After having my lunch, I went straight to my next class. I had an exam in Pathophysiology, and even though my mind was still spinning from what happened earlier, I forced myself to focus and ace my exam. I kept reminding myself to just finish the dy.
One class at a time. When the exam was done, I had only ten minutes to change into my PE uniform. My next class was in the campus gym, and even though Ryan and Regina were in the same class, I wasn't too worried, our groups were already permanent, and thankfully, I wasn't placed with them. I was rushing down the corridor while digging through my bag to check if I packed my water bottle, when I accidentally bumped into someone. A pile of books and folders scattered across the floor. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" I dropped to my knees immediately to help her gather the papers. "No, no, it's okay! I wasn't watching where I was going either," the girl said. When I looked up, she was already smiling at me like we'd known each other for years. "You're Sarah, right? I'm in your Biology class," she added shyly. "Really? I'm sorry, I don't think I've seen you before." She gave a light laugh. "It's fine. I don't exactly stand out. I'm kind of a nobody in class." I frowned at that. "Well, not to me. I'm Sarah," I said, holding out a hand even though she already knew. "I'm Lily," she replied, shaking it. "Are you heading to the gym?" "Yeah! Let's walk together." It felt nice to meet someone kind, someone who didn't look at me like I was a problem. When we stepped into the gym, the sound of sneakers squeaking against the floor and basketballs bouncing filled the space. My eyes wandered across the room and then I froze. At the far end of the gym, Ethan Blackstone was playing basketball. He was wearing a sleeveless shirt, his arms and shoulders flexing with every movement. His hair was slightly damp, probably from earlier practice. And even from here, I could see the faint werewolf marks on his collarbone. "You okay?" Lily nudged me. "Huh? Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." She followed my gaze and smiled knowingly. "Ah... you're looking at Ethan." I quickly looked away. "No! I mean, he's just... there." Lily giggled. "I don't blame you. I love this class because the first section of Biology always shares the gym with us. Which means we get to see the triplets every week." I blinked. "Wait. Every week?" "Yeah... didn't you know? Ethan, Jason, and Tyler always come here for their PE class." I honestly had no idea. For the past few months, I'd been so absorbed in avoiding Ryan and dealing with everything else that I never even noticed. Our professor, Coach Emmett, clapped his hands and blew his whistle. "Alright everyone! Let's group up. We'll be doing mixed sports today. Basketball, volleyball, and some relay challenges. Let's warm up and then pick a station." There was a collective groan from the class, but everyone still moved to their spots. "No complaints!" Coach grinned. "This is part of your grade, and no switching groups mid-game!" I was stretching near the bleachers with Lily when something hard slammed into the side of my shoulder. The impact threw me off balance and I hit the floor, my hand flying to the side of my head. "Ow—what the—" I winced, blinking rapidly as a wave of dizziness hit me. Someone had thrown a ball which probably a dodgeball or something heavier and it had nailed me right in the temple. Voices started rising. People were whispering. My vision blurred slightly before two figures suddenly stood over me. One of them kneeled down. "Sarah," a familiar voice said. "Are you okay?" I blinked, and when my vision cleared, I saw Ryan kneeling beside me, his brows furrowed with concern. "Let me help—" But then another presence pulled my attention away. Ethan. He crouched beside me, his intense gaze locked on my face. He didn't speak right away. His hand reached for mine, surprisingly gentle as he checked the side of my head. "She's bleeding a little," Ethan said quietly. "Someone must've thrown it too hard." I tried to sit up. "I'm fine. I just… I need a minute." Students were whispering all around us. The human girl who used to be invisible was now being helped by two of the most feared alphas in the school. "Do you want me to take you to the infirmary?" Ryan asked. Before I could answer, Ethan glared at him. "I've got it." Ryan tensed but didn't argue. I felt like the entire gym was watching us. Whispers hummed in my ears, and even though I wanted to disappear, I also didn't miss how Regina's eyes burned from across the court.When Gabriel came back with the trays of food, the smell of spicy chicken and freshly cooked rice instantly filled the air. He placed everything neatly on the table before sitting down across from Lily and me."Alright," he said with a smile. "Eat up before it gets cold.""Thank you, Gabriel," I said softly, giving him a small smile as I started opening my utensils.Lily grinned wide as she poked at her chicken. "You're seriously a life-saver, Gabriel. Anyway—" She leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "I was gonna ask! Have you heard about the upcoming Foundation Day for Blackfield Academy?"Gabriel chuckled. "Of course. Everyone in the Student Council's been busy preparing for it.""Ohhh," Lily said, clearly intrigued. "You guys always go all out for that, right? Like, last year there was a fireworks show and a dance night!"Gabriel nodded. "Yeah. This year will be even bigger. We're planning to set up booths for every department, a charity auction, and then the grand ball at night." He tu
After our lab class ended, most of the students had already started packing up, but Ethan and I stayed behind at our table. Beakers and notebooks were still scattered in front of us, and Ethan was flipping through his notes, his brows drawn in focus."Alright," he said, tapping the page with his pen. "For the next phase, we'll need to test the bacteria's growth rate under different pH levels. I'll handle the culture preparation, and you can record the changes every two hours. Sounds good?"I nodded, trying to keep up as I wrote down what he was saying. "Yeah, that works. Should I prepare the nutrient solutions ahead, or–“ Before I could finish, a familiar sweet voice interrupted me."Ethan!"I looked up and saw Maxine, striding toward us with a bright smile. Her hair bounced with every step, and before either of us could react, she looped her arm around Ethan's."There you are!" she said, pouting playfully. "I've been looking for you. Come on, let's go eat. I'm starving."Ethan stiff
The bell rang for our next class, and everyone started shuffling toward the laboratory building. I could already feel the weight of exhaustion from our morning lecture, but this was one class we couldn't take lightly , Applied Biology Lab, the heart of our bioremediation project.When we arrived, the familiar smell of ethanol and disinfectant filled the room. The polished counters gleamed under the white fluorescent lights, and the faint hum of the incubators at the back made the lab feel alive.Our professor, Ms. Thorne, stood in front of the class, her glasses perched low on her nose as she glanced at her clipboard."Good morning, everyone," she began. "Before we begin, just a quick reminder, safety first. Goggles on, gloves up. You all have your research partners, so I'll give you the rest of the session to continue your projects. I'll be walking around to check your progress."The room filled with soft chatter as everyone started to move.I set my bag down on the counter at the fa
I wanted to ask him what he meant by that, why he sounded so calm yet final when he said it.But before I could even speak, Ethan slowed the car down and smoothly pulled over in front of Lily's condo building."We're here," he said simply, his voice steady as he shifted the gear to park.I blinked, slightly taken aback. "Oh right."He didn't look at me right away, just kept his eyes on the road ahead. It made it harder to say what I wanted to ask. The moment was gone before it even started."Thanks," I finally said softly. "For, um, driving me home."Ethan nodded, finally glancing at me. "Don't be late for class later."I gave a small smile. "Yes, sir.""Good," he said flatly, then stepped on the gas and drove off without another word.I stood there for a few seconds, watching his car disappear down the street, my heart still unsettled. Then, shaking my head, I turned toward the building and went inside.As soon as I opened the door to our condo, a familiar voice rang out."There you
The next morning came too soon.The sun was barely peeking over the horizon when we stood by the platform, the early chill brushing against my skin. My parents were already boarding the train back to Elvira, their luggage neatly stacked near the entrance. I wanted to hold onto them longer, to make time stop for just a few more minutes, but the whistle was already blowing.Mom hugged me tightly, her voice soft and warm against my ear. "Take care of yourself, sweetheart. Eat properly, don't overwork yourself with your studies, and..." she paused, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear, "don't think too much, okay?"I nodded, forcing a smile even as my throat tightened. "I will, Mom."Dad gave me a quick but firm hug, his palm patting my shoulder. "We'll see you again soon, Sarah. And don't worry about us. We'll handle things back home.""I know," I whispered, though my chest ached anyway.Then, before I knew it, they were waving goodbye from the train window. I waved back until the tra
The whole day felt like a dream I didn't want to wake up from.For the first time in months, I had both of my parents beside me, no guards, no tension, and no whispered worries about Elvira's situation. Just us. A family again.We spent the morning exploring the nearby park, taking photos, and eating ice cream like we used to when I was younger. Mom kept fussing over how pale I'd gotten, while Dad kept teasing me about my "university face" and apparently, I looked too serious now.By afternoon, we went back to the hotel and rested for a while. I leaned on my mom's shoulder as we watched some random drama on TV. She laughed too loud, as always, and I couldn't help but laugh along with her.It felt normal.Halfway through the show, I took out my phone and called Lily."Hey," I said when she answered."Hey, girl! You're not home yet?" Lily asked, sounding curious."I won't be sleeping in the condo tonight, Lily,” I said softly, glancing at my parents who were talking by the balcony. "I'l