Getting in trouble

KAI'S POV

I didn't knock before entering.

Seriously, Why would I? It was my room too so I don't think knocking was any good. The door was unlocked so I walked in and immediately regretted every decision that led to this moment.

My roommate, sorry Riven was hanging upside down from the ceiling beam literally with his feet hooked over the wood, arms crossed, eyes closed like this was totally normal behavior.

"What the fuck?" The words came out before I could stop them.

His eyes snapped open and they were red then blinked and went back to that too-light gray.

"You're supposed to knock," he said calmly like he wasn't defying gravity.

"You're supposed to not be a fucking bat." I yelled.

"I was meditating." He shrugged. "stop acting like a scaredy cat."

Yeah, I was supposed to be all smiles when I come across a human dangling from the ceiling. "Upside down?"

"It helps with blood flow." He unhooked his feet, dropped to the floor and landed without a sound. "And you interrupted."

"I—" I stopped, then started again. "Sorry, I didn't mean to—I just thought—"

"That you could walk into your own room without encountering your roommate pretending to be a chandelier?" He smiled. "Fair assumption. My fault for not locking the door. We're even."

The tension broke and I dropped my bags. "So, do you do that often? The ceiling thing?"

"Only when I'm stressed, which is often." He gestured to the taped line down the middle of the room. "Your side, my side. We established this. Try to respect it."

"Right. Yeah, I can do that." I started unpacking. "So, in Silvercrest, is everyone here insane or just you?"

"Define insane."

"Hanging from ceilings. Dumping iced tea on people. The general vibe of this place being one bad day away from a horror movie."

Riven laughed. "You're observant, which is good because that'll help you survive." He sat on his bed, pulled his laptop onto his lap. "Silvercrest has rules that are unspoken ones. Want the list?"

"Hit me."

"One: don't go into the forest after dark ever. People who do never come back the same."

"Noted."

"Two: if you hear weird sounds at night—howling, screaming, whatever—stay in your room. Lock the door and pretend you heard nothing."

"Why?" I was confused. “Isn't it better to check it out.”

Riven hit his forehead with his palm and shook his head. "Because the things making those sounds don't like being acknowledged. Three: the students here are... competitive and territorial. Don't challenge the wrong people or you'll find yourself on the wrong end of a very bad situation."

"Who are the wrong people?"

"Dante Ashford, Jax Rivers and Elias Grey. The power structure here is complicated but those three are at the top. Cross them and—"

The speaker crackled. A voice—female, professional—cut through the room. "Attention all new students. Freshman orientation will begin in thirty minutes in the main assembly hall. Attendance is mandatory."

Riven looked at me. "Don't be late. First impressions matter."

"Got it." I checked my phone. "Where's the assembly hall?"

"East wing on the second floor. Follow the crowds."

Except there were no crowds. I left the dorm and got immediately lost. The campus was a maze—identical hallways, buildings that all looked the same, students who walked past me without making eye contact.

By the time I found the assembly hall, I was sweating and annoyed.

The room was packed. Rows of seats filled with students who all looked like they belonged in a catalog. I slid into a seat in the back just as the lights dimmed.

A student whom I later got to know was Dante Ashford walked onto the stage.

"Welcome to Silvercrest Academy." His voice carried across the room without effort. "You're here because you've demonstrated exceptional ability in your respective fields. But ability alone isn't enough. At Silvercrest, we value discipline, structure and respect for authority and tradition."

I shifted in my seat. Something about his tone set my teeth on edge.

"Our rules exist for your safety and the safety of the community. Curfew is 10 PM and there are no exceptions. Movement outside designated areas is prohibited without faculty supervision. Violations will result in disciplinary action up to and including expulsion."

My hand went up before I could stop it.

Dante paused then looked directly at me. "Yes?"

I stood, every eye in the room turned to me. "These rules. They seem pretty restrictive. What if we need to access the library after 10? What if we have legitimate reasons to be outside designated areas?"

"Then you request permission through proper channels."

"And if permission is denied?"

"Then you accept it. This isn't a democracy. It's an institution with standards."

"Standards that infringe on basic student rights?" The words came out sharper than I meant. "We're adults. We should be able to move freely on campus and also have access to resources when we need them. Not be treated like prisoners."

The room went silent. That particular silence that happens when someone says something so stupid everyone's trying to figure out if they heard it right.

Dante's expression didn't change but something flickered in his eyes. Anger or maybe amusement, it was hard to tell.

He walked down from the stage then stopped in front of me.

"What's your name?" I looked at me from head to toe.

"Kai Morrison."

"Kai Morrison." He repeated it like he was tasting the words. "You've been here one day and you're already questioning the structure that's existed for over a century. Stupid but impressive."

"I'm just saying—"

He grabbed my collar and pulled me close enough that I could see gold flecks in his dark eyes and smell his cologne—cedar and something sharper underneath.

"Let me make something very clear." His voice was dangerous. "I don't just represent the school. I AM the school. The rules exist because I enforce them. The structure exists because I maintain it and if you think you can waltz in here with your scholarship and your opinions and change anything—" He stopped and his eyes widened like he'd seen something that shocked him.

We stared at each other for five seconds then he shoved me back. I stumbled but immediately caught myself.

"Watch your back, Morrison. Silvercrest isn't kind to people who don't know their place." He looked at the room. "Orientation is over. Everyone out except you." He pointed at me. "You just earned yourself gym duty. Report to the athletics center tomorrow morning. 9 AM sharp. Miss it and you're expelled."

I stared at him in disbelief. "For what? Speaking my mind?"

"For insolence, disrespect and for being too stupid to recognize when you're outmatched." He leaned in close again then whispered: "And for making me notice you. That's the worst offense of all."