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The Hallway's Silent War
The air hung heavy and humid around Brighton Wisdom School. It wasn't the kind of sprawling, ivy-covered institution you saw in movies; it was modern, all sleek concrete and large glass panels, built in the town's less crowded area near the old docks. The isolation made it feel less like a school and more like a fortress holding grudges.
In a quiet corner just outside the science wing, Raina's eyes were not just angry; they were truly terrifying. Her pupils had contracted, making the green of her irises look like twin, hostile embers. She had grabbed Ronnie's neck. Not hard enough to hurt him, but hard enough to send a clear, non-negotiable message.
"If you call him a fool one more time," her voice was a low, dangerous hiss, "I will forget you as my friend."
Ronnie, a muscular boy in a crisp white shirt—the uniform of Brighton Wisdom—didn't struggle. He was looking right back at her, his expression a mixture of confusion and hurt. He knew Raina could crush him, not physically, but emotionally.
Suddenly, the fire in Raina's eyes flickered. A memory flashed: her and Ronnie, twelve years old, sharing a disgusting lime-flavored soda and laughing until their stomachs hurt. The memory was a dull ache. She released his neck instantly, turning away.
Ronnie felt the sting of her retreat more than her grip. He was pissed. "When you did it, you didn't even care about us. But now you're advising me? You have no rights, Raina."
Raina didn't turn back. Her voice was ice. "Go and do whatever you want. If you don't considere me as your friend, everything ends here. Between us."
"Then goodbye." Ronnie didn't hesitate. He walked away, the sound of his expensive leather shoes echoing down the empty corridor.
Raina stood still, the guilt and a chilling sense of engagement battling inside her. She needed this revenge, but losing Ronnie felt like losing a piece of her soul. She took a deep breath and started walking toward the main hallway.
The Trembling Hand
Meanwhile, in the brightly lit Hallway of Brighton Wisdom, where students usually gossiped and flirted, Selina was a statue of pure dread. She was waiting for Raina, dressed impeccably in the required school skirt and blazer, her fear hidden by a perfectly applied layer of makeup.
Her phone buzzed. She saw the screen and her hands trembled. It wasn't a friend; it was a ghost from her past. Afraid to ignore it, she picked up.
"H-hello?"
A mysterious, distorted voice answered: "Why are you taking so long to answer? Aren't you afraid we'd send the video to your fiancé?"
Selina's breath hitched. "Don't do anything like that! I'll give you what you want." Sweat beaded on her forehead, ruining her flawless façade.
The voice chuckled—a dry, sinister sound. "Good. Once we've decided, we'll contact you again." The call ended.
Selina stood paralyzed, trying to wipe the evidence of her fear. Suddenly, a hand tapped on her shoulder.
She freaked out, spinning around. "Who the hell are you!?"
It was Han, her fiancé. A handsome, earnest boy who couldn't lie if his life depended on it. Selina instantly plastered a dazzling, fake smile over her fear.
"Why are you so nervous?" Han narrowed his eyes, a glint of suspicion in them.
"I'm not!" Selina rushed to say.
"Are you hiding anything from me?" Han's question was simple, but it hit her like a physical blow.
Her eyes widened in shock. She laughed lightly. "Of course not, why would I hide anything from you? Why are you here? I thought you'd gone."
"I returned because I need your notebook. I hadn't come to yesterday because of the quiz competition, so I want to finish the notes."
Relief washed over her. She opened her bag and quickly handed him the notes.
"Are you coming with me?" he asked.
"No, I'm waiting for Raina."
"Okay, I'm going." He kissed her cheek and left.
Selina watched him go, then saw Raina approaching.
"What happened?" Selina asked, her voice laced with anxiety.
"We'd better not tell him our plan anymore," Raina said, her face taut with a contained rage. "He's madly in love with that Lara."
Selina was genuinely shocked. "What? How can he do that to us? His own friends?"
Raina's eyes turned, locking onto a figure down the hallway: Gabriella. She was wearing a simple, tailored uniform and her black hair is flawless —which made her look elegant, serious, and untouchable.
Raina was staring with an intensity that could burn glass. Gabriella saw Raina, too. Her gaze was level, normal, devoid of the fire and panic Raina expected.
Gabriella walked closer, past Raina, ignoring her completely.
Raina snapped her fingers. The sound was sharp in the quiet hall. Gabriella stopped.
Raina leaned in, whispering into the air beside Gabriella's ear. "I didn't expect you to escape from the chandelier."
Gabriella's face remained straight, devoid of any expression.
Raina's next whisper was a promise of unending torment: "I won't leave. I will be a nightmare every time you close your eyes."
Gabriella didn't flinch, didn't show a hint of fear. She simply walked away.
Selina put her hand on Raina's shoulder. "Why didn't she react? Is that she's afraid, or…"
"Or what?" Raina asked coldly.
"She's silent because she's planning… something big," Selina finished, a shiver running down her spine.
Raina chuckled, a dry, brittle sound. "Whatever. I'm waiting."
The Unexpected Ride
In the vast Parking Ground of Brighton Wisdom, bathed in the harsh afternoon light, Gabriella was waiting. She was annoyed. Her booked cab had canceled.
She called her Auntie Fiona. "Auntie, can you bring my assignment to my school?"
"Sorry, you're not talking to Fiona."
Gabriella sighed. "Auntie, don't play with me. I'm serious."
"I'm serious too! How many times have I told you, don't call me auntie! It makes me old! Call me sister!"
"Auntie… sorry, Sister," Gabriella corrected wearily. "Could you please bring my assignment?"
"Sorry, me and your mother are at the shopping mall, we can't."
"What?"
"Why did you forget? Where is your mind? Today's young people have no responsibility!"
Gabriella sighed. "Okay, bye." She hung up and was frantically trying to book another cab.
Suddenly, a massive, gleaming sports bike stopped right in front of her. She didn't look up until a helmet was gently leaned toward her.
Finally, she raised her head from her phone screen. She saw Jake. His golden hair was a halo in the blazing sun. When he flipped his hair back with one hand, time truly seemed to slow down. He was a vision—part recklessness, part kindness.
She shook her head to clear the sudden, unwanted fog. "What?"
"Come with me." He offered the helmet.
"What?"
Jake spoke normally, his voice a warm counterpoint to the engine's rumble. "If you book a cab now, it'll reach here in ten minutes. If you want to go before that, I'll drive you."
Gabriella narrowed her eyes.
Jake smirked, a challenge in his blue eyes. "Don't tell me you're afraid you'll fall for me."
Gabriella blinked. "I'm not like that." She snatched the helmet and swung onto the seat behind him.
He started the engine, but with a sudden, deliberate jolt. She ended up hugging him, her hands instinctively clamping around his waist. The warmth of his back was a shock to her senses, a physical sensation she could feel resonating in her heart. Her ears instantly turned bright red.
"Are you doing that deliberately?" she asked, her voice muffled.
"Look over there! There's a kitten!" He pointed to an empty space. He was mocking her. "I don't do that. You just… jumpy."
Gabriella sighed. "Then you only do that to other girls."
He smirked. "I didn't say that." Then, he revved the engine and drove off.
The Bracelet's Secret
At Gabriella's Grand Mansion, a magnificent house that felt more like a museum than a home, she invited him in.
"You stay here. I'll come back after I grab my assignment." She hurried upstairs.
Jake sat on a plush sofa and started scrolling through his phone.
Gabriella reached her room, found the forgotten assignment in her desk drawer, and turned around.
She gasped. Jake was standing right behind her.
He was holding a silver couple bracelet from her dressing table. It was simple, elegant, and instantly recognizable.
"Is this the bracelet we won at the amusement park on our first date?" he smirked.
Gabriella rushed toward him, trying to jump and retrieve the bracelet, but he simply raised his hand higher.
"Don't tell me you still have feelings for me."
Gabriella rolled her eyes. "Keeping that bracelet doesn't mean I have feelings for you." She tapped his forehead playfully. "Why do you still have your pair on your wrist?"
Jake smiled, genuinely. "Because I loved it. Look, I admit why I have one half of the couple bracelet… but you don't."
Gabriella glared, jumping again to snatch it back. This time, she stumbled and ended up falling into his chest. Her eyes widened. She could feel the fierce, fast beat of his heart against her cheek.
"Are you enjoying this?" Jake's smile was teasing.
"I don't!" she started to stand up, but tripped again, pushing him backward and landing right on top of him.
She was shocked at what she'd done. She scrambled to stand, but suddenly, Jake grabbed and pulled her waist, holding her closer.
His ears were bright red. Their faces were inches apart. Both could feel their rapidly rising heartbeats, no longer their own, but a frantic rhythm they shared.
Jake's voice was a low, husky whisper.
"Did I ever give you butterflies… before?"
Gabriella froze, staring into his intense eyes. She didn't know what to say. He closed the distance just slightly, his eyes locked on hers, waiting for the answer that would change everything.
As Jake's eyes narrowed, searching hers for the truth, the silver bracelet slipped from his open hand and hit the floor with a tiny, metallic clink. But neither of them heard it.
All Gabriella could feel was the warmth of his breath and the frantic, undeniable pounding of her heart....
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To be Continued....
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