Love, Friendship, and Entanglements
It was a farewell Sunday, for the holidays were coming to an end. The new semester had arrived too quickly for a certain twenty-two-year-old beautiful young student who loved to party. Starting tomorrow, she would have to return to a dull life. A normal life. But first, she still had one last day of celebration left.
Kalishca Tassony lay on her bed, dressed in pajamas that revealed her beautiful, curvaceous figure. Her sapphire-colored eyes stared at the ceiling, searching for an idea of what to do on this final day. After some careful thought, a wild inspiration struck her to close out her vacation: throw a party on her university’s football field.
A smile spread across her lovely chocolate-toned face as she thought of the idea. She jumped out of bed and grabbed her phone to call her best friend. But no sooner had she dialed the number than her friend was already climbing over the balcony railing.
“I felt you were thinking about me… so I came,” she said.
“Bénatrice Delsy, sometimes I wonder if you’re actually my twin sister, just from another mother,” Kali replied, flashing her irresistible smile.
They both burst out laughing.
Those two knew exactly when to be at each other’s place. They had known each other since the beginning of their university program. Ever since Kalishca had stood up for Bénatrice against a group of bullies, they hadn’t been apart.
At first, the young woman couldn’t understand how a girl like Kalishca could be friends with her. Bénatrice had pale white skin, short dark brown curly hair, almond-shaped green eyes, freckles on her cheeks and wore large black glasses. No one ever paid attention to her.
Kali, on the other hand, was one of the most popular girls in the school. She had won the regional inter-university beauty pageant. She carried an unimaginable elegance. Everyone nicknamed her the woman with water hair because of her stunning long, smooth aquamarine blue hair. It was natural, genetic, but no one knew why. A mystery even Kalishca herself couldn’t solve…
“So, what did you plan to do on this last day of freedom?” Béna asked excitedly.
Kali smiled at her, letting her hang on for a moment before revealing it.
“Come on, spill it!” she said, eager to hear the idea.
She finally shared her idea with her. She wanted to end the holidays in style and, thanks to her popularity, she knew everyone would come. Besides, her father was not only the football coach but also the university’s director. By taking his keys, she could easily gain access to the field. Of course, she wasn’t allowed to. But like any rebellious child, she intended to use that side of hers to disobey her father.
Hearing this, her best friend’s expression changed.
“Your parents will kill you if you do that, Kali…”
Béna totally disapproved of the idea because she knew Mr. Tassony well. However, Kalishca couldn’t care less. Her parents barely seemed to notice she existed. They were wealthy, so during the summer they traveled all the time, leaving their daughter alone at home. Then, when the school year started again, they were too busy to take care of her. That’s how Kali had learned to be independent. For that, she was grateful to them.
Despite the expected consequences and Bena’s disagreement, she was going to throw her party anyway and she knew exactly how to convince her best friend to join. She grabbed her phone and made a call.
The wait wasn’t long before a young man picked up.
“Miss Beauty, what can I do for you?”
He continued before she could answer.
“AND before you wonder why I’m the one who answered, just know he’s in the shower.”
“Tomjoy…” she sighed. “First, stop calling me that. You know I hate it. Second, I have a favor to ask.”
The moment she said his name, Béna blushed. Her eyes widened as she stared at Kalishca, unable to speak. Kali gave her a knowing look with a sly smile playing on her lips. She knew Béna would be all over the place.
Bénatrice was attracted to a young man named Maverick Tomjoy. He was a handsome athlete with curly brown hair. His eyes were dark chocolate and his skin tanned, as if he had just returned from a vacation in the south. He was the best friend of the most popular guy at the university. Ever since he had accidentally bumped into her at the library and asked if she was okay before requesting her name, she had fallen madly in love with him.
Kalishca wasn’t too fond of Maverick. She found him charming but overly confident and always surrounded by girls. A womanizer. She didn’t want her best friend to become just another name on his list. But knowing Béna truly cared for him, she made sure they crossed paths often…
“What’s your favor?” Maverick asked, intrigued.
“I want to organize a huge end-of-holiday party on the school’s football field and I’d like you to gather the whole team to help me out.”
Maverick opened his mouth to answer, but another voice interrupted from behind him.
“Who are you talking to?” a third person called out as he approached.
Kalishca smiled, recognizing the voice.
Dorian Matcore, the boy every girl wanted, but who only had eyes for Kalishca. Fair-skinned, athletically built, tousled caramel-colored hair, captivating hazel eyes, a smile that could make anyone fall. He was perfect. Not to mention he was the captain of the football team and always top of his class.
As soon as he found out who Maverick was talking to, Dorian grabbed the phone and started a video call. Kali accepted the call, then projected the image onto her TV screen.
When the two men appeared on the screen, Bénatrice threw herself to the floor beside the bed, out of sight.
“Are you planning a pajama party?” Dorian sneered.
“No,” she replied mockingly. “I have a party to prepare, not a guy to revive.”
Everyone laughed, including Bénatrice, alone in her corner. She laughed so loudly that the boys heard her.
“Well, hello, Bénatrice,” Maverick said through the screen.
Béna remained silent for a moment, realizing she had been spotted. After a few seconds of hesitation, she slowly stood up, cheeks flushed and a shy smile on her lips. Kali watched her with a teasing look, curious to see if she would lose her composure.
“Hi… Tomjoy…” Bénatrice stammered.
Kalishca held back her laughter and Dorian resumed the conversation.
“You’re just in time, Kali. We have nothing planned and I was hoping you’d suggest something interesting. Besides, it would be a good excuse for me to get closer to you.”
An uncomfortable silence settled.
Kalishca looked away, unable to find the words. Fortunately, Béna eased the awkwardness.
“Oh, that’s sweet!” she exclaimed.
Kali shot her an annoyed glance. She didn’t want things to go that way, especially not in front of the others.
Her relationship with Dorian was… complicated. He openly flirted with her, but she didn’t believe in his sincerity. He had the reputation of a charmer like Tomjoy and Kali wasn’t interested. Of course, she enjoyed spending time with him; he made her laugh and sometimes even dream. But them being a couple? She seriously doubted it.
Dorian could sense Kali was pushing him away. His expression suddenly changed from cheerful to neutral.
Suddenly, the TV screen split into two. A pretty girl with long blond hair and blue eyes appeared. Seeing her, Kali and Béna rolled their eyes.
Not her again… they thought, exasperated.
Karren Saderman, the self-proclaimed queen of drama and appearances. She couldn’t stand anyone overshadowing her and never hesitated to put down those she already considered inferior. Saderman was consumed by a persistent jealousy toward Kalishca. If she stayed close to her, it was purely strategic. By her side, she could boost her own popularity. But the charade fooled no one, as everyone knew her true intentions.
“Thank you, Mavivi, for inviting me into the conversation,” Karren said in a syrupy voice.
Maverick smiled at her.
Tomjoy and Karren had been together for a long time. She called him “Mavivi,” a nickname that still managed to make him smile despite everything. Their story had ended in total chaos. Since she had shared a drunken night with Dorian. They woke up side by side, naked in the same bed, and neither of them remembered what had happened.
To not lose Maverick, Karren and Dorian had stayed silent for a year. Until the day, driven by jealousy and anger upon learning that Maverick had cheated on her with their history teacher, Karren confessed everything. It was an explosion. A storm of punches and insults erupted between the two boys. At that moment, their ten year friendship flickered out like a flame deprived of air.
Ridden with guilt and broken by Maverick’s betrayal, Karren chose to flee. She left the university, unable to face what they had become. As for Dorian, it took him a year to try to mend things with Maverick. After a year, Maverick finally forgave him. He saw the sincere efforts he made and deep down he knew that, in ten years of friendship, his best friend would never have made such a mistake knowingly.
A few days after their reconciliation, Maverick ran into Karren again in the school halls. But she was no longer the same. She had become the “new Karren.” A real bombshell with devastating charm but a cold stare. Her hair, once brown, was now a bright blond, and she never went out without makeup. Her presence turned head and people in the corridors froze for a moment, fascinated by her transformation.
Despite everything he knew, Tomjoy had fallen under her spell again. Dorian, for his part, didn’t need words to understand. He read in his friend’s eyes a mix of confusion and longing. So, he encouraged him to go talk to her.
When Karren saw Maverick approach, a tidal wave of emotions overwhelmed her. She felt tears rise, ready to spill, but her pride kept her from giving in. Without a word, she slipped into an empty classroom. The two boys followed her. Dorian stopped by the door, giving Maverick the space he needed.
Maverick entered. He approached her slowly.
“Hi…” he said softly.
Karren took a moment to respond. Why now? Why, after a year of silence, was he standing in front of her just to say “hi”? She knew she had made a mistake and what she did was serious. But she wasn’t the only one responsible; he had also betrayed her. The difference was he was fully aware when he did it. She wasn’t. Neither she nor Dorian remembered that night.
She swallowed her pride and answered in a neutral, almost distant tone. Maverick took a breath, ready to explain himself.
“I think we need to talk…”
Karren cut him off. She didn’t want to hear him speak first. She knew his gentle voice would eventually make her give in. So, she let her heart speak before the tears took over.
“Listen, I cheated on you, yes. But it wasn’t conscious; I didn’t even know what I was doing that night. You, on the other hand, chose to sleep with your teacher. Fully aware. You knew exactly what you were doing and you did it anyway.”
Maverick kept a calm tone.
“You’re right about some things… but you lied to me. I asked if something was wrong and you told me everything was fine. You smiled, you said you loved me… while hiding the truth from me.”
Karren shook her head, tears shining in her eyes that she refused to let fall.
“And you told me you loved me while you fantasized about another woman. So what? Are we even then? You want to keep score? Because if that’s the case, Maverick, let me tell you one thing: you are far more guilty than I am.”
Maverick stared at her, his jaw clenched. He took her words like blows, but his gaze ignited with a fire he no longer bothered to hold back.
“You talk about guilt, but you ran away, Karren. You left me to pick up the pieces while you disappeared. I faced it, I paid the price. You changed your surroundings, rebuilt your life and let everyone believe you were the victim.”
He took a step forward, his tone colder.
“So no, we are not even.”
Karren looked at him as if those words had slapped her right in the heart.
“I changed schools, I left everything because I was consumed by guilt!” she shouted, her voice trembling but full of fire. “What do you think, Maverick? That it was an easy escape? That I left to start a quiet new life? You don’t know anything about what I felt. Nothing.”
Karren had barely finished her sentence when silence fell again. Maverick looked at her for a long moment, as if still trying to uncover a truth she was hiding from him. His voice softened but remained tinged with a barely controlled tension.
“So why did you come back then?”
“I came back because running away didn’t heal me!” she exclaimed, her voice vibrating with emotion.
Suddenly, the door opened. Dorian entered the room, drawn by the shouting that echoed into the hallway. A few curious onlookers were already peeking through the window, intrigued by what was happening inside.
He watched the tense scene unfolding before him and let out a quiet chuckle. It strangely reminded him of his own arguments with Karren, the ones that often ended… with stolen kisses.
“You okay, you two?” he asked.
“Let’s just say we’re trying to settle scores. Even if some should better avoid playing the moralizers…”
“You’re one to talk… my history teacher, seriously?” Karren shot back, furious.
Dorian bursts out laughing.
“Let’s just say he studied the anatomy of History well,” he added.
Maverick exploded into uncontrollable laughter. The tension melted for a moment, replaced by the boys’ mischievous thoughts. Karren didn’t find it funny at all and made that clear. She stepped forward sharply and slapped Maverick hard. Then, pivoting on her stiletto heels, she delivered a violent blow to Dorian’s groin.
“AAHH!” he cried out, doubled over, falling to his knees, hands covering his crotch.
“I’m not done with you two,” she said, her eyes shining with anger.
Matcore said nothing, completely absorbed by the searing pain in his “family jewels.” Maverick, meanwhile, stifled a laugh, unable to resist the ridiculous scene his friend was putting on.
As she turned on her heels to leave the room, Karren caught Tomjoy’s gaze. A slight, barely noticeable smirk brushed her lips. Even in the middle of a storm, the immaturity of these two idiots could still make her smile. Tomjoy, for his part, was relieved. Their fight was behind them. In a strange way, but one that was theirs, they had acted theatrically. And that was enough for them.
“Glad everything’s finally settled,” muttered Dorian, still on his knees, his hands clenched on his groin.
Maverick smiled, then helped him up.
“Come on, you cripple. Let’s go get some ice for your golden jewels.”
They left the room together, still shaking with laughter. Deep down, Tomjoy couldn’t believe it; she had hit him and yet he was laughing his head off.
***
Over time, Karren and Maverick had grown closer. However, both had understood that their friendship was more precious than their past love. They had therefore made what they believed to be the wisest decision: to remain good friends. But it was hard to believe that Saderman only wanted to preserve a friendly relationship. The simple fact that she still called Tomjoy “Mavivi” said a lot. Kalishca and Dorian were not fooled. She still loved him and it was obvious. Everyone noticed how she constantly stared at the screen where Maverick appeared, while the beautiful blonde unknowingly cast small longing glances and absentmindedly adjusted her hair.
“Kalishca, my dear, maybe you are the prettiest girl at the university… well, not really right now,” Karren said mockingly, pointing at her pajamas. “But I am the most popular. So here’s a tip: let me handle the guests.”
Confidently, she fixed her hair, running her fingers through her locks, chin held high. Then she refreshed her pink lipstick, her signature touch, that iconic shade she never left behind. Kali, annoyed, merely shot Tomjoy a dark glare. Of course, he had told her about the party. She grabbed her phone and sent him a message.
Kali: Why did you tell her about the party?
Maverick replied quickly.
Tomjoy: She asked to help organize it and I know with her, we’ll have the best party of the century.
Kalishca sighed. He was right. Karren was much better known than she was. If she wanted the night to be memorable, it was better to let her handle it.
“Alright, Karren. You take care of the guests. Tell them it starts at 9:30 p.m.”
Then she turned to Matcore and Tomjoy.
“Bring the other members of the sports teams to the field.”
“Everything has to be perfect,” added Bénatrice.
Karren looked at her with a mix of disdain and amusement before bursting into a haughty laugh.
“Got a problem, Saderman?” Delsy challenged.
“Béatrice…”
“It’s Bénatrice,” she corrected firmly.
“Yeah, whatever. We’re inviting people who have style. And you… sorry, but looking at you, you’d need quite a makeover to look like something. No one will notice you. Just because you’re the best friend of a pretty girl doesn’t make you pretty. Who knows you besides Kalishca and the library rats? Nobody. You’re nobody. So before you open your mouth to give orders to people better than you, think about what I just said.”
An awkward silence settled. Dorian was speechless at the harshness of Karren’s words, while Maverick tried to hold back a laugh. Unfortunately, Bénatrice noticed and her eyes filled with tears. Kalishca saw it too and shot her a look of disgust. Tomjoy quickly stifled his laughter, caught off guard by the sudden discomfort.
Kalishca turned to Karren, furious.
“Do you enjoy humiliating others? You crush the weak because you know you cannot measure up to those who are worth more than you. Your confidence rests on your appearance but inside you don’t accept yourself. I accept both. And that is exactly why you have never been able to compare to me. Remember this, Karren: inner beauty will always surpass outer beauty.”
It was Dorian’s turn to flash an amused smile while Maverick was left speechless. Bénatrice, touched that Kalishca had stood up for her, still kept her eyes misty. Maverick’s laughter had hurt her more than she wanted to admit. But Karren’s pride quickly took over.
“Anyway, whatever. Come on, Mavivi,” she said casually. “I need to go buy a dress for tonight. I fully intend to blow you away, Tassony.”
She fixed her hair with a confident gesture, blew a kiss through the screen, then disconnected without another word. Tomjoy ended the call as well, eager to join her. Dorian did the same. He sensed that Kalishca needed a moment alone with her best friend before they met at the rendezvous point.
Kali then turned to Bénatrice and found her motionless, her gaze frozen, eyes shining with tears.
“Tomjoy is just a big jerk; he doesn’t deserve you,” Kalishca said, placing a comforting hand on Bénatrice’s shoulder. “And you’re very pretty. Don’t let Karren’s nonsense get to you. You know her… she’s willing to say anything just to feel superior to others.”
Bénatrice said nothing. Kalishca’s words slid off her without reaching her. Her mind was elsewhere, where Karren had cruelly sent her. She thought back to what Saderman had spat in her face. If she had Kalishca’s beauty, would she have been the target of all those taunts? Certainly not. And that day at the library when she bumped into Maverick… would he have just raised an eyebrow and murmured “Are you okay?” or could it have gone further? Maybe he would have asked for her number or social media.
She slowly lifted her eyes toward her best friend. She genuinely admired her. That natural poise, that radiant beauty. Kalishca exuded something that commanded respect without even trying. Bénatrice, on the other hand, always had to make an effort to be seen, to be heard.
Kalishca, meanwhile, was beginning to worry. It had been more than ten minutes since Bénatrice had said a word and she didn’t know what else to say to comfort her. Finally, Béna broke the silence.
“See you at the party. I need to stop by my place… talk with my mom.”
Her voice was calm but distant. Kalishca felt a hint of disappointment but didn’t insist. She simply nodded in agreement, then they embraced briefly. Bénatrice then left the Tassony home without another word. Kali lingered for a few moments on her balcony, watching her best friend’s silhouette fade down the street, her heart a little heavy.
Sighing, the young woman looked up at the sky and spotted two white owls perched on an electrical wire. They seemed to be watching her. She furrowed her brow slightly.
Why were they there?
It was quite rare to see them in the area. She stood still for a few seconds, unsettled without really knowing why. As if their presence meant something.
Suddenly, her phone’s ringtone abruptly broke the thread of her thoughts. Kalishca recognized it immediately. It was the one she had assigned to her parents’ messages. They shared the same alert, a small reassuring melody she had chosen herself.
She stood up slowly, grabbed her phone that she had left on her bed and glanced at the screen without even unlocking it. It was her father.
Father: Our flight was delayed. We have to stay one more day in Italy. See you Tuesday. Be good!
She shrugged, her expression neutral. Nothing surprising. She set her phone down without replying. But another notification buzzed in her hand. This time, it was Dorian.
Matcore: Are you coming? Everyone is in front of the field. We’re waiting for you to unlock the gate.
A smile spread across her lips. She quickly typed a reply.
Kali: I’ll be there in 15 minutes.
Now settled, Kali played some music in the room, then calmly moved to her dresser to get ready, forgetting about the owls. She took out an elegant bluish jumpsuit with a modest neckline and long sleeves, perfectly matching the deep shade of her hair.
Her gaze then drifted to her nightstand, where the pendant her mother had given her at birth rested. Delicately crafted like silver lace wrapped around a sky-blue teardrop-shaped stone, it hung on a chain as delicate as it was precious. She had worn it every day for years. But tonight, she wanted to make a difference.
Instead, she chose the pearl necklace Dorian had given her, matching it with earrings. To complete the look, she slipped on high heels perfectly in harmony with the rest.
A light touch of makeup enhanced her face. Kali needed no artifices to be remarkable, as her natural beauty was more than enough.
She stood in front of the mirror, taking a moment to admire her reflection. Then, as if by magic, her favorite song started playing. A smile lit up her face as she began to sing, letting herself be carried away by the music, light and carefree.
As she joyfully twirled around, carried by the melody and the euphoria of the moment, Kalishca suddenly stopped. From the corner of her eye, a pale blue glow gently appeared. Her gaze immediately fell on her nightstand. The pendant was shining.
A soft yet clear, almost unreal light emanated from the teardrop shaped stone. She slowly approached, as if drawn by a silent force, and delicately took it between her fingers. The jewel felt warm, almost alive.
Frowning, Kalishca examined it from every angle, fascinated. It was the first time she had seen it glow like this. After all these years of wearing it every day, it had never reacted this way.
“What does this mean?” she whispered, not expecting an answer.
The pendant, so familiar until now, suddenly seemed to hold a secret she didn’t know. And now, it had awakened.
Suddenly, a strange shiver ran through Kalishca. A vague feeling, like a premonition she couldn’t name. She turned her head toward her balcony and saw two owls staring at her.
Their plumage, pure white with opaline reflections, seemed speckled with silver patterns, like gems set in a snow-white case. Each feather looked hand-carved by the gods, soft as the imprint of an ancient dream.
But it was their eyes that took her breath away. Two violet irises, circled in black, deep as a moonless night. Their gaze pierced her, as if reading inside her, beyond thoughts and flesh.
The more she looked, the more one detail struck her: their size. From that distance, she could clearly see they were about the height and width of a dining chair.
That was… abnormal.
Kalishca didn’t know how to react. The owls remained motionless, like statues, their violet eyes fixed on her. Their gaze pierced the space, cold and unfathomable. What did they want from her? Why now?
Instinctively, the young woman grabbed the broom leaning against the wall, raised it in front of her, then stepped forward hesitantly, still holding the pendant in her hand.
Fear tightened around her throat.
She waved the cleaning tool in their direction, hoping to scare them off. But the birds didn’t move an inch.
No reaction.
Kalishca’s heart pounded wildly. She slowly lowered her arm, resigned, her gaze still fixed on those unreal creatures.
Suddenly, something gleamed in her field of vision. She looked down at her pendant. Its blue glow flared intensely, pulsing in rhythm with her panic. The object vibrated as if responding to something.
Kali took a step back, breathless.
Suddenly, one of the owls spreads its wings. With a majestic flap, it let out a piercing cry that shredded the air. The sound pierced the young woman, freezing her with terror. In a flash of brightness, the pendant exploded, casting a blinding light in all directions. She screamed, then collapsed.
Everything blurred.
Her gaze struggled to focus on anything; the edges of the world warped. She thought she saw two figures approaching her. Two pairs of barefoot. And just before the void swallowed her, she heard a distant voice, deep, almost unreal.
“That’s her…”
***
A few hours later, Kalishca regained consciousness. Her room was shrouded in darkness, with only thin rays of pale moonlight filtering through the half-open curtains. She slowly sat up, a dull ache pulsing at her temples. Her eyes shifted toward the bedside table. The pendant lay there, perfectly still, without the slightest glow. As if it had never shone. As if what she had seen earlier had been nothing but a dream. Her foggy mind struggled to piece together the events. She vaguely remembered the piercing gaze of the owl, but everything else… a complete blank.
Why were they at home? And why was it already night?
A thousand questions swirled in her head, none of them finding an answer.
Suddenly, her phone vibrated sharply, pulling her out of her thoughts. She grabbed it and saw Dorian’s name appear on the screen. Reality hit her instantly: the party. The preparations. The time! She glanced at the clock: 9 p.m. Her eyes widened in surprise. Impossible… She had been unconscious all this time! She rubbed her forehead, trying to shake the persistent throbbing headache. Without thinking twice, she accepted the video call.
“Kalishca, are you okay?” Dorian asked, his voice muffled by the noise of the crowd in the background.
Kali tried to compose herself. She looked at the time again, incredulous. She couldn’t believe she had lost so much time. Her expression betrayed her confusion.
He frowned.
“You alright, Kali?”
She hesitated. Should she tell him she’d fainted because of a glowing pendant and an owl with violet eyes...? He would never believe her. That wasn’t something you heard every day. Besides, there weren’t even such birds in this area.
She chose the simplest explanation.
“Yes, don’t worry. I… I fell asleep listening to music and my phone was on silent. I didn’t see your calls. I’m sorry.”
She tried to smile so she wouldn’t seem too shaken.
“Hurry up, the party’s already started!” Dorian exclaimed through the screen, his face glowing with excitement.
“Yeah, I’m on my way…” Kalishca replied as she went down the stairs. “By the way, how did you get access to the field without my dad’s keys?”
Dorian chuckled and raised an eyebrow, amused.
“You didn’t forget that a captain has his own keys, did you?”
Kalishca smiled again.
“Touché. Well, see you soon.”
She ended the call, quickly grabbed her bag and her mother’s car keys that had been left for her to get around. Before leaving, she cast one last glance at her now inert pendant on the bedside table… but she didn’t have time to think about it now.
***
Arriving at the scene, Kalishca saw a large crowd already gathered for the party. She smiled. It was a real success. The atmosphere, the lighting, the music, the decorations… everything seemed perfect. The guys had done a great job.
She pulled out her phone and sent a message to Bénatrice to check if she was there. She got out of the car with her bag and quickly locked the doors. Then she made her way through the crowd, looking for her friends.
Suddenly, a familiar voice pierced through the noise.
“Kalishca!”
She looked up, scanning the crowd until she spotted Dorian in the distance. He was waving his arms to catch her attention. She hurried toward him, paying no mind to her surroundings.
She suddenly bumped hard into someone.
“Oh! Sorry, I didn’t see you there,” she said as she straightened up.
But when her eyes met those of the imposing woman standing before her, Kali froze.
Violet eyes. Just like the owl’s, sharp and deep. A wave of unease washed over her, followed by a sudden flash of the moment she had collapsed at home. Her heart started beating faster. She took a small step back, unsettled.
The woman remained silent, motionless, almost unreal, dressed in a short but voluminous white feathered dress. It stopped mid-thigh, revealing slender legs. Every movement made the airy fringes flutter, giving her the appearance of a small cloud in constant dance. Graceful and majestic, the outfit seemed to float around her without ever clinging to her skin, as if woven from the wind. The fitted bodice outlined her slender waist, while a cascade of graceful plumes adorned her shoulders, adding a touch of magnificence to her posture.
Her silver hair, cut in an asymmetrical bob, brushed the curve of her chin. And her complexion… it was white. White like the color itself. Without shading or flaws. Such purity that it seemed almost unreal. Her face appeared sculpted by gods, naturally perfect in a way that defied logic.
Kalishca rubbed her eyes. A second later, the woman had vanished into the crowd as if she had disappeared into thin air. She scanned the surroundings but found no trace of the mysterious apparition.
Before she could react further, a familiar voice rang in her ears.
“Hello, Earth calling Kalishca Tassony!” Maverick said, playfully bringing his face close to hers.
His teasing tone snapped her back to reality.
“Yes, sorry, I’m here now,” she replied with a shy smile. “The party is really amazing!”
The two friends exchanged a knowing wink, clearly proud of their work.
“You look very pretty tonight, Kalishca,” Dorian complimented her sincerely, his eyes full of warmth.
She thanked him cheerfully. Their eyes met and, for a few seconds, sparks seemed to fly in the air, as if time itself had stopped. That magical moment was abruptly shattered by a far too familiar voice.
“Wow, Kali… not bad, that look! But you’re not beating me tonight,” Karren said, making a theatrical entrance, flanked by her two loyal shadows, Mandy and Myndy.
Yes, shadows… or rather slaves. Because who in their right mind would willingly submit to someone like her? They obeyed her every command, trailing behind like two well-trained dogs, never more than two steps away.
Karren wore a tight, short pink dress so short that a single wrong move could result in total indecency. A plunging neckline revealed the base of her chest, while a white fur draped carelessly over her shoulders. Kalishca watched and snickered quietly. To her, Karren was almost a caricature.
However, her expression shifted to concern when she realized Bénatrice still hadn’t arrived. She pulled out her phone to check her messages but saw nothing new.
“Have you guys seen Bénatrice anywhere?” she asked the boys.
Dorian and Maverick shook their heads in denial.
Karren laughed.
“Béna? Who? Oh right… your so-called best friend. The one who can’t even own up to what I said this morning? Honestly, Kali, why do you pretend to be friends with her? She’s nobody. And no matter what you do for her, she’ll always be nobody.”
Kalishca clenched her jaw discreetly but stayed silent.
“You know, I know your little secret. You think you’re better than me, huh? But the truth is, you’re not. You act like the kind, caring girl who feels sorry for lost souls like her, but it’s all just to keep up your perfect girl’s image. It’s hypocritical. At least I tell the truth. And believe me, people will eventually see your true nature. It’s only a matter of time.”
An icy silence settled. Kali refused to answer, refusing to retaliate or even show a reaction. The beautiful blonde, satisfied with herself, tossed her hair arrogantly over her shoulder and winked at Maverick, as if she’d just won a trophy.
The two boys exchanged an awkward glance. The discomfort was palpable.
Suddenly, the music stopped abruptly. A heavy silence of curiosity fell over the crowd. All eyes turned toward the stage, where a female figure stood proudly under the spotlights.
Kalishca blinked, surprised.
“Bénatrice…?” she whispered.
But was it really her?
The transformation was striking. Béna wore a sumptuous burgundy dress, with silky, voluminous fabric that flowed with each step, resembling a train of flames. Her high heels, matching in color, added elegance to her reshaped posture. Gone were the glasses; she now wore contact lenses that highlighted her eyes, intensified by makeup worthy of a queen. Her hair, usually curly and wild, was straight, shiny and perfectly styled, framing her face like an invisible crown.
But what caught the most attention were her jewels. A golden tiara sparkled on her forehead, while triangular earrings glittered on her lobes. A long pearl necklace completed her outfit, emphasizing her almost regal presence. She looked like a princess from another world.
A murmur ran through the crowd. Even Dorian and Maverick were left speechless.
Bénatrice took the microphone handed to her by the DJ. With a calm and confident voice, she began to speak.
“Good evening, everyone. I hope you’re having a great night… I want to thank the sports teams for organizing this. Without them, none of this would have been possible.”
Her speech was immediately interrupted by a round of applause.
She continued, a sly smile on her lips and a sharper tone.
“And of course… how could we forget the great, the one and only, the unforgettable Karren? Always there to remind us that we have to be ‘perfect.’ But of course… perfect according to her own little guidebook of good taste, egocentric edition.”
Some muffled laughter spread among the audience.
“You always thought you were on top, but it only took a little courage, a little sparkle… for your throne to start shaking. Tonight, look at me closely. Because I am what you fear most. A girl you looked down on… shining brighter than you.”
A shiver ran through the crowd. Kalishca gave a small, proud smile to her best friend. She glanced toward Karren. The latter burst out a fake, biting laugh, loud enough to draw everyone’s attention.
“Oh wow! So this is your big moment?” she exclaimed, making her way through the crowd toward the stage, a predatory smile on her lips.
She climbed the few steps confidently, staring Béna straight in the eyes. With a sharp gesture, she snatched the microphone from her.
“I’m really surprised you dared talk about me like that,” she spat. “You’re feeling confident because you put on some foundation, straightened your hair and blew all your savings on a dress that doesn’t even suit you?”
She looked her up and down, full of disdain.
“Come back down to earth, Béna. You haven’t changed. And do you want me to prove it?”
Saderman grabbed a glass of water from the nearby table and, without hesitation, threw it right into Bénatrice’s face. The water splashed over her, causing her makeup to run like ink on a damaged canvas. The crowd held its breath.
Then, in a theatrical gesture, Karren shook her hair free before grabbing Bénatrice’s dress and tearing it mercilessly, piece by piece. The fabric gave way under her furious hands. Within seconds, Béna’s elegant outfit was nothing but a heap of rags hanging off her trembling body. With a mocking smile, the blonde dug her fingers into Bénatrice’s hair, messing it up as if every move was meant to humiliate her further.
The result was cruel. Makeup was dripping down her face, her hair was tousled, and her dress was no longer anything like an evening gown. She now looked like a miserable rag. Frozen beneath muffled laughter, Bénatrice had tears in her eyes.
Kalishca, shocked by the violence of the attack, felt anger rise within her. Karren had crossed all boundaries. She rushed toward them, but before she could reach them, Karren smiled triumphantly and said, her voice cold:
“You wanted everyone to notice you? Congratulations. Now they’ll never forget you… as a clown.”
She handed back the microphone with disdain, smoothed her hair, then slowly descended the stage, savoring the audience’s laughter that spread like wildfire behind her.
Devastated, Bénatrice scanned the crowd. She saw faces twisted with mockery and phones raised to capture her humiliation. Unable to hold back her tears, she fled, running off the platform. In her haste, her foot caught on her torn dress, and she fell to the ground.
Kalishca appeared immediately. Without a word, she helped her up, slipped an arm around her shoulders, and gently led her away, cutting through the dense crowd of students who continued to mock her. Together, they disappeared toward the restroom.
The music resumed as if nothing had happened, and the party went on. Yet for some, nothing would ever be the same again.
As they approached the restroom, Kalishca and Bénatrice suddenly slowed down. An unknown woman, leaning against the tiled wall, motionless like a statue, watched them with a disturbing intensity.
Her skin, almost supernatural ivory, contrasted sharply with the flowing mass of blood-red hair, cut into a voluminous French bob, perfectly structured, stopping just at the nape of her neck. Her eyes were mesmerizing. Two rubies, bordered by dark black makeup, as if circled by darkness itself. A subtle touch of eyeshadow matching the fiery color of her eyes heightened their intensity, igniting her gaze with a devilish beauty. Her lips, tinted the same deep red as her eyes, slowly curved into a disturbing smile. No kindness, just a cold curve, too perfect to be sincere. An expression that said nothing but promised everything. As if, at any moment, something was about to happen.
However, one detail was off about this strange woman’s appearance. She wore a long, voluminous witch’s dress, dotted with blood-red stains, made from stiff leather that faintly gleamed under the building’s exterior light. Her boots, matching her outfit, were made of the same dark, shiny material. They had high heels and rose up to her knees. The lady looked like she had just stepped out of a macabre ball… or was preparing for Halloween, but ahead of her time.
Kalishca and Bénatrice exchanged a subtle glance but decided not to pay her any attention. They pushed open the bathroom door without a word.
Inside, Kalishca helped her best friend sit on the bench near the sinks, then gently began to wipe her face. Bénatrice’s tears still flowed, mingling with her ruined makeup.
“You have to be strong, Bénatrice,” Kali murmured. “There will always be people like Karren. You can’t let them break you.”
Bénatrice lifted her reddened, rage-filled eyes.
“It’s easy for you to say that. You don’t understand. You’re Miss Beauty, Miss Respected. You didn’t even have to lift a finger to be loved! Me, I fight every day. Every morning, I tell myself it will be okay… that no one will hurt me today! But tonight was the last straw. I can’t take it anymore, Kali. One day… one day, I hope everyone who humiliated me will pay. Every last one.”
Kalishca listened, deeply moved. She had never heard her best friend speak with such pain.
She opened her bag and took out a change of clothes, handing it to Béna.
“You know I’ll always be there for you,” she said softly.
Bénatrice looked her straight in the eyes, hurt.
“Then where were you when she humiliated me on stage?” she asked sharply.
Her best friend slightly turned her head.
“I was actually trying to reach you… to step in. But there were too many people.”
Béna said nothing and changed in silence. As she finished putting on her shoes, she noticed something.
“Kali… isn’t that your necklace?” Béna remarked, pointing at the object.
Kalishca looked down at the floor, visibly taken aback. The pendant sparkled, lying on the ground.
“Uh… why is it shining?” Bénatrice murmured, stepping back.
She furrowed her brows slightly before carefully picking up the jewel.
“I... I don’t even remember putting it in my bag,” she admitted quietly.
She twirled it between her fingers. It was intact and cold to the touch, but the air around them seemed to vibrate with a strange tension.
“Does it always do that?” Béna asked, her expressive features creased.
“No… well, I don’t think so. My mother says it’s special, but I’ve never seen it like this…”
A gentle calming atmosphere floated between them. The pendant’s glow persisted, like a silent and captivating presence.
“Maybe it really is special,” Bénatrice added.
The two young women stared at it for a few seconds. Its surface seemed to catch the light mysteriously, almost alive. Kalishca quickly put it away just as other girls burst into the restroom, giggling and shouting, clearly drunk.
Not wanting to linger, Kalishca and Bénatrice left quietly. As they pushed the door open to leave, they noticed the strange woman in black had vanished. As if she had never existed.
No sooner had they stepped away than Dorian and Maverick rushed toward them.
Dorian asked, his voice worried, “Are you okay?”
Kalishca slightly nodded, but Bénatrice replied sarcastically:
“Oh yes, of course! I’m just great! It’s not like I was humiliated in front of everyone! No… but don’t worry, I’m doing G R E A T.”
An awkward silence immediately fell. She sighed, hugged Kalishca, and said she preferred to go home. Maverick offered to accompany her back, and she accepted without hesitation.
After quick goodbyes, they disappeared into the night.
Only Dorian and Kalishca remained.
The DJ then played a slow song. The music grew soft and melancholic, while the dance floor lit up with a warm, romantic red glow. All the couples began to dance, bodies close, hearts beating.
Dorian turned toward her, visibly moved.
“Do you want to dance?” he asked.
She nodded, her face softened by a shy smile. They melted into the flow of moving guests.
The moment stretched out, as if time itself slowed down. Dorian gazed at her like one watches a shooting star, with eyes full of admiration, desire, and hope. Kalishca’s expression was calm, but the spark wasn’t there.
“Kalishca, you are… you are the most beautiful girl I’ve ever met.
We’ve known each other for a long time and… over time, I’ve fallen in love with you.”
She looked at him, her wide eyes locked with his. She didn’t respond right away. The silence between them was heavy, hanging between hope and discomfort. From the start, she had been aware of his love for her. However, the truth had to be said.
Dorian slowly stepped closer and gently placed his hands on her arms. He leaned in, his lips trembling with emotion, ready to cross a line she couldn’t let him cross.
So she stepped back. Tenderly, she pulled away from his body, her eyes filled with compassion still fixed on him.
“I’m sorry, Dorian…”
Her voice was calm but firm.
“I love you… but not the way you hope. You’re my best friend.
You mean more to me than you can imagine, but not like that.”
A heavy silence settled between them, despite the crowd celebrating all around.
Suddenly, the young man’s behavior changed. His eyes darkened, filled with a sudden, almost inhuman anger. Kalishca stepped back, her heart pounding. Something was wrong. A cold fear began to crawl through her body.
“Dorian… what are you doing?” she asked, her voice trembling.
Without warning, he lunged forward and gripped her throat with his hands. Kalishca’s eyes widened, unable to believe it. Never, not once before, had he touched her like this. Who was this boy with the terrifyingly intense dark gaze?
She tried to scream, but no sound came out. Her fingers clawed at his hands, struggling to break free. She was suffocating, tears streaming down her cheeks. It wasn’t just the violence of the act that shattered her, but the feeling of abandonment: no one reacted. The party went on. Couples still danced, swaying to the slow music, as if none of this existed.
Kalishca’s distress peaked, then a spark appeared. Her pendant, buried in her bag, began to shine with a dazzling light. The glow was so powerful that it blew out all the nearby lights, stretching for kilometers around.
Panic erupted. Students screamed, pushed, and fled into the suddenly dark night. Overwhelmed by the blinding brightness, Dorian recoiled sharply, releasing her before disappearing into the chaos.
Kalishca fainted and collapsed to the ground.
At the heart of the chaos, a figure emerged, moving with an eerie calmness.
The lady in the white feathered dress, seen earlier that evening, stepped out of the shadows. A few students still lingering fled at once. Curiously, everyone parted before her as if an invisible force was clearing the way. Without haste, she approached Kalishca’s motionless body. By the time she reached her side, the commotion had subsided, replaced by a strange and suspended tranquility. She knelt beside her and watched silently, waiting for a sign.
Suddenly, a crackling noise echoed in the distance.
The lady sharply turned her gaze toward the source. Suddenly, her eyes lit up with a supernatural glow, scanning the darkness. Those eyes could see beyond appearances, beyond lies, beyond what an ordinary eye could perceive. A magical vision, as if the world was revealing its hidden truths to her.
Two figures took shape, lurking behind the trees. Spotting them, she unfolded two enormous owl wings that magically sprang from her back. With a single powerful beat, she unleashed a biting wind. Branches bent, flowers twisted, leaves whirled into the air in a wild dance. The two intruders were flung away, vanishing from her sight.
She cast one last glance over the area, then gently lifted Kalishca into her arms. She hoisted her onto her left shoulder, grabbed the bag where the mysterious pendant rested, and vanished into the night, carrying the unconscious young woman away.
***
Upon waking, Kalishca felt a dull ache in her head like drums pounding against her temples. She grimaced and blinked, dazzled by the morning light filtering through the curtains. She hadn’t drunk that much so why the headache?
As she slowly sat up, another question surfaced in her mind.
How did I get home?
She had no memory of driving or even leaving the stadium. The fog of the previous evening only deepened her confusion.
Passing in front of her mirror, she froze. Red marks shaped like hands stained her neck. The image of Dorian his deep eyes and cold menacing expression resurfaced. He had strangled her. She shivered.
That wasn’t him. It couldn’t be him.
The Dorian she knew would never have touched her that way.
Was it some kind of episode? Possession? No demons don’t exist.
A creeping doubt had taken root.
She shook her head. She needed to talk to him. She needed answers.
Kalishca slipped into royal blue overalls and a black cropped long-sleeve top then wrapped a scarf around her neck to hide the marks. Finally she put on her sneakers. She wore no jewelry except her pendant, which she carelessly slid over her chest as usual. Yet this time she examined it carefully hesitating.
Something happened last night…
She stared at herself in the mirror for a few seconds lost in thought before grabbing her bag and leaving the room. As she descended the stairs, a message popped up on her phone. Kalishca looked at the screen to see the sender Bénatrice.
Béna: OMG Kali, I have to tell you what happened between Maverick and me yesterday, in the car! Can’t wait to see you at school!
A smile blossomed on her lips. At least Béna had found a happy moment amid the storm.
Kalishca stepped out of the house. She remembered the car was still parked near the football field. No way was she walking there. She grabbed her father’s old bike and swung herself onto the saddle. A new day was beginning, maybe bringing some answers.
***
When she arrived at the university, Kalishca spotted her best friend waiting by the entrance. But this wasn’t the same Béna from yesterday. She wore a high-waisted black skirt, a burgundy lace tank top that showed off her figure, and a cropped leather jacket. On her feet, square-heeled ankle boots completed the look. But that wasn’t all. Her hair was carefully styled, lips slightly glossy, and her eyes lined with a thin flick of eyeliner. A subtle but obvious change.
She had chosen a more confident, alluring style, contrasting with her usual appearance. She clearly wanted to mark a turning point, and it showed.
Béna immediately approached her, eyes shining with excitement.
“You came by bike? Where’s your car?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Parked near the stadium,” Kali replied, a bit distracted, her eyes still fixed on her friend’s look.
“You walked home? Had you been drinking that much?” Béna inquired.
“I… I don’t remember,” Kalishca stammered, her gaze distant.
She was still wondering: how had she gotten home? She knew she hadn’t drunk enough to completely lose consciousness. And even if she had a blackout, there was no way she could have walked alone for an hour in that state. So what? Had someone brought her back? But who? And why didn’t she remember?
“Did the power go out last night? Because at our place, yes,” Béna added, sounding annoyed.
“We had a power outage?” Kalishca asked, surprised.
“Uh… yeah? What time did you get home?”
Kalishca frowned.
“I don’t know… I have no memory of the moment I got home.”
A heavy silence fell between them, filled with confusion. Then, finally really looking at her best friend, Kali smiled sincerely and said, “Anyway, you look really pretty today. This new style suits you so well.”
Béna blushed slightly, flattered by the compliment.
“Thanks… I just wanted to change. Feel a bit more confident, you know?”
Kalishca nodded, touched.
The two friends walked toward the entrance of the building when they spotted Tomjoy approaching. Seeing him, Bénatrice flushed and gave him a shy little wave to greet him. However, he completely ignored her and turned directly to Kalishca.
“Have you seen Dorian? I’ve been looking everywhere; I can’t find him anywhere,” he said hurriedly.
Taken by surprise, Kalishca stayed silent for a moment. She had forgotten she also wanted to find him to get an explanation about his behavior the night before. She absentmindedly touched the scarf hiding the marks on her neck and shook her head.
“No, I haven’t seen him,” she replied simply.
Without sparing a glance at Bénatrice, Maverick continued on his way inside. Béna’s smile immediately faded, replaced by an obvious look of sadness. Kali noticed it right away.
“What’s wrong, Béna?” she asked softly.
“He completely ignored me…” she murmured.
“He’s not worth it, I already told you that.”
“You don’t understand… Last night, we kissed.”
Kalishca’s eyes widened.
“What? You and him?” she exclaimed.
She wanted to be happy for her best friend but doubted Tomjoy’s sincerity, especially when he’d been drinking. She preferred to hear the whole story before saying anything.
Bénatrice took a deep breath and began.
“Last night, when he gave me a ride home, we talked. He told me he thought I was beautiful… and admired how I stood up to Karren. I was red as a tomato; I didn’t know what to say. Then he stopped on a quiet road. He said he couldn’t concentrate on driving with such a pretty girl next to him.”
She paused briefly, gathering her courage to continue.
“He looked at me, leaned in… and we kissed. For a long time. I thought I was dreaming. I had butterflies everywhere. But after…”
Her gaze faltered.
“He started putting his hands everywhere. I didn’t feel right, so I pushed him away. He laughed. He said that if I wanted to ‘be part of their world,’ I had to prove it with him. He told me I had a chance to take down Karren, to become popular, to finally be respected… that all the guys would look at me differently.”
She lowered her eyes.
“I said no. He stopped. He drove me home in silence. Just before I got out of the car, he apologized. He said I was different from the other girls… then he left.”
Kalishca stayed silent for a moment, shocked by what she had just heard. She gently took her best friend’s hand.
“Béna… you did what you had to do. You were strong. And believe me, that guy doesn’t deserve your love or your tears.”
After hearing the story, Kalishca was boiling with anger. How could he have treated her that way? She had never liked Maverick, but now she hated him deeply. It was too much. He needed to pay for what he had done.
Without a word, she left Béna behind and rushed inside, determined. She spotted him from a distance, leaning against Karren’s locker and deep in a lively conversation.
“TOMJOY!” she shouted, her voice filled with rage.
The hallway froze. All eyes turned to her. Kalishca stormed through the crowd like a tempest, rushed toward him, and slammed him violently against the locker. The metallic clang echoed through the corridor.
Karren jumped, her eyes wide with fear. She hadn’t seen it coming. Kali stared at Maverick with furious, grudging eyes.
“What’s your problem?”
Caught off guard and not understanding why, Maverick froze, stunned by the sudden violence. Still, he managed to hold back his reaction. When he saw Bénatrice approaching her best friend, he realized she must have told her everything. Then he shifted his gaze back to Tassony.
“I was drunk, Kali… I didn’t know what I was doing…”
Karren, unsettled, tried to intervene.
“What’s going on?”
“Shut up!” Kalishca yelled, her fiery eyes locking onto her.
Saderman took a step back, petrified. She dared not say another word.
Maverick continued, his voice softer now, but dripping with contempt.
“I’m sorry… I don’t want her, okay? It was just my drunk side looking for some fun. She’s not my type. She’s too uptight for me, you know that very well.”
Suddenly, the necklace Kalishca wore around her neck began to shimmer faintly. Her anger, disgust, and hatred toward Maverick had triggered it. Her pupils suddenly dilated as she noticed an unusual light. The vision unsettled her, but she stayed calm. Ignoring the anomaly, Kali raised her eyes back to Maverick. She could understand that a drunk person might do regrettable things… but what he had just said and done had gone too far. Filled with deep resentment, she took a deep breath.
“Listen to me carefully,” she spat through clenched teeth. “If you come near Bénatrice one more time, I promise you’ll regret it.”
Maverick raised his hands as if to swear his good faith.
“Okay, okay… I won’t ever talk to her again. Promise.”
At that moment, a voice thundered down the hallway.
“What’s going on here?”
A teacher had arrived. Kalishca immediately stepped back, realizing all eyes were on her. She probably had dramatized the scene a bit too much. A wave of discomfort settled inside her. The pendant stopped glowing, as if her anger had faded.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her best friend. She had slowly moved away, turning down a nearby corridor. Kalishca was too far to see her face clearly, but she knew her too well: she was crying, for sure. Hearing such horrors from the boy she loved… it was devastating.
She wanted to run after her. But the bell rang, shrill and sharp.
“Alright, everyone to class, immediately!” the authoritative voice ordered.
The students quickly dispersed. Kalishca stood frozen for a moment, torn. Should she follow the flow… or go find Béna, who more than ever needed her? The teacher watched Kalishca closely. Her crossed arms clearly signaled that she had to obey. There was no choice.
Reluctantly, she looked away from the corridor where Béna had disappeared. Her heart tightened. She wanted to run after her, hug her, tell her everything would be alright… but instead, she took a deep breath and turned to head to her classroom.
Once in her class, Kalishca scanned the students. At the back, Matcore was already seated. He stared at her with a blank expression. She hesitated for a second. This wasn’t the right time to speak to him. Not after everything that had just happened.
Her gaze shifted to Bénatrice, who sat diagonally from Dorian. Kalishca immediately went to her side and took a seat. Seeing her swollen, reddened eyelids, she understood that Béna had been crying.
“Are you feeling better?” she asked softly.
Béna remained silent. Her eyes were fixed on her desk, her face expressionless, as if all emotion had left her.
Kali felt a deep sadness. Her best friend didn’t deserve all this. Not this pain, not this silence.
Then Maverick entered the room, followed by Karren. Saderman looked at them coldly but said nothing, heading toward her clique, Myndy and Mandy. Tomjoy went to sit with his best friend as if nothing had happened.
Once everyone was seated, Kalishca’s pendant began to glow faintly again, as if reacting to an unseen presence. She instinctively lowered her eyes toward the stone, its pale light pulsing.
At that moment, the teacher entered.
The room fell into an almost solemn silence at her sight.
The woman wore a full outfit, from head to toe, consisting of a long black dress adorned with sparkling silver threads. Beneath her transparent veil, her delicate features were barely visible: thin lips and a straight, almost sculpted nose. Her short hairstyle carried a mysterious quality, the exact color and texture impossible to determine. But it was especially her eyes, deep as the night, that captured everyone’s attention.
“Good morning. My name is Alariane Boldaire. I will be your history teacher this year.”
Her sultry, mesmerizing voice turned all heads, especially the boys’ who seemed hypnotized.
She slowly walked between the rows, studying each face one by one until her gaze stopped on the woman with blue hair.
She stared at her for a long moment. Her eyes locked onto Kalishca’s pendant, whose glow strangely seemed brighter in her presence. For a moment, she said nothing, just observed and analyzed.
Kalishca swallowed hard. A chill ran down her spine. That gaze… she didn’t know why, but it made her uneasy.
“What is your name?” the woman asked, addressing Kalishca.
“Kalishca Tassony, ma’am,” she replied politely.
“Where are you from?”
“Here. I’ve always lived in this town.”
“Really?” Alariane whispered, intrigued. “Yet you give off an aura… different. Almost ancient.”
“Ancient?” Kalishca repeated, frowning.
The teacher’s eyes then settled on the young woman’s pendant, which continued to glow.
“That jewel around your neck… it’s magnificent. It looks very old. Where did you get it from?”
Instinctively, Kalishca touched her necklace.
“It’s a family gift. My parents never told me where it came from.”
Alariane stared at her, her gaze darkening.
“Interesting… You know, some ancient objects hold deeply buried secrets. Sometimes they awaken when their true owner is finally ready to discover them.”
Kalishca looked away slightly, uncomfortable.
“It’s just a piece of jewelry. Nothing special.”
A mysterious smile appeared on the teacher’s lips.
“Of course… nothing special.”
Suddenly, a wave of unease washed over Kalishca. She felt confused. Something was wrong. She found the veiled woman strange, even disturbing. Seeking reassurance, she glanced at her best friend. She was frowning, visibly as troubled as Kalishca. That brought some comfort.
However, when Kalishca turned her head toward Dorian, a chill ran down her spine. He was staring at her too, with the same icy intensity as Alariane. There was something in his eyes… something that wasn’t him.
Unease overwhelmed her. Her breathing grew shallow and difficult. She knew she had to leave. Without a word, she stood up and quickly left the room.
In the hallway, she hurried toward the exit to get some air. But just as she was about to push the doors open, a click echoed. The locks had snapped shut.
“What the hell is this?” she shouted, panic rising in her voice.
She spun around and saw Dorian. He stood rigid and motionless at the end of the corridor. His eyes were fixed on her.
Her heart started pounding harder. Anxiety flooded her. She stepped back, but he remained unshaken. Then, from his long black coat, he pulled out an ancient weapon: a pistol from another era, from another world. Its antique look was so unlike anything human-made that she couldn’t place it.
“What the…” she started, incredulous.
Before she could finish her sentence, he raised his gun and fired at her.
A cannonball sliced through the air. Kalishca dove to the ground at the last second, narrowly avoiding the projectile that crashed violently into the door, blowing a huge hole through it.
Terrified, she scrambled to her feet and fled through the corridors, running for her life.
“It’s not Dorian… It’s not him… It’s a demon, a demon!” she sobbed inside.
She turned sharply into a corridor, hoping to escape him, but suddenly collided with someone. She fell to the ground. Looking up, she recognized Alariane. How…? How could she have gotten there so fast? Kali rubbed her forehead, stunned, then got up and resumed running… but in the opposite direction. She had to get away, flee, survive.
But suddenly, Dorian reappeared. He appeared at the other end of the corridor. She was trapped. Alariane stood behind her, while Dorian was in front, his weapon aimed at her, posing a threat.
Kalishca understood. It was the end.
She closed her eyes and dropped to her knees as if preparing to pray. She did not want to face death; she preferred to imagine paradise.
Suddenly a strange buzzing sound came from her right. A burst of sparks exploded tracing a glowing spiral in the air. An interdimensional portal appeared in a whirlwind of pure energy. Kali opened her eyes wide amazed by the surreal scene. She saw what looked like a tunnel of light a passage to the beyond that seemed like an illusion conjured by her imagination.
She barely had time to grasp what was happening when a sharp crack split the air. A gunshot.
Dorian’s weapon exploded in his hands. A rigid white shining feather had pierced it through and through like a deadly dart. The blast threw him to the ground unconscious his body limp.
A familiar figure emerged from the portal like a divine apparition bathed in a celestial glow.
The lady in the feathered dress.
But this time, she wore a suit made entirely of white down, fitting perfectly around her slender waist. It looked as if it had been crafted by the wind and the light. She appeared unreal, as if from a realm of absolute tranquility. A majestic presence radiated from her.
The portal closed behind her.
She stepped forward toward Kalishca, barefoot, then stretched out her hand.
“You must leave here,” the lady warned, her hand still extended.
Panicked, Kalishca took it and stood up.
“Who are you?” she asked, her voice trembling. “Why does Dorian want to kill me?”
“He is not him. He is not your friend. He took his appearance to get close to you,” the woman replied sharply, pulling her backward without waiting.
A sudden movement caught their attention. The boy rose slowly. It was no longer Dorian.
Facing them stood a man with precise, icy gestures. He wore a long worn brown coat that reached down to his knee-high leather boots. A black suit molded his body beneath the coat. His face was half hidden by a dark mask covering up to his nose, while a hat tilted forward cast a shadow over his features. His eyes, blending deep black with mahogany reflections, pierced the darkness with an almost unreal intensity. Under the brim of his hat, one could make out his deep brown hair with warm highlights, falling in wild waves down to his neck. He seemed never to comb it, yet every strand fell in perfect disorder, like mastered chaos. A tousled fringe partially veiled his forehead, while layered curls framed his face, adding to his look a raw and elusive charm. His gloved hands left his pale fingers exposed.
Kalishca felt her breathing become erratic and her heart race. Nothing made sense.
“But… this can’t be… What have I done? Why me?” she exclaimed, anxiety in her voice.
She desperately searched for an answer in the winged woman’s gaze.
“They already know who you are, Kalishca, even if you do not yet realize it… They sense that your power is awakening and want to eliminate you before it is too late. Everything begins with you and what you wear. You are far more important than you believe.”
Suddenly, an unusual portal opened slightly, revealing a stellar tunnel: an intergalactic path that looked like it came straight out of a science fiction movie.
Stunned, Kalishca wanted to ask more questions, but the lady interrupted her.
“I know you have questions, but time is short. Step through this portal: you will understand everything.”
Deep inside, a voice whispered that she had to trust her. She had no proof, no point of reference, but she felt it. She knew it.
Suddenly, a whistle cut through the air. A black spike shot out of the darkness and pierced the woman’s shoulder. A howl burst from her throat. Half-human, half-animal, it echoed like a distorted, almost supernatural cry. For a moment, Kalishca thought she heard the sharp cry of a bird. The lady staggered and brought her hand to the wound, where a dark pain had just touched her. A dust of shadow escaped from the injury.
Kalishca spun around abruptly to seek the source of the attack.
In the corridor, her teacher was advancing with slow, assured steps. She shed her disguise, finally revealing the truth. Her arm fell gracefully, like a final gesture after the thrust of a spell. She looked up at the student and her voice snapped, icy.
“You won’t be going anywhere, Kalishca.”
The wounded woman stepped back, breathing unevenly, then whispered:
“Mafalda…”
The name seemed to freeze the moment. Kalishca froze. She remembered the lady she had seen near the bathrooms. So it was her. The teacher. From the very beginning.
Mafalda smiled faintly, then burst out in a dry, almost mechanical laugh.
“My brother will be delighted to learn that we found her. Did you really think you could hide her from us forever?”
Kalishca’s protector frowned, her gaze darkening.
“I should have suspected it was you in the woods last night…”
Kali wondered about their conversation. She recalled that after the party, she never really knew how she got home. Maybe this mysterious protector had brought her back? That question tormented her.
“You should have stayed out of this,” Mafalda said, her voice laced with threats. “We would have finished what we came to do.”
The winged woman straightened her shoulders despite the visible pain.
“Sorry to disappoint you, but I was given a mission. To protect her.”
Kalishca felt her throat tighten.
Mafalda advanced slowly from one side, while the masked man moved forward from the other end, closing in on them like silent pincers.
“Then you will fail because you will die with her.”
The Red Witch raised her hand and whispered an incantation. A shadow spell burst from her fingers, taking the form of a long black projectile that she sent straight toward Kalishca. But her protector, eyes alert, saw it just in time. Without hesitation, she pushed Kalishca, causing her to fall into the portal. It closed instantly, hiding Kalishca.
Rage immediately distorted Mafalda’s features. She clenched her fists, furious at having lost her target.
“Find her!” she growled at the approaching man.
Without a word, he nodded sharply. A shadow portal opened beside him. The woman in white, determined to stop him, traced a swift gesture in the air. A spell escaped her fingers. The feathers of her suit suddenly stirred, detaching to form a sharp flock that shot toward him. However, Mafalda, quick and relentless, summoned a shield from the darkness that rose before him, deflecting each dart with deadly precision. Protected, the young man crossed the portal and vanished.
Mafalda then turned to the winged woman, a cruel smile on her lips.
“This is between you and me now,” she declared defiantly.
She focused her energy and cast a spell of darkness, launching it with a swift motion. The protector dodged with an agile leap and immediately counterattacked by creating a roaring tornado that tore through the corridor. Mafalda remained still. Her lips released a cold breath that instantly froze the atmospheric phenomenon mid-flight, shattering it into shards. Then she conjured a thick mist that engulfed the surroundings.
Squinting, the woman in white activated her gaze of truth. A figure emerged in the distance. She rushed without hesitation, brandishing a feather-shaped blade in hand, striking an ice statue, an illusion.
She straightened, wary, ears alert. Mafalda’s laughter echoed diffusely through the fog, omnipresent and elusive. Another form appeared. She attacked again. Another statue.
Her gaze swept the darkness. And suddenly she understood. It was in her shadow. She spun to react, but it was already too late.
Mafalda appeared suddenly holding a shard of ice in her hand. She stabbed the protector in the belly. A piercing groan escaped from the latter’s lips as her body arched from the impact. Suddenly, the mist vanished as if torn apart by the intensity of the moment, revealing the brutal horror of the scene.
“I thought you had learned your lesson last time… You don’t attack someone stronger than yourself,” she murmured in her ear.
The winged woman, kneeling with her hands pressed against her wound, let out a weak laugh. Mafalda frowned, troubled.
“And like every time… you fall into the trap,” the protector whispered with a painful smile. “I was only a distraction. You’re not the only one who knows how to play with illusions. She is already gone, just like me. You wasted your energy… the energy you should have saved for your master. What will he say when he learns of your failure?”
Her face froze. She realized too late that she had been manipulated. Her anger began to flare.
The woman in white fell backward. The moment her body touched the ground, it dispersed into a cloud of feathers. They floated for a moment in the air before fading away like an erased memory.
Mafalda let out a scream so powerful it shattered all the windows and plunged the school into darkness. With one last roar of hatred, she opened a shadow portal and plunged into it, disappearing in turn.
A few minutes later, the school doors finally unlocked. Students left their classrooms, escorted by teachers, their phones held up like lanterns in the lingering darkness. The scene before them was chaotic: hallways bathed in semi-darkness, floors littered with shards of glass, water, and melting frost. The air was heavy with moisture and disbelief.
After assessing the school’s disastrous state, the assistant principal decided to suspend all classes until further notice. A wave of relief swept through the atmosphere. The students quickly dispersed outside the building. All except Bénatrice.
Worried, she wandered from corridor to corridor, eyes glued to her phone. She had tried to reach her best friend multiple times, but to no avail. Her pulse quickened with every step.
Finally, she arrived at a particularly ravaged hallway. The walls were scored as if clawed, water slowly trickled between fragments of ice and glass. A chill ran through her: the scene resembled a battlefield.
Then she saw it.
In the middle of the corridor, resting in a shimmering puddle, Kalishca’s pendant lay on the floor, still emitting a bright glow like an abandoned heart.
“I hope you’re okay…” Bénatrice murmured, bending down to pick it up.
She quickly slipped it into her bag, aware it was a precious, perhaps even vital object. Then, casting one last glance around, she left hesitantly.
Behind her, hidden in the shadow of a poorly lit hallway, a sinister figure watched silently. The Red Witch had returned, determined to reclaim the pendant. She could have struck Bénatrice down effortlessly. Yet, looking at the young woman, something stopped her from raising her hand. This girl… she had something. An aura, an unexpected spark. She seemed unique.
Intrigued, Mafalda remained motionless, her eyes gleaming with dark curiosity. A cold, sinister smile slowly stretched across her lips as she watched Bénatrice walk away with the glowing jewel in her bag.
The plan had changed, and a new pawn had entered the game.
