FAZER LOGINPOV: VINEI never thought my mini reveal of last night would cause this much havoc within the school board in less than 12 hours.As the car pulled up to the front gates of the academy, I actually had to squint. The driveway was so fucking packed. This wasn't just the usual fleet of student sports cars and bikes. These were the big cars. You know, those kind of sleek, armored SUVs and long black sedans that only showed up when the parents—the real power behind the school—decided to descend from their ivory towers.My stomach did a slow, painful flip. This couldn't have been because of my small event last night, could it? Or maybe there was a more serious issue at hand?I seriously hated being the center of attention. I looked down at my hand. Ace was still holding it. He'd been sticking with me everywhere since I fainted last night. Hell, I still hadn't fully processed the fact that I had woken up in his guest room this morning. I remember the dizzying heat in the garden, the feeli
POV: ACEThe second she hit the floor, my heart stopped for what seemed to be like a whole solid minute. I’ve seen girls faint before. Usually, it’s for attention or because they skipped lunch to fit into a dress, but this was different.Vine had literally just crumpled like a puppet with its strings cut right before my eyes. I couldn't even move fast enough to catch her before she hit the ground. "Vine?" I barked, dropping to my knees beside her.Her skin was blazing hot. I could feel the heat radiating off her even before I touched her. It was like she was burning from the inside out."Vine! Wake up. This isn't funny, V. Stop playing around."I shook her shoulders, but her head just lolled back. Her eyes were shut tight, and her breathing was shallow, coming in these short, ragged puffs that made my chest tighten with a panic I didn't recognize.I pulled out my phone, tapping on the guy's group chat. Ace: Where the fuck are you guys? I need you here, like right now. Kai: What? Y
POV: VINEJosh kept staring at me like I was some stranger he failed to recognize. His hand was still hovering near mine, but he looked terrified. I couldn’t blame him. We had just set the entire social hierarchy of Silverclaw academy on fire in less than five minutes. He was probably panicking internally about how things could suddenly go wrong. I was too, to be honest. But I've already come this far. It'd be over my dead body that I'd back down now. "Vine?" he whispered, his voice cracking over the sound of the rising shouting in the room. "Are you okay? We should probably go. Like, right now. Come on, the car's already outside, we just need to get there."I looked at him, but I didn't really see him. My pulse was a drum beating in my ears. I felt this weird, cold feeling that I struggled to put a name on. For months, I had been the girl who hid in the shadows. Who did her best to be invisible just so she could avoid any unnecessary drama. I even let myself get humiliated time an
POV: VINEThe night of the Costume Festival finally arrived, and the air around the academy felt a little bit different. The smell of different colognes were everywhere, and it felt a bit nauseating. I stood at the entrance of the ballroom, my fingers laced with Josh’s. He'd really done his best like he'd promised me he would. Somehow, even though he stayed up all night, working on the thing I asked of him, he looked completely normal. If anything, I was the one who had eyebags like a fucking zombie. His costume looked nice on him. I still couldn't believe tonight would determine Drew's fate. If things went well, I couldn't be more relieved. But if not, then....."You look amazing, Vine," Josh said, looking me over. "Seriously. If I didn't know you were about to start a third world war, I’d be intimidated."I forced a laugh, smoothing down the fabric of my outfit. "You don't look too bad yourself," I teased. "The decor club actually outdid themselves this year. I expected it to lo
POV: VINEYou know those life and death moments people talk about? The ones where you just see your whole life flash before your very eyes and stuff like that?Yeah, I almost thought it was happening to me due to the way my heart had suddenly stopped beating. After summoning courage from God knows the fuck where, I slowly turned my head. Josh was already looking, his face the color of a sheet of paper.Ace was leaning against the doorframe. He looked entirely too relaxed for someone who had just appeared out of thin air.He wasn't wearing his jacket anymore. Just a dark shirt that made him look even more like a shadow than usual."Well?" Ace asked. He tilted his head, his eyes scanning the room like he was looking for something to break. "I'm waiting. Which monster are we talking about?"We? Oh boy. I swallowed hard. My throat felt like I had swallowed a handful of dry sand.I couldn't tell him the truth. I couldn't say we were planning to hack Drew. If Ace knew I was plotting somet
POV: VINEMy heart was doing this weird, frantic thing against my ribs as I walked away from that door.I didn't even know where I was going anymore. My legs just kept moving, taking me down hallway after hallway of this stupid academy.I couldn't stop thinking about it. Who would've thought that a person like the principal's daughter would be in that sort of situation? It was weird seeing her on her knees. It made me feel pity for her despite how rude she usually is. No girl deserved to live that kinda nightmare. But Drew didn't know that. No, he did know. He just didn't give a fuck enough to just not do it. God, I hated him with every fiber of my being. And here I was, thinking Ace was the worst thing that could happen to me. I thought the way he treated me was the peak of being a monster.I forgot that Drew was different. A different, shameless breed of demon. While Ace was like a storm because you could see him coming. Sure, he wrecks everything, but at least he doesn’t hide w
Vine 12:AM MIDNIGHT. That was the moment my alarm rang, and I sprang up from my bed. Clyde groaned from her sleep but I couldn't blame her, she wasn't aware there was a more desperate clock, ticking hard and fast in my head. I stretched my hand to the edge of my bed and turned off my alarm b
AceEARLIER THIS AFTERNOONI sat in a hidden corner of the arena, watching as Vine spoke with Mrs. Gladys, our new physical health instructor.She had replaced the old one this week and now we were left with her, and of course Vine and other student volunteers.Mrs Gladys said something and Vine ha
VineThe next morning, I tried to stuff as many pancakes into my mouth as I could because I thought today was going to be a very long day and I could feel Miriam's heartbreak miles away."At this point, you're going to choke on your food..." Clyde sits opposite me and places a cup of water on my ta
Ace"Who's there?" I asked, my eyes scanning The trees before I noticed some grasses that had bent like someone had stomped on them."Show yourself."An elderly man appeared, holding a small staff which he leaned on, like it were a third leg.The wind rustled across his brown colored dress shirt u







