Friends

Instead of going straight to the hospital, Phoebe decided to return to her dorm and change clothes first.

Valleybrook wasn't far from Meadowville, just an hour by bus. But today, for the first time, she splurged on a taxi since she had no money on her and was wearing makeshift clothes. As much as it pained her to spend the money, she had no other choice.

The taxi ride was fast, and in half an hour, she arrived back at school. Phoebe planned to go up to her dorm, grab some money, and then come down to pay the driver. However, the driver refused, fearing she might run off.

After a tense standoff that lasted nearly ten minutes, with classes about to let out, she had no choice but to borrow the driver's phone and call her friend Alva for help.

"Phoebe, what's going on?" Alva rushed over, her face filled with concern as she looked at Phoebe, who was crouched on the ground in a daze.

Seeing her friend in such a disheveled state, with visible marks on her skin, Alva's heart clenched with wor