CHAPTER 1

*THE AUTHOR'S POV*

The morning sun hit the screen of Elora's phone, illuminating her best friend's face via video call.

"You're going to be fine, Elora. It's just a new school," Maya's voice crackled from thousands of miles away. "I've always known you to be one hell of a confident girl. Why is your esteem injured this morning?"

Elora adjusted the stiff, designer blazer of the Saint Jude's uniform. It felt like a costume. "It's a school for the elites, Maya. I'm not going there because I'm an elite-I'm going because I won a scholarship. You know how these rich kids behave. They bully people who aren't of the same class."

"Now I'm gonna stop you there. You think you're not worthy to be a student of St. Jude simply because your parents aren't rich and influential? Girl, I don't know where all this is coming from, but you've never been one to be ashamed of where you're from or your parents' status. Your parents provide for you. Y'all are comfortable. You don't have to be elite to feel worthy of something. So you're going to get rid of that feeling and put on your armor of confidence, 'cause you're 'That Girl' and you're attending St. Jude, and that's on period."

Elora couldn't help but burst into laughter. "Girl, you will not be the end of me. Just when I think I'm slipping away, you're always there to drag me back." Her face turned serious. "Thank you. I really needed that."

"You're welcome, baby girl. I really can't fathom why a machine like you is scared of humans. Girl, you solve calculus for fun. Humans should be scared of you."

Elora burst into another fit of laughter. "I'm not going to hear the end of it, am I?"

"No, not from me." Maya rolled her eyes and joined Elora in laughing.

"Elora, it's your first day! You don't wanna be late!" Elora's father, Mr. Brown, yelled from downstairs. Elora looked down from her window and saw her father and younger sister heading to the car.

"It's your first day too, you know, Dad!" Elora yelled back, smiling. She could hear Maya chuckling on the phone.

Mr. Brown looked up and saw his daughter smirking at him. He couldn't help but smile.

"Get your ass down here, young lady, or be prepared to walk to school!"

"Coming!" Elora yelled back as she adjusted her tie and looked at herself in the mirror for the eleventh time.

"Girl, you look good. Get going already," Maya said, rolling her eyes again.

*****

*ELORA*

I couldn't help but feel anxious as Dad pulled up at the school gate. Elina, my younger sister, didn't look anxious at all. She's always been one to mix easily. She's never had a problem meeting new people and making friends-totally different from me.

"Girls, you both gonna get down or what?" Dad asked, his gaze on me. Of course he knew what was going through my head.

"I'm just trying to take in the view. The school is massive. No doubt I'm going to enjoy schooling here," Elina squealed.

Dad smiled. I smiled as well, burying every thought of fear.

It can't be that bad, Lora, I told myself.

"Don't be scared, girls. Just be you, and don't let anyone make you feel intimidated. You're a Brown. The Browns don't feel intimidated, okay?" Dad said, his gaze still on me.

"C'mon, Daddy, you know me. This intimidation talk is not for your girls. Elina is ecstatic, and so am I. I'm just a little anxious. That's all," I said.

Those words didn't sound true, but they genuinely were. I was feeling anxious, no doubt, but I'm not one to be trampled upon. I just fear these rich kids because... I mean, they're rich.

"Okay then, y'all should get going already. I can't be late to work. It's my first day as well," Dad said, throwing me a wink.

I smiled. So did Elina.

"Enjoy your first day, girls."

"You too, Dad," we chorused, pecked him, and got out of the car.

The school has two entrances-two massive gates. One for the junior section and the other for the senior section. Elina hugged me suddenly, like she knew I needed it. I hugged her back tightly.

"You're going to squeeze the hell out of me," she said, and we both laughed.

"Have a nice first day, Big Sis."

"Have a nice first day, Kid Sis. I'll see you after school." I watched her go in through the junior gate, then summoned the courage to walk in through the senior gate.

You've got this, Lora, I told myself, and walked through the gates.

The moment I stepped in, it felt like I was breathing completely different air. The architecture was stunning and screaming luxury.

The way the white stone and tinted glass complemented each other made the whole building look like it was carved out of one giant, expensive diamond. It was all sharp lines and expensive-looking curves.

Right in the center of the main courtyard was a massive stone fountain. The water was so clear it looked like liquid crystal, making a soft, melodic splash that echoed against the glass walls.

Just past it was a massive but standard basketball court. I could tell it was standard because I've always been a star athlete.

I walked toward the court to enjoy the view. It was huge, and the flooring was so pristine it felt like I shouldn't even be walking on it with my regular shoes.

Students started to troop in groups, and that was when it occurred to me that I was quite early.

I watched them all walk in, looking so perfectly put together, their uniforms tailored to fit them like they were headed for a photoshoot instead of a classroom. They looked incredibly smart, but they all looked so bored-like being rich and having to attend an elite school was a chore.

I just stood there, clutching my bag, feeling like a single gray smudge on a very white, very expensive canvas. The difference between me and these kids is obvious.

"We'd better get settled in and stop comparing ourselves to these rich folks," I heard a voice behind me, and that was when I realized I had company.

"Hi," I greeted with a smile.

"Hey," he greeted back. "I'm guessing you're a fellow scholarship student, yeah?"

"Am I that obvious? I mean, I can't tell whether you're one or not, but you can tell I am."

He smiled.

"You're standing alone, looking around, admiring the school and studying these rich kids in your own way. You'll never find an elite kid doing something like that. I'm Joseph, by the way." He extended his hand for a handshake, still smiling.

"Elora," I smiled back as I shook his hand.

"Got your schedule yet?"

"Nah, I'm still trying to find my way around. I can't locate the principal's office."

"Oh, I'm just coming from there. It's in the left wing of the science building, after the math lab. It won't be difficult to locate."

"Oh yeah? Thank you."

"I should get going. Guess I'll see you in class."

"Yeah, sure." I watched him leave.

Schooling here can't be that bad, Lora. I mean, you already found someone to talk to, I smiled at myself and started for the science building.

Walking through the empty hallway, I found myself in front of a room labeled "Staff Room."

Staff room? Shit, I'm on the wrong floor. How did I even get here?

Before I could move any further, a signboard at the left wing of the building caught my eye. It read "Advanced Math Wing."

I felt an instant adrenaline rush as anxiousness melted away and enthusiasm took over. Math has always been my safe space.

Thoughts of finding the principal's office left me instantly, and I began to explore the wing. I walked further and noticed a door labeled "Math Lab" was left ajar.

Moving closer, the first thing I noticed was an equation on the board, and my enthusiasm took another step forward.

Seconds before I would have walked into the room to solve the equation for fun, something landed at my feet.

An electric marker.

It was at that moment I noticed I wasn't alone.

I looked closer and saw a boy who hadn't noticed me yet, pouring out his frustration over his inability to solve the equation. Curious, I started to watch what he was up to.

He scribbled a formula, hissed a curse word, and erased it so hard the board rattled. He tried again. Wrong.

"Fucking hell! I fucking hate math! This is shit! Fuck it all and fuck y'all!" he kept yelling. He picked up his notebook and tore it to pieces. He flung his iPad across the room, threw his school bag at the board where the equation was written, and continued cursing and yelling.

I couldn't help but smile sheepishly. I couldn't believe math was making someone this agitated.

With a roar of frustration, he threw the second marker. It bounced off the wall, and I caught it mid-air.

He didn't notice me until I walked in. The silence was heavy. I quietly walked to the board, my eyes glittering, the marker rotating between my fingers.

In three swift moves, I solved the equation that had been torturing my prince in distress.

I turned toward him, still smiling, and said, "It's just math. You don't have to be so worked up. It's easier to solve with the method I just showed you."

And there I was, expecting some form of gratitude or appreciation. But what did I get?

This baby monster boy who couldn't solve a simple equation looked at me in disgust, picked up his iPad and school bag, and spat, "Learn to mind your fucking business. I didn't ask for a tutor." He shoved me and walked away.

I wasn't so surprised. I knew rich kids weren't brought up with manners.

Guess I wasn't wrong after all. I really should mind my business, and my business right now is to find the principal's office.

With my enthusiasm dead, I turned around and left.