Chapter 1: The 0.5 Percent Wall
The golden gates of St. Jude's Academy didn't just keep people out; they reminded everyone inside exactly where they belonged. For April Mendoza, they were a daily reminder that she was a guest in a world that wasn't built for her.
As she stepped off the crowded public bus, three blocks away from the entrance because being seen getting off the bus was a social death sentence April adjusted the strap of her backpack. It was heavy, laden with textbooks whose covers were taped together at the spine. She took a deep breath, smoothing out her pleated skirt. It was the only uniform she owned, washed every night and hung to dry over the radiator in her family's cramped apartment.
"You can do this," she whispered to herself. "Today is the day the rankings change."
But as she walked through the marble-floored hallway, the atmosphere felt different. Heavier. The "Golden Trio" the school's most popular heirs were already surrounded by a flock of admirers near the lockers. In the center of it all was Jaden Sterling.
He was leaning against a locker, one hand in his pocket, looking like he had just stepped off a magazine cover. His dark hair was perfectly messy, and his tie was loosened just enough to look rebellious yet sophisticated. Every guy wanted to be in his inner circle, and every girl was looking for an excuse to catch his eye.
April kept her head down, walking straight toward the bulletin board. Her heart was a drum in her chest.
She reached the crowd, pushing through the scent of expensive cologne and designer shampoo. There it was. The white paper that decided her fate.
[Mid-Term Academic Rankings: Senior Year]
1. Jaden Sterling - 99.8%
2. April Mendoza - 99.3%
The world seemed to tilt. Zero point five percent. A lump formed in April's throat. That tiny fraction of a point was the barrier between her and the Excellence Scholarship. Without it, the tuition for next semester would be impossible. Her mother was already working double shifts at the hospital; her father's back was failing him from years of construction. She needed that number one spot.
"Oh, look. The scholarship girl is actually human after all," a high-pitched voice giggled from the side. It was Sarah, one of the girls who followed Jaden like a shadow. "I guess some things just can't be bought with hard work, right Jaden?"
The crowd parted. Jaden straightened up, his gaze sliding toward the board and then landing on April. His eyes were a cool, piercing grey the kind of look that made you feel like he was reading your bank account balance just by looking at you.
"Hard work is admirable," Jaden said, his voice smooth and dangerously low. He stepped forward, the students moving instinctively to give him space. He stopped just inches from April, smelling of expensive sandalwood. "But at St. Jude's, results are the only thing that matters. Isn't that right, Mendoza?"
April looked up at him, refusing to let her eyes water. "You got lucky, Jaden. Don't act like you actually studied for that 99.8. We all know you probably have a team of tutors writing your notes for you."
Jaden leaned in, his shadow falling over her. He lowered his voice so only she could hear. "I don't need tutors to beat someone who's constantly distracted by her three part-time jobs. Maybe if you spent less time smelling like cheap fryer oil and more time in the library, you'd actually be a threat."
April's face flushed a deep red. How did he know? She was careful to shower the smell of the convenience store off her skin every night.
"You're an arrogant jerk," she hissed.
Jaden only smirked, tapping the #1 spot on the board with a manicured finger. "And you're #2. Get used to the view of my back, April. It's the closest you're ever going to get to the top."
He turned on his heel, his best friend Leo clapping him on the shoulder as they walked away toward the cafeteria. The crowd followed them, leaving April alone in front of the board, her fingernails digging into the palms of her hands.
---
April was still staring at the ranking board, her vision swimming with a mix of fury and exhaustion, when a whirlwind of pink stationery and the scent of strawberry lip gloss crashed into her side.
"April! Oh my god, tell me you're okay. I saw the 'King' talking to you and I thought I was going to have to call an ambulance for your heart!"
Chloe Kim, April's only true friend at St. Jude's, was the human equivalent of a golden retriever. She was a 'Legacy' student her parents were famous architects but she was the only person in this school who didn't look at April like a scholarship project.
"I'm fine, Chloe," April sighed, finally pulling her gaze away from the board. "And he wasn't 'talking' to me. He was breathing down my neck and reminding me that I'm poor. There's a difference."
Chloe pouted, adjusting her designer headband. "But he's so dreamy when he's being mean! Did you see the way he leaned in? The girls in the back were literally recording it. They're already calling it the 'Stairway to Heaven' moment on the school forum."
April felt a headache brewing. "Stairway to heaven? More like the highway to hell. He's an arrogant, condescending jerk who thinks the world revolves around his GPA and his trust fund."
"Well, technically, in this school, it does," Chloe pointed out as they began walking toward the cafeteria. The hallway was a sea of students, and even though they were moving, the conversation around them was a constant hum of Jaden, Jaden, Jaden. "Did you hear he's getting a new sports car for his birthday?"
"I heard he scored a perfect 1600 on his SATs without even trying."
"He's so cold, but I bet he's a total romantic in private."
April rolled her eyes so hard it hurt. "They treat him like a god. It's nauseating. He's just a guy who happens to be good at math and has a professional hair stylist."
"You're just salty because he's the only person who can beat you," Chloe teased, nudging April's shoulder. "But seriously, babe, you look exhausted. Did you work the late shift at the convenience store again? You have dark circles under your eyes that even my $80 concealer couldn't hide."
April stiffened. She hated talking about her jobs, even with Chloe. It made the gap between them feel like a canyon. "I had to. My mom's shift got cut, and we need the extra cash for the rent hike. If I don't get that top scholarship rank by the end of the term, I don't know what we're going to do."
Chloe's expression softened, the bubbly excitement fading into genuine worry. She reached out, squeezing April's hand. "I wish you'd let me help. I could ask my dad to "
"No," April interrupted, her voice sharp. "I'm not a charity case, Chloe. I'll get that rank. I just need to find Jaden Sterling's weakness. Everyone has one. Even the 'Golden Boy' must have a crack in his armor."
"Good luck with that," Chloe sighed as they reached the cafeteria doors. "The guy is a fortress. He doesn't party, he doesn't date, and he spends all his free time 'studying' at home. He's literally a robot designed for perfection."
A robot, April thought bitterly. A robot that knows I smell like fryer oil.
The rest of the school day was a blur of high-level calculus and literature analysis. In every class, Jaden sat at the back, looking effortlessly bored while still answering every complex question with terrifying precision. Every time he spoke, April felt a needle of irritation prick her skin. He didn't even have to try, while she was drinking three cups of cheap instant coffee just to keep her eyes open.
When the final bell rang, the elite students headed toward their extracurriculars fencing, horse riding, or violin lessons. April, however, headed for the back exit. She had to swap her blazer for a polyester vest and her textbooks for a barcode scanner.
As she walked toward the subway, she pulled out her phone and checked her bank balance.
$14.50.
She let out a shaky breath. "Just wait, Jaden Sterling," she whispered to the wind. "The view from the top is only nice until someone pushes you off."
Little did she know, she was about to find the exact cliff she needed.
The Transition: The Gritty Reality
The shift from the gold-leafed ceilings of St. Jude's to the neon-drenched, humid streets of the "Old District" was jarring. This was the part of the city the tourists didn't visit. Here, the air smelled of exhaust fumes and spicy street food, and the noise was a constant roar of traffic and shouting vendors.
April walked into 'Seven-Star Convenience', the bell chiming a tired "welcome" as she entered.
"You're five minutes late, Mendoza!" her boss, a grumpy man named Mr. Han, barked from behind the counter.
"Sorry, Mr. Han. The subway was delayed," she lied, quickly ducking into the tiny breakroom to change.
She pulled on the neon-green vest, tucked her hair into a messy bun, and stepped out to start her eight-hour shift. This was her world. Scaning snacks, mopping floors, and dealing with drunk salarymen.
By 9:00 PM, her legs were throbbing. She was currently restocking the drink fridge when a frantic-looking boy, about her age, burst into the store. He looked familiar he was wearing a high-end streetwear hoodie, the hood pulled low over his face.
"Do you have the limited edition 'Dragon-Fuel' energy drinks?" he asked, his voice sounding oddly strained. "The gold cans? I need a whole case. Now."
April paused, a cold can of soda in her hand. That voice. It was deep, smooth, and had a specific cadence that made her blood boil. But it couldn't be. Not here. Not in this neighborhood.
"We only have three left," April said, turning around.
The boy stepped into the light of the fluorescent flickering bulb. Even with the hood up and a black mask covering the lower half of his face, those piercing, cool grey eyes were unmistakable.
It was Jaden Sterling.
But he wasn't the Golden Boy anymore. He looked stressed, his eyes were bloodshot, and he was clutching a professional-grade gaming headset in his left hand.
"Three? I need at least six for the stream..." Jaden stopped mid-sentence. His eyes locked onto hers. He looked at her neon-green vest, her name tag that read 'APRIL', and the mop bucket behind her.
The "Golden Boy" froze. For the first time in his life, Jaden Sterling looked absolutely terrified.