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Warned

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Chapter 2: Warned (Kai's POV)

The bell rang, signaling the end of class and we all left, regardless of whether we were dismissed or not. Despite the environment being a lot like a high school, we all know we're not in school anymore. The bell doesn't dismiss us anymore, we show up to class only when we want, and we don't have classes every day. The first period is at a different time every morning, free periods take up the majority of our schedule, we roam around campus as we please. Because it may be an academy, but it's meant to replace college, not high school. 

"Kai." 

I looked behind me, pausing in the crowd when I heard Jacob's voice. 

He caught up to me, paint smeared onto his cheek. "Have you heard?" 

"Have I heard what?" I asked, deciding not to mention the paint. 

What doesn't know can't hurt him, right? A few girls walking past us glanced at him and giggled. He frowned in confusion, reaching up to touch his cheek. His fingers came back green. He huffed, wiping it off with his sleeve. "We've got a newbie." 

"What newbie?" I shrugged, playing dumb. I knew exactly which newbie we're talking about. Of course, I know. It's why I'm still here. 

One year ago after my high school graduation, Dad forced me into Darkmond High. Living in London, this was never part of my plan. Living in the fucking hills at a boarding school. But one year ago, Dad moved to New York. It was meant to be temporary but it lasted a lot longer than intended. Now, he flies back and forth. Leaving me alone in London, he couldn't do because he didn't trust me not to get myself in trouble. So, he shipped me off to Darkmond so our principal, Ms. Tiffany, a 'good friend' of his could keep an eye on me. And while I was spending summer break in our estate here, Dad had news. 

"What do you mean? Darkmond High is getting a new student, so what? I don't care," I shrugged, sitting in the chair across from him in his office. 

"But you should. She's trouble." 

I lifted my eyes and met his. "What did you do to her?" 

"Nothing at all." 

I resisted an eye roll. "What did you do to her family?" 

He spun the round paperweight and looked back at me. "Nothing that concerns you." 

My jaw clenched. I hate his job and I hate the person it's made him. "Why is she coming to Darkmond?" 

"Because I'm good friends with her aunt, who is now taking care of her. She's worried about her niece's safety, so naturally, I offered Darkmond High." 

"I'm not her bodyguard, don't expect me to take care of her so your 'good friend' likes you a little more." 

"No," he chuckled, "quite the opposite." His smile turned hard. "Stay away from her." 

I blinked in confusion. "Why?" 

"She's not a friend, but foe." 

"You're friends with her aunt." 

"Her aunt, yes. Not her parents. This girl is trouble, Kai." 

"Then why call her to Darkmond High?" I lifted a brow. 

"Well, isn't it obvious? I need to keep an eye on her." 

"And how will you do that while living in New York?" 

He raised his brows at me suggestively. 

I scoffed, shaking my head, "No. No way. I'm not a pawn in your little game. We had a deal. I would attend Darkmond if you let me go after my four years there. I'm one year in, I'm not playing your games for the next three." 

"It's not a big deal, don't complicate it, son. Just stay away from her but keep an eye on her. Who she talks to, who she's around, and... who comes to visit her, hmm?" 

I glared at him. "This isn't part of the job description that came with attending Darkmond High for you." 

"Do you want to be free from me after you graduate or not?" 

My glare hardened, jaw ticking as I dug my fingers into my leg. 

"Then do as I say. Now go. I have work to do." 

"Apparently, there's a new girl here. She's American," he emphasized. 

I glanced at him as we entered the cafeteria. "American doesn't mean alien. Stop overreacting." 

"If you think I'm overreacting, you should see the others," he scoffed. "Everybody wants to know why she's here. We rarely get new students as it is, let alone from another country. What do you think?" 

"Hmm?" I asked. 

"What's her story?" 

"Her story?" I thought for a minute. "Maybe she's here to kill someone," I sighed, noticing everybody glancing at the entrance. I followed the crowd's gaze, seeing the new girl walk in with a blonde. 

Remy Montgomery. Her room is near mine, I think. 

So that's what the newbie looks like. 

"Or maybe she's here to die," I mumbled to myself. 

"What?" Jacob turned to me. 

I shook my head, "Nothing." 

"Next!" We turned forward, grabbing our plates and taking the food as we went along before walking to our usual table. I put my bag on the floor and the plate on the table. "Jacob!" 

He turned around and waved back at Remy before waving her over. 

I stopped chewing, looking between them. If Remy comes here, newbie comes with her, if newbie comes with her, how the hell do I stay away from her? And if Ms. Tiffany decides to stroll in and see me, she'll report to my Dad that I'm hanging out with newbie, and then poof! There goes my freedom. 

"Since when do you talk to Remy?" 

"We're working on a project together for our arts class. Why?" 

I shook my head, focusing on my food. 

Two chairs screeched and Remy and the newbie settled down. "Fallon, this is Jacob, we're working on a project together, that's why I'm sitting here right now, actually. Usually, I eat in the field or at a different table. And this is Kai. His dad is the school's owner and founder." 

"Hey," she smiled at Jacob and me. "I'm Fallon, nice to meet you." 

Remy and Jacob were invested in discussing their project and left us both to it. I glanced at her while twisting the bottle cap open. She was taking a look around, poking at her food more than she was eating it. I watched her for a minute. Dad warned me, said she was trouble but she doesn't look like it. She looks like she's in trouble, actually. She seems rather lost. 

Was he right to warn me about her? Maybe someone should have warned newbie. 

New students at Darkmond don't get to play innocent. They're picked on, tormented, and pushed around until they finally stand up for themselves. Maybe someone should have warned little Fallon what she was walking into. 

She glanced at me and caught me looking at her. She offered me a small smile before going back to picking at her food. I dropped my fork in the tray, not wanting to eat anymore. I had no more classes today either, so I was free to go. Fallon looked back at me, hearing my fork clatter. "They're going to eat you alive here," I chuckled, glancing at her. 

"What?" She blinked in confusion. 

"Nothing. Welcome to Darkmond High," I smirked, standing up. I took my tray with me, leaving it where I was supposed to, and then walking out of the cafeteria, back to my room to change and drop my bag. I glanced at her from the door before I left. She was still looking at me with a puzzled look on her face. 

After getting to my room and changing, I decided to go to the library and kill some time. I have a list of books to get for this semester anyway. Lunch break lasts a whole hour, so I probably won't run into anybody. People don't use the library that much anyway, especially at the beginning of the year. 

I locked up my door and headed to the library, taking my student ID with me which is required when you issue a book. I walked into the room, hearing nothing but pin-drop silence. I started wandering around, looking for the books. I'm glad as a literature student, I don't have to go to a completely different building for the library. But despite our main subjects, we're required to take one subject from each area. One of the arts, one of the sciences, and on and on. So either way, we go to every building every day. 

I held onto all the books in one hand while looking for the last one. Canterbury Tales. I spotted the spine and reached out to grab it but as I pulled it out of the shelf, I felt someone else pulling it from the other side. I blinked in confusion, letting it go briefly and they pulled it over, taking it. I crouched down, taking a peek between the shelves, and saw... newbie. 

I sighed, rounding the aisle and walking up to her. I need that book and with the librarian on lunch break, I have no idea where the other copies are. "Excuse me, newbie." 

She turned to me, holding the same books as me. "Yes?" 

"I found that copy first." 

"No, you didn't. I did," she smiled sweetly. 

"No," I said slowly, taking it from her. "I did. You grabbed it after me." 

"I found it before you though." 

"That doesn't matter," I scoffed. 

"Why not? Finders keepers, right? Losers weepers," she shrugged, taking it out of my hand and tucking it under her arm. "You can get another copy." 

"Or you can get another copy," I retorted. "Ask the librarian when she gets here." I moved to take the book but she took a couple of steps back. 

"Ah, well, you see. Since I'm the newbie," she said sarcastically, "I don't know the librarian. You do though, right? So you ask her." 

I watched her for a minute, getting irritated. "I got it first," I said sternly, grabbing the book. 

She tightened her arm. "I don't care," she said through gritted teeth. I took a step forward, tugging at the book but she threw my arm off, staring up at me. "What are you going to do? Eat me alive?" 

Maybe I was warned rightfully. She is trouble.

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Chapter 2

And what do we think of Kai??

next chapter: rule