Kia West hated Mondays with the same passion her cat hated bath time — violently and unapologetically.
It was 7:42 a.m., and she was already late.
Wearing one sock, hair half-straightened, and eyeliner on just one eye, Kia stumbled into the kitchen like a dramatic indie movie protagonist who didn't ask for this life. Her mom was scrolling Instagram, her younger brother was laughing at some fart video, and the toaster, as usual, had betrayed her.
"Burnt again?" her mom asked without looking up.
"Like my hopes and dreams," Kia muttered, throwing the toast straight into the bin.
She grabbed her bag — half-zipped and bulging with random papers, a half-eaten granola bar, and that math homework she totally didn't copy last night.
At Northcrown High, Kia's life was… complicated.
There were secrets she hadn't told anyone.
There was a note she got last week — unsigned — that said:
"Don't trust the ones who smile the most."
There was Jayden Cross, the school heartthrob with a crooked grin and emotional range of a teaspoon, who may or may not have looked at her during chem lab.
There was Ava Mistry, her so-called best friend turned stranger turned maybe-frenemy, who wore lip gloss and betrayal like they were matching bracelets.
And above all… there was that stupid test today.
9:03 AM – Chemistry class
The teacher was mid-rant about covalent bonds when Kia noticed it.
Her notes — the ones she definitely wrote herself last night — were missing.
Panic. Pure, academic, sweaty-palmed panic.
She checked again.
Nothing.
Just a weird crumpled piece of paper that wasn't hers.
She opened it slowly.
"You're not as invisible as you think. – X"
Her stomach dropped.
She turned around.
No one looked suspicious.
Except… maybe one.