Shhh, it holds secrets!

The morning air was cold against my cheeks, and as I stepped onto the grounds, NewTonHigh loomed over me, it's walls carrying secrets only the unfortunately new, and lucky I was yet to reach them.

I stepped into the hall way, it was buzzing with endless chatting, and whispers.

My head hung low, and my hand clenched on the handle of my bag.

"Hey." Avery's voiced snapped me out of my once endless doom.

I stop, my eyes fixing on two pair of clean black shoes, my eyes started trailing up to the owner, and a smile beamed on my face.

"Hi." The air was awkward, and thick, those were the only words I could come up with, after all, before I died I never had friends to begin with.

"Shall we?" She opened her arm, making space for me to put mine, and I gladly did.

The whispers dulled down each time I was with her, my world became brighter, and I sensed no one but us.

As I was about taking my sit, my chair pulled, and I fell flat on my butt.

The pain stunk, and my eyes clenched, looking up, I saw Courtney.

That bitch!

I was about to get up and snap, but Avery did it for me. A loud slap was heard across the room, and my eyes widened, she had done something I never imagined of doing.

Was it because she had the money to keep herself safe? Or was it because she just had the guts to do it?

Courtney's eyes fell down to the ground, her fist balling at her side, and her teeth's grinding against themselves.

"You crazy bitch." Her gaze glared, but Avery didn't seem to be bothered, she kept her cool, and stared Courtney Back in the eyes.

"I was only simply showing you how it felt." She dusted her hands, and bent down to help me up.

Or though… I felt annoyed, even she took looked down on me, she thought I couldn't stand up for myself.

I got up, but without the help of her.

"I'd like my chair back, Courtney." My voice came out soft, but had a deadly side to it.

She scoffed. "And if I don't?" her brow cocked, and Avery was about getting ready to give her a round two of that slap, but lucky I stepped in.

"It's bad enough I was a fourth-will, now you want to help add to the hate I feel?" Courtney began laughing.

"Oh yeah, I remember… you went on that date with Ivy and Nathan… let's not forget Andrew." Her laughter became more, and I clenched my fists.

How can someone who just got slapped be laughing, it must've not dealt enough on her.

I silenced her with her another slap. This time harder than what Avery had done.

And just then… Ivy, Nathan and Andrew walked in.

Andrew was surprised, Nathan a little fazed, and Ivy fuming.

"You little-" The door opened before any of them could come at me.

Perfect timing headmaster Han.

"Right, get settled everyone." He clapped and my glared reminded on Courtney.

"You'd wish you never did that." Her words smelled of threat.

*** ***

The bell rang, my mind was full, and I had to take some air, opening the door to the top rod, I got a clear sight of Andrew, and he was leaning on the railing.

I turned to leave.

"Leaving so soon?"

His voice stopped me in my tracks. I hesitated, my hand still on the door handle. I could pretend I hadn't heard him, but that would be pointless.

I sighed and turned around. "What do you want, Andrew?"

He pushed himself off the railing, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "You're the one who came here… not me, so I should be the one asking you that question." His gaze was unreadable, but there was something in his eyes—curiosity? Amusement? I couldn't tell.

"Didn't expect you to slap Courtney," he said, tilting his head slightly. "You've changed."

I scoffed. "You make it sound like you knew me before."

A smirk tugged at his lips. "Maybe I did."

My stomach twisted at his words. I wasn't sure if he meant that in the metaphorical way or if he actually knew something. Something about me.

I stepped back. "I don't have time for this."

Before I could turn, he took a step closer, his voice dropping lower. "You think you can just walk away?"

I froze. The way he said it—it wasn't a threat. It was a reminder. A warning.

"You should know your place Reigns… a nobody can't just decide to shine, one day."

"I never said I wanted to shine."

"You seek attention, but all your getting are the wrong ones."

I narrow my eyes. "I seek nothing."

"Then why are you picking up the wrong fights with the wrong people? Do you think Ivy can't erase you?"

"Money, status, fame, power… aren't they all they same thing? So what should I fear there?" I turn and was about turning the handle, the cold wind blowing my neck, as I freeze up at his words.

"NewTonHigh may seem peaceful… but it's not, they only make it that way to hide its dark secret."

"And why suddenly tell me this?" I turn back to him, my brows knitting, and my hand leaving the knob, leaving it cold.

"Once many times have I seen your kind… and they all failed. Ivy won't hesitate to do the small to you… and her father could just talk to mine to cover it all up with lies."

"Ha, says the person that called me a dog?"

"That was Nathan." He shrugged.

"It's still the same." My arms folded.

"All I'm saying is, don't provoke Ivy more than you already have." He walked behind me and opened the door, knocking three times on it before leaving.

A cold shiver ran down my spine.

NewTonHigh… what really do you hold?

I was going to get to the bottom of this… one way or the other.

My phone buzzed, and I opened it to see a message from my father.