CHAPTER 3: New Beginnings and Old Rivalries
The tension in the house was thick enough to cut with a knife. Mr. Nicholas finally surged forward, wrenching a disheveled and sobbing Celine from Esther's iron grip. Esther had defended her daughter with a terrifying, raw strength, leaving Celine looking thoroughly defeated.
Without a word to his first wife, Nicholas hauled Celine toward their bedroom. Esther stood in the middle of the living room, her chest heaving, her face contorted in a mask of pure, unadulterated rage.
"I hate you guys!" she spat toward the closed door, tears of frustration streaming down her face.
Anna stepped forward, her own heart aching, and wrapped her arms tightly around her mother. She gently stroked Esther's hair, trying to absorb some of her pain. "Shh, Mom... it's okay. I'm here. It's okay," she whispered, though she knew deep down that in this house, things were rarely ever truly okay.
THE NEXT DAY: DREAM HIGH COLLEGE
The morning sun felt different today, brighter, yet heavy with the weight of goodbye. Anna stood outside the towering gates of Dream High College, her luggage at her feet.
"I'm going to miss you," Esther whispered. Her voice trembled, and she looked smaller than usual against the backdrop of the massive school.
"I'll miss you more, Mom," Anna replied, burying her face in her mother's shoulder for one last squeeze.
Esther pulled back, cupping Anna's face. "Make sure you study hard. And please... stay out of trouble."
Anna gave a small, lopsided smile. "I'll definitely study hard. But staying out of trouble? I can't exactly promise that."
Esther's expression flattened into a stern, "mom" look. "I'm not joking, Anna. Stay. Out. Of. Trouble."
"Geez, okay! I'll stay out of trouble," Anna relented, hugging her one more time to ease the tension.
"I think you should get going now before I start crying properly," Esther said, gently breaking the hug.
"Bye, Mom." Anna leaned in and planted a soft kiss on her mother's cheek. With a deep breath to steady her nerves, she pulled up the school map on her phone and began the long trek toward the girls' hostel.
When Anna finally reached her assigned room, she pushed the door open cautiously. She was immediately met by the collective gaze of three girls who stopped what they were doing to stare at her.
"I guess I'm in the wrong place," Anna joked, gripped by a sudden spike of social anxiety. She turned to leave, but a voice called her back.
"Wait! You must be our new roommate, right?" a girl asked, jumping up from her bed.
"Uh, yeah, I am," Anna replied, forced a polite smile onto her face.
"I'm Daisy, and oh my god, you're gorgeous!" Daisy exclaimed, her energy practically vibrating through the room.
Anna chuckled, feeling a bit of the tension melt away. "Thanks."
"I'm Cherry," another girl said, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "I look like the quiet type, but trust me, I'm the exact opposite once I get going."
"She's a total introvert at first, but get close to her and she won't shut up," the third girl chimed in. She was dressed in comfortable, boyish clothing and had a relaxed aura. "And I'm Ava. Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you all. I'm Anna," she said, giving them a playful wink. "The 'crazy' type of girl, if you were wondering."
"I love craziness! We're going to get along just fine," Daisy chirped.
Anna walked further into the space, her eyes widening. "This room is huge. And so beautiful."
"Just wait until you see the rest of the campus," Ava said. "You'll be in permanent shock."
"I think you should probably freshen up," Cherry suggested with a kind smile.
"I really need to unpack and arrange my bags first," Anna said, looking at her pile of luggage.
"Don't stress yourself out, babe. We'll do it for you," Ava offered casually.
"By the way, what's your major?" Cherry asked.
"Medicine," Anna replied.
"No way! We're in the same department!" Cherry cheered.
"Wow," Daisy groaned, flopping back onto her bed. "Even if they begged me to study medicine, I'd say no. You guys have to read all the time. It sounds exhausting."
"We all know you have an allergy to books, Daisy. You don't have to make it so obvious," Ava teased, sending the room into a fit of laughter.
"We actually have a class at ten," Cherry noted, checking her watch. "So hurry up and shower!" Daisy practically shoved Anna toward the bathroom before she could even argue.
THE RICCARDO MANSION
Back in the lap of luxury, Ruby slid into her usual seat at the breakfast table. The dining room felt cavernous with just the three of them. "Hey, has John called since he got back to school?" she asked, reaching for the pitcher of freshly squeezed orange juice.
Her mother, Mrs. Tessa, nodded as she meticulously buttered a piece of toast. "Yes, he called last night to check in."
Ruby's eyes sparkled. "Did he ask about me?"
Mrs. Tessa's smile was knowing, a conspiratorial glint in her eye. "Actually, no, he didn't. I think he's just trying to avoid getting dragged into your latest drama," she teased.
Ruby pouted, playing up the "offended sister" act. "That jerk. He can't even ask how his only beloved sister is doing?" She paused, her grin returning. "But I know he loves me. He's just staying out of my way so I don't annoy him."
Mr. Riccardo cleared his throat, his authoritative tone immediately silencing the banter. "Actually, we need to talk to John about something serious. He's going to have to get married soon."
Ruby's jaw dropped. "What? You mean John has to marry some girl he's never even met?"
Mrs. Tessa nodded solemnly. "Yes, sweetie. Martin is an old friend of your father's, and we've arranged for John to marry his daughter, Katherine."
Ruby let out a long, dramatic sigh. "Mom, you know John is going to lose his mind. He is never going to agree to this."
"Don't worry, Ruby," Mr. Riccardo said, his voice calm but firm. "John will understand. It's a strategic match, and it's what is best for the family legacy."
"I think it's best if John comes home to find out for himself," Mrs. Tessa suggested. "That way, he can't say we sprang it on him over the phone."
"Agreed," Mr. Riccardo said. "We'll have him come home for the weekend and tell him then."
BACK AT DREAM HIGH
A little while later, Anna and Cherry were strolling through the manicured campus paths, chatting like old friends.
"People would really think you're the quiet type, but geez, you really are a talker!" Anna laughed.
Cherry shrugged, a small smile playing on her lips. "I told you! I just feel comfortable around you, that's all."
"Awww, stop, I'm blushing!" Anna teased.
"Oh, shut up," Cherry rolled her eyes playfully.
Anna stopped for a moment, looking up at the ivy-covered stone buildings. "Wow. I am seriously in love with this school."
"You're definitely not the first person to say that," Cherry chuckled.
Anna's expression shifted, becoming more guarded. "So... tell me the truth. Are there bullies here?"
Cherry's smile faded slightly. "Yeah. There's the 'CMK' group. Katherine is the real nightmare, the other two are okay if they're away from her. And then, of course, there's John Riccardo. He's the school hottie. He actually hates bullies, but he's incredibly rude."
Anna frowned, her eyebrows knitting together. "I can't stand rude guys. They're the worst."
"Just a heads up," Cherry warned, lowering her voice. "His father basically owns half the school. You have to tread carefully around him."
Suddenly, Anna's phone buzzed in her hand. As she looked down to check the message, she wasn't paying attention to the path ahead.
THUD.
She collided squarely with a broad, hard chest. The impact sent a jolt through her. She snapped her head up, ready to snap at whoever was in her way, but the words died in her throat.
She was staring into a pair of very familiar, very arrogant eyes.
"You!" they both yelled at exactly the same time.
Cherry stood by, speechless, as the air between Anna and John Riccardo practically crackled with enough electricity to power the entire campus.