Welcome To Crostwood High

The hallways of Crostwood High were alive with energy, a blend of designer perfumes, the echo of expensive heels clicking against marble floors, and the quiet hum of whispered gossip. Every corner of the school was dripping with luxury—freshly polished lockers, crystal chandeliers in the main hall, and students who walked like they owned the world.

And at the center of it all was Maya Sinclair.

"Morning, babe!" Luna greeted, linking her arm with Maya's as they strutted through the hallway, heads turning as they passed.

"Looking stunning as usual," Sally added, adjusting her Gucci sunglasses while throwing a smirk at a group of boys staring their way.

Jackie flipped her perfect blonde waves, tossing a bored glance at her perfectly manicured nails. "Ugh, I swear, if I see one more girl in last season's Chanel, I might actually pass out."

Maya chuckled, flashing her signature dazzling smile. She knew the power she held here—admired, envied, worshiped. Every girl wanted to be her; every guy wanted to be with her. And she played the part flawlessly.

"Let's not be too mean today," Maya teased. "We need to keep our reputation golden."

"You mean your reputation golden," Luna corrected with a smirk.

Maya only winked, flipping her golden brown hair over her shoulder. It was a game. A beautiful, perfect game where she was the queen. And no one—not even her best friends—knew the truth hiding behind her smile.

As they made their way to their usual spot, the entire school seemed to part for them, creating an unspoken path of admiration. Maya took her seat at the center table of the cafeteria, the spot reserved for royalty.

Across the room, boys whispered amongst themselves.

"Dude, she's unreal."

"I'd sell my soul for one date with Maya Sinclair."

"Good luck with that. You think she'd look twice at a nobody?"

Maya heard them. She always did. And yet, none of it mattered.

Her phone buzzed. Dad. She silenced it without hesitation.

"So," Sally interrupted her thoughts, "who's the poor soul you're toying with this week?"

Maya let out a soft laugh. "No one special."

"Liar," Luna grinned. "I saw you talking to Ethan yesterday."

"That was just fun."

"Fun for you. For him? Tragic."

Before Maya could respond, her phone buzzed again. This time, her mother's name flashed on the screen. Ugh. She pressed decline, gripping her phone a little tighter.

Her mother was probably drunk again. Or worse—sober and looking for an excuse to blame her for something.

"Everything okay?" Jackie asked, raising a brow.

Maya's smile didn't falter. "Of course."

She was a master at this. At pretending. At making the world believe she was perfect, untouchable. That her life was as golden as her hair.

"Ugh, here comes the nerd squad," Sally muttered, rolling her eyes as a few bookish students walked past their table.

Maya followed her gaze and locked eyes with a familiar figure—Eddie Thompson.

He was everything Crostwood wasn't. Quiet, serious, oblivious to the games that ruled the school. But his eyes held something else. Something that made her heart lurch against her will.

He didn't look away. Didn't flinch. Just held her gaze with an unreadable expression before walking past her like she was no one.

"Seriously, what's his deal?" Luna scoffed. "Every guy in this school worships you except him."

Maya forced a laugh, brushing it off. "Maybe he's just blind."

Jackie snickered. "Or maybe he's immune to your charms."

"No one's immune to me," Maya said smoothly, but the words felt forced. She glanced at Eddie's retreating figure, a strange tension settling in her chest.

Before she could dwell on it, her phone buzzed again. Dad. This time, a text.

Come home. Now.

Her stomach twisted.

"Everything okay?" Sally asked.

Maya plastered on her usual dazzling smile. "Of course. Now, who's up for a shopping trip after school?"

As her friends cheered in excitement, Maya tucked her phone away, ignoring the growing unease clawing at her chest. For now, she would play her role.

Because Crostwood High had one queen, and she wasn't ready to lose her crown just yet.

The drive home was silent, aside from the rhythmic tapping of Maya's manicured nails against the steering wheel. Her father's message replayed in her mind. Come home. Now.

She knew what awaited her. The same thing that awaited her every night.

As she pulled into the long, winding driveway of their massive estate, the distant sound of shouting reached her ears. Her stomach sank.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped out of the car and made her way inside, heels clicking against the marble floor. The moment she pushed the door open, a glass flew past her, shattering against the wall.

"You disgusting excuse for a man!" her mother's slurred voice rang through the foyer.

"And you're any better?" her father shot back, voice sharp with anger. "Don't act like you're some saint, Michelle! How many men have you brought into this house while I was gone?!"

Maya clenched her fists. It was always the same. The same accusations. The same venom. The same unbearable cycle.

Her mother let out a bitter laugh. "At least I don't pretend to be something I'm not. You walk around acting like a devoted husband and father when all you do is throw money at your problems. You think that makes you a good man?!"

Her father scoffed. "It makes me better than you."

Another crash. Another scream. Another night in the Sinclair household.

Maya swallowed the lump in her throat and moved quietly up the grand staircase, careful not to draw attention to herself. If she was lucky, they'd be too consumed in their war to notice her. She reached her bedroom, shutting the door softly behind her before sliding down against it, knees pulled to her chest.

The queen of Crostwood High. The girl everyone wanted to be.

And yet, behind closed doors, she was nothing more than a forgotten piece in her parents' endless game of destruction.