002

The first day at a new school is always the worst.

I stood in front of the mirror in my room, staring at my reflection. I had chosen a simple grey sweater and black jeans, nothing too flashy. My dark hair was pulled back in a low ponytail, and my face was pale from a night of restless sleep. I looked tired. I felt worse.

A knock on my door made me turn.

"Come in," I said.

My mother stepped inside, already dressed in a cream blouse and tailored pants. She looked like she belonged in this world. I did not.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Like I am about to walk into a lion's den."

She frowned. "It is just a school, Elara. A very good school. You are smart. You will be fine."

I wanted to laugh. She made it sound so simple. But she did not understand. She had never been the new girl in a place where everyone already knew each other. She had never been the poor kid surrounded by wealth.

"Is Kael going to be there?" I asked.

"Probably most likely to be. He is a student too, you know."

I closed my eyes for a moment. "Great."

"Elara, you cannot avoid him forever. This is your home now. He is your brother too. You both have to find a way to coexist."

"Coexist." I opened my eyes and looked at her. "He humiliated me in front of his father on my first day here. What do you think he will do at school? My brother my foot." I rolled my eyes, defiantly folding my arms over my chest.

Mother sighed and walked over to me. She placed her hands on my shoulders and looked me in the eye. "You are stronger than you think. You survived him once. You can survive him again."

I wanted to believe her. I really did. But the fear in my chest was too loud.

"Just promise me you will try," she said softly.

I nodded because I did not know what else to do.

****

The school was enormous.

Richard's driver dropped me off at the front gates, and I stood there for a long moment, staring up at the stone building. It looked more like a castle than a school, with tall windows and ivy crawling up the walls. Students walked past me in small groups, their laughter and chatter filling the air. They all looked so confident, so sure of their place in the world.

I clutched the strap of my bag and walked inside.

The main hallway was crowded and loud. Lockers slammed, shoes squeaked against the polished floor, and voices echoed off the high ceilings. I kept my head down and tried to find the administrative office. I needed my schedule.

"Hey, new girl."

I stopped walking. A girl with shiny blonde hair and a perfect smile stepped in front of me. She was flanked by two other girls who looked at me like I was something stuck to the bottom of their shoes.

"I am Tessa," the blonde girl said. "And you are Elara, right? Kael's new stepsister?"

I swallowed. "How do you know that?"

Tessa laughed, a light, airy sound that felt fake. "Everyone knows. Kael told us all about you."

My stomach dropped. "What did he say?"

She tilted her head, pretending to think. "Oh, just that you are a charity case. That your mother trapped his father into marriage. That you think you are better than everyone else even though you have nothing."

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. I could feel my face heating up, could feel the eyes of other students turning toward me. They were watching, waiting to see how I would react.

"That is not true," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Really?" Tessa stepped closer, her smile turning cold. "Because Kael does not usually lie. And he made it pretty clear that you are not welcome here."

I wanted to run. I wanted to disappear. But I had promised my mother I would try, and I was not going to let this girl see me break.

"You know what?" I said, forcing my voice to steady. "I do not care what Kael said. I do not care what you think. I am here to learn, not to make friends."

I stepped around her and continued walking, my heart pounding so hard I could hear it in my ears. Behind me, I heard Tessa laugh again.

"Good luck with that," she called. "You are going to need it."

I did not look back.

The rest of the day was a blur of classrooms and unfamiliar faces. I kept my head down and tried to focus on my classes, but it was impossible. Every whisper felt like it was about me. Every laugh felt like it was aimed at my back. I felt like a mouse trapped in a cage full of cats.

By lunchtime, I was exhausted. I found a quiet corner in the cafeteria and sat alone, picking at a sandwich I had no appetite for. I told myself it would get better. I told myself I just needed time to adjust. But deep down, I knew the truth. This school was Kael's territory. And he would not stop until he had driven me out.

A tray slammed down across from me.

I looked up and saw a girl with dark skin and curly hair smiling at me. She had a friendly face and kind eyes, and for a moment, I thought I was imagining her.

"You look like you need a friend," she said. "I am Mia."

I blinked. "Elara."

"I know." Mia sat down and unwrapped a granola bar. "Everyone is talking about you. The new girl who stood up to Tessa in the hallway."

I winced. "I did not stand up to her. I just walked away."

"That is standing up to her." Mia grinned. "Trust me. Most people just bow their heads and let Tessa walk all over them. You did not."

"She is that bad?"

"Worse. She is Kael's ex-girlfriend, and she thinks she owns this school. But she does not. She just has a big mouth and too much money."

I stared at Mia, surprised by her bluntness. "Why are you being nice to me? You do not even know me."

Mia shrugged. "Because I know what it feels like to be the outsider. My family is not rich like everyone else here. I am on scholarship too."

Relief washed over me, so strong it almost brought tears to my eyes. For the first time since I arrived, I did not feel completely alone.

"Thank you," I said quietly.

"Don't thank me yet." Mia leaned forward. "You have Kael Blackwood living in your house. That means you are in the middle of a war zone. And from what I hear, he has already marked you as his target."

"He has been my target since high school," I said. "This is nothing new."

Mia's eyes widened. "Wait, you knew him before?"

I nodded. "We went to the same school. He made my life hell."

"And now you live with him?" Mia shook her head. "That is some twisted fate."

"Tell me about it."

We sat in silence for a moment. Then Mia reached across the table and squeezed my hand.

"Well, you are not alone anymore," she said. "I have your back."

I squeezed back, and for the first time all day, I smiled.

Maybe I could survive this after all, I thought to myself hopefully.

By the time the final bell rang at three o'clock in the afternoon, I walked out of the school building with my head down, eager to get home and hide in my room. But the moment I stepped outside, I heard a familiar voice, cold and mocking.

"There she is."

I looked up. Kael was leaning against the stone wall near the front gates, surrounded by a group of his teammates. They were all tall and broad, dressed in matching hockey jackets. And they were all looking at me.

I kept walking.

"Hey, stepsister," Kael called. "Where are you going? We were just talking about you."

I did not stop nor I did not look back. But then one of the guys stepped in front of me, blocking my path. He was big, with a shaved head and a smirk that made my skin crawl.

"Kael asked you a question," he said.

I stared at him. "And I did not answer. That should tell you something."

The guy laughed. "Feisty. I like that."

Kael appeared beside him, hands in his pockets. His eyes roamed over my face, and I saw the familiar glint of cruelty there. The vulnerability from last night was gone. In its place was the boy I remembered, the one who thrived on making me feel small.

"Relax, Carter," Kael said. "She is not worth the trouble."

I flinched at the words, but I did not let the hurt show on my face.

"You know what?" I said. "You are right. I am not worth your trouble. So why don't you leave me alone?"

Kael smiled, slow and dangerous. "Because watching you squirm is entertaining."

The guys around him laughed. My face burned, and I could feel the tears threatening to spill. But I refused to cry in front of them. I refused to give them that satisfaction.

"Enjoy the show," I said. "Because it is the last one you will get."

I stepped around Carter and walked away, my legs shaking with every step. I could feel their eyes on my back, could hear their laughter following me down the street. But I did not stop. I did not look back.

I kept walking until I reached the car waiting for me at the curb. I climbed inside and slammed the door shut. The driver glanced at me in the rearview mirror, but I did not meet his eyes.

"Take me home," I whispered.

He nodded and pulled away from the school.

I stared out the window, watching the building grow smaller and smaller. My hands were trembling in my lap, and my throat was tight with unshed tears. I had survived the first day. But I knew it was only the beginning.

Kael was not done with me yet, despite acting all tough headed and stubborn, I knew deep down that I was scared of what he would do next. Kael wasn't the type to be messed with. He's done worst to me in highschool compared to this.