Leah:
The final bell rang, and I let out a long sigh, collapsing onto my desk with my eyes closed, trying to steady my racing thoughts. The day had been exhausting.
A soft tap on my shoulder broke the silence.
"Did you get it?"
June's voice was eager, her eyes bright with anticipation.
"Yes, I did. And that's the third time you've asked,"
I said, pulling the shoes from my bag and handing them over.
"If I get expelled, it's on you," I warned, only half-joking
June's face lit up as she hugged those shoes.
"Thank God! These shoes mean everything to me. My parents would have flipped if they found out I lost them—they were expensive."
"Maybe keep a better eye on them next time," I replied, eyebrows raising.
She rolled her eyes but smiled. "It wasn't my fault! Honestly, I don't remember anything from last night—not where I was, what I did, or..." She leaned in, lowering her voice to a whisper. "...how I ended up on that floor."
"Let's just leave that part out."
I glanced around, making sure no one was close enough to overhear. Thankfully, everyone else was focused on packing up.
June nodded, but before she could say more, a heavy thud on my desk made us both jump as someone slammed a book on it. I looked up to see Jannet standing there, her eyes sharp and lips curled into a smirk.
"It's due tomorrow. Maybe try to be on time for once," she said, voice dripping with sarcasm.
June's expression tightened. "Hey, let's be nice, okay?"
"Whatever" Jannet rolled her eyes and stalked off without another word.
You know how there's always this one person like that in every class—the one who thrives on getting under everyone's skin and act like a bitch.
For us, that's Jannet.
Jannet Brown—one of the smartest students in the class. Always straight A's, the teacher's favorite, and, of course, the class representative. She was June's twin sister, but you'd never guess it from their personalities. The only thing they shared were their physical features: brown eyes, wavy hair down to their waists, even the same hair length. But it was easy to tell them apart—Jannet's expression was always sharp, while June's was gentle and kind.
Jannet slid into the seat beside Sydney, a girl with straight black hair and blunt bangs that made her look like she'd stepped out of an anime. Sydney's eyes flicked toward me briefly, then away.
"Don't mind her," June whispered, trying to soothe my nerves. "She's always like that."
"Yeah, of course," I said, forcing a smile though my stomach twisted. Jannet had been testing me since my first day here three years ago, and she never missed a chance. Still, I try not to let her bother me.
June, on the other hand, had been nothing but kind. We'd become fast friends, and she'd helped me more times than I could count.
Suddenly, the room fell silent as all eyes turned toward the door.
Even June turned around to look cutting our conversation in half.
There he was—Ryan Ashford.
Another top student, just like Jannet, but with a different kind of presence. Athletic, accomplished, and from a family with generational wealth. Everyone watched as he ignored Jannet's sly smile and took his seat, leaning back with an air of quiet confidence.
Jannet scoffed. "Trying to cosplay a tomato, Ryan? It's working."
"Shut up," he replied without looking her way.
As he settled into his seat, the class slowly returned to its usual hum of nervous chatter. Still, it was clear that everyone was on edge—his presence alone seemed to cast a shadow over the room. It was as if people were genuinely afraid of him; no one dared to meet his gaze, let alone challenge him.
Just last week, I'd heard a rumor that he'd broken a guy's nose with his bare hands, all because the poor guy accidentally took his spot in the lunch line. Strangely, nothing came of it—no punishment, no consequences. The incident was brushed aside as if it never happened.
I can't say for sure if the story is true—rumors have a way of growing wings in a place like this. But looking at him now, with that cold, intimidating demeanor, it's not hard to believe. His reputation speaks for itself, and the way everyone avoids his eyes only adds to the legend.
His hair was dyed dark red—definitely against school rules—but like always rules never seemed to apply to kids like him. Just like Jannet with her glittering hair clips, Ryan did what he wanted, and no one dared stop him due to the power that he held.
"Everyone, back to your seats!" Ms. Sinclair's voice cut through the murmurs as she entered the room, standing tall at the front.
"I have an announcement," she said, waiting until the room was silent.
Jannet brushed past me, flipping Landon off as she passed, but he didn't react.
Ms. Sinclair's eyes scanned the room. "The list for the special class will be posted tomorrow. Brace yourselves."
My heart raced up. The words and jitter around me became hazzy and just like that, the moment we'd all been waiting for was finally here.