The moment Lia stepped into the classroom, silence fell. Then Laughter. Not the friendly kind. Mocking. Cruel. Ruthless.

  "Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me."

  "She’s the new one? Damn, I almost feel bad."

  "What did she do to deserve this? Must’ve really pissed off the admissions office."

  Lia took a slow breath. She had expected whispers. What she didn’t expect was the sheer venom in their voices.

  She stepped forward. But before she could take two steps CRASH!!!!

  A chair scraped violently against the floor, blocking her path. Lia barely stopped in time before tripping over it.

  "Oops."

  The voice was slow, lazy dripping with fake innocence.

  Sitting on top of a desk, her legs crossed like she owned the place, was Aurora Sinclair. The hottest, rudest, and most untouchable girl in Xenith Heights.

  Her blood-red nails tapped rhythmically against the desk, her blazer unbuttoned in rebellion, and her dark eyes glinted with amusement.

  Aurora tilted her head. "You sure you’re in the right place, sweetheart?"

  Lia met her gaze. Steady. Unshaken. "I am."

  Aurora smirked. "That’s a shame." The class snickered.

  A boy leaned back in his chair, feet kicked up on his desk. "Bet she thought she was gonna be in one of the top sections."

  Another girl fake pouted. "Poor thing. Imagine walking in, thinking you're special only to land here."

  A boy near the back suddenly leaned forward, his voice gentle, almost kind.

  "You don’t belong here, sweetie."

  For a second, Lia almost believed him. Then his tone shifted. Cold. Sharp. Cruel.

  "You belong in Section 07."Loud laughter exploded around the room. Section 07 didn’t exist. It was a joke—an insult used for students so pathetic that even Section 06 didn’t want them.

  Lia’s fingers curled around her bag strap, but her face remained unreadable. She moved toward an empty seat."That’s taken, newbie."Lia didn’t pause. She pulled the chair out anyway and sat down. For a minute it was silence. Then Aurora laughed. Low. Amused. Almost… intrigued. She leaned in slightly, voice dropping to a whisper."You’re fun. Try to survive, yeah?"

  Lunch Break – The School’s True Face

  The cafeteria was a war zone. Tables were claimed like territories. The elite sat in the center, untouchable. Meanwhile, students from lower sections stuck to the walls, their presence barely acknowledged.

  Lia had just started scanning for an empty spot when "Yo, newbie!" SPLASH!!!!

  Cold juice slammed into her shoulder, soaking through her blazer. A wave of gasps and laughter erupted.

  Lia froze. Slowly, she turned.

  Felix Carter lounged at the center of it all, smirking.

  The President of Section 04. Arrogant. Privileged. The type who thought his bloodline was worth more than other people’s entire existence.

  The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  Felix grinned, tapping his fingers against the table.

  "Oops. My hand slipped." More laughter. Lia’s jaw clenched.

  "You did that on purpose." Felix mocked a gasp. "Did I? Damn. Guess your uniform was just thirsty." Lia inhaled. Exhaled. Then she grabbed her tray and dumped her entire plate of food onto his lap.

  SILENCE.

  Felix stared. Sauce. Rice. Everything dripped down his expensive uniform. Then his face twisted with rage. "You—"

  "That’s enough." A new voice sliced through the cafeteria. Lia turned. Edrix Charles stood at the entrance. The room instantly stiffened. Conversations died. Edrix’s gaze swept from Felix to Lia, an amused smirk forming. "Well, well. The new girl’s got some fight in her." Lia didn’t flinch. Edrix tilted his head, studying her.

  His smirk sharpened. "You’re Section 06." Not a question. A statement. Lia lifted her chin. "For now." Gasps. Felix, still wiping food off his sleeve, scoffed. "You’re delusional if you think you’ll ever leave the lowest section." Edrix let out a low chuckle, slow and taunting.

  "Felix, Felix… How many times do I have to tell you?" He glanced at Lia, his smirk deepening. "The weak should know their place. But some people? They need to be reminded the hard way." Lia held his gaze, unfazed.

  "Oh, I agree. That’s why you should start preparing."

  Edrix raised a brow. "For what?" Lia’s lips curved into something sharp and lethal. "For when I take your spot." A dead pause. Edrix’s smirk didn’t fade but his eyes darkened.

  Felix slammed a hand on the table. "You think a nobody like you can even dream of that?" Lia stepped closer to him, her voice soft but cutting. "Pray you enjoy your seat while it lasts, Carter. Because when I pass you?"

  Her tone dropped calm, quiet, lethal.

  "I won’t be as nice next time." Felix’s jaw clenched.

  Edrix let out a low, almost entertained chuckle.

  "Bold words." He stepped forward, voice dripping with arrogance. "But let me tell you something, sweetheart."

  His voice lowered sharp, taunting, dangerous.

  "Xenith Heights is a battlefield. And in battle? The weak get trampled. You might think you're a fighter but in the end?" His smirk deepened.

  "You’ll be nothing more than a footnote in my story."

  Lia’s eyes gleamed.

  "Funny. Because when I look at you, Edrix?"

  She leaned in slightly, voice dropping to a whisper.

  "All I see is a throne waiting to be stolen."

  Tension crackled in the air. Felix’s hands balled into fists.

  Edrix’s eyes glinted with something unreadable. Then, he chuckled. Low. Slow. Amused.

  "This just got interesting." Aurora, watching from the sidelines, let out a low whistle. "I don’t know if I should be excited or terrified.