Gone

RIELE'S POINT OF VIEW

The final bell rang through the classroom, and instantly, students began packing their bags. Chairs scraped against the floor, and conversations filled the room.

I quickly shoved my notebook into my bag, eager to get out of here before another disaster found me... Honestly? One day at Blackwood already felt like a whole month.

The moment I stood up, most students immediately started leaving. Vanessa stormed out first, with Chloe and Shelly trailing behind her. Not once looking in my direction, which honestly gave me relief.

Meanwhile, Dylan remained seated for a few seconds longer before lazily standing up. Without a single glance at me, he grabbed his bag and walked out.

The girls nearby immediately followed him like lost puppies, and I immediately scoffed and rolled my eyes... Rich people are so weird.

"Hey." A soft voice pulled me from my thoughts, and I looked up immediately to see a girl who stood awkwardly beside my desk... Great, just when I thought I was going to escape any fight.

She had long dark hair, warm brown eyes, and a friendly smile... She looked familiar; then I remembered she was one of the students in class who wouldn't stop glancing at me after I solved the physics question.

"Hi?" I replied cautiously, and the girl smiled nervously.

"My name is Sasha." I blinked.

"I know... it's on your shirt." For a second, she looked confused, then laughed.

"Right." She rubbed the back of her neck.

"That was a stupid introduction." A small laugh escaped me before I could stop it. The first genuine laugh I'd had all day, and Sasha's smile widened.

"There it is."

"What?"

"You smiled." I immediately looked away; heat rushed to my cheeks... Great, now I was embarrassed.

"I just wanted to tell you..." Sasha continued.

"That you were amazing earlier."

"Oh." I wasn't sure what else to say.

"You were incredible." I stared at her quietly. Nobody had said anything nice to me all day; not one person, so hearing that felt surprisingly strange.

"Thank you," I said quietly. Sasha shifted nervously, then finally blurted...

"Can we be friends?" I froze.

Friends? My mind instantly replayed everything that had happened today. The girls from this school hadn't exactly been welcoming, and I wasn't sure if trusting people here was a smart idea, especially after what that Cole boy did earlier this morning.

Sasha must have noticed my hesitation because her smile faltered slightly.

"You don't have to if you don't want to."

"No," I said quickly, then sighed.

"Maybe." Her face immediately brightened.

"Maybe?" I shrugged.

"It's a start." Sasha grinned.

"I'll take it." For the first time since arriving at Blackwood, the tight knot in my chest loosened slightly. Maybe this place wasn't completely hopeless... Maybe.

A few minutes later, we exited the main building together. The parking lot looked like a luxury car showroom: Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Bentleys, Rolls-Royces... Cars I had only ever seen online.

Meanwhile, students casually climbed into them as if it were normal. Sasha suddenly pointed toward a black SUV parked nearby.

"My driver can take you home." I blinked.

"Your what?"

"My driver." I stared at her, and she stared back. Then realization hit her.

"Oh."

"You don't have a car?" A laugh escaped me.

"No." Sasha looked genuinely shocked.

"Then how are you getting home?"

"I'll take the bus." She nearly choked.

"The bus?" I nodded.

"Yeah." For a moment, she looked completely speechless, then she laughed, not in a mean way—more like she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"I've literally never taken a bus before."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously." I shook my head—that's rich people for you, I thought—and Sasha smiled.

"See you tomorrow, Riele." she said and waved at me. I smiled back slightly.

"See you tomorrow." Then we went our separate ways.

---

Ten minutes later, I climbed onto the city bus and immediately regretted it.

Every head turned, staring at me keenly. The driver looked at me, then at my uniform, then back at me. His eyebrows nearly disappeared into his hairline.

"Blackwood Academy?" I nodded awkwardly.

"Uh... yeah." The driver laughed.

"Well, that's a first." He said, and a few passengers chuckled.

"I've never seen a Blackwood student on my bus before."

"No kidding," an older woman muttered.

"Those kids usually arrive in sports cars." Another man glanced at my blazer.

"What happened? Your helicopter broke down?" The entire bus burst into laughter. Even I laughed a little at my embarrassment.

I quickly paid my fare and found an empty seat near the window. The moment I sat down, I pulled out my phone... my brand-new iPhone 17. Honestly, I still couldn't believe it belonged to me. Blackwood Academy was indeed ridiculous.

---

By the time I got home, I was exhausted, and the second I opened the front door—

"Riele!" My sisters practically attacked me. Jane grabbed my arm, while Jessie grabbed the other.

"What happened?!"

"Tell us everything!"

"Did you see Dylan Winthrop?!"

"Did you touch him?!" I groaned.

"Can I at least sit down first?"

"No." I sighed dramatically. Then I spent the next twenty minutes telling them everything—the bullying, the ruined books, the classroom, the physics lesson, Vanessa, the group chat... I mean, everything. By the end of it, both girls looked horrified.

"That school sounds awful."

"It is sure awful." Then I remembered something.

"Oh." I reached into my bag.

"And look what the principal gave me." The second I pulled out the phone box, the house exploded.

"Oh my god!"

"No way!"

"Is that an iPhone 17?!" Jessie nearly dropped to the floor, and Jane snatched the box immediately.

"They give students these?!"

"I know!" We were still freaking out when my phone suddenly vibrated—then again and again and again... and Jane frowned.

"Why are you getting so many notifications?" I immediately grabbed the phone, and immediately I saw what's causing the bings.

Slowly, I opened the Blackwood group chat, and my stomach sank. More bullying. It had to be... Then I froze. A new video sat at the top—not the hallway incident, not my fight with Vanessa, but the physics lecture. Someone had recorded the entire thing. The caption read:

Scholarshp girl just humiliated half the class.

Comments were flying so fast I could barely read them.

*She actually solved it.*

*That's insane.*

*Even Mr. Laurent looked impressed.*

*She earned that scholarship.*

*Nah, she's trying too hard.*

*Show off.*

*Vanessa looked ready to explode.*

*I can't lie, she's smart.*

*Someone tell her to relax.*

*First day and already becoming famous.*

*She solved it faster than Cole, their class captain.*

*That's actually crazy.* I stared at the screen, confused. For the first time today... not every comment was hateful. Some people were actually defending me, some people were impressed, and somehow... that felt even stranger.

I was still lost in my thoughts when I received a new notification. One message from an anonymous account: no profile picture, no name. Just a sentence that sent shivers down my spine.

*Leave Blackwood... or else.*

The smile disappeared from my face instantly.

"What happened?" Jane immediately noticed my expression, and I quickly locked the screen.

"Nothing." Both of my sisters narrowed their eyes at the same time. It was honestly creepy how alike they could be sometimes.

"Riele."

"What?"

"You're doing that thing."

"What thing?"

"That thing where you pretend everything is fine when it's obviously not," Jessie said. I sighed; of course they noticed—they always did.

Reluctantly, I unlocked the phone again and handed it to them. The second they read the message, their expressions changed.

"What the hell?" Jane blurted, while Jessie's eyes widened.

"Someone actually sent this?"

"It's probably just some idiot trying to scare me." Even to my own ears, the words sounded weak.

'Jane handed the phone back.

"No." Her voice was serious now.

"That's not funny."

"I know."

"Tell Mom."

"Absolutely."

But I immediately shook my head.

"No."

"What do you mean, no?"

"It's my first day." Jessie frowned.

"Exactly."

"I'm not worrying Mom over some anonymous message." The twins exchanged a look, the kind of look that said they disagreed completely but I was already tired, so tired—physically, mentally, and emotionally.

I forced a smile onto my face.

"It's fine." Neither of them looked convinced.

I stood up before they could argue again.

"I'm going to my room."

"Riele..."

"I'm okay."

I walked upstairs sluggishly and, the moment I entered my room, I closed the door behind me and leaned against it. The fake smile disappeared instantly. Slowly, I looked down at my phone. The message was still there.

*Leave Blackwood... or else.* A chill ran down my spine.

I swallowed hard and tossed the phone onto my bed before staring up at the ceiling.

Great... Just great. My first day at Blackwood Academy wasn't even over yet... and someone wanted me gone.