I should probably start this story with a warning: I'm not perfect. I'm not popular. I'm not the smartest person in Cedar Heights Academy. And definitely—not the richest. But somehow, I manage to act like I am, which is basically my life's full-time hobby.
"Mom, a Louis Vuitton for my birthday this year?" I asked as I sipped my overly frothy chocolate milk in the kitchen. She didn't answer, probably too busy thinking about actual adult things like bills and… I don't know, saving the world. Whatever.
Because honestly, at fifteen, all I cared about was fitting in. Not just in the "I'll join this club" way, but in the "people won't notice I'm barely passing maths" kind of way. Spoiler: they notice. Always.
Cedar Heights Academy was a mixture of rich brats, sports legends, and a handful of normal kids who didn't stand a chance in the social food chain. My classmates, Stella and her crew—Serena, Vanessa, and Tiffany—were the rulers of that kingdom. They were extremely rich, extremely spoiled, and extremely dramatic. And me? I was desperately trying to be their kind of person without dying from embarrassment.
Stella had perfect hair, perfect nails, and a laugh that could make anyone feel like their life was suddenly terribly inadequate. Serena was tall, intimidating, and obsessed with everything "exclusive." Vanessa had a smile that could hypnotize teachers into giving her extra points. Tiffany… well, Tiffany just existed, radiating wealth like a sunbeam. Together, they were a force field of perfection—and I was basically a cat tiptoeing across a field of laser pointers, trying not to get zapped.
But then… Eden arrived
He was quiet. Taller than me, yes—way taller—and had this nerdy, mysterious aura that somehow made him both intimidating and… confusingly attractive. He had sharp eyes that made it seem like he could see right into your soul, but also like he was mildly judging your taste in shoes. His hair was messy in that perfect "I don't care" kind of way, and the way he carried himself screamed: I am smarter than you, and I know it.
Which… wasn't exactly wrong.
Rumor had it he was a transfer student. New kids were usually the victims of endless teasing, but Eden? He wasn't just surviving—he was existing dangerously coolly, and it made everyone stop and stare. Including me.
Now, normally, I wouldn't care about a guy. Guys were… well, usually jerks. But something about Eden made me forget to roll my eyes at Stella's latest ridiculous demand. He sat in the back row, quietly observing, and didn't seem to notice the chaos of Cedar Heights around him. And maybe that was why I immediately wanted to figure him out.
"Watch it," I muttered under my breath when Stella practically shoved me out of the way to talk to some new girl in class. Her name was Clarissa. Rich, glamorous, and probably smelling of perfume that costs more than my monthly allowance. Eden glanced over at her, and for a horrifying second, my chest decided to stage a full-on rebellion. He likes her, my brain screamed.
Great. Perfect. Just great.
And that was only the beginning.
Because what I didn't know—what nobody knew—was that Eden's quiet, nerdy, mysterious exterior was hiding something far, far bigger than high school drama. His family… well, let's just say they didn't exactly attend bake sales and PTA meetings. And my uncle? He had no idea his life was about to intersect with Eden's in ways that would change everything.
Spoiler alert: it wasn't going to be pretty.