I stopped running, breathing heavily as I realized it was gone just like it was a figment of my imagination. I was still lost trying to find my way to the office to officially register my name and start my classes.
I had been given a burner phone that would be different from my normal phone for going to class and other things.
I continued walking when I ran into two girls.
" Hi my name is Becky and can you please show me the principal office" I asked the not so friendly looking girls but I just wanted to find my way quickly and leave this dreary place I mistakenly walked into.
Two tall beautiful girls,this place had beauties and I couldn't deny it. You didn't need a school map to know they ruled the place. Kessy was the tall, glossy, picture-perfect type. Perfect hair, perfect skin, the kind of girl Instagram was invented for. Anita was not as tall and had more curves, sharper but she had a hit of ruthlessness in her so I focused my attention on Kessy as I waited for a response.
Kessy tilted her head, gave me a slow look from head to toe, like she was scanning for a flaw.
"New girl?" She asked me as I saw a look I couldn't understand in her eyes.
"Are you sure you're in the right school? You kinda look… lost."
Anita snickered. "Yeah, maybe she wandered in from the wrong side of town." They both laughed as they exchanged glances.
My stomach knotted. I wanted to clap back, but this was literally my first five minutes here. Best to play it cool.
So I forced a smile. "Nope, right place." My voice cracked halfway through, which was great. Real smooth, Becky.
Kessy just pointed a direction for me and continued laughing while I didn't mind them I headed to the principal's office.
Principal office.
"Come in" I walked in to see a man probably in his sixties with sharp eyes and he said oh he sent you and I wondered if the dean was one of our people so I slightly nod. I filled all my files and necessary information,checked my time table for today and my first class was maths, so I quickly asked the principal for directions. I didn't want to be late for my first class.
I rushed down the hall with my books almost spilling from my hands. First maths class, and I was already late. My heart thudded as I pushed open the classroom door.
Everyone's head turned. I hated that feeling like I was walking into a spotlight I never asked for. And of course, sitting right in front, with her perfectly polished nails tapping against the desk, was Kelly, and beside her, Anita with that smug half-smile that never reached her eyes.
Seems I ran into them again on my first day of being in this university. How could we coincidentally have the same course?
The lecturer wasn't in yet, thank God, but the room was already packed with students in their little cliques, laughing, trading notes, staring at me like I was some new animal in the zoo.
My eyes scanned everywhere when I spotted a familiar face Bella , one of the people who also got that job with me. She gave me a small, nervous smile, like we were both drowning and had just seen each other in the water. But even with her, no one shifted their bag to make space.
"Looking for a seat?" Anita's voice rang out. She tilted her head towards the back, where one lone desk sat by the window, completely empty. The way she said it made the whole class burst into laughter .
They all kept whispering and making small laughs as if I was a clown or something. I frowned.
Then I spotted one empty chair at the back and made my way to sit there seems everybody was already casting me out on my face day I knew I always drew the wrong type of attention to myself right from when I was a kid from my golden hazel eyes to my blonde hair and to the times I was always in and out of school changing schools and changing environment just when they start to warm up to me. I had long lost the zeal to belong to any social group or make friends.
As I sat down I heard whispers from them. I wondered what it was.
"The new girl doesn't know who sits there."
"Poor thing."
"She won't last here."
"First day and she already walked into the devil's nest"
Heat crawled up my neck as I kept on listening to their murmurs. When I dropped my books on the desk at the back, the sound felt louder than it should have, like everyone was waiting for me to mess up.
I sank into the chair, pretending not to notice their eyes. But I noticed everything.
The door banged open, and just like that, the air in the room shifted. He walked in. He was tall and handsome with his eyes pitch black that could draw soul in.with his jeans and sweatshirt but he stood out and his brown hair, with that careless kind of stride that made everyone pay attention, some girls began to blush whispering and I couldn't even understand why they were acting like he was a god to them he was fine I get it but their reaction was too much I just averted my eyes.
His sharp, dark eyes landed on me.
I froze.
It wasn't a normal look. It was the kind of look that carried disgust and it stripped the breath from my lungs, I didn't know this guy. Why did he look at me like this? I bent my head down operating my phone ignoring his stare that was sharp enough to make my spine stiffen.
He walked up to my seat and said "move" . That was when it dawned on me that I was likely sitting on his seat.
.
Why is he so mean? I wondered, heat creeping back into my chest. I hadn't done anything. I adjusted for him to sit because it wasn't a one person sit but he didn't sit and kept on staring at me with anger.
Before I could gather my thoughts, the teacher walked in, scanning the room with a frown.
"Dreyson. There's no other seat , share with the new student."
His jaw tightened. A muscle flickered near his temple. He didn't argue, but the scrape of his chair as he sat down forcefully sounded like pure annoyance.
Whispers broke out across the class.
"She's dead."
"Of all the seats, she picked his seat ?"
"She doesn't know who she's messing with."
I felt every stare burn against my skin. I saw Kessy turned and smirked like she was waiting for a show, others looked at me with pity again.
Dreyson dropped his books on the desk with a heavy thud, his presence radiating irritation. I shifted slightly, my heart hammering in a way that made no sense.
So this was Dreyson. And clearly, he wasn't someone people crossed. I made a mental note to stay away from him. I just wanted to finish my mission and go and take care of my mother.
The lecture finally ended, and I packed my books with shaky hands, still feeling the weight of Drey's glare from earlier. I tried to shake it off as I made my way to the canteen.
The place was crowded, buzzing with students in groups, some in deep conversations about classes, others laughing over trays of chips, curry, and meat pies. The air smelled of fried food and strong coffee. I clutched my tray, scanning for an empty table when my eyes caught him again.
Drey. He sat alone at the far end, one hand around a bottle of water, the other scrolling idly on his phone, his expression sharp as ever.
Before I could decide whether to walk past or sit somewhere else, another figure walked in. The resemblance was enough to make me blink. His features were softer, his expression warmer and there was a hint of playfulness unlike the serious and cold Dreyson but there was no mistaking they were brothers.
He didn't hesitate. He strode over, ignoring the way Drey's shoulders stiffened, and leaned against the table near me with a casual grin.
"New student," he said, his voice smooth, confident. "You look beautiful. I also heard you sat in my brother's seat today."
The tension in the room thickened instantly, like everyone could feel the rivalry between them.
Dwae smirked wider. "Careful, Becky. So you don't end like Elara."
The name sliced through the air like a blade.
Before I could even blink, Drey shoved his chair back and was on his feet, his hand gripping the front of Dwae's shirt. His eyes burned, sharp and dangerous.
"Don't you dare say her name," Drey growled, his voice low but vibrating with fury.
The cafeteria went silent. Every head turned. Trays froze halfway to their mouths.
Dwae only chuckled, leaning closer as if daring him. "Touched a nerve, didn't I?"
Just then, my phone buzzed in my pocket. One vibration. Then another. My fingers trembled as I pulled it out, thinking it was nurse Sarah or maybe Mia checking in.
But it wasn't.
"Come back. It's time for your first mission".