"Elena!" Gala calls from the bathroom in our dorm. "It's time to get up and go to class! Girl you can't be late on the first day!" 

I groan as I throw the pillow over my head. I got no sleep last night. I tossed and turned feeling guilty about lying to Chip. He's a great guy, and he genuinely wants to help me. He's done everything I asked, and I still feel like I can't tell him about the diary. 

Something is telling me to wait. I'll listen to whatever it is, but that doesn't make me any less anxious about it all. 

"Elena, if I have to come out there and get you out of bed myself you're not going to like me much." 

I sigh and get up from the bed and walk over to the closet. I pull out the maroon Riveroak blazer and run my finger over the lion embroider that lines the left breast pocket. Today is the first day of the rest of my life. The first day to changing my future and getting rid of the small town curse. 

Today is also the day that I have to face a potential murderer and definite predator. 

It makes me feel sick to my stomach. The more that I read about Goldstone and Victoria, the more I realized how sick and twisted he really is. She was seventeen years old. She hadn't had a  grown-up relationship experience, and he used that to his advantage and made her question herself. 

There's also the question of who this mystery boy is. Gala hasn't left my side since my nightmares started, and I haven't gotten a chance to read the diary. There are still so many questions, but the one thing I know I need to do is put a stop to Goldstone. 

If he preyed on Victoria, he's likely to prey on others. And people like that deserve to have their lives blown up. I'm not an idiot, though. I know that I'm going to need some kind of proof of what he did other than the diary of a dead girl. She can't even testify to what happened anymore, and it would be the word of a teacher at one of the most prestigious schools in the country versus me, the new girl. 

Gala comes out of the bathroom in her robe and maneuvers around me in the closet. "You're taking forever," she mumbles as she grabs the pale yellow button-down and navy blue pleated skirt and hands it to me. "Let's get a move on, Elena!" 

I realized I hadn't moved. My fingers were still tracing the lion on the blazer. I shake my head off and go into the bathroom to brush my teeth. A few minutes later, my hair is done, my teeth are brushed, and I even have some light makeup on my face at Gala's insistence. She holds my schedule in her hands as she walks side by side with me. 

"The good news is we have pretty much the same schedule," she beams as we exit the girl's dorm. "The only difference seems to be you're taking the investigative researching class, which really just means you're writing about what we had for lunch in the newspaper," Gala teases. "I can show you where that building is. I doubt the teachers would be too annoyed that I was late given that it's your first day and I was assigned to help." 

I smile at my friend appreciatively as we turn into the English and Literature building. My stomach starts to twist as we make our way down the hall and head toward the classroom of Arthur Bryan Goldstone. 

Goldstone, the man who was in a relationship with Victoria Caldwell at the time of her disappearance. Goldstone, the teacher who could have broken into my room in search of the diary. 

You could be next. 

I believe that there are moments in time that hit you with a sense of clarity. That in those moments, the situation you're in finally makes itself known to your brain about how big a deal it is. And as I watch Gala turn into the classroom at the end of the hall my brain finally realizes how serious my situation is. 

I'm playing chess with a murderer. 

A murderer that seems to be three steps ahead of me. 

Goldstone sits on the corner of his desk talking to a male student. He wears a fitted dark grey button-down and fitted plaid grey pants. His black shoes shine intensely in the harsh ceramic light of the classroom, and he smiles upon seeing me. 

"You must be Elena," he says warmly. "Welcome to the class. I'm Mr. Goldstone." 

My hands turn clammy as he holds his out to shake mine. I hesitantly reach up, and he gives me a weird look as he takes my hand. "Please, take a seat anywhere. We don't have assigned spots." 

Gala sticks her hand up and smiles at me as she motions to the seat next to her. "Come on, Elena," she calls. 

Goldstone raises his eyebrows and smiles. "Sounds like your friend is waiting for you." 

I walk down the aisle toward where Gala sits and see Chip sitting at the desk closest to the window. He smiles at me when he sees me and I wave at him. He winks at me and I feel my stomach start to twist with butterflies. 

Then with guilt. 

That's a problem for another day, Elena. Focus on the teacher and figure out a way to nail him for murder. 

The bell rings and Goldstone goes to the board to write something on it. I look around the room and watch the way the girl students look at him. They all have big smiles and are actively paying attention. Even the male students like him a lot and participate in the class. 

He's the most dangerous kind of predator. The one that no one suspects because he's so liked. 

I watch as he makes jokes and gets genuine laughs from the students in his class. Is this what Victoria saw when she first started dating him? A charming and charismatic man that is popular with her peers?

"So break up into groups of two and get started on the assignment," he calls from the front of the room. 

Gala looks over at me and smiles and I realize that I haven't listened to a single thing that's been going on in the lesson. She pulls her laptop out and looks at me with a skeptical look. "You didn't listen to a thing he said, did you?" 

I look at my friend and blush. "I didn't mean to tune him out. I think I'm just overwhelmed by everything here. Being the first day of classes and all." 

Gala smiles knowingly and begins to explain the assignment. We are starting Lord of the Flies and as an introduction to the book he wants to know what we would do if we were stranded on a deserted island. Gala begins to open a document and put both of our names on it when a familiar voice cuts through the room. 

"Gala, sweetie, looking a bit rough today, aren't we?" 

Gala looks up at Anne-Marie who is sitting on her desk surrounded by Pria and Stassi. She fakes a smile at Gala and me as the rest of the class looks up from their computer. "You really need to lay off the concealer," says Anne-Marie with a fake tone of worry in her voice. "You aren't fooling anyone." 

I look at Gala who is beat red, but not from embarrassment. If looks could kill, Anne-Marie would be the second murder here at Riveroak. Gala clears her throat and looks at me without saying a word to Anne-Marie. 

"What would we want to have on the island?" she says. 

"And the hair?" Anne-Marie calls out. "Girl, it doesn't need to be that tall." 

I look over at Anne-Marie and fire runs through my veins as I stand up. "Anne-Marie, lay off," I tell her. "You have an assignment to do. Get it done." 

My heart starts to quicken as I watch their gazes narrow on me. I hope my face isn't showing how scared in this moment I actually am. Anne-Marie all but told me you're either with her or you're a nobody here. 

But if being with her meant turning on a friend, I don't think I want to be with her. 

"Oh, Gala's little mouse Elanor is here to fight her battles!" Stassi calls from her desk. 

"Maybe we should get some mouse traps," Pria says. "Vermin tend to overstay their welcome." 

My face burns at their insults, but I refuse to back down. Not when everyone in the room is suddenly watching our interaction. "She doesn't need me to fight her battles, but it seems you three need each other to form one coherent thought. How about instead of wasting your brain cells on mediocre insults and catty bullshit you actually try and do your school work," I sneer at them. "And my name is Elena!" 

Anne-Marie's facial expression goes blank for a minute as the rest of the class looks at her shocked. I can tell my outburst caught them off guard, and my heart is doing backflips in my chest right now. I can hear every pump echo in my ears as we stare at each other in silence. 

 "Listen here, you poor, ugly-haired, basic bitch," Anne-Marie begins.

"That's enough," calls Goldstone from the front of the room. "Anne-Marie, Pria, and Stassi get to your work." 

Anne-Marie gives me a smirk as she hops off of her desk and sits down in the chair. "Of course, Mr. Goldstone," she says sweetly. 

Gala looks at me with wide eyes. "I can't believe you did that!" she chuckles to herself. "That was the most badass thing I've ever seen! The coherent thought line?" Gala laughs out loud drawing a glare from Pria and Stassi. "That was a chef's kiss." 

I don't know what came over me just now. I'm not the confrontational type. I normally just sit there and take whatever it is the other person is doing because I don't like drama. Something about the way that they tried to team up on Gala though rubbed me the wrong way. Just the other day she was considered one of their best friends. Now she's cast away into obscurity over one fight? 

"I'm sorry if it came across I tried to fight for you," I tell her. 

"Absolutely not," Gala says. "That's what friends are for. I hope you know that I'd do the same for you." 

We get through the rest of the assignment quickly, and Mr. Goldstone passes out a class set of the book and tells us all that he will be reading the first chapter to us, but the rest of the book will be on our own. As he reads, I find it hard to pay attention as Anne-Marie stares daggers at me from her desk. 

Mr. Goldstone is halfway through the chapter when a piece of paper lands on my desk. I look up at the boy who placed it there and he points to the back where Chip smiles at me. His smile makes me forget what just happened for a minute as I unfold the paper on my desk. 

That was hot as hell. 

I turn to him and chuckle as he nods and quickly scribble a note back to him. 

I'm not going to be pushed around by them. I am about to fold the note when I quickly scribble out, You look handsome today, and hand it to the boy that handed me the note to pass back to him. 

Chip turns  beat red when he reads the note, and I bite the inside of my cheek as the bell rings and dismisses us. I'm leaving the room when Mr. Goldstone calls my name. 

"Elena? Can I talk to you for a minute?" he says. 

I look at Gala and she nods. "I'll wait for you outside." 

My heart beats as I walk up to his desk and he smiles at me. "I looked over your grades from your school in Kentucky. You have an impressive GPA." 

"Thank you, Mr. Goldstone," I tell him. 

"All that being said, Riveroak isn't a public school. Our work is intense, and there's a lot that goes into each and every assignment. The other kids have been here since Freshman year and understand the commitment. I'd hate to see you start to lose focus on why you're here. If your grades don't impress the board you'll lose your scholarship." 

Something sinister sounds in his voice as he says that last sentence and my heart begins to beat even faster. It thuds so loudly I'd be surprised if Goldstone couldn't hear it. All of the charm and charisma that he had earlier completely vanished with those last few words. 

"My class is not the place for you to air out your grievances with each other. Please keep that in mind the next time you decide to pick a fight with Miss Coleman." 

He turns away from me, silently dismissing me from the conversation, and I turn on my heel and quickly make my way to the room. Something makes me pause though. Why am I getting scolded when Anne-Marie was the one who started the fight? Why was he being so defensive of someone who interrupted his class?

Are you dating Anne-Marie now? 

I pause at the door and turn my body. "Mr. Goldstone?" I ask. 

"Hmm?" he says as he continues to write on his board and not face me. 

"I assume you'll be having the same conversation with Anne-Marie?" He pauses at the board but doesn't turn around to face me. "Given that she started the confrontation I mean." 

"You don't concern yourself with what I do," Goldstone says matter of factly. "You focus on getting yourself through Riveroak and getting your work done. You may go, Ms. Ramos." 

I walk out of the room and Gala is standing by the door on her phone. "Ready to go?" she asks me.

"Yeah," I say with a fake smile.

That interaction has left my nerves shot. If Mr. Goldstone is dating another student then he needs to be taken down and quickly. Nothing about this is right. And if he was dating Victoria, and he found out about the mystery boy, is it possible that he killed her in a fit of jealousy? 

One thing is for sure, Goldstone is a bad guy.

And I'm going to make it my personal mission to prove that he is the murderer of Victoria Caldwell.