Your POV 

The day was bright and sunny as Layla and I licked our ice-blocks as we walked towards the bus stop. 

Layla planned to go to Petunia Mall later on, but she just wanted to walk me to the bus. As we chatted and walked on the path lined with flowers and bright colours that evoked feelings of childhood, I couldn't help but feel as though nothing had happened.

Maybe it was the happy and sunny mood that I couldn't help but ask, "What do you think about anime?"

"Anime?" Layla bit into her ice-block in thought (I winced at that). "I mean, the Elites hate it, don't they?"

"I'm not asking about the Elites, Layla," I smiled. "I'm asking you. You already proved to me that you're not just one of Ashley's mindless Elites."

A smile tugged at her lips. "I guess. Alright, I guess I don't understand the hate. Literally, just let people watch what they want and don't judge them for it. I mean, I wouldn't watch anime. It's just not my thing, I prefer watching real people because I feel like more emotion is conveyed. But still. It's so annoying how the Elites think they can dictate right down to something as trivial as TV shows."

"I know, right?" I said happily, overjoyed with the idea that my best friend actually didn't hate the one thing that I loved. "And...what do you think about anime crushes?"

As soon as I saw Layla blanch, I knew that pushed too far. The idea of falling love with someone who seemed non-existent was sad. 

"I think its weird," she admitted, twirling her blonde hair. "Like, how could you fall in love with a cartoon character? They're not even 3D. But look, I don't really care if other people do it as long as they don't force others to do it. Whatever floats their boat, I guess. Wait, (y/n)...do you like anime? Do you have an anime crush?"

I should've expect this. Layla wasn't dumb at all. Part of me wanted to tell the truth to Layla. After all, she had confessed so many things to me today. That part of me also didn't care if Ashley or anyone else found out that I liked anime, specifically Shu Kurenai.

But then there was this other part of me, the coward, who refused to tell the truth after hearing what Layla said. Because her opinion of me mattered, especially when we had just repaired our friendship.

So I lied and said, "Nah, I just wanted to put something unexpected into our conversation."

What a crappy lie.

Luckily, Layla believed it. "Okay, I guess. Wait, (y/n), look!"

She paused, tugging on my sleeve. She didn't need to. I was frozen, eyes wide as I saw Shu Kurenai himself sitting on the bus stop bench with a handful of Elites scattered around.

"He's the guy you kissed!" Layla whisper-shouted into my ear, as if I didn't know. "Isn't he from an anime world? He's actually quite hot when he's 3D, you know!"

He's always hot, I was tempted to say, but the thought slipped when Shu saw us and gave me a wave. 

"Oh my gosh!" Layla shrieked quietly, always a sucker for people who dominated the media. "He's like, famous now! Go say hi (y/n)!"

Despite my protests, she gently pushed me until I was standing awkwardly in front of him. "H-Hi?

"Hey," he smiled knowingly. He glanced at the wide-eyed blonde who was reeling at the either the thought of meeting someone famous or someone from an alternate universe. Maybe it was both. "Layla, right?"

She nodded, too shocked to give an actual answer. Frowning slightly, I asked, "How'd you know her name?"

"I watched your TV show," Shu lowered his voice since it was information not ready to be disclosed to the public.

I bit my lip, thinking back to all of those bad moments. "I probably looked stupid, didn't I?"

"Not at all," Shu shook his head. "Seeing you hurt like that, to be honest, I just wanted to make you happy again."

"Well, you've succeeded," I averted my gaze to the floor as my cheeks turned a bright red.

Layla stared, even more shocked now. I could sense her already start to ship us, despite what she thought about anime characters.

The bus pulled up, fresh from sending off majority of the Elites, and the few remaining Elites (from St Catherine's who I had only seen on Instagram as the inner circle tagged them in their posts) got on board. 

Shu gestured. "You wanna sit together?"

"Of course," I grinned widely. I turned back to wave at Layla who made a calling motion with her hands.

Text me later what happens, okay? 

"Oh, that reminds me," Shu said, gazing at Layla's gesture as we sat together on the bus and I started to lick my ice-block again. "What's your number?"

I choked on the ice-block. "W-What?"

He turned slightly red. "I-I'm sorry if it's too soon, I just really wanted to talk with you more frequently, I totally get if you don't want to give me it-"

"No, no, no!" I waved my arms frantically as the bus started moving. "I want to give my number to you. Like you said, it would be awesome if we could talk with each other more. I really do."

"Great," he smiled and we exchanged numbers. 

Sitting on the bus like this, it reminded me of Jack and I's conversation a few days ago. I remember when we are a thing, and I was so hesitant to do things with him. Part of me was hesitant because of Shu, but I'm an introvert.

It's a wonder that I can talk so calmly and flirt naturally with Shu. Maybe it's because I'm so grateful that Shu actually exists. That I can actually see and converse and interact with him.

Maybe to be with Shu was a reward from the universe for all of the hurt and betrayal I had experienced. If that was true, then I would do it over and over again just to be with him.

I didn't even realize that I was crying until I heard tears splattering on my ice-block.

"(y/n)?" Shu asked worriedly, in shock as he gave back my phone. "W-What happened? Was it something that I said? If so, I'm so sorry-"

"No," I cut him off again, smiling despite the tears flowing. "I'm just really happy to spend time with you."

"Me too," he grinned just as the bus stopped in front of a fancy hotel. He stood up. "Well, this is my stop. Want to call at nine tonight?"

"Sure," I nodded and once receiving my confirmation, Shu walked off the bus. He turned back as he reached the hotel to wave at me.

I was too busy waving to him in a daze to notice the Elite that had just captured our whole conversation.

-----------------------

The next morning, I woke up sleep-deprived, but happy, nonetheless. A call that had been meant to be for only half an hour turned out to be seven hours. 

It had cost me my sleep, but if it meant that I could talk with Shu, I would do it again and again. With a spring in my step, I departed my house for the bus, this time without Chanel and Shu. And this time with all of the inner circle Elites that aren't only from my school, but the three other big schools of Divitae Streets. 

Yawning, I sat down by myself in silence, wishing that Shu didn't go on a car to school this morning. Without really meaning to, all of the loud Elite conversation came to me. 

It's not like I was eavesdropping. When you're silent, you just tend to listen to whatever sound there is. In this case, it was gossip. Though I'm not a big fan of spreading gossip, it is nice to know what the Elites have been up to, especially since they could be plotting another disaster like at Ashley's party. 

"Apparently there's going to another social soon..."

"Yeah! I heard that it was going to be at St. Catherine's and all of the schools are invited."

"Caprice you'll look great! You and Ashley will surely get all the boys."

"Of course we will."

"Speaking of Ashley, how come she never catches the bus? Don't tell me she seriously pulls up to Claritate in a limo or something. How narcissistic would that be?"

That was the whispers of the inner circle from St. Catherine's. As usual, they took up the back seats of the bus, Caprice Alderidge, the Queen Bee of St. Catherine's, seated in the middle of all of the gossiping Elites.

As any inner circle Elite would have, current or not, I had heard of Caprice Alderidge from Chanel. She's Ashley's closest friend from outside of school.

Not only that, but she's the winner of several academic competitions. She's a natural at strategies and getting inside your head. If there is going to be a social at St. Catherine's, someone is going to get humiliated. And I don't think it would be Ashley, considering how hardly anybody knows that she's not really the person she paints herself to be.

Their conversation silenced as they started going on their phones and sending snaps to friends. Immediately, the whispers took over again, this time, from the front left of the bus where some Elites from Claritate were mingling with Amare Elites.

"What do you guys think of that alien, Shu Kurenai?"

"Shu Kurenai? He's hot."

"Yeah, I agree!"

"Y'all have boyfriends, remember? Chloe, I am your boyfriend."

"Whoops." The girl called Chloe laughed cheekily, earning an eye-roll from her boyfriend.

I frowned, a little uncomfortable with the Elites from my school calling Shu 'hot'. I mean, he was, but them calling him that just didn't bode well with me. I ignored the jealousy and this time focused on the Venuste Elites on the front right.

"Kurenai is a problem."

"I agree. He's talking all the girls with just his looks. Even the taken Elites. Did you hear what Chloe just said to Liam?"

"It's unbelievable, really. He's not even popular. He's a loser who hangs out with those weebs. He didn't even try to acknowledge Hayden, Jack, Damian or even me!"

"Lachlan, don't be jealous. Warren, he hasn't even seen you. You don't even go to his school, why would he acknowledge you?"

This wasn't a voice that belonged to a boy. This voice belonged to a girl our age, both cool and smart, but most of all, eerily familiar. I leaned forward, this time willing to eavesdrop.

"But still. How could he not try to be friends with Hayden or Jack? They're like, the coolest guys around."

"You're just weirded out at the fact that when it comes to friends Kurenai prefers quality and quantity. I don't know why you're so weirded out. Lots of those people are popping up these days. Chanel Darlington, (y/n) (l/n). But remember how they ended up? So don't worry. I heard the Amare Elites have a plan for him and (y/n)."

My eyes widened for two reasons. The first, being the obvious fact that the Amare Elites were planning something. I knew it was happening. I knew that we were both going to get humiliated somehow in this school-but-somehow-a-war-ground situation.

But the girl was talking about it too. Amare is a boys only school. So that means that the inner circles of the other schools were in it too. Ashley was probably orchestrating the whole thing, cooking up some sort of endgame of humiliation.

But even she wasn't the biggest problem. Caprice Alderidge was. The mastermind of strategies and planning and psychology. And the boys.

Even if they weren't the ones with the brains, all the Elite boys had something in common: all of the girls they wanted so much were starting to pay attention to Shu. They fuelled Caprice and Ashley's fire that would eventually burn and destroy.

That wasn't the only thing that shocked me. The girl who had calmed down the boys, I knew her. Even if we weren't close friends like Layla, we were still in the same group and her department of the school shocked me.

The bus stopped for St. Catherine's. As expected, she left the bus, hazel hair floating gently with the wind. It wasn't my stop, Claritate was still a couple of stops to go, but I stood up and ran to catch up with her, ignoring the stares and whispers from the Elites, especially the inner circle that surrounded Caprice.

She was ahead of everyone, so I called out her name. "Georgia!"

Mouth open, Georgia Rosser turned in surprise as I approached her.

"I want to talk with you."

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regarding this book and updates, please check out my stardust [personal] book as i will be writing everything down there. sorry for the long wait.

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