chapter five

Aurora's POV

By the time our last class started, I had mostly convinced myself that Hayden and his clique would eventually lose interest. But that fragile hope shattered the moment the teacher announced the group assignments.

The moment Mrs. Price walked into the classroom, a quiet dread settled over me.

"Alright, class," she began, placing her stack of books on the desk. "As you all know, your group assignments for the history project were announced earlier this week. Today, you'll begin your work. I expect collaboration and focus. This project is worth a significant part of your grade, so make it count."

I glanced down at my notebook, already bracing myself for what was to come.

Mrs. Price clapped her hands once. "Find your groups, and let's get started."

I reluctantly stood, scanning the room. Hayden and Ciara were lounging at the back, clearly not in any hurry to move. Ciara caught my eye and smirked, while Hayden leaned back in his chair, his arms folded casually.

Taking a deep breath, I walked over. As much as I wanted to pretend this group didn't exist, I wasn't about to let them sabotage my grade.

"Look who finally decided to join us," Ciara said with mock enthusiasm as I approached.

I ignored her and set my books down on the table. "Let's just get this over with."

Hayden tilted his head, a lazy grin spreading across his face. "Someone's eager."

"Someone wants to pass," I shot back, flipping open my notebook. "Do any of you even know what topic we're working on?"

Ciara rolled her eyes and Hayden just stared at me, clearly enjoying my frustration.

"It's the Industrial Revolution or something," Hayden said, waving a hand dismissively.

"Close enough," I muttered, pulling out my outline. "We need to break it into sections—causes, major events, impacts. If we divide it up, it'll be easier."

"Oh, so you're the boss now?" Ciara sneered, leaning forward.

"No, I'm the only one here who actually cares about finishing this project," I replied, meeting her glare head-on.

Hayden chuckled, the sound low and infuriating. "Relax, Aurora. We'll contribute."

"Really?" I arched an eyebrow. "And what exactly are you going to do?"

"I'll supervise," he said, his grin widening.

I rolled my eyes. "Figures."

Ciara leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. "You know, you're really uptight for someone who just transferred here. Maybe you should try relaxing for once."

"And maybe you should try opening a book for once," I snapped before I could stop myself.

The table went quiet for a moment, and I braced for their retaliation. But instead of getting angry, Hayden just laughed.

"You've got fire," he said, his tone almost approving. "I like that."

"Good for you," I muttered, pulling out a stack of reference books. "Now, if you're done wasting time, we need to decide who's doing what."

"I'll take the major events," Alex said, clearly hoping to grab the easiest section.

"Wow, I never knew you were part of this group," I said clearly frustrated. 

"Well now you know," he responded. 

"I'll do the introduction," Ciara added, smirking like she'd just gotten away with something.

I turned to Hayden. "And you?"

He shrugged. "I'll handle the conclusion."

"Of course you will," I said dryly. "And by 'handle,' I assume you mean wait until the last minute and throw something together?"

His smirk didn't waver. "You know me so well already."

I gritted my teeth and turned back to my notes. Fine. If they wanted to slack off, I'd just have to pick up the slack. But I wasn't going to make it easy for them.

"Alright," I said, my tone sharp. "If any of you need help, let me know. I'd hate for your lack of effort to drag my grade down."

Ciara scoffed. "Don't worry, Miss Perfect. We'll be fine."

I seriously doubted that.

As the period wore on, it became increasingly clear that I was the only one actually working. Ciara spent most of the time scrolling through her phone, Alex doodled in his notebook, and Hayden… Hayden just watched me, like I was some kind of experiment he was trying to figure out.

"Is there a reason you're staring at me?" I finally snapped.

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "You're fascinating."

"No, I'm focused," I shot back. "Maybe you should try it sometime."

He just laughed, and I forced myself to ignore him, channeling all my energy into the project.

By the time the bell rang, I was exhausted, but at least I'd made some progress.

As I packed up my things, Hayden leaned closer. "This is going to be fun, Aurora."

I didn't bother replying. Whatever game he was playing, I wasn't interested. 

By the time I got home, my nerves were completely shot. My conversation with Hayden and his crew had been nothing short of exhausting. I dropped my bag by the door and made my way to the kitchen, needing a distraction.

The house was quiet—too quiet. My dad was working late again, and I was grateful for the silence. I made a quick sandwich, grabbed a bottle of water, and headed to my room.

As I sank onto my bed, I pulled out my notebook and opened it to the project outline. It didn't matter how useless my group was—I had no choice but to carry the work myself. At least if I did it alone, it would be done right.

But as I started sketching out ideas, I couldn't stop replaying Hayden's smirk in my mind. There was something about the way he looked at me, like he was playing some sort of game, one that I wasn't privy to.

Shaking off the thought, I focused on the task at hand, losing myself in the comfort of logic and structure. Hours passed in a blur, and when I finally looked at the clock, it was nearly midnight.

I was about to shut my notebook when my phone buzzed. A message? At this hour?

I picked it up, expecting a spam email or something equally mundane. Instead, my stomach dropped when I saw the sender: an unknown number.

The message was short.

You really think you're better than me? Don't get too comfortable.

A chill ran down my spine. I stared at the screen, my mind racing. Who could've sent this? Hayden? Ciara? Alex?

Another message came through before I could process the first.

Watch your back, Aurora.

I swallowed hard, my fingers trembling as I set the phone down. For the first time since I'd started this ridiculous project, I felt real fear.

I glanced at my window, the curtains drawn tight, and checked the lock on my door. Everything was secure, but it didn't stop the uneasy feeling creeping over me.

They were trying to intimidate me, to scare me into submission.

But I wouldn't let them.

Would I?

The next morning, I felt the weight of the previous night's messages sitting heavily on my chest. Sleep had come in fits and starts, the words watch your back haunting every dream I tried to escape into.

But as I stood in front of my mirror, straightening my blazer and tying my hair into a neat ponytail, I made a silent vow to myself. No matter how hard they tried to break me, I wouldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing me crack.

When I arrived at school, the tension was palpable. Whispers followed me again, the same way they had on my first day, but this time, they weren't whispers of curiosity. These were sharper, crueler, and directed.

"She's so full of herself."

"Doesn't she get it? Hayden runs this place."

"I heard she got a message last night."

My heart sank. How did they already know about the messages?

I kept my head down and made my way to my locker, forcing myself to focus on the day ahead. But as I opened the metal door, a folded piece of paper fluttered out, landing at my feet.

I hesitated, my heart pounding, before leaning down to pick it up.

Unfolding it slowly, I read the words scrawled in bold, angry handwriting:

You're out of your league, scholarship girl. Don't make me show you how things work around here.

I crumpled the paper in my hand, anger boiling in my veins. I knew exactly who was behind this—Hayden and his crew.

By the time I walked into our classroom, my resolve had turned into steel. If they thought they could scare me into silence, they were dead wrong.

The teacher walked in moments later, clapping her hands to get everyone's attention. "Alright, everyone. Today we continue with the group projects. I expect all groups to start making serious progress, so find your partners and get to work."

I glanced at the back of the room where Hayden, Ciara, and Alex lounged lazily in their seats, looking like they owned the place. Hayden caught my eye and smirked, a silent dare in his gaze.

I made my way over, setting my books down at the edge of the table they had claimed.

"Well, well," Ciara drawled, twirling a strand of her perfectly styled hair. "Look who's eager to get started."

"Someone has to be," I shot back, sitting down and opening my notebook. "I doubt any of you have even thought about what this project requires."

Hayden chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "Relax, Aurora. We've got it all under control."

"Really?" I said, arching an eyebrow. "What's your plan, then?"

The smirk slipped from his face, but only for a moment. Ciara opened her mouth, but no words came out. Alex, predictably, looked completely lost.

"That's what I thought," I said, flipping to a blank page in my notebook. "Since none of you seem capable of contributing, I'll come up with the plan myself. Just try not to mess it up when it's your turn to present."

The tension at the table was thick enough to cut with a knife, but I didn't care. I wasn't about to let them steamroll me—or my grades.

As I outlined the project, I could feel Hayden's eyes on me, watching my every move. He didn't interrupt, didn't mock me, but there was something unsettling about the intensity of his gaze.

When the bell finally rang, signaling the end of the period, I quickly gathered my things and stood to leave. But Hayden stopped me, his voice low and taunting.

"You've got a lot of fire in you, Aurora," he said, stepping into my path. "But don't forget—fire burns out."

I met his gaze, refusing to back down. "Not this fire."

He smirked, but it didn't reach his eyes. "We'll see about that."

As I walked away, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. Whatever Hayden and his crew were planning, I knew it wouldn't be good.

But I wasn't going to let them win.

Not now. Not ever.