The sharp click of heels echoed through the classroom, silencing the last whispers of gossip. A woman in her early thirties, slim and well-poised, strode to the front. Her glasses framed stern yet intelligent eyes, and the weight of authority clung to her presence.
"Good morning, class," she said briskly, setting her tablet on the desk. "I am Mrs. Grace. Now—can anyone remind me what we discussed last time?"
The silence that followed was thick and uncomfortable. No one raised a hand. Some students fiddled with their tablets, others leaned back smugly, waiting for someone else to answer. Mrs. Grace's gaze swept the room before landing on Sofia.
"Miss Sofia," she said firmly, "you can answer that."
Sofia, lounging in her seat like a queen on her throne, lazily flipped her hair back. "Well, I don't know. You can ask someone else. Maybe if your teaching wasn't so boring, I'd remember."
The class exploded in laughter. Some students covered their mouths, others laughed openly, delighted at the bold insult. Mrs. Grace's face stiffened, embarrassment creeping over her features.
"Can anyone help?" she tried again, her voice thinner this time.
"Yes, ma'am," came a soft, hesitant voice. It was Lucy, the scholarship student, her oversized glasses slipping down her nose. She clutched her tablet nervously as she spoke. "The topic was… sequence."
Mrs. Grace's shoulders relaxed a little. "Correct. Well done, Lucy. At least someone remembers." She gave a small smile before continuing. "Now, let's begin something new."
As she taught, most students barely paid attention. Some whispered, others texted on their sleek devices. But Selen sat quietly at the back, her golden hair glinting under the lights, tapping keywords into her digital desktop. She didn't need to show off—her calm focus spoke louder than arrogance.
Finally, the bell rang, a melodic chime that signaled break.
Students stretched and gathered their things. Lucy quickly packed her tablet and rushed out, her heart pounding. She knew she had embarrassed Sofia by answering, and that came with consequences. Scholarship students like her were always one wrong step away from being targeted.
Selen, unfazed, slung her Chanel bag over her shoulder and headed toward the cafeteria.
---
The cafeteria of NLGS was like something out of a five-star hotel. Crystal chandeliers glittered overhead, polished marble floors gleamed, and rows of luxurious food counters offered everything from steaks to sushi. But not for everyone.
The school had its rules.
Scholarship students were restricted to one corner, where bowls of porridge and rice were laid out—sometimes with a sliver of meat if they were lucky. Meanwhile, the wealthy dined on exotic dishes, plated like artwork.
Selen carried her tray with quiet grace. She wasn't interested in the whispers or the stares that followed her every move, but they were impossible to ignore.
"She's even prettier up close…"
"Look at her skin—flawless."
"That's a Chanel bag… worth millions."
Their voices floated across the room, every word fueling Sofia's rising fury.
Sofia sat at the center of attention, her manicured nails tapping against Dylan's arm. She had always been the star of NLGS, the school's beauty queen—but now, Selen's presence was like a new sun rising, stealing her light.
Desperate to reclaim her spotlight, Sofia turned to Dylan with a coy smile. She slid onto his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck as she pressed her lips against his. Students gasped but no one dared say anything. This was Sofia—she could do whatever she wanted.
Dylan smirked lazily, slipping his hand beneath her skirt, his fingers tracing dangerous patterns against her skin. Sofia's soft moans filled the cafeteria, a deliberate performance for her audience.
Selen froze mid-bite. Her eyes narrowed. She could handle whispers, she could handle stares—but this? This public display of arrogance? It was pathetic.
She slammed her hand against the table. The sound cracked through the cafeteria, silencing the room instantly.
"Hey," she said coldly, her voice cutting like glass. "Get a room. Stop acting like a slut in front of everyone."
Gasps echoed. Forks clattered. Dozens of students whipped out their phones, cameras already rolling. No one—absolutely no one—had ever dared talk to Sofia like that.
From the far side of the cafeteria, Felix looked up from where a girl straddled his lap, his lips curling into a slow grin. "Well, well… the new girl's got teeth," he murmured, amused.
Croydon, sprawled across a chair with a lollipop in his mouth, tilted his head, his black eyes widening with curiosity. He said nothing—just watched, waiting for the explosion.
Sofia's face flushed with rage. She stood, trembling with fury, and raised her hand to slap Selen.
But Selen moved first. She caught Sofia's wrist mid-air, gripping it tightly.
The room gasped. Phones zoomed in.
"I was polite," Selen said calmly, her golden eyes burning into Sofia's. "But you respond like an animal. Not my problem."
And with that, she shoved Sofia's hand aside, stood tall, and walked out—her steps steady, her back straight, leaving silence and awe in her wake.
The cafeteria erupted.
"She actually did that!"
"She stopped Sofia—like it was nothing!"
"Oh my God, who IS this girl?"
At the center of it all, Dylan leaned back in his chair, his lips curving into a wicked smile.
"Oh, this is going to be fun," he muttered under his breath. "The newbie just became my next plaything."