002

Scarlett felt herself slipping from deep sleep into something else, like falling but not falling. When her eyes opened, she was standing in Crestwood Academy's cafeteria. But everything looked weird—too bright, too clear, like someone had turned up the color on a TV.

A smile spread across her face. She knew what this was. A dream. Her dream.

All the weight she'd been carrying around all day just disappeared, replaced by this buzzing feeling in her chest. This was her escape. Here, she didn't have to be the quiet girl who hid in corners or pretended she couldn't hear people talking about her. Here, she got to make the rules.

She spotted Claire Bennett's table right away—the one in the corner where she always sat with her little group of followers. Brittany, Lila, and Ava were all there, laughing their perfect little laughs like they owned the whole world. Their voices carried across the cafeteria, making Scarlett's skin crawl.

Her stomach got tight, but this time she didn't look away like she usually did. In her world, Claire wasn't some untouchable queen bee anymore.

The sound of Scarlett's boots on the floor echoed weirdly loud as she walked over. Everyone went quiet, like someone had hit mute. Claire looked up, and the laugh died right in her throat.

Scarlett just stood there, enjoying every single second of watching Claire squirm.

"What's happening?" Claire's voice shook, all that usual attitude gone.

Scarlett tilted her head and let this mean smile spread across her face—the kind she'd never dare show in real life. "It's your turn now, Claire," she said softly, loving how the words felt in her mouth.

Behind her, she heard chairs scraping. Brittany, Lila, and Ava stood up, but they weren't Claire's little puppets anymore—they belonged to Scarlett now. Their eyes had this hungry look, like wolves ready to attack.

Claire pushed her chair back from the table. "What are you talking about?"

Instead of answering, Scarlett just watched as Brittany moved first. She grabbed Claire's lunch tray and flipped it over. Food went everywhere—mashed potatoes, gravy, and bright red punch splattered all over Claire's expensive clothes.

"Oops," Brittany said in this super sweet voice that dripped with meanness.

Claire tried brushing the mess off, but her hands were shaking so bad she just made it worse. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Scarlett stepped closer, loving how Claire had to look up at her now. "This isn't about what's wrong with us," she said, keeping her voice calm. "It's about you finally getting what you deserve."

Before Claire could run, Lila and Ava grabbed her arms. She tried to break free, screaming, "Let go of me!" But her voice got lost in all the noise building up around them.

These shadow people started gathering to watch. Their faces were all blurry and dark, but Scarlett didn't care about them—they were just extras in her show. Their laughter bounced off the walls, getting louder and louder.

Scarlett waved her hand, and all the tables started scraping across the floor, clearing this big space in the middle. Claire stumbled as they pushed her into the center, her fancy heels slipping on the floor.

Out of nowhere, Brittany had this big pitcher of milk in her hands. Her smile turned evil as she dumped it right over Claire's head. The white liquid soaked through her perfect blonde hair and designer clothes, turning everything into a mess.

The laughter got so loud it hurt.

"No! Stop! Please!" Claire was actually begging now, her voice all broken.

Scarlett just watched, this warm feeling spreading through her chest. Another little flick of her wrist, and suddenly Ava was holding a bucket full of feathers. She didn't even hesitate before dumping them all over Claire's wet head. The feathers stuck everywhere, making her look like some pathetic chicken.

Claire dropped to her knees, sobbing. When she looked up at Scarlett, her mascara was running down her face in black streaks.

"Why are you doing this?" she choked out between sobs.

Scarlett's smile went cold. "Because I can."

She stood there, taking in every detail of Claire broken down and crying. This was exactly what she'd wanted—to be the one in control. To have all the power for once.

But then everything changed.

This weird chill crept up her spine, cutting right through that warm, satisfied feeling. The laughter just... stopped. The air got cold, like someone had opened a freezer. Someone was watching her. She could feel it deep in her bones.

Her head snapped up and she looked around at all the blurry faces. Nothing seemed wrong, but that feeling just got stronger and stronger.

And then she saw him.

He was leaning against the far wall like he had nowhere better to be. Tall guy, broad shoulders, wearing this black coat that seemed to eat up all the light around it. His white hair fell across his forehead, standing out against all that darkness like fresh snow.

But his eyes—god, his eyes.

They were this weird gray color, almost silver, and way too sharp to belong in a dream. When they locked onto hers, it felt like he could see straight through her. The whole world seemed to tilt sideways.

He didn't laugh or point like everyone else. He just watched her with this tiny smirk on his lips, like he knew something she didn't.

Scarlett's chest got tight. She blinked, and he was gone, just like that.

The cafeteria started getting fuzzy, all the colors running together like wet paint as the dream fell apart. Her heart was pounding so hard she could feel it in her throat as everything faded to black.

She woke up gasping for air, early morning light sneaking through her curtains. Her hand pressed against her racing heart, trying to calm it down.

*Just a dream*, she told herself. *It was just a dream*.

But it didn't feel like just a dream. It felt... different. Real.

---

Meanwhile, in a place that wasn't quite anywhere, Lucien Salvatore leaned back in his chair, a smile playing on his lips.

This Scarlett girl... she was something else. Her dreams burned brighter than any he'd seen in centuries—and he'd seen a lot of dreams. The way she felt everything so deeply—all that anger, that pain, that desperate need to take control—it pulled at him like a magnet.

He hadn't even meant to find her. Just kind of stumbled into her dream by accident, drawn in by how strong it felt. Like a lighthouse in the dark. But now that he'd found her, he couldn't stay away.

She was special. Different.

And he needed to know why.

For now, though, he'd just watch and wait. Scarlett had no idea he even existed, no clue that her dreams had become his favorite little show. But soon enough, she would.

Lucien's smile grew wider as he let himself melt into the shadows around him.

The game was just getting started, and he couldn't wait to play.

He had all the time in the world to figure out what made Scarlett Hayes so... interesting. And maybe, just maybe, show her exactly what she could become.

After all, dreams were his specialty. And hers? Hers were absolutely delicious.