Chapter 4 If Today Was This...

The bell for the next class rang, and I forced myself to follow the others inside, still feeling the tension from earlier. My chest was tight, and my hands fidgeted with the edges of my uniform, but I held my head high.

We all settled into our seats, trying to blend in. The teacher was already at her desk, reviewing papers, when suddenly the door opened, and a hall monitor stepped in.

“Adrian Pierce, the principal wants to see you,” the monitor announced.

Heads turned, and I felt a flicker of satisfaction. Adrian froze, confusion written all over his face. He didn’t even grab his bag, eyes wide, muttering something under his breath as he hurriedly followed the monitor out. I couldn’t help but glance after him, a small smirk tugging at my lips.

Time passed slowly, the classroom feeling emptier without him. I kept sneaking glances at the door, imagining what was happening at the principal’s office. When Adrian finally returned, carrying his bag, his face was pale, lips pressed into a thin line. He shot me a glare that could have cut through steel before storming past and leaving the classroom.

Relief and a strange sense of triumph bubbled inside me. For once, it felt like justice had been served, and it had nothing to do with anyone but me.

On my way out of class, I spotted Zoe by the administrative area, talking quietly with a man and woman near the administrative office. Something felt off—her shoulders tense, her hands fidgeting. I approached cautiously.

“Zoe… what’s going on?” I asked softly. I took a step closer, keeping her tone gentle. 

She froze, glaring at me, her arms crossing over her chest. “Why do you care?” she snapped, her voice sharp.

I took a careful step closer, trying to show I wasn’t there to accuse her. “Zoe…I know you're mad at me and it's okay but you don’t have to hide it. Whatever it is, it’s fine to let it out.”

“I… I don’t know what to say,” Zoe muttered, her voice tight and trembling. Her eyes darted between the ground and Ivy, avoiding direct contact. “It’s… it’s my family. We… we haven’t paid the school fees yet. I’ve been stuck in the office all day, trying to beg for time… trying to sort it out.”

Zoe’s chest rose and fell quickly, her fists tightening at her sides. “And then you just accused me! After everything I was doing to help, you blamed me!” Her voice cracked, sharp with hurt. “I’ve been running around all day, trying to fix things, and you assumed the worst!”

Her gaze flicked away, trembling. “I… I didn’t set you up, Ivy. I was only trying to help.”

Before I could say anything else, she turned abruptly and walked away. Her steps were quick, tense, leaving me standing there with a mix of guilt and relief swirling in my chest.

The final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. Students poured out, laughing and chatting, eager to go home. I let out a small sigh, relief washing over me.

“Ivy! Wait up!” Asher called, jogging to catch up. “Hey… can I get your number? So we can… not get lost in this giant school again.”

I blinked, caught off guard. “Uh… yeah, sure,” I said, typing in my number. He grinned, playful and teasing. “You’re terrible at this, but I think I like it.”

For a moment, the tension of the day eased.

But just as I stepped toward the school gates, Chloe and her friends appeared, blocking my path.

“Well, well,” Chloe said, arms crossed, her tone sharp. Her eyes narrowed, scanning me from head to toe. “Looks like someone thinks she can get away with embarrassing Adrian.”

One of her friends stepped forward, smirking, her hands on her hips. “Yeah, don’t think we’ll let that slide. Not in our school, not ever.”

Another laughed softly, the sound low and threatening. “You really think you can humiliate him and just walk away?”

Chloe leaned slightly closer, her cold smile spreading wider, a dangerous glint in her eyes. “Enjoy your little victory today… because it won’t last. You’ve made an enemy, Ivy, and enemies in this school? They don’t forget.”

I gripped my bag tighter, knuckles white. My chest thudded painfully, every instinct screaming to turn and run—but I couldn’t. They were blocking my way out, their laughter like ice in my veins. The school day was over, but the weight of their threat pressed down, leaving me frozen at the gates, heart hammering, unsure what would come next.

I later stepped out of the school gates, the cool air brushing against my face. My first day at Preston High was over… and if today was this intense, I could only imagine what the rest of the year would be like.