I hugged Bella so tightly that I buried my face in her hair, breathing in the sweet scent of her shampoo. My chest ached, because I could already see from her softened expression that she was going to miss me just as much as I was going to miss her. Our closeness, our little conversations, our playfulness… it would all feel different without her.
My suitcase was already waiting by the doorway, neatly packed as my mother had instructed. Last night I had set my alarm for 6 a.m., and thankfully, I'd managed to wake up. Still, I'd sat there for several minutes with sleep weighing down my eyes before finally dragging myself to brush my teeth.
The girls had been excited for me. I'd promised them I'd take pictures of the new environment? yes, even the fountains. It had taken me an hour to get ready, to draw out the suitcase I'd carefully packed last night with everything Mum and I had shopped for.
"I'll be back soon," I whispered to my room, casting one last glance at it before shutting the door behind me.
Bella's small hand slipped into mine as I watched Mum adjusting her joggers. She'd taken the day off work just for me. When her eyes met mine, I saw the worry soften into love. Her shoulders dropped, and she held out her hands.
"Come here," she said.
I fell into her embrace without hesitation.
"You'll adjust just fine," she murmured against my hair, sensing the unease I carried. "Make a few friends, and you'll see."
She tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear.
"I don't think I'll make friends with them," I admitted honestly. "From what I saw in the examination hall… they looked snobby. Rich."
Mum only smiled. "We'll see."
She helped lift my black suitcase, the one I'd bought in America months ago, big enough to contain everything I needed for school. As she rolled it toward the car, I followed, watching her carefully stow it in the trunk. Bella was already climbing into the back seat, chatting non-stop about her school day.
"And Leo offered me his jacket when it was too windy on the playground," she giggled.
I turned in the passenger seat to watch her. "Leo? That's his name?"
Bella blinked at me, suspicious.
"Your crush?" I teased.
She hesitated before nodding. "Yes… but no feelings yet."
"Did you take his jacket?" I asked, fastening my seatbelt.
"Yes. I was cold, and I'd left mine in my bag."
"Okay," I muttered.
"And he smelled like lavender," she added, flopping back into her seat.
I knew that detail. That kind of attention to scent… Bella was just like me years ago, when Joseph had been my first love at first sight.
"Bella, sounds to me like you're already catching feelings," I teased.
"No! He's just a friend. Nothing else," she assured quickly.
"Well, if you say so," I said with a shrug.
Mum slid into the driver's seat, her phone still in her hand as she quickly typed a text. Probably colleagues. I leaned forward, stretching my hand to the radio, connecting my Bluetooth. Within seconds, a mellow indie track, Cigarettes After Sexy - Apocalypse, poured through the car speakers. (A good, non-popular song, exactly my vibe.)
I nodded my head, quietly singing along. Bella chimed in softly too.
Mum pulled the car out of the garage, and I turned to look at our house, holding onto the sight of it until it vanished behind us.
On the road, traffic slowed us down. I distracted myself by texting the girls and, once again, scrolling through blogs about Red Dynasty. Information about them was scarce. Confidential, the posts said, until they finally took over their empire. I sighed, wondering who they really were. Day scholars? Boarding? Only time would tell.
I reached into the center console between driver and passenger seats and pulled out a half-finished packet of chips I'd stashed there yesterday after shopping. I tore it open, poured a handful into my palm, and handed Bella the rest.
She accepted with a grin, humming as she sang along to Selena Gomez's Back To You. The familiar lyrics made me smile, Bella and I had sung this song together countless times.
Mum pressed harder on the accelerator, weaving through traffic. My chest clenched as we neared Bella's school.
"Bell, I'll call every day," I promised.
She smiled back, her little hand gripping the chip packet.
At the school gates, she hopped out. I waved until she was gone from sight, then swallowed hard. She'd taken with her the rest of the chips.
Because of traffic, a three-hour journey stretched into four. By the time we finally pulled into Dale's High, it was noon.
The gates were massive, security tight. After being checked, Mum drove through a stretch of manicured lawns and towering, elegant buildings. She followed the signs to the Admission Office, parking neatly in the driveway.
As soon as I stepped out, suitcase rolling on the tiled ground, a man in a black suit approached. His posture was immaculate, hands clasped behind him.
"Welcome to Dale's High," he greeted, his eyes locking onto me. For a moment, I was speechless.
"I'll take your bag to the hostel. You may proceed to the Admission Office," he told Mum, though his gaze lingered on me. He rolled my luggage toward an electric cart waiting nearby.
Inside, the office was air-conditioned, perfumed, and beautiful. A woman in a floral red designer dress sat behind a sleek desk. Her brown hair was pulled into a perfect bun, her skin pale and flawless, Korean, maybe Singaporean. She greeted us with elegant English.
"Congratulations, Sophie," she said warmly after checking my file. "Dale's High is honored to welcome you. I'm Ms. Ha-eun Tan. Please review and sign these admission documents."
She slid the papers toward me along with a fountain pen. My hands trembled as I marked my chosen subjects under the sciences. My dream? To study Biomedical Engineering.
When I finished, Ms. Ha-eun made a call. "Mr. Lim will escort you to your classroom. You'll catch the last subject of the day."
I glanced at Mum, wishing I could just crawl into a dorm bed and sleep. But I nodded anyway.
Ha-eun smiled. "Five thousand students registered for the exams. Only twenty-four were accepted. Only ten passed this year, including you. Dale's High prides itself on excellence. Especially with heirs among us, the environment must remain perfect. You are joining the science class, which makes thirty in total. Next year, Dale's University scholarships will open. And if you achieve distinction, the Red Dynasty will fund your studies."
My stomach dropped.
She continued, her voice smooth: "We wish you all the best, Sophie."
A knock interrupted us. A tall man with dark wavy hair in a tailored suit entered. "Mr. Lim," Ms. Ha-eun introduced.
He would show me to class.
Before leaving, I hugged Mum tightly outside. Her vanilla perfume clung to me.
"Sophie, this is your chance. Five million dollars a year, completely covered if you focus. Don't let anything distract you."
"I'll be fine, Mum," I whispered, though my chest felt tight.
"Don't get into trouble," she warned, pointing a finger.
I promised, though I wasn't so sure.
Mum drove away, and I followed Mr. Lim into the wide corridors. Students' voices hummed in the air, the hallways so vast they could hold a thousand people. We stopped at a classroom door.
My pulse hammered as I peeked inside, spacious, gleaming, filled with wealthy-looking students. I swallowed my nerves.
Mr. Lim announced, "New student, Miss Sophie Anderson. Welcome her."
The class barely reacted. Their indifference burned.
"Take a seat," he instructed.
I slipped into an empty desk, clutching my phone. The girls' group chat was buzzing. I typed quickly, describing the intimidating atmosphere. I didn't dare snap pictures.
A shadow fell over me. I looked up.
A boy stood there. Handsome didn't even begin to describe him, sharp features, deep red hair, and a cologne so addictive it made my head spin.
"You're on what belongs to me," he said flatly.
"Excuse me?" I asked.
He dropped his leather bag on the desk, the golden Red Dynasty symbol gleaming.
"You're in my seat."
My breath caught. There were other empty desks, but his eyes brooked no argument. Slowly, I stood.
"Sit over there," he ordered, pointing to the window.
I obeyed, but my heart fluttered wildly.
Barely a minute passed before another shadow loomed over me. My head jerked up.
My jaw dropped.
The same face. The same boy. Only this one had black wavy hair and a glinting diamond nose ring.
I whipped my head toward the red-haired boy, still at his desk with headphones in.
Twins.
"What do you want?" I stammered, shaken.
"Leave my desk," the black-haired twin said coldly. His eyes pierced through me.
"I'm comfortable here," I challenged weakly.
His glare darkened. "Get. Out." His voice thundered, and I flinched.
He shoved me aside and sat, slamming down his black leather bag, also marked with the Red Dynasty emblem.
My body trembled as I shuffled to yet another desk, praying no one else would claim it.
The teacher entered then, sharply dressed.
"Equations," he began, writing on the smartboard. "Take out your textbooks." His eyes flicked up. "Mr. Dale. Mr. Dale. Headphones off."
The twins ignored him.
Dale. Dale.
It hit me like lightning.
The twins weren't just students. They were the heirs of the Red Dynasty.
The very ones I had searched for online, but never found a single photograph of.
I typed furiously into the group chat.
"Yes, Tessa. I've met them. And… I think I just entered their blacklist."
My phone buzzed with replies. My pulse quickened.
And then,
A shadow fell across my desk for the third time.