THE DAY goes by in a rush. I sit next to Jude during lunch who was busy socialising throughout the hour. She has that bubbly energy around her, one that attracts people and doesn't make them feel left out at a place like this. In time, I know that she will be one of the most popular students of our year.

Once the day is over, I head back to my room. I take a quick shower and change into my casuals, rinsing my wet hair with my towel. My tablet has a couple of notifications again, some of them about the registration forms of various clubs while some about the welcome meet ups being held in different areas of the campus. My eyes settle on the most recent notification.

Welcome to Redville Dance, Harley Kingsley.

Here are the details of all the members and their profiles to help you learn your peers better! If you want, you may organise your own meet ups and send personal messages to your programme members. The seniors will always be there to help you. We hope you have a great time here. Good luck!

I know who's on the top before I even click on the list. It's Summer Laurent, her yearbook photo gleaming back at me. I don't click on the achievements section—I already know what I'll find. With a sigh, I drop my tablet on my bed and sit there, scrolling through my instagram notifications once again. After Asher followed me, my social media is blowing up. Since his presence online is very well known, I'm getting followers from not just Redville, but also the competitive schools and teams. I have to mute the notifications so that I don't get pissed off.

I try to resist the temptation to click on my archived posts but give in eventually. Before I had only one single post from my birthday, I have about seventeen posts and a lot more followers. I filtered many out before coming here and making my account public because I have to be careful every step of the way.

As I scroll through my own pictures, the heavy feeling of change drops down on me again, making my breath hitch. I shake my head, mentally scold myself and get up. Jude's not in the room. She's probably at one of the meet ups, talking to people and laughing and all that jazz. I slip in my slippers and walk out of the room.

The first year floors are mostly empty right now. The students are out there exploring, so it's quiet inside. The common room is full with seniors doing their homework. I step out there's a familiar girl in front of me. Hearing the door shut, she turns to face me. The recognition spreads through her face, her lips curling up in a calm smile.

"Hey," Cammy McNolan says to me. "How was your first day around?"

"Very happening," I say.

She notes my sarcasm and lets out a smile. "Oh, it gets better. So better that you'll want to smash your head against the wall and kill yourself."

"You've wanted to do that, haven't you?"

She pretends to think about it and shrugs. "Can't say I haven't, really. You going to one of those new kids meet ups? I hear Summer's organising one of those."

"Nope, I'm not. I'm just hungry. I'm going to check out the cafes around here. You know some nice place?" I don't know why I'm being friendly with her but it's kind of just happening. My gut says I should get along with her for now because she might be useful to me in some ways. She just has that vibe.

"Lucky for you, I'm meeting Reece and Adelyn at one of our favourites. Why don't you come along?"

I shake my head. "I don't think the others would like that, Cammy."

"Reece's late as always. He's in our house but he's not a punctual one. Look, I was supposed to leave with him but he just texted he'll be running late. And I doubt Adelyn's gonna be on time. I'm not that fond of her anyways." She leans in closer. "And if you come with me, I might as well tell you why. You up for some gossip about the school? I can help."

"Are you sure?" I ask, even though I know she's more sure about this than I've been about anything in my entire life.

"Come on, Harley. Loosen up a bit." She grabs my hand. "So, here's the thing. You need friends around here and let me tell you, people in your year? They hate you and it's a fact. Not hate hate you—just, I'm scared of you because you're too good, hate you. It's better if you come with me. It'll be fun. I promise."

I give in to her request. Together, we walk across the dorm complex to the exit. There are electric bicycles parked in the corner and we take one each, scanning our IDs and activating them. We cycle slowly towards the on campus shopping complex, where there are a bunch of cafes and other shops. We talk during the entire ride with her asking me about my previous school and me doing the same.

We park the cycles at the stand near them, deactivating them with our IDs once again. There are students filled in almost every single shop, chatting and laughing. Most of them are still in their school uniforms with their bags and tablets. Some look at me and recognise me, breaking into whispers before they get bored of me.

"This is my favourite place here," Cammy says as we enter a place called Rayon. The interior is bright and modern, the environment rather sophisticated and quiet than most. The walls, the tiles, the seating and the decor—all of it is in neutral colours. The students who sit here spare me a glance and a small smile before getting back to what they were doing. It's calm here—though it doesn't seem like the type of place Cammy would like.

"Adelyn's not here yet," Cammy sighs. "I knew it. What do you wanna have? It's my treat since it's your first day."

"You don't have to treat me," I say. "I mean, I can pay for myself."

"Shut up, it's not everyday I treat someone something. You better take it." She rushes up to the counter, not giving me time to reply. "What do you want? Sweet or savory?"

"Classic cold coffee."

It takes Cammy thirty seconds to place an order for us. Despite me repeating that all I want is coffee, she gets me her favourite pastry to try, which I don't mind because it's chocolate. Our tray arrives in four minutes and we take the table next to the window. Cammy watches me as I try a bite of the pastry and smiles at my reaction. Once we're done eating, we lean back and slowly sip the drinks we had ordered.

"So, Adelyn," I remind her. "You said you'd tell me why you don't like her."

"Is that why you're here? To know why I hate her?"

"You never said you hated her."

She brushes that away. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. I like her as long as I can ignore whose friend she is. It's just one girl who pisses the fuck out of me, you know? You've probably heard of her. Lily Davis. Second year. Ring any bells?"

Lily Davis. Of course the name rings bells in my brain. A dance student, currently one of the best in second year. One of the two Red Primas who made it in the group. Summer Laurent's sidekick. Belongs to the inner circle of Asher's friend group. I've stalked her instagram—she's got about ten thousand followers online, mostly because of the people she hangs out with.

"You don't like Lily?" I ask her.

"Nope. Not even a little bit." She takes a sip of her coffee. "When we were in first year, she spread some nasty rumours about me. She'll do it again if she can. She does terrible stuff for no reason, Harley. She's one nasty piece of shit. She was okay at first but then the people she hung out with? They bought out the worst of her. They really did. I thought she was maybe a good person who made a few mistakes but, like, she really isn't. She's not a good person. Not just her, you know. All of them. All of them would do stuff like that and they'll have no regrets."

I keep the cup on the front lightly, watching Cammy calmly. "You're setting something up."

Her lips curl in another smile as she shakes her head. "You don't get it right now, Harley. You don't know anything. You think you can beat Asher, Summer and all those bitches, don't you? You really can't. I'm just trying to warn you here. Stay away from them."

"Why did you tell me about Lily, Cammy?"

"What do you mean?"

"Lily. Why did you tell me about her? About what she does? How she is? There's a reason you told me that, didn't you?"

She lets out a sigh. Her eyes meet mine for a second before she shakes her head again, scoffing in disbelief. "Goddamn it, you really are smart, aren't you?" She drinks the entirety of her drink at once and breathes out, closing her eyes for a second. "Take out your phone, Harley."

I watch her for a second before doing so and keep it on the table. She grabs her own, fiddling with it for a second and keeping it back down. A notification makes my phone vibrate.

"I sent you the link. Click on it. Download the app. Make an account in front of me."

I do what she asks me to do without question. The app takes just a few seconds to download. An icon with a red logo with a simple R appears on my homescreen. I click on it. It asks me for some data—that's when I stop. "Why should I make an account here?"

"I've been told to make you download this. It's safe. For most part. Don't worry. See?" She shows me her homescreen where an app with the same icon rests with a number 243. "I have it too."

"What is it?"

She shrugs. "You'll see."

I put in my email and set a password. I keep a random username, then select my year. Once the account is made, I realise what it is. As I scroll through the homepage, my mouth slowly drops open. "This is..."

I don't even have to look at Cammy to know she's smiling. "RedRow—Redville's own gossip app." She leans on the table, searching for my eyes. "Everything happening on the campus compiled on one single app. You're welcome."

I keep scrolling, not registering a single word.

"Congratulations on being the first first year to be on RedRow."

"Who asked you to make me download this?"

"Oh, you know, people I can't say no to. It happens. I'm used to this." She sighs. "But Harley, what I told you about Lily and everyone else... that was genuine. The reason why I told you about this right now? It's because you're gonna meet them all soon. And if you don't maintain your distance and be too good for this school?" Her eyes switch up to something genuine—something sadder. "They'll step on you. Till you fucking break."

She gets up. I keep my calm, sitting there, studying here as discreetly as I can.

"If we become good friends, Harley, I'll have your back. But..." she reaches for her phone, tucking it away in her pocket. "I have my limits. You need friends. And you need good friends. I told you you're gonna get shit for being at the top of your year. I just hadn't realised how much. Now, I know. It's going to be ruthless. Watch your back."

Her words bounce in my mind till after she leaves.

By the time I finish up and reach the bicycle stand, it's raining.