Chapter 3

"Everyone in your seats. Now!"

The command was sharp. Chairs scraped as students hurried into neat rows. Whispers, shuffling, and muffled laughter died instantly.

The room went still. Every single person - students and teachers alike froze in place, as though caught by an invisible hand.

What the hell is going on?

I stared, blinking, unable to comprehend what I was seeing. I had expected arrogance, noise, and chaos - rich kids rarely respected anyone.

But this?

This was obedience born of fear, not respect.

Even the teachers flanking the podium had stiff postures, their tablets clutched in front of them as if holding onto them could somehow anchor their courage.

The voice spoke again, calm but undeniably commanding.

“Good morning, Everyone”

Almost immediately, the hall echoed with “Good Morning, Sir” and then the pin drop silence returned.

Who was this person? And why did it feel like the entire room was holding its breath for him?

Teachers normally exude authority, sure, but this?

There was something about his presence, something that made the rich and entitled behave like children.

"That's Anderson Gregory. Everyone calls him Mr. Greg," Belle whispered beside me, leaning close as if reading my thoughts.

Her voice was low but urgent. "He's our Maths and Statistics teacher... head of the Science department too."

I glanced at him, my eyes trying to absorb the man behind the legend. He was tall, poised, with a calm authority that radiated from every line of his posture. I could see why the hall seemed to shrink in his presence.

"He seems... feared," I whispered back.

“He is well feared. He's the kind of teacher you don't get in his bad books and that might have little to nothing to do with his first name" she looks at me like I'm supposed to understand what that means.

I shoot her a confused look. "Gregory?"

"Girl, Anderson. His family runs this town" she rolled her eyes at me.

For real?"

"Yeah. He's the younger brother to the Mayor; who happens to be Julian's father. So in other words, he's Julian's uncle."

Now I'm curious . Who's this Julian?

I've heard his name multiple times today, and so far, the only food thing I've heard about him is that he comes from a family that runs the town.

Is that why people are always saying shit about him?

What if he's not that bad of a person?

My mind went back to my little experience in the math lab today and I felt my irritation rising.

If the said Julian is anything like that brat who doesn't know shit, yet won't accept help then he's not being slandered enough.

God forbid I run into such a person again.

Spoiled to the core with no regard for humanity.

Because who wouldn't know how to solve a simple equation like that? And still insult someone who volunteered to help???

Well, that's on him.

The assembly has been in session for sometime now. I really should pay attention.

Without warning, my thoughts drifted again. For the first time since I walked in, I took in my environment.

The hall was massive, creative and beautiful.

It had the kind of space that could hold the entire school and then some.

Polished floors reflected the bright sunlight streaming through the tall tinted windows.

The walls were lined with banners announcing achievements and calendars containing the school activities for the year.

Despite the beauty and grandeur, my thoughts drifted yet again to the hospital.

My mother.

I miss my mother. My thoughts wandered back to the times when she was up on her feet.

A week before my resumption, she was happy for me but a night to my resumption she's lying in the hospital, fighting for her life.

Belle's voice sliced through my mental fog: "Elora!"

I blinked. Pindrop silence. The hall was still. Every eye was on me.

I quickly used the sleeves of my coat to wipe the tears I didn't know fell out.

I glanced up. Mr. Gregory's piercing gaze pinned me to the floor. And there, standing at his left was Joseph. Our eyes met briefly. He mouthed something like "come on".

I stared.

My heart raced.

I turned to Belle.

"Well?" she gave me a challenging look.

"What's going on?" I whispered. I could hear the fear in my voice. "Why is everyone staring at me?" I shivered.

“He's calling you up on the stage. Go on there and introduce yourself”

What? Why?" Her words were yet to register.

"You're a scholarship student, dummy. Go on up and stop staring at me like a lost puppy"

Lost puppy? My cheeks burned. Every student within earshot heard that. And did I mention the hall was echoing?

I wanted to sink into the floor, and wished the earth to swallow me whole.

As if on cue, Mr. Gregory calls out to me again. "Miss Brown?" with a raised brow.

"My apologies" I murmured shamefully, like the whole school could hear me.

I stood, legs stiff, and walked toward the podium. Each step echoed unnaturally in my mind, the silence amplifying every sound, my hands gripping the microphone as if it could anchor me.

"Thank you," Mr. Greg said, giving me a measured sideways glance. Jeez.

Joseph smiled at me from the side. I couldn't muster the energy to return it, my mind was a tangled knot of nerves, shame, and residual awe at the hall's tension.

The microphone was handed over. My voice felt foreign in my own ears. Joseph went first.

Hello everyone, my name is Joseph Jones and I am one of the new scholarship students here at St. Jude. I was previously at Coven High and it's located in the countryside... "

Some students began to murmur and one look from Mr. Greg shut everyone up immediately.

Joseph waited for the murmurs to die down before he went on.

"I'm here to learn, to work hard, and to graduate alongside all of you. Please... don't make it too hard for me," he concluded, his confidence quiet but unmistakable.

I studied him. He was calm, self-assured, and polite. Brave. I felt a strange mixture of relief and admiration. He wasn't afraid to stand up to the room, a room that made even teachers tremble.

Raising my head up, to look up at my audience, my eyes locked with a set of seductive blue ones; eyes sharp, intense, challenging.

Fucking hell.

My stomach lurched. Anger, humiliation, and the memory of the math lab came rushing back.

I quickly averted my gaze and they landed on Belle's. She gave me a sign to go on.

Clearing my throat, I said: "I... I'm Elora Brown. I'm a scholarship student. I... hope to learn alongside all of you."

The words felt hollow in my ears. I glanced at Belle; her disappointment was subtle but noticeable.

She had hoped for more - a confident introduction. But that sounds more like a 'Belle Problem'. I had been lost, distracted, and overwhelmed.

I stepped down, heart pounding. The hall remained a blur of eyes and faces, whispers and movements, and the sharp pulse of tension in the air. Every step back to my seat felt stretched in time.

"Girl... what was that?" Belle asked, her voice exasperated.

"Belle... not now, please," I muttered, still disoriented.

I could barely make out what Mr. Greg was saying. I believe at some point the principal came up the podium to say something which I don't think I heard.

He probably wasn't audible enough.

Or maybe I was just lost in thought. Again.

My mind swirled: the hall, Mr. Greg, The rude blue eyed boy, Joseph's calm confidence, the weight of hundreds of students' eyes, the lingering shame of my words. I was still lost, drifting in thoughts.

And I had a feeling this first day had only begun testing me - my patience, my courage, and maybe even my sanity.

I felt Belle tap me and I realized assembly is over and everyone was scurrying to their classes.

"Girl, what was that?"