The Girl Who Didn't Belong

‎

‎Lena

‎

‎The first thing I learned about Mooncrest Academy was that it was impossible to find your way around.

‎The second thing I learned was that everyone here looked like they belonged.

‎Everyone except me.

‎I stood in the middle of one of the enormous hallways, holding my class schedule in one hand and my bag in the other, trying my best not to look completely lost.

‎Which was difficult because I was completely lost.

‎I looked down at the paper again.

‎"Room 204..."

‎I looked at the signs on the walls.

‎Then I looked back at my schedule.

‎Nothing made sense.

‎Back in my old school, finding a classroom was simple. The building was small enough that if you walked around for five minutes, you would eventually find where you needed to be.

‎Mooncrest Academy was different.

‎This place was huge.

‎There were multiple buildings, endless hallways, and enough stairs to make me question whether the person who designed this school hated students.

‎I sighed.

‎"Okay, Lena. Stay calm."

‎I looked around.

‎"You're just looking for one classroom. It's not like you're trying to survive in a maze."

‎A few students passing by glanced at me strangely.

‎I immediately lowered my voice.

‎Maybe talking to myself in public wasn't helping my situation.

‎I was about to ask someone for directions when I heard a voice behind me.

‎"Are you lost?"

‎I turned around.

‎A girl with long blonde hair and a bright smile was standing there.

‎She looked friendly.

‎Unlike most students I had seen so far, she wasn't looking at me like I was someone who didn't belong.

‎I smiled awkwardly.

‎"Is it that obvious?"

‎She laughed.

‎"Only because you're standing in front of the same hallway sign for the past three minutes."

‎My eyes widened.

‎"Wait, seriously?"

‎She nodded.

‎"I'm Mia."

‎She pointed at the schedule in my hand.

‎"First day?"

‎I nodded.

‎"Yeah. I just transferred."

‎"I knew it."

‎She smiled proudly.

‎"Don't worry. Everyone gets lost during their first week. Mooncrest is basically a kingdom pretending to be a school."

‎I laughed.

‎"That's actually the perfect description."

‎Mia took a look at my schedule.

‎"Room 204? You're going the wrong way."

‎I sighed in relief.

‎"Thank goodness. I thought I was going crazy."

‎She started walking beside me.

‎"Come on. I'll show you."

‎As we walked through the hallway, I couldn't help but notice how different this place was.

‎Students moved around confidently, greeting each other like they had known one another forever.

‎Some wore expensive jewelry.

‎Others arrived with groups of friends who looked like they belonged to powerful families.

‎Everyone seemed to know exactly where they belonged.

‎I wondered if I would ever feel that way.

‎"So," Mia said, breaking my thoughts, "what brought you to Mooncrest?"

‎I hesitated.

‎It was a simple question.

‎But the answer was complicated.

‎"My family moved here."

‎That wasn't exactly a lie.

‎Just not the whole truth.

‎Mia nodded.

‎"Well, welcome to the madness."

‎I smiled.

‎"I think I might need that warning."

‎Before she could reply, another girl approached us.

‎She had dark hair tied neatly behind her shoulders and a calm expression that made her seem completely different from Mia.

‎"You're already making friends with new students?"

‎Mia smiled.

‎"Someone has to help people survive their first day."

‎The girl looked at me.

‎"You're new."

‎I nodded.

‎"Lena Whitmore."

‎"I'm Sophie."

‎She studied me for a moment before looking at Mia.

‎"She really doesn't know, does she?"

‎I frowned.

‎"Know what?"

‎Mia and Sophie exchanged a look.

‎A suspicious look.

‎"Nothing," Mia quickly said.

‎That only made me more curious.

‎"That definitely sounded like something."

‎Sophie smiled slightly.

‎"You'll find out soon enough."

‎I crossed my arms.

‎"Is everyone here this mysterious?"

‎Mia laughed.

‎"Pretty much."

‎The three of us continued walking together, and strangely enough, I felt less nervous.

‎Maybe it was because Mia was impossible not to like.

‎Or maybe it was because Sophie, despite being quieter, made me feel like she understood more than she said.

‎Either way, by the time we reached my classroom, I realized something.

‎I had only been at Mooncrest for a few hours.

‎And somehow, I had already made two friends.

‎Maybe this place wouldn't be as lonely as I thought.

‎After our first classes ended, Mia and Sophie decided to show me more of the academy.

‎They explained which buildings were important, where students usually spent their free time, and which places I should avoid if I didn't want to get lost again.

‎I listened carefully.

‎Although I had a feeling the biggest secrets of Mooncrest weren't written on any map.

‎"There's one thing you should know about this school," Sophie said suddenly.

‎I looked at her.

‎"What?"

‎She glanced around before lowering her voice.

‎"Not everyone here is like us."

‎I raised an eyebrow.

‎"Meaning?"

‎Mia answered this time.

‎"Mooncrest isn't just a school for wealthy students."

‎She paused.

‎"It's a school for the most powerful families."

‎I looked at them.

‎"Powerful families?"

‎Sophie nodded.

‎"Families that have influence. Families that people don't dare offend."

‎I opened my mouth to ask more, but suddenly the hallway changed.

‎The noise around us slowly disappeared.

‎Students who had been laughing moments ago became quiet.

‎Some stepped aside.

‎Others looked toward the entrance.

‎I followed their gaze.

‎"What happened?"

‎Mia's expression changed.

‎For the first time since I met her, she looked serious.

‎"Someone important is here."

‎I turned back toward the hallway.

‎A group of students walked through the entrance.

‎And in the middle of them was a boy.

‎Tall.

‎Confident.

‎With dark hair and a cold expression that made everyone around him move out of his way.

‎There was something about him.

‎Something powerful.

‎I didn't know his name.

‎I didn't know his story.

‎But I could tell one thing.

‎Everyone at Mooncrest Academy knew him.

‎Sophie leaned closer and whispered:

‎"That's Adrian the most popular boy in school.

‎The name meant nothing to me.

‎Not yet.

‎But the way everyone looked at him told me he wasn't just another student.

‎He was someone different.

‎Someone dangerous.

‎Someone I would soon discover was impossible to ignore.

‎