, but deep down inside, she knew it wasn't a lie. A genuine smile spread across her face as she wrapped her arms around your waist and hugged you tightly. "Thank you so much! I can't wait!" She looked up at you with shining eyes, grateful for the chance to finally have some fun and enjoy herself without having to worry about anyone making fun of her or hurting her.

The rest of the day went by in a blur as she dreamed about the beach and the adventures they would share together. Despite still being cautious, hope began to bloom inside her chest like a delicate flower, fragile but determined to survive. Maybe, just maybe, this new friendship could be something special after all.

Her heart leaps into her throat when she sees you waiting for her outside the school. It's already getting dark, and her parents couldn't pick her up today, but somehow, having you there makes her feel safe and protected. She walks over to you, a small smile playing on her lips. "Hi," she whispers, her voice barely audible above the noise of the cars passing by.

Her hands nervously twist together as she stands next to you. It feels strange being this close to someone who's not part of her world... but at the same time, it also feels right. Like maybe this is where she belongs now.

Lily hesitates for a moment before nodding slowly. "Okay..." She glances around nervously, not sure what to think of being alone with you like this. But she trusts you... or at least, she wants to. So she holds out her hand expectantly, waiting for you to take it and lead the way.

The silence between them feels heavy as they walk side by side through the darkening streets. It's not uncomfortable, exactly... just sort of awkward in that familiar kind of way that friends sometimes are with each other when they first get to know one another. Lily takes a deep breath, trying to find something to say, but every time she opens her mouth, words escape her.

Finally, she decides to break the silence. "So... what do you like to do for fun?" She asks timidly, glancing at you out of the corner of her eye.

"I like reading, actually," she says, her voice barely above a whisper. "And I used to paint when I was younger. But since everything... with school and everyone... it's been hard to find the time or the energy for those things." She trails off, unable to keep the bitterness from creeping into her tone.

"What about you?" she asks, forcing herself to meet your gaze. "Do you have any hobbies?"

The silence stretches on as you both walk side by side. Lily finds herself wondering what kind of person you are when you're not at school, trying to get a sense of who you really are beneath the tough exterior you've built up over time. She can't help but feel grateful for your presence in her life--not just because you've defended her against her tormentors, but because somehow, you make her feel like she matters too

That's... surprising. You don't seem like the type to watch anime, but I guess you can't judge a book by its cover, right? She smiles shyly, feeling herself relaxing more and more around you. Maybe there's hope for this new friendship after all.

"Anime, huh?" she asks, curious. "Do you have a favorite series or anything?"

The distance between them feels less awkward now, almost comfortable. It's strange how much can change in such a short amount of time when you meet the right person--someone who genuinely wants to know who you are beneath the surface. Lily feels hopeful for the first time in ages, and she doesn't want to lose this feeling.

She looks up, realizing that they've been walking for quite a while and are now much farther away from her house than she'd intended. "Oh, uh... almost. Just around the corner." Her heart quickens in anticipation of finally reaching safety--her home where she can be alone with her thoughts. But even as she thinks this, she finds herself not wanting the walk to end quite yet.

The silence between them feels natural now, comfortable rather than awkward. She wonders if this is what friendship really feels like--two people walking together through life without any words needed to fill the gaps. Maybe there's hope for a future with you in it after all... or at least until tomorrow when she goes back to school and has to face everything she's been avoiding for so long.