Two other girls were already sitting at Rina's table. There was Aria, who had a quiet, classy vibe.
everyone in the arts department knew she was the best. Then there was Sylvia, who seemed to change depending on the minute. Sometimes she was sweet, and other times she was sharp and a little cold.
They said hi to Seraphine like it was no big deal. Pretty soon, the four of them were talking and laughing. Though seraphine still sounded a bit formal, like she wasn't quite ready to let her guard down just yet.
Their conversation was cut short when someone spoke up behind them.
"Excuse me."
Seraphine turned around and saw three boys standing there.
In the middle was Julian Crest. He was tall, athletic. To his left was Rayne, who was much quieter and had a calm, On the right was Kael. He looked pretty ordinary, no flashy clothes or big ego.
What really set these three apart wasn't just how they looked--it was their money. They all came from powerful, wealthy families, and they walked around like they owned the place. Julian Crest was especially used to the spotlight. He was the same guy who had smirked at Rix from his expensive car earlier that morning.
The three of them stopped right in front of the girls' table. Of course, Julian was the one to speak first.
"Nice to meet you, Seraphine. I heard about you back when I was in Central City," he said, giving her a confident smile. "Honestly, I never thought you'd actually move here. Any reason for the sudden change?"
Seraphine just looked at him for a second before she answered. Her voice was calm and totally flat.
"Family matters."
That was it. She didn't give him anything else. Julian's smile dropped just a tiny bit. He had hoped she'd say more, but deep down, he knew the truth, Seraphine wasn't the type to talk about her life unless she had a damn good reason.
Julian and his friends realized they weren't getting anywhere. They gave a stiff nod and walked away, looking annoyed.
As they left, Seraphine's eyes wandered across the noisy room until she spotted him. In the back of the crowded cafeteria, Rix was sitting at a massive table all by himself.
The rest of the cafeteria was a total mess. It was packed, with people squeezed together shoulder-to-shoulder, struggling to find even a single empty chair. But then there was Rix. He was sitting at this massive table in the back, and it was like an island of empty wood.
The table could have easily fit ten people, but he just sat there in the middle of it like he owned the entire floor. Nobody even tried to sit near him.
"Hey, Rina," Seraphine said, nodding toward the back. "What's the deal with him? The whole room is full, people are practically sitting on each other's laps, but no one is going near that huge table. Why is he sitting all alone?"
Even though Seraphine hated Rix, she couldn't help but feel curious.
"Oh, that?" Rina said, her voice dropping as she glanced toward the back of the room. "It's because that table is only for two people."
"Only two?" Seraphine asked. She was actually curious now. The rest of the cafeteria was a crowded mess, but that huge table was like a restricted zone. "Who are they?"
Rina leaned in closer, her eyes turning serious. "One seat is for Rix. And the other one..."
"The other one is for who?" Seraphine pressed.
Rina took a breath and whispered, "The other one is for the---"
"STRONGEST!!"