LOGINREINA“...'Miss me, Kitty?’ That’s all. Nothing scandalous. Just a private joke.”The class went wild. Gasps. Giggles. Whispers spreading like wildfire. “Oh my God, is the new girl already warming Adrian's bed?” a girl whispered not-so-quietly.I wanted to die.“Oh wait that's not all. I also texted, I know my mere presence makes girls ovulate, but if you keep squirming on that chair you're gonna cum.” the class went wild, Julian actually lifted his head long enough to see me almost cry from embarassment. The professor tried to regain control, but even he looked uncomfortable. “Enough. Both of you, detention after class.”I could live with that. Anything to get out of this room like right now. But Adrian wasn’t done. Of course he wasn’t.He pushed his chair back and stood, stretching again. “Actually, sir, I think I’m done with this class.”The professor hesitated. “Mr. Vale—”Adrian started walking toward the door. No one stopped him. Not even the teacher. Everyone just watched him
REINAMy lungs forgot how to work. His lips were on mine before my brain even caught up, his hand pressing me against the wall like he planned to merge us. The kiss wasn’t soft nor slow, it was desperate, like he was hiding behind the act. The world went silent except for the hammering of my heart against my ribcage. I didn’t move of rather, I couldn't’t. Every nerve in my body tangled up as butterflies appeared at the pit of my stomach.When he finally pulled back, he glanced toward the direction those men had gone, scanning the shadows like he’d just escaped something big. I stood there frozen, heart racing as he stepped away. No apology, no explanation, just that same cold detachment I’d seen in the hallway.And I snapped. I grabbed his jacket, yanking him back, and before I could think it through, my palm met his cheek in a hot searing slapped that wasn't pre planned. “How– How dare you just—kiss me like that!” My voice cracked halfway through, the words spilling out with every
REINAHard. The first week at Gravemont felt like drowning with my eyes open. Every day started with me pretending I was fine and ended with me staring at my test papers covered in enough red ink to qualify as a crime scene. It was like the teachers had a personal vendetta against my brain. Gravemont’s coursework was brutal, the kind that made smart people cry and geniuses doubt themselves. I was two years out of practice, but that wasn’t an excuse anyone here cared about. I went from “I’ll prove myself” to “maybe I’m just stupid” in five days flat.By the second morning, my dorm still looked half-lived in. My boxes sat in one corner like ghosts of my old life, untouched. I woke up early anyway, eager to start my new life. I told myself I’d show everyone, that I didn’t need Julian freaking Carter or his bored blue eyes to survive Gravemont Academy.I pulled on my uniform, a little wrinkled, not perfectly tailored like everyone else’s, and grabbed my books. The hallway outside was
REINAFor a split second, the whole world froze. My heart was hammering like a freaking drum set in my chest. My hands shaking as I turned around slowly, expecting to see cameras aimed at me, ready to capture the “Fallen Cole Girl returns from the dead” headline all over again. But instead, the cameras were pointed somewhere else. To my right. Toward Ivy.She stood there, blinking through the after-flash like this kind of thing happened to her every other Tuesday. Which, maybe it did. A few students with phones hovered nearby, snapping pictures like their lives depended on it.“Oh my God, Ivy, pose!” a brunette squealed, angling her camera. “You look insane right now, like actual model-level insane.”“Of course I do,” Ivy said, tossing her hair back like a diva who was born under her own spotlight. Then she noticed me frozen beside her, still pale and shaking, and her expression changed immediately. She rolled her eyes, turned to the girls, and snapped, “Delete those or I’ll ruin yo
REINA“Move,” his tone had me swallowing hard past the lump in my throat that just wouldn't go down. “W-well I-it s-sor” Just as I was about to mumble an apology for standing in his way, his gaze dropped from my face, down to my shoes. He was starting at my shoes now and I had never felt more self conscious in my entire life. I was on cheap scuffed sneakers that looked out of place against the polished floor and polished bodies around me. His gaze then began crawling upward inch by inch until it reached my face, and by the time it did, my skin was burning everywhere, as if his stare alone had stripped me bare and marinated me in heat. But instead of surprise or curiosity, his eyes only filled with boredom, disinterest, like I was nothing worth pausing for, then came that expression of judgement that made my chest tighten and my breathe catch. Before I could even get a single word out, he brushed past me, his shoulder slamming against mine so hard it cramped the muscle and forced
REINAReina: you guys won't believe this but yacht party is ON!!!Iris: wait. No way! YOUR DAD agreed??Maya: Oh I am so in for this, it's going to blow up on IG!Liv: omg Reina you’re insanely lucky. Like I'm so jealous I wanna wear your skin! I’m already picking my outfit. I laughed so hard a hiccup slipped out. My friends were weird but then, so am I. “Stop worshipping me, guys,” I muttered under my breath even as a stupid grin crawled up my face. The bubbles kept popping up, one after another as my fingers flew over my keyboard.Tina: tell your dad we love him. I wanna marry him.Iris: ewww Tina. That's just wrong to sayLiv: I understand Tina lol. But seriously I thought he was allergic to teenagers on his boat? Maya: this is gonna be legendary. The whole school is invited right?I was still grinning, still half-typing some snarky reply about playlists and champagne glasses filled with secretly snuck in alcohol, when my heels clacked against the marble steps. I didn’t even look







