Are Riverside Library Hours Extended During Exam Seasons?

My roommate, Sylvia Colman, is the ultimate overachiever at Southend High School. She sleeps only three hours a day and takes first place in every exam throughout all three years of high school. As for me, I'm known as the "sleepy slacker" in our school. I sleep in class, constantly fail exams, and can even fall asleep while walking. My parents are completely disappointed in me. They say I'm a hopeless mess. My childhood friend, Jeffrey Rivers, also turns his back on me. He claims I've fallen too far and becomes Sylvia's die-hard fan instead. But when the dean of studies summons me for a talk to tell me that I face the possibility of being expelled, I accidentally discover the secret behind Sylvia's inexhaustible energy. It turns out she has been transferring all of her exhaustion and drowsiness onto me. She's the one stealing my energy, my grades, and my life! On the night before the SAT, Sylvia confidently stays up all night doing practice papers for one final push before the real deal. I smile slightly as a plan forms in my mind. Inwardly, I sneer, "You despicable thief who stole my life… I have a wonderful surprise in store for you. Stay tuned and accept my gift to you!"

Blackridge Academy isn’t just a school. It’s a warning. When Zara transfers to the elite and mysterious Blackridge Academy, she expects a fresh start. New school, new people, no past to chase her. But Blackridge isn’t what it seems. Behind perfect uniforms and quiet hallways lies a world of secrets no one is willing to talk about. And one name everyone is afraid to say out loud. Adrian Cole. A Cold, untouchable and dangerous school boy. They tell her to stay away from him. So why is he the only one she can’t ignore? What starts as tension turns into something deeper, something neither of them planned. Late night conversations. Stolen glances. A connection that feels too real to be safe. But Adrian is hiding the truth about what really happened at Blackridge. And the closer Zara gets, the more she realizes some secrets aren’t meant to be uncovered. Because at Blackridge Academy… Falling in love could cost you everything.

Kael Draven is destined to rule the nation’s strongest pack, bound by duty and a betrothal to Seraphine Vale, Moonridge Academy’s golden Luna-in-training. But fate doesn’t care about rules. The moment Elara— the new scholarship, quiet, human, and supposedly powerless girl steps onto campus, everything shifts, Protocols shatter. Kael’s wolf claims her. And Elara begins unlocking secrets that should’ve stayed buried… including a prophecy tied to a lost royal bloodline. She shouldn’t have lasted a day. Now she might change everything. But Seraphine the betrothed Luna won’t give up her crown without a fight. And when black magic comes into play, Elara must face more than just destiny, she must survive it. Will she rise and claim what’s hers? Or be destroyed before the truth sets her free?

When my brother and I were born, our parents brought in a psychic to predict our futures. The psychic told them my brother would develop severe depression because of my success in school and that, on the day SAT scores were released, he would jump from the school rooftop and end his life. To save him, they spent 18 years tearing me down. On exam day, they confiscated my ID. I begged them not to do this, but my father kicked me into the walk-in freezer and locked the door from the outside. "Your brother's going to die because of you and yet you still want to take that exam? You want him dead, is that it?" The freezer was set to negative 22 degrees. All I had on was a short-sleeved school uniform. I pounded on the door with everything I had. "Mom, it's so cold in here! Please, let me out—" "Oh, quit the act." My mother's voice was high and razor-sharp. "The freezer isn't even on! Your brother is this close to being free of that prophecy and yet all you can think about is yourself?" Her footsteps faded down the hall. Blood kept running from where I had hit my head, dripping onto my uniform and going cold almost instantly. I curled into the corner as my body stiffened, slowly, one degree at a time.

I've spent seven years running security at the testing site at Millbrook High School. I've seen all kinds of cheating, from cheat sheets to hidden earpieces, and even invisible ink. That morning, Steven Lindell, the last student in line, walks in. He has a bookish look as he pushes his black-framed glasses up his nose. His admission slip, fingerprint scan, and facial ID all check out. I look him over for a moment, quietly take a few steps back, and press the button I haven't touched in seven years. In less than three minutes, the exam halts, and the testing site goes into lockdown.

Ever since I was little, my dad taught me that no matter what happened, I should put my studies and exams as my top priority. When I was eight, I accidentally broke my leg during gym class, but my dad insisted that I finish that day’s class before taking me to get it treated. When the doctor said I was brought in too late and would have to be hospitalized, my dad looked troubled. “Third grade is a crucial transition period in elementary school. My child absolutely cannot waste any time right now!” So, I went to school in a wheelchair during the day and returned to my hospital room at night to finish my homework. When I was discharged, I was left with a lasting condition. Ever since then, I walked with a slight limp. When I was eleven, I ran a high fever of 102 degrees and started babbling incoherently. But my dad took forever to arrive. The teacher was so anxious that she took me to the hospital first, only to be berated by my dad when he finally showed up. “The transition from elementary to middle school is a critical moment for a child’s future. If my son, Teleus Costa, misses these three classes, just think how far behind the other kids he’ll fall!” Even though I had not fully recovered, my dad sent me back to school the very next day. From then on, I suffered from severe myocarditis. At seventeen, I developed a serious heart condition that put me at risk of sudden death at any moment. But my dad insisted I wait until after the SATs to seek treatment. “The SATs are the pivotal moment that determines your future. Missing even one class at such a time is tantamount to suicide!” One night during evening study hall, my heart seized up again, and I stumbled down the stairs. Lying in a pool of blood, I mustered my last ounce of strength to press the emergency contact button on my smartwatch to call for help. But on the other end, I heard my father’s voice. “There’s still one more session of evening study hall left. Can’t you just hang in there until it’s over?” ‘Dad, I’m sorry, but I don’t think I could make it,’ I thought.