Chapter Four—Lucent

The teacher lifted her head, her eyes narrowing as they landed on Tristain. "What do you think you're doing?" she demanded, her voice quivering slightly.

"The zip isn't strong enough— clearly it's the school's fault," he replied, locking eyes with her. "This is no way to treat a new student at Lucent, is it, Mrs. Vincent?" His brow arched sharply, challenging her.

Mrs. Vincent chuckled nervously under his intense gaze, visibly fidgeting.

Sierra's eyes narrowed in suspicion; why was the teacher so rattled by a student?

"Right, Tristain," she conceded, trying to regain control of the situation, though it was clear she was flustered.

"Good," he continued, his voice steady. "Every student deserves respect; otherwise, who knows what they'll say about Lucent? It could tarnish the school's image." His grip on Sierra's skirt tightened, ensuring it wouldn't fall. Meanwhile, she stood there, awkward and acutely aware of the stares from her peers.

The teacher managed a nervous smile before slapping her forehead. "What was I thinking?" she muttered, regaining a bit of her composure. "You're right, Tristain."

Her gaze fell on Sierra, who bit her lip, remembering the awkwardness of the moment. "You need to get your skirt fixed right away," she instructed, her tone surprisingly stern, in stark contrast to her previous interactions with Tristain.

Sierra nodded vigorously before Mrs. Vincent returned the pins. "Thank you, Mrs. Vincent," she replied, and the teacher nodded back, pivoting to return to the podium.

Seizing her moment, Sierra quickly adjusted her skirt.

Without delay, Tristain left her side once she had the pin.

Sierra quickly composed herself after fixing her skirt, but she was still nervous, though, as students were murmuring and looking in her direction. They were talking about her.

And after a few minutes, Tristain passed by her row once more on his way to the front. She couldn't believe that he had acted so gallantly in such a moment; he had truly saved her from a potentially humiliating situation, and her gratitude toward him was immense. She had never anticipated his quick reaction—if her skirt had fallen, she would have wished to disappear entirely.

For reasons she couldn't quite grasp, her heart fluttered. Aside from being incredibly handsome and having the most captivating scent, his actions revealed a surprising depth to his character, stirring feelings within her that she didn't entirely understand.

"Alright," Mrs. Vincent announced, confidently taking the podium once more. "Now that we've conducted student checks, please welcome Tristain Blackwood to the stage for a brief speech before we proceed to class." With that, she began clapping, prompting the rest of the students to join in with enthusiasm.

Sierra noticed the buzz of excitement in the room and clapped along. He seemed popular, she thought to herself.

When he stepped onto the stage, his expression remained stoic, making her wonder if he ever showed any other emotion. As his deep voice resonated through the auditorium, it sent a ripple through her. "You all know what day it is," he began. "It's the most anticipated day at Lucent: The bonfire night"

The crowd erupted in cheers, and Sierra registered with surprise that there was a bonfire happening. But how was she supposed to know? It was her first day!

"Bonfire Night... Skip," she mused to herself. She saw no reason to attend.

"It's highly encouraged that students participate. You'll have the chance to network, make friends, and mingle with seniors and juniors. This is an opportunity you don't want to miss; we promise it will be a memorable night. We expect everyone to attend and make the most of it," he stated, the excitement swelling again.

Mrs. Vincent stepped back in after he exited the stage. "That's excellent news; I can see you all are excited. However, keep in mind that Lucent has rules, and any inappropriate behavior will face immediate consequences. Enjoy yourselves, but remember—don't go overboard. We're always watching," she declared emphatically. "Now, students, please head to your respective classrooms for lectures."

The bell rang, and students began filing out of the assembly.

Sierra walked alongside the students as they moved toward their classes.

As the other students entered their classrooms, she found herself wandering the hall, checking the doors for her own. She had no idea where it was.

As she spotted some students heading upstairs, she quickly joined them, thinking that her class was not on the lower floor. Stepping into a classroom, her eyes widened at the scene before her.

Students were making out, smoke filled the air, and some had their legs casually draped over tables. These people looked older than her, and she felt as if she had just walked into the lion's den.

She stood frozen at the door, her eyes wide, and soon felt the weight of several stares directed at her, all filled with annoyance.

"What's a freshman doing here?" someone sneered. It hit her then—they were seniors. How did she stumble into this place?

Quickly, she bowed her head and tried to leave, but collided with someone's chest instead. Looking up, she found herself face-to-face with Tristain once again. Not him, she thought, cursing her luck for bumping into him so often.

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to," she rushed out.

He regarded her with an indifferent gaze.

"You know if you keep running into him like this, it could be seen as something else—are you stalking him?" a voice chimed in, belonging to a boy next to Tristain who had striking red spiky hair and intense black eyes.

"No, I—" Sierra began, ready to defend herself.

"Your class is on the bottom floor. Leave now," Tristain's voice cut through her protest, and her heart raced as she dropped her gaze.

"Yes, sir," she replied quickly, stepping back and bolting down the stairs.

"Did she just say 'sir'?" she heard someone laugh from upstairs, presumably the red-haired guy, who then threw an arm casually around Tristain.

"Get the hell away from me," Tristain shot back, shrugging off the boy's arm before entering his class.

When Sierra finally located her own cl the teacher was already inside—Mrs. Vincent. Mrs. Vincent paused, sending a sharp glare to Sierra as she walked in with her head down.

Scanning the room, she found a seat in the corner and dropped into it quietly.

Mrs. Vincent resumed teaching as if Sierra hadn't just interrupted. Although she might have sent Sierra out of her class, she reconsidered, sensing Tristain's unspoken protection over her from the assembly. Offending him wouldn't end well, and she still wanted to navigate her school life smoothly.

Taking a seat at the back corner, Sierra settled her books, trying to make as little noise as possible to avoid another glare from Mrs. Vincent.

As she reached for her pen from her backpack, a wave of frustration washed over her; she didn't have one.

She closed her eyes, exhaling sharply. How could this be happening again? First, it was the skirt incident and walking into the seniors' den, and now she was without a pen?

The other students were writing, and Mrs. Vincent would certainly lose it if she realized Sierra was doing nothing.

Just as panic set in, a voice cut through. "Take mine."

Sierra turned to see a girl with short black hair offering her a pen.

"Thank you," Sierra replied, taking the pen. "Wait... what are you going to write with?"

"I brought two, just in case something like this happens," the girl said.

Sierra appreciated the thoughtfulness. 'At least someone was doing something right'

"I'm Victoria, by the way," she introduced herself, and they spoke in hushed tones.

"I'm Sierra," Sierra responded.

"Right, you're the new girl who almost lost her skirt at the assembly," Victoria said, and Sierra felt heat rise to her cheeks.

"Is that what everyone's talking about?" she asked, slightly embarrassed.

"Yeah, but it doesn't really," Victoria shrugged. "I didn't mean to bring it up; it's just how I talk—it can be annoying," she added with a laugh.

Sierra chuckled in return. "It's nothing; thankfully, it didn't fall off, so I'm good," she said, smiling back.

"What's so funny over there?" Mrs. Vincent demanded sharply, directing her glare at Sierra.

Sierra quickly lowered her gaze, immersing herself in her book while feeling the intensity of the teacher's disapproval. Just then, Mrs. Vincent shook her head in annoyance and resumed her lesson.

"Looks like she has it out for you," Victoria whispered, amusement in her voice.

"Shhh," Sierra replied, trying to remain focused.