Ice an Fire

Lisa woke up the next morning with a renewed determination. She refused to let The Barbies or Felix's coldness affect her. She had come to Shanghai to succeed, and no amount of snide remarks or frosty attitudes would stop her.

At school, Chelsea and the others were waiting for her at their usual spot near the library.

"Ready for today?" Chelsea asked, her cheerful energy contagious.

"Always," Lisa replied, giving her a confident smile.

As they walked to their next class, Lisa caught sight of Elsa and her group. The three girls were surrounded by students, their laughter echoing down the hallway. It was clear they loved the attention.

"They feed on popularity," Sakura whispered to Lisa. "Ignore them. They'll get bored eventually."

Lisa nodded but couldn't help feeling a twinge of irritation. She wanted to confront them, but she knew it wasn't the right time

Back at the apartment, Lisa decided to try once more to break through Felix's icy exterior. She found him sitting on the balcony, staring out at the city skyline with a distant look in his eyes.

"Hey," Lisa said, cautiously approaching him.

Felix didn't look at her. "What do you want?"

Lisa took a deep breath. "I just thought we could talk. We live under the same roof, after all."

He finally turned to face her, his dark eyes narrowing. "Listen," he said sharply, "I don't have time for meaningless chatter. You don't know me, and I don't know you. Let's keep it that way."

Lisa felt her temper flare. "You don't have to be so rude. I'm just trying to be nice."

Felix stood abruptly, towering over her. "Nice? You think kindness solves everything? People like you—people who've had everything handed to them—don't understand what it's like to lose everything."

Lisa was stunned. "Excuse me? You don't know anything about me. My family worked hard for what we have, and I've earned my place here."

Felix scoffed. "Whatever you say, princess." With that, he walked away, leaving Lisa seething with frustration.

That night, Lisa couldn't stop thinking about Felix's words. She hated the way he judged her without even knowing her story. But she wasn't the type to back down.

"I'll show him," she muttered to herself. "I'll prove that I'm not some spoiled kid."

At school the next day, Lisa shared her frustrations with Chelsea, Sakura, and the rest of the group.

"Felix sounds like a jerk," Pharita said bluntly.

"He is," Lisa replied, "but I think he's hurting. I just don't know how to get through to him."

"Maybe he needs to see that you're serious about your goals," Ratna suggested.

Lisa nodded. "You're right. I'll focus on my studies, my dreams, and let my actions speak for themselves."

As they talked, they noticed The Barbies watching them from across the cafeteria. Elsa smirked and whispered something to Erica, who burst out laughing.

"They're planning something," Chelsea warned.

"Let them," Lisa said confidently. "I won't let them ruin this for me."