Eko was stunned as Mya swung at Gracie, causing her to stumble and lose her bearings. The scene seemed to move in slow motion, the sound of the impact reverberating in Eko's ears. Mya's eyes blazed with a fury that Eko had never seen before.

"I warned you!" Mya yelled angrily, her voice cracking with emotion. "I fucking warned you with this!"

Eko and Jesse were both speechless, their shock mirrored in each other's eyes. Jesse quickly stepped forward to take control of the escalating situation, her movements deliberate and tense. Gracie, however, refused to back down, her defiance only adding fuel to the fire.

"Ladies, stop it!" Jesse shouted, trying to calm things down.

"You're an absolute psycho, Mya!" Gracie screamed, nearly lunging at the raven-haired woman. Jesse dashed from beside Eko and intervened, positioning himself between the girls to keep them apart. "I will wipe that smug look off your face!"

An uproar of screaming followed, and the voice next to Eko caused her to jump nearly out of her skin. She turned to see Jasmine watching in disbelief as the girls tried to get past Jesse to go at one another. The scene was chaotic, emotions running high, and the tension was eclipsing rationality.

The crowd around them thickened, whispers and gasps spreading like wildfire. "What's happening?" Jasmine asked with a raised eyebrow.

Eko muttered, "I don't know," her voice trailed off. She felt a knot of anxiety , before she could say more, Mya erupted in another fit of screaming.

"Mya!" Jesse exclaimed, horrified by her friend's behavior. He turned to Gracie, trying to de-escalate the situation. "Gracie, just step back for a moment."

"Keep your gossiping mouth shut! Or I'll make sure your face is permanently disfigured with the next hit!" Mya shouted, her voice raw with emotion. It was clear that this outburst was about more than just a simple argument—there were deep, unresolved emotions at play, emotions that had been bubbling beneath the surface for too long.

"Mya!" Jesse exclaimed, her voice breaking through the tension like a whip. "Stop it!"

But Gracie wasn't finished. "Richie was too good for you, and you know it!" she spat back, her voice dripping with scorn and bitterness.

"Oh, fuck," Jasmine gasped, shocked and speechless, joining Eko in gasping at the unfolding events. The crowd around them murmured in shock until a deafening silence fell, the kind of silence that only comes when something irreversible has been said or done.

"Both of you, walk away!" Jesse hissed.

Mya's posture remained rigid, her fists clenched at her sides, her body trembling with the effort to hold herself back.

"No, she started this!" Gracie tried to push forward, but a friend of hers held her wrist, preventing her from escalating the situation. This restraint only caused Mya to barge forward, her anger boiling over.

Jesse immediately intervened, pushing Mya backward. "It doesn't matter who started it. Just walk away and cool down," she said, her voice still calm but forceful.

"And I will end it with you," Mya spat, still fuming. Her words were a desperate attempt to reclaim some semblance of control over a situation that had long spiraled out of her grasp.

"I was just stating the truth! Richie was too good for her!" Gracie defended herself, her voice rising with indignation. The comment hit a nerve, and Mya lunged forward, fists swinging as she tried to break past Jesse, who was screaming at them both to stop.

"I WILL RIP YOUR HAIR OUT YOU LITTLE FUCKING BITCH!" Mya screamed.

The crowd around them continued to grow, their collective curiosity and concern heightening the already charged atmosphere. Whispered speculations and gasps filled the air, creating a backdrop of tension.

"What's going on?" Madison asked, joining Eko and Jasmine, with Luke and Sawyer following closely behind. The group huddled together, their faces a mix of shock and fascination as they watched the escalating confrontation.

"Gracie made a comment about Mya and Richie," Eko whispered, her eyes wide with both concern and intrigue. The drama unfolding before them was both unsettling and captivating.

Mya's eyes blazed with fury as she struggled against Jesse's hold. "This isn't over!" she demanded, "you're only safe for now!"

"And why are we standing around watching this?" Madison remarked, rolling her eyes. "What a bunch of savages. Honestly, thank god we're leaving soon." Her voice was low, and Eko chose not to respond, focused intently on the unfolding chaos.

The situation escalated into a barrage of high-pitched and hurtful name-calling as the girls began to verbally attack each other. Jesse, positioned between them, worked tirelessly to prevent any further physical altercation, her face a mask of determination and frustration.

As the tension escalated, Eko observed the fan club becoming increasingly rowdy, with pushing, pulling, and gasping spreading through the crowd. Some girls even fled in a hurry upon hearing the whispers that suddenly grew louder as they mentioned the headmaster was there.

Matthew's presence added to the chaos, his booming voice echoing through the hallways. "What the fuck is going on!" His shout brought everyone to a standstill, and a hush fell over the crowd.

Then, as if sparked by his words, the spectators scattered, dispersing into the surrounding area. Eko found herself staring at Mya and Gracie, who were now locked in a physical struggle, pulling each other's hair and attempting to land a blow.

Jesse exhaled, stepping back as hands flew dangerously close to her face. She knew she wouldn't be in the best mood if one of them hit her. Meanwhile, Richie stood near Matthew, urging the remaining spectators to disperse. Toni lingered a bit further back, trying to make sense of the situation, his eyes darting between Mya and Gracie, who continued their fight despite the thinning crowd.

"Mya! Gracie!" Matthew's presence was like a force of nature, his tall frame and commanding voice cutting through the chaos. This was no longer just a petty argument; it had become something raw and primal. On his second attempt, the two girls froze, looking over at their headmaster, who stood with his hands on his hips, clearly furious at the scene unfolding before him.

Mya released her grip on Gracie, who also let go, but Mya then roughly pushed her away.

"Enough," commanded Matthew. "Get out of sight immediately!"

As Jasmine pulled Mya back, Mya continued to snarl comments about the situation. Gradually, the crowd finally dissipated, leaving Eko with a full view of Matthew.

"Eko, let's go," Madison ordered, already walking away from the hallway. Mya's swearing could still be heard in the distance as Sawyer and Luke followed Jasmine, who was pulling Mya along.

Eko hesitated, holding up her hand and motioning for Madison to go ahead without her. Matthew furrowed his brows, surprised by Eko's decision to stay and the intense look she gave him, which felt like a vice around his throat.

"Eko, I said..." Madison began, but Eko cut her off.

"No, Madison," Eko said firmly, her eyes locked on Matthew. She took a deep breath, feeling the weight of her decision. "I need to talk to Matthew."

Madison hesitated, clearly torn. She didn't want Matthew getting into her cousin's head, praying that her idiot cousin wasn't trying to go back to him. In her opinion, Sera was doing so well, and they just needed a few more days to break free from his hold on her.

"I'll stay," Madison said, pursing her lips.

Eko rolled her head over her shoulder, her expression stern. "I will catch up with you later," she hissed before mouthing 'go' to her.

With a huff of annoyance, Madison stormed off, leaving Jesse to stand next to Eko. Toni and Richie had cleared the halls, and the four of them were left staring at each other awkwardly.

"Do I want to know what happened?" Matthew commanded, addressing Jesse.

Jesse hesitated before responding, "You don't. You really just don't want to go there." She hung her head, shaking it. "There's just a lot of tension, it's fine."

"Fine, I have work to do," Matthew said, casting a glance at the group before him. He had no desire to be in Eko's presence, especially with the disturbing thoughts of her and Luke playing over and over in his mind like a relentless loop.

Just as his eyes reached hers a million questions came back to him, because deep down he wanted to know if she was she fucking him in all the places they had? Was she uttering Luke's name with the same affection and intensity she had said his? Did she curl up close to him, kissing him until they both fell asleep, their limbs intertwined so effortlessly? Was Luke simply taking his spot in all the ways that had made him begin to fall in love with her?

"Uh, we have work too," Richie interjected quickly, sensing the growing tension between Eko and Matthew as the pair stared at each other waiting for the other to speak almost.

"Oh, don't mind us," Eko sneered, her voice dripping with sarcasm as anger pulsed through her. "Old mate here just wants to sulk!" With that, she turned on her heel and stormed off.

Matthew's voice was sharp with irritation. "Sulk!" he retorted, immediately following after her with determined strides, his footsteps echoing down the hallway.

"Right, we're leaving them to it," Jesse declared, shaking her head and heading in the opposite direction. Her exasperation was evident as she stormed off, muttering under her breath.

Toni and Richie, however, remained behind, watching as Eko and Matthew vanished from view. The hallway seemed to close in around them, silence settling like a heavy blanket.

Richie let out a long, weary sigh, his shoulders slumping. "I'm already over today," he groaned, still reeling from his rough morning. "Mac has been up vomiting all night, probably the reason Mya's been on tenterhooks. Poor kid and her stomach." His voice softened with concern for his daughter, the fatigue etched in his features deepening.

"I'm surprised you're tolerating that, all things considered," Toni smirked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Look, when it's your kid's vomit, it's different. When it's other people's—I'm out." Richie scoffed, shaking his head with a firm nod. "Anyway, I should, uh, check on Mya, all things considered," he added casually, trying to mask his worry.

Toni raised his chin, a knowing glint in his eyes, and that's when Richie looked at him suspiciously. Toni was smiling a hell of a lot.

"What's that look for?" Richie's eyes narrowed, suspicion creeping into his tone.

"Nothing," Toni tried to laugh it off, but the amusement was clear. "Just maybe when you talk to Mya, ask her what they were arguing about?" He shrugged, trying not to give too much away.

"What in the fuckery?" Richie demanded, confusion and annoyance blending in his voice. "What do you mean ask her what they were arguing about?"

Toni placed a hand on Richie's shoulder, grinning. "They were arguing about you."

"What?!" Richie's voice shot up in surprise. "Say that again?"