Chapter 1
After the Last Bell
Chapter One
The Boy With Fiona
Moving to a new neighborhood was supposed to be exciting.
At least, that was what Violet Sinclair had been telling herself for the past three days.
New house. New street. New school. New people.
New everything.
The only familiar thing she had brought with her was Fiona.
“Come on, girl.”
Fiona's tail wagged furiously as she stood at the front door, leash dangling from her mouth as if she had been waiting for this exact moment all day.
Violet sighed.
“You know you're the one who begged me to take you outside, right?”
Fiona barked.
“Yeah, yeah. I know.”
She opened the door.
The moment they stepped outside, Fiona practically dragged her down the sidewalk.
“Fiona!”
The dog ignored her.
“Slow down!”
Still nothing.
Violet laughed under her breath and tightened her grip on the leash.
The neighborhood was actually prettier than she'd expected. Tall trees lined the streets, little gardens decorated the front of houses, and there was a small park just a few minutes away.
Maybe moving here wouldn't be so bad after all.
She had barely finished that thought when Fiona suddenly stopped.
Her ears perked up.
Then—
She ran.
“Fiona?!”
Violet nearly tripped over her own feet.
“FIONA!”
The leash slipped from her hand.
Fiona disappeared around the corner.
Violet stared after her in disbelief.
“Oh, you've got to be kidding me.”
She ran after her.
By the time she reached the small park at the end of the street, she was completely out of breath.
And Fiona was nowhere to be seen.
“Fiona?”
Nothing.
“Fiona, this isn't funny.”
A bark came from somewhere ahead.
Violet's eyes widened.
She hurried toward the sound and stopped.
There was Fiona.
Sitting perfectly still.
Beside a boy.
A very unfamiliar boy.
He was crouched beside her, one hand resting on Fiona's head while the other held the leash.
Violet froze.
For a second, neither of them said anything.
The boy looked up.
Violet immediately forgot what she had planned to say.
Not because there was anything particularly strange about him.
It was just...
He had the kind of face that made you forget what sentence you were halfway through.
His dark hair was slightly messy, and he wore a school uniform Violet didn't recognize yet.
Fiona, meanwhile, looked completely delighted with herself.
Like she had personally arranged the entire meeting.
The boy raised an eyebrow.
“Is this your dog?”
Violet blinked.
“Um... yes.”
She walked over quickly.
“I'm sorry. She ran away from me.”
The boy handed her the leash.
“She didn't exactly run away.”
Violet looked at Fiona.
Fiona looked back.
“She followed me.”
Violet frowned.
“That doesn't make it better.”
The boy laughed.
It was quick.
Barely a laugh.
But Violet noticed it.
She immediately looked down.
“Thank you,” she mumbled, taking the leash.
“You're welcome.”
Violet nodded.
Then she turned around.
And walked away.
Three steps.
Four.
Five.
She stopped.
She had forgotten something.
She turned around.
The boy was still watching her.
“Uh...”
She pointed at Fiona.
“Thanks again.”
He smiled.
“No problem.”
Violet nodded again.
Then she practically ran home.
Behind her, Fiona trotted along happily, completely unaware that she had just caused her owner approximately seventeen different moments of embarrassment.
---
That evening, Violet sat by her bedroom window, brushing Fiona's fur.
“You are officially banned from escaping.”
Fiona yawned.
“Don't act innocent.”
Violet glanced outside.
The neighborhood was beginning to settle for the evening.
She was still getting used to everything around here.
The houses.
The people.
The sounds.
Especially the house next door.
The family had a daughter around Violet's age, though Violet hadn't properly met her yet.
Violet was about to close the curtains when headlights appeared outside.
A car pulled up.
A boy stepped out.
Violet's eyes narrowed.
She knew that face.
She leaned closer to the window.
“Wait...”
It was him.
The boy from the park.
Violet's eyebrows shot up.
“What is he doing here?”
She watched as he walked toward the house next door.
Then he knocked.
The door opened.
A girl appeared.
Violet recognized her immediately.
The neighbor's daughter.
The girl smiled and stepped aside.
The boy walked in.
Violet stared.
Her brain began producing explanations at an impressive speed.
Maybe he was her brother's friend.
Maybe a family friend.
Maybe—
She squinted.
“Why am I even investigating this?”
Fiona barked from the floor.
Violet looked down.
“Don't judge me.”
Fiona barked again.
“Okay, fine.”
Violet closed the curtain.
Whatever.
It wasn't her business.
At least, that was what she told herself.
---
Monday
Violet had never been so nervous about walking into a classroom.
She stood outside the door, clutching the strap of her bag.
New school.
New students.
New teachers.
She took a breath.
You can do this.
The teacher smiled when Violet entered.
“Everyone, we have a new student joining us today.”
Heads turned.
Violet immediately regretted every decision that had led her to this moment.
“Come in, Violet.”
She stepped forward.
“Everyone, this is Violet Sinclair.”
For half a second, the classroom was silent.
Then—
“Welcome!”
A few students clapped.
Someone at the back shouted, “Welcome to Westvale!”
The class laughed.
Violet smiled awkwardly.
“Thank you.”
She looked around for an empty seat.
And then she saw him.
The boy from the park.
He was sitting near the window.
Belmont Hayes.
She didn't know his name yet.
But she recognized him immediately.
He looked up at her.
Their eyes met.
For a second, Violet expected him to react.
A smile.
A surprised expression.
Anything.
Instead...
Nothing.
He simply looked away and returned to whatever was written in his notebook.
Violet blinked.
Okay.
Apparently, the boy who had helped her find Fiona didn't recognize her.
Or maybe he did.
She couldn't tell.
“There's a seat beside Kiara,” the teacher said.
Violet followed her gaze.
A girl with curly hair waved her over.
“Here!”
Violet walked to the seat and sat down.
“Hi,” the girl whispered.
“Hi.”
“I'm Kiara.”
“Violet.”
“I know.”
Violet laughed quietly.
Kiara grinned.
“Don't worry. I'll show you around.”
And somehow, that made the entire day easier.
By lunchtime, Violet had learned the location of the cafeteria, the library, the science block, the bathrooms that actually had working sinks, and which teacher everyone was terrified of.
She was beginning to think she might survive Westvale Academy.
Until she walked into the hallway after her last class.
And saw Belmont standing there.
He was surrounded by students.
Someone called his name.
“Belmont! Captain!”
Violet stopped.
Captain?
He turned.
Their eyes met again.
This time, he looked at her for just a second longer.
Then someone called him again.
“Belmont, we're waiting!”
He turned away.
Violet continued walking.
She didn't know why she noticed.
She didn't know why she cared.
And she certainly didn't know that, somewhere behind her, Belmont watched her walk away for a moment before forcing himself to look elsewhere.
Because as far as he was concerned...
She was just the new girl.
Nothing more.
At least, that was what he intended to believe.
