Courage_Ita_1386

Jeremy, a nineteen-year-old martial artist from an average family, is forced to transfer to Jefferson High, a school riddled with crime and dominated by gangs. His handsome looks immediately make him the object of both envy from the boys and infatuation from the girls, including Jess, the popular queen bee.  Jess's boyfriend, Tyler, the school jock, sees Jeremy as a threat and tries to bully him. However, Jeremy's martial arts skills prove too much for Tyler and his crew, leading to two decisive defeats for the jock.
Despite the unwanted attention, Jeremy remains cold and detached, uninterested in the affections of the girls.  He forms a reluctant friendship with Alex, the class nerd, who becomes his confidante.  After their second fight, Tyler disappears, and Jess's behavior changes drastically.  She becomes colder, more distant, and reveals she's connected to a powerful, dangerous organization.
Jeremy discovers that Jess had Tyler killed by this organization.  When he confronts her, she offers him a choice: join them or face the consequences.  He refuses and chooses to escape, knowing he's now a target.  With Alex's help, he creates a new identity, Michael Riley, and flees to a small town to start a new life.
While working a menial job and living in fear, Jeremy secretly trains and researches Jess's organization, learning about their illegal activities and dangerous reach. He knows he can't stay hidden forever. He must return to Jefferson High, stronger and more skilled, to confront Jess, avenge Tyler's death, and expose the truth about the organization she's aligned with. He's no longer just Jeremy, the new kid. He's Michael Riley, a ghost preparing to return and become the hunter.  The synopsis sets the stage for a story of revenge, action, and suspense, with a touch of romance woven into the dangerous game Jeremy is now playing.

The Iced Prince

Jeremy walked through the doors of Jefferson High, a ghost from the past returning to haunt the present. He moved through the familiar hallways, his senses heightened, his eyes scanning the faces of the students. They were different, younger, most of them hadn't even been at the school when he left. But the atmosphere was the same – the undercurrent of tension, the whispers, the cliques, the power struggles.

He kept his head down, trying to blend in, to become invisible. He was no longer the brash, handsome new kid. He was Michael Riley, a quiet, unremarkable transfer student. He wore simple clothes, his hair was shorter, his face was leaner, harder. He was a shadow, an observer, watching, waiting.

He found the main office and registered for classes, using his Michael Riley identity. The woman behind the desk barely glanced at him, her attention focused on her computer screen. He was just another student, another face in the crowd.

He received his schedule and walked towards his first class, Algebra II. He remembered this classroom, the scene of so many awkward moments, so many stolen glances at Jess. He walked inside and found an empty seat in the back, near the window. He sat down and pulled out a textbook, pretending to read.

He could feel the eyes on him, the whispers starting up again. "New kid," he heard someone whisper. "He's kinda quiet." "I wonder where he's from."

He ignored them, focusing on his textbook. He was Michael Riley, the quiet, unremarkable transfer student. He wasn't Jeremy, the martial artist, the heartbreaker, the target.

He saw Jess in the hallway between classes. She was with her usual group of friends, laughing and talking, her green eyes sparkling. She didn't notice him. He was just another face in the crowd.

He watched her, his expression unreadable. He felt a surge of anger, a burning desire to confront her, to expose her, to make her pay for what she had done. But he held back. He knew he had to be patient, strategic, methodical. He couldn't rush in, he couldn't make a mistake.

He spent the rest of the day observing, gathering information, getting a feel for the school's current dynamics. He learned that Jess's influence had grown even stronger in his absence. She was now practically running the school, her power unchallenged. Her "friends," the men in the dark suits, were always nearby, watching, ensuring that no one stepped out of line.

He also learned that Tyler's disappearance was still a mystery. The police investigation had gone cold, and no one suspected Jess or her organization. They were too powerful, too well-connected.

Jeremy knew he was up against a formidable enemy, but he wasn't afraid. He had come back to Jefferson High to settle the score, and he wouldn't rest until he had achieved his goal.

He left school at the end of the day, his mind racing. He had a lot to do, a lot to plan, a lot to prepare for. He was Michael Riley now, but Jeremy was still inside him, burning with a cold, unwavering fire. And soon, that fire would erupt, consuming everything in its path. He was the unseen observer, the ghost in the machine, waiting for his chance to strike. He was back, and he was playing the long game. He was going to dismantle Jess's empire piece by piece, expose her crimes, and bring her down, no matter the cost. He was going to make her pay for what she had done, for Tyler's death, for the life she had stolen from him. He was going to make her pay.

Chapter twenty three