Chapter 1

Chapter one 

Mae's pov 

“Finally.”

The word slipped from my lips as I stood at the entrance of Blackthorn Elite Prep Academy, one of the biggest and most influential schools in Michigan. My fingers tightened around the scholarship letter and the transfer documents from my old school.

A smile tugged at my lips.

This was a dream come true.

I was still admiring the massive campus when I heard someone call my name from behind.

“Miss Mae Lawson, right?”

I turned quickly and found myself staring at an elderly woman dressed in a neat cream suit, a pair of glasses resting low on her nose. I nodded immediately, clutching the letter tightly as though my life depended on it.

Because honestly, it did.

“Yes, I’m Mae. I—I was transferred to this academy a few days ago, and I was told to resume today with this letter,” I explained nervously, unsettled by the unreadable look in her eyes.

She stretched out her hand.

Quickly, I handed the letter over and watched as she scanned through it in silence while the morning sun beat against my skin.

The environment around us was unusually quiet. There were barely any students in sight and only a few teachers wandered around the large campus.

I glanced around again before realizing the truth.

I had been far too excited to arrive early.

I watched the academy’s interior in awe, from the polished marble floors to the grand hall entrance. The staircase carried golden railings, highlighting the school’s luxurious elegance.

A cold breeze drifted in from the eastern wing, causing me to turn sharply. My jaw dropped the moment I saw the massive hockey banner hanging above the hallway. A handsome young guy stared back from it, dressed in full hockey gear with his helmet tucked beneath one arm.

My thoughts were still spiraling and my heart racing when the school gates suddenly swung open. My eyes widened in shock at the expensive cars driving into the academy grounds one after another.

“This isn’t my place at all,” I murmured softly.

“No… I don’t belong here,” I whispered in fear and disbelief.

My gaze dropped to my clothes,a simple outfit I had owned for years, before shifting to my thrifted shoes. Instantly, I crossed one leg over the other, a cold wave of embarrassment creeping through me.

The elderly woman finally lowered the letter before adjusting the glasses resting on her nose.

“You’ll report to the administrative office after orientation,” she said calmly. “Your locker number and class schedule will be handed to you there.”

I nodded quickly.

“Thank you, ma’am.”

Without another word, she turned and walked away, her heels clicking softly against the marble floor, leaving me standing awkwardly in the middle of the enormous hallway.

For a few seconds, I simply stood there, clutching my bag tightly against my chest while students slowly began filling the academy grounds outside.

The noise changed everything.

Laughter echoed through the hallway. Expensive perfume drifted through the air. Designer shoes clicked against the floor while groups of students walked past me like they belonged in magazine covers.

And somehow… every single one of them looked perfect.

I swallowed hard and adjusted the sleeves of my oversized sweater.

God.

Even their uniforms looked expensive.

I lowered my gaze quickly before anyone could notice how out of place I looked.

“Scholarship student?”

The voice made me look up instantly.

Three girls stood a few feet away from me, dressed in fitted Blackthorn uniforms with perfectly styled hair and shiny jewelry that definitely cost more than my entire wardrobe.

The girl standing in the middle stepped forward first.

She was beautiful in a terrifying way.

Blonde hair. Sharp blue eyes. Perfect posture.

The kind of girl that looked like she had never heard the word no in her entire life.

“Yes,” I answered carefully.

Her eyes slowly traveled over my clothes before amusement flickered across her face.

“Well,” she said softly, “that explains the outfit.”

The girls beside her laughed quietly.

Heat crept into my cheeks instantly.

“I’m Marlowe Sinclair,” she continued, almost proudly. “You should probably learn that name quickly if you plan on surviving here.”

Something about her smile felt wrong.

“I’m Mae,” I replied quietly.

“I know.”

Her response came immediately. That somehow made me even more uncomfortable. Marlowe took another slow step toward me until the expensive scent of her perfume wrapped around the air between us.

Then her voice dropped lower.

“Here’s a little advice, Mae.” Her smile remained perfectly in place. “Stay away from Cole Ashford.”

The name meant nothing to me.

“I don’t know who that is,” I admitted honestly.

One of the girls beside her gasped like I had committed a crime.

Marlowe only laughed softly.

“Trust me,” she murmured. “You will.”

Before I could respond, she tilted her head slightly.

“And when you do…” her eyes darkened just a little, “…don’t mistake his attention for kindness.”

A chill crawled down my spine. Then, just like that, Marlowe stepped back.

“Enjoy Blackthorn Elite, scholarship girl.”

The three of them walked away together, leaving silence behind them.

I exhaled slowly without realizing I’d been holding my breath.

What the hell was that?

Hours later, after barely surviving orientation and getting lost twice trying to find my classes, I finally located my locker near the eastern hallway.

Relief immediately washed over me, until I saw something terrifying 

Trash.

Someone had stuffed crumpled papers, old cafeteria food, and stained napkins inside my locker. Across the blue metal surface, thick black markers stretched violently across the door.

GO BACK TO WHERE YOU CAME FROM.

My chest tightened painfully.

For a second, I just stood there staring at the words while students passed behind me pretending not to notice.

Some of them laughed quietly, others simply stared. Humiliation burned through me, hot and sharp, but I refused to cry.

Slowly, I reached into my bag, pulled out a pack of tissues, and began wiping the ink away with trembling fingers.

The marker smudged badly, It only made the words uglier.

A few tears burned behind my eyes, but I swallowed them down aggressively.

I had worked too hard to get here, nobody was taking this away from me. The hallway suddenly erupted into noise behind me.

Cheers.

Laughter.

Excited whispers.

Confused, I slowly turned around. Students immediately began rushing toward the center hallway as though someone important had just arrived.

Then I saw him.

The same guy from the hockey banner.

Tall. Broad shoulders. Dark uniform is slightly loose around his frame.

A hockey duffel bag hanging from one shoulder while students surrounded him like he was some kind of celebrity.

I think he might be the almighty Cole Ashford. And the moment my eyes landed on his face…

Something inside me stopped.

My breath caught painfully in my throat as a memory flashed through my mind so suddenly it almost hurt.

A playground.

Warm sunlight.

A little boy standing in front of me protectively while other children laughed.

“It’s okay,” he had whispered while helping six-year-old me off the ground.

My fingers tightened unconsciously around the tissue in my hand.

No.

It couldn’t be him.