Only a negative character change comes a long way [OC backstory]

"You're such a freak, Phoenix," Tiffany sneered, her voice echoing through the empty school hallway.Phoenix rolled her eyes, not bothering to hide her annoyance. "And you're a cliché," she shot back, the corners of her lips curling into a smirk. "Your mom still dresses you, doesn't she?"The two girls stood in front of the biology classroom, the door slightly ajar, revealing the neat rows of desks and the faint smell of formaldehyde. Tiffany's blonde ponytail swished as she huffed indignantly, her hands planted firmly on her hips. "At least my mom doesn't hate me," she retorted.Phoenix's smirk wavered, the jab hitting a little too close to home. She pushed a lock of her black and purple hair behind her ear. "I doubt that very much, considering how much you suck at being human," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Inside the classroom, Mrs. Higgins cleared her throat, signaling for the chatter to die down.The bell rang, and Tiffany stormed into the room, her entourage of giggling friends trailing behind her. Phoenix followed with a sense of dread, slumping into her seat in the back. Mrs. Higgins gave her a disapproving look, which she met with a glower. The class was about to start, and she hadn't done the homework again.As Mrs. Higgins droned on about photosynthesis, Phoenix's mind drifted to her brother, Harvey. She wished she could be more like him, carefree and innocent, unaffected by the world's cruelty. But she was the one who had to put on the tough facade, the one who had to take the brunt of their mother's wrath. The guilt of her own behavior towards him weighed heavy on her shoulders, like the thick leather jacket she never removed, even in the stifling classroom.Her thoughts were interrupted by a whispered giggle from the row in front of her. She glanced up to see Tiffany passing a note to her best friend, Rachel. It was no secret that the note contained a crude drawing of her, scribbled during a moment of boredom. Phoenix's cheeks flushed with anger, and she clenched her fists under the table. She'd had enough of their childish games.Her eyes narrowed as she waited for the perfect moment. When Mrs. Higgins turned to write on the board, she saw her chance. With the swiftness of a snake, she snatched the note from Rachel's hand, smirking as she unfolded it. The room grew quiet, the only sound the scratching of the chalk on the board. Phoenix took a deep breath, savoring the anticipation."Looks like someone's been busy," she announced, her voice loud and clear. She held the note up for the whole class to see, revealing the crudely drawn caricature of herself. "But I'm guessing this is more about your art skills than it is about me." The room erupted in laughter, and even Mrs. Higgins couldn't hide her amusement. Tiffany's face turned beet red as Rachel stifled a giggle.Tiffany spun around, her eyes flashing. "Give that back, you—""What's going on back there?" Mrs. Higgins' voice was sharp.Phoenix held the note between two fingers, dangling it above her desk. "Just admiring the artwork, Mrs. Higgins," she said, her voice dripping with sweetness. She knew better than to get into a full-blown argument, but she wasn't about to let Tiffany have the upper hand.Mrs. Higgins' gaze shifted to the note, and her smile faded. "Phoenix, may I see that, please?"With a dramatic sigh, she handed it over. Mrs. Higgins' eyes scanned the page, her expression unreadable. "Tiffany, Rachel, please see me after class," she said, her voice stern. The two girls shared a worried look, and the tension in the room thickened.As the lesson continued, Phoenix felt a strange mix of satisfaction and unease. She had stood up for herself, but at what cost? Her heart raced as she thought about the potential consequences. Would Tiffany retaliate? Would she finally push the limits too far and face the wrath of her mother and the school administration? Or could she somehow turn this into a chance to show she wasn't the villain everyone thought she was?During lunch, she sat alone at the far end of the cafeteria, picking at her food. She heard whispers and snickers from the nearby tables, but she ignored them. Her thoughts were consumed by the note, and the possibility of change it represented. Maybe, just maybe, this was the moment she could start to break free from her mother's shadow. The weight of her father's name and the expectations that came with it had always felt like a noose around her neck, but today, she felt a slight loosening of the knot.As the bell rang for her next class, she stood, gathering her things with a newfound determination. She didn't know what the future held, but she was tired of being the girl everyone talked about in hushed tones. She was tired of the anger and the fear. It was time to start rising from the ashes.