Black Ridge Academy

The gates of Blackridge Academy were taller than I expected.

They loomed above me like something out of a story I wasn’t ready to be part of, all iron bars and sharp edges, cold and unwelcoming. Beyond them, the school was built on a dark part of an isolated boundary. Even the sky above it looked dull, like the place had drained the color out of everything.

I tightened my grip on the strap of my bag and exhaled slowly.

“Okay,” I muttered under my breath. “You’ve got this, Zara.”

Except I didn’t feel like I did.

A sleek black car pulled away behind me, leaving me alone at the entrance. No turning back now. My parents had already made that clear when they decided this school was my “fresh start.”

Because nothing says fresh start like transferring to a school you’ve never heard of, filled with students who looked like they walked straight out of a magazine.

I stepped forward, the gravel touching softly under my shoes as I passed through the gates. The moment I did, something shifted. I couldn’t explain it, but it felt like crossing a line into a place where things weren’t as simple as they seemed.

Students moved in groups across the courtyard, their voices low, their laughter controlled. Everyone looked… put together. Perfect uniforms, perfect posture and perfect lives. 

Ooh.. they all lived the life I had wanted.

And then there was me.

New, a total novice in the school. I was already being noticed. I felt their eyes before I even looked up.

“New girl,” someone whispered, not even trying to hide it.

“Another one?”

“Wonder how long she’ll last.”

I frowned slightly but kept walking, pretending I didn’t hear anything. If there was one thing I’d learned, it was that reacting only made things worse.

Still… how long she’ll last?

What was that supposed to mean?

I reached the main building, pushing open the heavy doors. Inside, the air was cooler, quieter. The floors gleamed, reflecting the tall windows that let in pale light. Lockers lined the walls, and students moved with purpose, like they all knew exactly where they belonged.

Unlike me.

I glanced down at the paper in my hand, scanning for my class schedule.

“Room 204…” I murmured.

“Second floor.”

The voice came out of nowhere. I looked up quickly, startled.

A girl stood a few steps away, leaning casually against a locker. She had long braids pulled into a high ponytail and sharp eyes that seemed to miss nothing.

“You look lost,” she added, a small smirk tugging at her lips.

“Is it that obvious?” I asked.

“Very.”

I let out a small laugh, relaxing just a little. “First day.”

“Yeah, I figured.” She pushed herself off the locker and walked over. “I’m Lila.”

“Zara.”

“Well, Zara, welcome to Blackridge Academy.” Her tone was light, but there was something underneath it I couldn’t quite place. “Try not to get eaten alive.”

I blinked. “That’s… comforting.”

She shrugged. “I’m being honest.”

Before I could respond, a sudden shift in the hallway caught my attention. The noise dropped just slightly, but enough to notice. Conversations lowered, movements slowed.

It was subtle. But we never stopped. Lila noticed it too. Her expression changed, the humor fading just a bit.

“Speak of the devil,” she muttered. I followed her gaze without thinking.

At first, I didn’t see what the big deal was. Just another student walking down the hallway. Talk with dark hair. Hands tucked casually into his pockets.

But then I really looked. And something about him… felt different.

People moved out of his way without being told. No one bumped into him. No one even tried. It was like there was an invisible line around him that no one dared to cross.

He didn’t look at anyone and didn't acknowledge the whispers. Maybe he didn’t care.

“Who is that?” I asked quietly.

Lila hesitated for a second too long. “That,” she said finally, “is Adrian Cole.”

The name meant nothing to me. But the way she said it? That did.

“What about him?” I asked.

She turned to me fully now, her expression serious. “Just stay away from him.”

I frowned. “Why?”

“Because,” she said, lowering her voice, “people who get close to Adrian don’t exactly have a good time.”

I glanced back at him. He was closer now, passing right by us.

While he passed, his eyes lifted meeting mine.

The look was sharp and cold. Like he was reading something he didn’t like.

My breath caught. Then, just as quickly, he looked away and kept walking. Like I didn’t matter and meant nothing.

I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. “Okay,” I said slowly. “Noted.”

Lila didn’t look convinced. “I mean it, Zara,” she pressed. “Stay away from him.”

I nodded, tearing my gaze from the empty space he’d left behind.

“Yeah,” I said.

But even as I said it, something in my chest twisted. Because for some reason…

I already knew I wouldn’t.