Kalila Miracle Hart

"What's wrong with you?!" My voice sliced through the air, sharp and demanding.

"Nothing that I can see," she replied, batting her eyelashes at me with a practiced indifference before turning to Marco. "Do you think there's something wrong with me, Marco?"

"You look completely fine to me," Marco responded with a shrug, I rolled my eyes and let out a long sigh.

It's my last shift of the month, and here they are again, showing up like they own the place. Ever since we saved Evara Galini from that almost-kidnapping accident, she's made it her mission to tag along wherever I go. Whether I'm serving coffee, hiding at home, or even trying to catch some peace in the park, she and Marco are always there, suffocating me with their constant presence. And I'm exhausted.

Evara attracts chaos like a magnet, and Marco? He feeds off it. Last month, they dragged me to some swanky beach house for a birthday party, completely out of our league, and we're completely out of place. The air smelled of salt, sunscreen, and money—lots of it. We stood there, sweat beading on my forehead as we tried to bluff our way past a security guard who looked like he could bench press a car. It was an exclusive event for Eldonbury's elite only, and there I was, fidgeting in panic while those two acted like they belonged. Somehow, we didn't get caught, but did that deter them? Of course not.

Just last week, they decided we should crash an exclusive club. I didn't put up much of a fight—I promised myself I'd take on whatever life throws at me, and so I went, and to be honest I'm completely curious about what's inside a club.

The night spiraled out of control. Marco tried to replace the DJ, and before I knew it, we were getting kicked out, my head spinning from too many drinks. The next morning was brutal. The hangover hit me like a sledgehammer, and I couldn't even make it to work. Even now, I can still feel the bitter taste of alcohol when i try to burp, that's how bad it was.

Today is Saturday, the last bit of freedom before classes resume on Monday. Tomorrow, I'm taking the day off to buy a car for my aunt—finally, after saving up all summer I can finally afford to buy her one. The thought of surprising her makes me giddy, a rare burst of excitement in the midst of all this madness. I've also need to pick up a few things for school, but that feels secondary.

"Hey, Marco, when are you going back to work?" I asked, watching him sip his bubble tea, completely engrossed in whatever he was scrolling through on his phone.

"Later," he mumbled, barely glancing up, and disappointment pricked at me. The place would be quieter without him, but before I could relish that thought, he added, "I was only supposed to stay for two weeks, but I ended up here for two months."

"Your boss is gonna kill you," Evara said, blunt as ever.

"I'm going to quit anyway," Marco said, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"What? Why?" I asked, surprised for the second time in under a minute.

"Don't like the job," he said with a casual shrug, as if it was no big deal.

"Well, I don't like any of my jobs either," I shot back, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Don't worry, I found another job, so it's alright." He said it like it was the simplest thing, but to me, it made no sense. I just shook my head, letting the absurdity of it all sink in as I turned back to work.

My shift ended quicker than expected, and there they were, still waiting for me. I noticed how close they'd gotten over the summer, their conversations are easy and natural. Could it be? Is my ship finally sailing again? The thought made me snicker as I walked over to them.

I sat down beside Evara, and the moment she saw me, she wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug. I'd grown accustomed to her clinginess, even though it used to drive me crazy. The first time she hugged me, I reacted on instinct and punched her, but she didn't back off. Instead, she kept at it until I just gave up, and letting her cling to me whenever she pleased.

I yawned, the exhaustion is slowly creeping all over my body, as I try to massage the stiffness out of my neck. My whole body ached like I'd been run over by a truck.

"Are you that tired?" Evara asked, her voice laced with concern. I simply nodded, too drained to muster a proper response.

"It's still early to go home," she said, glancing at her watch. "How about I take you to a spa? You could use a little pampering."

"No thanks, and what makes you think I can afford something like that?" I said, stifling another yawn.

"Take her. Maybe it'll help her look a little more," Marco chimed in, staring at me with a teasing glint in his eyes. "Alive? Pretty?" I shot him a glare, my hand twitching with the urge to smack him upside the head.

"Okay, let's go," Evara said, not giving me a chance to refuse as she dragged me out of the café. With no strength left to protest, I let her pull me along.

Before we got into the car, I turned to Marco, knowing he wouldn't be joining us. He still had to pack, and who knows if he'll still be at home after the spa.

"Make sure to text me, okay?" I said, pulling him into a hug, a rare show of affection on my part.

"Yeah, I will," he mumbled, his voice softer than usual.

"And don't forget to tell Aunt you're leaving," I added, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Yeah, yeah, stop nagging and go already," he said, but I could hear the fondness in his tone.

Evara hugged Marco goodbye too, and I couldn't resist letting out a little scream, other people's love life always gives me butterflies. As we drove off, I couldn't help but glance back at Marco, a part of me wondering if this summer had changed more than just our routines. But before I could dwell on it, Evara cranked up the music, and I let myself sink into the moment.

As we pulled up to the spa, I couldn't help but notice how luxurious it looked from the outside. The building was sleek and modern, with tall glass windows reflecting the fading sunlight. The entrance was surrounded by neatly trimmed greenery. It's very fitting to someone like Evara. Damn I wish I could bring my Aunt here someday.

Evara quickly linked her arm through mine as we got out of the car, practically bouncing with excitement. "What should we get?" she asked, already dragging me inside before I could respond. The moment we stepped through the door, the scent of lavender and eucalyptus enveloped over me, instantly soothing the tension in my shoulders. It smelled like heaven and it's very calming.

"Let's get a full body massage and some facials," she suggested, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. I had no idea what she was talking about, but I nodded along, trusting her judgment.

We were being ushered into a dimly lit room with soft, ambient music playing in the background. The next thing I knew, they were asking me to strip down, and my eyes widened in surprise.

Evara just laughed at my reaction, clearly more accustomed to this than I was. "Relax, Kalila. It's all part of the experience," she teased as she effortlessly slipped out of her clothes.

I hesitated, but eventually followed suit, feeling a bit exposed as I lay face down on the massage table. The masseuse draped a warm towel over my back, and I instantly felt a wave of comfort over me. As she started working on my muscles, I realized just how tense I'd been. Each movement feels like magic—it feels amazing, she's kneading away the knots that had built up over the summer. If I accidentally moan in here it would be so embarrassing, so I held myself from making unnecessary noises.

But even then I would say the massage wasn't a life-changing experience, but it was exactly what I needed—simple, straightforward relief. By the time it was over, I felt lighter, less like I'd been carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders.

Next came the facial. I didn't know what to expect, but at that point, I didn't care. The coolness of the mask was refreshing against my skin, and I could feel the tension in my face easing up. Evara was chatting away with the esthetician, I couldn't understand a single word she was saying.

After everything was done, we decided to relax in the sauna for a bit. But this sauna wasn't what I expected. It felt more like a luxurious lounge room than a typical sauna. The chairs were plush, the room was spacious, and they even served us some refreshing drinks. The heat was definitely there, though, making me feel like I was in a fancy, sweaty daydream. To my surprise I was actually enjoying it.

"Are you free tomorrow?" I asked Evara, breaking the silence.

She turned to me, wiggling her eyebrows playfully. "Is my Miracle asking me out on a date?"

"Stop calling me that," I shot back, narrowing my eyes at her. "I just thought you could help me pick out a car for my aunt."

"Oh my god, I love car shopping! Let's do it!" she practically squealed, way too excited for something that should be mundane.

"Just a heads-up, I'm on a budget. So let's not even glance at anything that costs as much as a house," I warned.

"Yeah, sure," she said, leaning back in her chair with a casual shrug. Somehow, I wasn't entirely convinced she'd stick to that plan. I sighed and leaned back too, trying to savor this rare moment of peace before reality crashed back in.

I was just on the brink of drifting off when the door creaked open. A girl walked in—tall, with long, dark hair that cascaded down her back. She had a kind of effortless, classy beauty that made her look stunning even in just a robe, with no makeup. I found myself staring, unsure of what to say.

"What the hell, I specifically said no one else was allowed in," Evara snapped, suddenly standing and crossing her arms. "So what are you doing here, Ciel?"

"Oh, relax, Galini. It's not like we're strangers," the girl—Ciel—replied coolly as she took a seat in one of the chairs. The air thickened with tension, the kind that made me feel like I was stuck in the middle of a brewing storm.

"And who's this?" Ciel asked, pointing a perfectly manicured finger at me.

"This is Kalila, my best friend," Evara said, her voice sharp. "And why don't you mind your own business?"

I sat there, feeling really concerned about being in the same room with this two, it seemed like they're going to grab each other's hair any second.

"Hmm? You're cute, Kalila. You look familiar too," Ciel said, crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes as if trying to place me. "Have we met before?"

I shook my head, trying to avoid her gaze. "No, I don't think so."

"That's interesting. I could've sworn I've seen you somewhere. You look young—probably in college, right?"

"Could you stop pestering her?" Evara cut in, clearly annoyed. What is it about Ceil that bothers Evara so much?

"It's fine, Evara," I said, trying to calm her down. "I'm a junior and a scholar at Eldonbury," I added, directing my answer at Ciel.

Ciel giggled, the sound light but somehow grating. "A scholar, huh? I'm impressed, that Galini's Hanging out with someone like you? And she's not harassing you, right?" she asked, throwing me a look that made my skin crawl.

someone like me?

That was the last straw for Evara. She jumped up, grabbing my arm. "We're leaving," and drags me out of the room before I could protest.

We were in the changing room, quietly slipping back into our clothes, when I heard a soft sniffle. I glanced over at Evara, and to my surprise, she was crying. Panic surged through me for a moment.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed, her voice trembling. "I was so mean to you back then." I chuckled softly, rubbing her back in an attempt to soothe her.

"I am truly sorry Kalila" I chuckled again "My friends thought it would be fun to mess with you, so I went along with it. I'm so sorry," she continued, her tears flowing freely.

"It's alright, stop crying and why were you even hanging out with those lunatics anyway?" I asked, still rubbing her back gently.

"Because...I didn't have anyone else to hang out with," she admitted, her voice barely a whisper.

It all made sense now. At university, she was always surrounded by people, always wearing that bright, happy mask. But now that I thought about it, there was something off about it—something that didn't feel genuine. During the entire summer break, I hadn't seen her with any of her so-called university friends. If they were real friends, then she wouldn't be spending all her summer with Marco and me.

Evara might be a bit slow to catch on sometimes, but she wasn't blind. She could tell who was real and who wasn't because she was raised by a family that actually cared about her—a family that loved her unconditionally. That's why she could spot the difference between genuine affection and the fake smiles of people who only wanted to leech off her power.

This girl, with her kind heart and sweet nature, had been tainted by the toxic environment of the university. The place was designed to make the powerful even more powerful, and Evara, who was just afraid of being alone, ended up surrounding herself with people who were only interested in what they could take from her.

That's sick.

"It's alright, you can hang out with me at school." She sniffle again.

"Really?" She looked up at me with those wide, wet eyes, her small face reminding me of a puppy. I nodded, and a small smile tugged at her lips. Evara had a way of making me feel less insecure about my height—I'm only 5'5", and she's even smaller, yet she carries herself with such confidence.

We hopped into her car and head home. I hoped aunt would be there already—I couldn't wait to share my spa adventure with her. Over the summer, Aunt and Evara had grown close too, she was practically Aunt's baby now, and their energy matched perfectly.

"I really hate those diamond brats," Evara suddenly blurted out.

"Who?"

"The Diamond Class. You don't know them?" I shook my head, confused.

"Oh, my sweet Miracle, you've survived at that university without knowing about them?" She giggled. "That's such a Kalila thing to do."

"You know I've been keeping a low profile, trying to stay out of the spotlight and away from my father," I reminded her.

"Oh, right," she said, her eyes back on the road. "The Diamond Class consists of six students, and Ciel is one of them."

"Why are they called 'Diamond,' anyway? Well, Ciel does look like she could be a diamond," I mused, thinking back to her striking appearance.

Evara laughed. "No, silly! And for the record, you're way more of a sparkling diamond than that bitch." She paused, gathering her thoughts. "We lower-class elites started calling them that at some point—I don't even know when. They're the richest of the rich, but their personalities are absolutely zero."

"But you could easily be one of them," she continued. "All it takes is a truckload of money."

"You've got that kind of money. Why didn't you join them?"

"Because I simply hate everyone in that circle," she said, pulling up in front of my house. I hadn't even noticed we were home already. "In fact, I've got more money than two of the members in there."

As we got out of the car and walked towards my house, I raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, the Pembroke twins—they're identical," she added, catching my interest. I'd never met twins before.

"You've already met a few of them, actually," Evara said, tilting her head as if recalling a memory. I frowned, trying to remember. "You remember that party we crashed in? the crazy pervert who stripped naked and jumped into the pool? That was Ace Astor. The one standing at the edge of the pool with the towel was Crue Fairchild, and the guy who rescued the pervert from drowning was Carcel Dawson. they're all part of the diamond class and They're all crazy rich, also a little bit psycho."

I couldn't clearly recall their faces, but it wouldn't hurt to remember their names to avoid future trouble. As we entered the house, Aunt greeted us with her usual enthusiasm, her face lighting up at the sight of Evara. They squealed in delight, hugging each other tightly. I had to cover my ears to block out the noise.

"Do you wanna sleep over?" Aunt asked Evara, still holding her.

"Should I? That would be great idea since we're going shopping tomorrow." Evara squealed back.

"Shopping?" Aunt echoed, looking puzzled. My heart raced, hoping Evara wouldn't spill the beans—it was supposed to be a surprise.

"Yeah, back-to-school stuff," Evara said casually, and I sighed in relief.

"Alright, that sounds good. You girls have fun," Aunt said, clearly pleased.

"Make sure to let your parents know you're staying," I reminded Evara as I headed upstairs. "I'm hopping in the shower." I went upstairs and they both chatted about dinner.