Adrian's POV
Father's body was on the floor. His eyes stared at nothing. Blood spread across the tiles, red and shiny. The knife lay beside his hand.
"Grace…what have you done?" Mom whispered to herself. She pressed her hands to her mouth. "Oh God… I killed him. I really… I killed him."
"No… Mom," I whispered, my chest tight.
My older sisters; Sophie and Claire stood together, tense but trying to act strong. Nobody moved. Nobody breathed. My chest felt heavy, like a stone was pressing on it. My father was gone. Just like that.
**One Week Earlier**
The morning at Ashford High was busy. Lockers slammed, shoes squeaked, and students shouted greetings across the hall. I slipped past the crowds, trying to keep my head down.
As I reached my classroom, I saw Tyler sitting in the back, grinning like he owned the place. Tyler had been bullying me since middle school. He and his friend, Michael, loved to make my life miserable. We were in our last year of high school and he still hasn't stopped.
"Look who finally decided to show up," Tyler said loudly as I walked past. "Did you get lost on your way here, Adrian?"
"Just move," I muttered, not even looking at him.
He laughed, loud enough for half the class to hear. "Wow, he talks back now. Careful, Michael. I think Adrian's growing a spine."
Michael chuckled, nudging him. Tyler leaned back in his chair, smirking. "Seriously though, Miller, you're such a teacher's pet. Always hiding in your books, always trying to be perfect. Pathetic."
I felt my face heat up, but I clenched my fists under my desk. Not today. I didn't want to make a scene, not in front of everyone.
Professor Langford's voice broke through. "Adrian, please collect all assignments immediately after the class and bring them to my desk."
Tyler shouted from the back, "Teacher's pet! He's soft! He's weak!" Michael laughed along.
I wanted to snap, to tell them exactly what I thought of them, but I stayed quiet. I let them think I was fragile. Inside, I was anything but.
Then the door opened. All eyes turned.
"Mr. Caldwell, you are late," Professor Langford said, trying to maintain order.
Damien Caldwell leaned in with his usual confident smile. "I know. I can tell the time," he said and walked calmly to the back of the room. Nobody dared say anything. Even Professor Langford stayed quiet, afraid of Damien's father, the biggest lawyer in the country.
I couldn't help glancing at him. My stomach twisted a little. He was confident, rich, athletic, handsome, and completely untouchable. And somehow, I had a little crush on him.
Eleanor leaned over and whispered, "Adrian, look at him. He's such a snob, yet, he's so dreamy."
Eleanor. My best friend since kindergarten. The only person in school who actually treated me like a normal person. She came from money too, but she wasn't like the rest. She smiled at me, teasing, and somehow made everything feel lighter.
I turned back to my notebook, writing down a few history notes and trying not to stare. Tyler and Michael whispered and laughed in the back, but I ignored them.
The bell finally rang. I packed my bag, careful not to let Tyler see me smile at Eleanor's joke. As I walked out, I overheard a group of girls talking about Nocturne, the masked singer.
"Oh my god, did you see Nocturne's new song yesterday? He's so dreamy," one girl said.
"I know! I think I have a crush on him. I wish we knew who he was," another said.
I smirked quietly and kept walking.
After school, I headed home. Sophie was checking her fashion designs on her laptop while Claire was organizing toys and lesson plans for the daycare she worked at. They were older than me, responsible, and ready to fight for us.
Mom was in the kitchen, tired but smiling faintly. She looked at me as I walked in.
"Adrian," she said softly. "How was school?"
"Normal," I said. "Just normal stuff."
Sophie glanced up. "Don't forget your practice later," she reminded me. Claire gave me a small smile from across the room.
Then he walked in.