Chapter 1: The Bump Heard 'Round the W
(Rose’s POV)
You know those mornings that just feel weird?
Yeah. This was one of them.
New year. New grade. Same ugly uniforms.
We were officially in Class 10 now, which meant more homework, scarier teachers, and — according to Jasmine — new boys to ignore.
I adjusted my backpack strap as we walked through the school gate.
Elara was twirling her pen like she was going to war.
Luna was walking quietly beside me, her bag hanging loose and her head tilted up at the sky like always.
And Jasmine? She was reapplying lip gloss in her phone screen reflection.
“Please don’t let us be stuck with annoying people this year,” Elara mumbled.
“Too late,” Jasmine said. “We go to Brooklake. Everyone’s annoying.”
I smiled to myself.
Same squad. Same energy. Just older classrooms and more hallways to get lost in.
As we climbed the stairs to our new homeroom, I noticed the door was already open. And inside… boys.
Not just any boys.
New boys.
Four of them.
They were loud. Talking over each other. Laughing like they owned the place.
I didn’t recognize any of them. Not from past years, not from events. Just… strangers.
One of them had spiky black hair and this ridiculous confidence in the way he leaned back in his chair like it was a throne.
Another had his hoodie up and was scrolling through his phone.
One was talking nonstop — hands moving as fast as his mouth.
The last one had glasses and was already pulling books out like he was prepping for a science fair.
I blinked.
“Um… do you guys know them?” I asked.
“Nope,” Elara said flatly.
“New kids?” Jasmine guessed. “All four at once? That’s suspicious.”
Luna didn’t say anything.
She just kept walking quietly — and then it happened.
She bumped right into throne-boy.
Hard.
He staggered a little, looked up — and their eyes met.
I saw the moment Luna panicked.
“Oh— I-I’m so sorry,” she stammered, taking a step back instantly. “I wasn’t— I didn’t mean—”
“It’s fine,” the boy said, brushing off his shirt. “You walk like a ninja though. Didn’t even see you coming.”
He smiled, like it was a joke.
Luna didn’t smile back. She looked like she might actually melt into the floor.
And that’s when I stepped forward.
“Nah,” I said coolly, sliding beside her. “She walks fine. Maybe you should watch where you sit. Your ego’s taking up too much space.”
The boy raised an eyebrow. “Wow. Defensive much?”
Jasmine and Elara appeared beside me in full squad mode.
“She said sorry,” Elara added.
Jasmine crossed her arms. “Do you always flirt by calling girls invisible?”
“Whoa—whoa,” said the nonstop-talking boy, stepping in now. “She bumped into him, not the other way around. Don’t come attacking.”
The one with the hoodie finally looked up.
Glass-boy pushed his books aside and stood too.
Now it was four girls vs. four boys.
Nobody blinked.
“We weren’t attacking,” I said, my tone sharp but calm. “We were just responding.”
“Sounds like a personal problem,” throne-boy replied with a smirk.
My eyes narrowed. “What’s your name?”
He leaned forward, elbows on desk.
“Ashton Kai Rivers. And yours?”
“Aria Rose Bennett.” I said. No smile.
He nodded like he was filing it away just to be annoying.
“Well, Rose,” he said. “This is gonna be an interesting year.”
I could feel Elara stiffen beside me.
I smiled sweetly. “For you? Probably not in the way you’re hoping.”
