The morning sun filtered through the classroom blinds, scattering stripes of gold across polished desks.
It should've been an ordinary day — but nothing about Heidi Rivera's life had been ordinary for months.
Her palms still tingled faintly, even though she'd sworn to keep her powers hidden. One spark, one emotional slip, and the lights around her would flicker. Again.
"New semester, new start," she whispered to herself, clutching her books tighter. "No weirdness. No drama."
But fate had a way of laughing at her plans.
As she stepped into the corridor of St. Clair Academy, a sudden chill brushed past her. The air darkened for a heartbeat, the sunlight dimming — like a shadow had swallowed the hallway whole.
And then it was gone.
She blinked, shaking her head. "Great. Now I'm imagining things."
Inside the classroom, laughter and chatter filled the air. Students gathered in groups, exchanging stories from the break. Heidi exhaled and started toward her seat at the back.
But just as she turned the corner—
Crash!
Her books hit the floor, pages scattering like white feathers.
"Oh, seriously?" she muttered, kneeling quickly.
A hand reached out at the same time. Strong fingers brushed hers, and time seemed to pause. Her heartbeat faltered.
She looked up.
He was tall, with midnight hair that fell slightly over deep gray eyes. His uniform tie hung loose, his expression unreadable. There was something… cold about him, yet she couldn't look away.
"Watch where you're going," he said, his voice low — almost too calm.
Heidi frowned. "Excuse me? You ran into me."
A few nearby students went silent. The boy tilted his head, surprised. Then, to her shock, he smiled — the kind of smile that wasn't friendly at all.
"Interesting," he murmured. "You're not afraid."
"Should I be?" she shot back, standing and snatching her notebook from his hand.
His smile deepened. "Most people are."
He turned, walking away with lazy confidence, as if nothing had happened. But when he passed her, the lights flickered above them — just for a second.
Heidi froze. Her stomach twisted. That energy… she could feel it. Dark. Powerful. Familiar.
She wasn't imagining it this time.
As the teacher entered, she glanced toward the window. Outside, shadows shifted unnaturally along the glass. And there, leaning against a wall in the courtyard, stood the same boy — staring straight at her.
Why is he staring at me , weirdo.