I could feel the prying gazes on me as I sat quietly at my desk after the first period. The girl sharing a desk on my right smiled at me brightly, attempting to start a conversation.
"I saw you on the news the other day," the girl said.
I would often find it hard to look at people's faces while having a conversation. Yet, the girl possessed a captivating aura with her beautifully curled, raven hair and dark skin.
"Everyone assumed such odd things after they published the articles about Caspia bringing a woman to the hospital. People even spread rumors about the future CEO of the white wolves' impregnating a teenager," the girl said, staring into my eyes.
"That's not true," I answered awkwardly in a tiny voice. I did not know how to respond to such baseless rumors.
"Indeed! After all, the White Wolves made a briefing about their successor's return. It's good to meet you here in my class," the girl said as her enticing, rounded eyes glowed up in excitement.
"She's pretty," I thought, staring at her.
"I am Cassidy," the girl introduced herself. "If you need any help, you can always ask me. I have to attend my violin classes. Since it's your first day here, I assume you haven't decided on your extras yet," Cassidy said.
I shook my head, indicating I hadn't.
"In that case, why don't you choose a subject that piques your interest? How about joining violin classes with me? Do you like music?'' Cassidy asked.
I nodded. I loved to shuffle my playlist while working. However, I was aware that I had no talent for it. Hence, I looked at Cassidy with such an agitated expression that she broke into laughter.
"It's okay. Don't get nervous. I was only asking. There's an entire list of the subjects you can find on the pinboard by the locker room. You can choose yours from there. I will see you again after the class," Cassidy left, saying.
The class had emptied already. I presumed the extra-curricular subjects were obligatory in that school. Thus, I felt curious to take a look at the list.
The school appeared harmless, considering the irrelevant chain of scenarios in my mind that kept me awake the entire night. Perhaps, you needed to be poor to get bullied.
My grandpa's status in society had already made me renowned among the other students. Though I could hear a lot of them talking behind my back, none of them dared to harass me.
I wondered aimlessly for a few minutes as the students appeared too busy to approach. Unlike my previous school, where the corridor was always filled with loud noises of cheerful kids, this elite-class school seemed dead.
The students had almost turned into robots to maintain their social status. I walked past Cassidy's violin class when my eyes met Cassidy's for a brief moment. She was noticeable even in the queue of kids holding their violins and playing them with enthusiasm.
Cassidy smiled at me as shortly the professor scolded her for getting distracted. I finally found the bulletin board after swerving around willy-nilly.
The list made me chuckle as these schools had courses on even feeding pets. I couldn't decide for a while what to choose.
I came outside as the boys were playing football on the massive field. My nerves suddenly got cautious as I felt something soaring toward me. I dodged the ball as it flew over my head, hitting the mailbox behind, breaking it.
Everyone was startled, expecting the worst. However, no one bothered to move from the assigned places and continued whatever they were doing as if I was some sort of a nuisance.
"Are you alright?" one of the guys playing earlier asked. I didn't notice when he came to pick the ball.
I only nodded. A woman in her late forties, wearing a dark midi skirt with an overcoat, appeared shortly.
"Are you, Miss Bailey?" she asked me, frowning.
"Yes."
"Well then, let me introduce myself first, Miss Bailey. I will be your phase coordinator for this year. Since it's your first day here today, I will inform you about the rules and regulations. Please, follow me," The woman said sternly.
I fathomed a long lecture, or perhaps even nags were on their way.
The woman brought me to her office and asked me to sit. A maid shortly entered the room with tea and cookies.
The woman took a sip from the tea as I politely refused to eat anything.
"Miss Bailey, we require our students to be productive as long as they are inside the school ground. After your classes, you are not allowed to roam anywhere apart from your selected majors. Please, refrain from breaking the concentration of others. Now, tell me about the extra-curricular subjects you have chosen. I will enroll your name from tomorrow's classes," the woman said.
"I haven't decided on one yet," I said in a tiny voice. I was already feeling bitter about the extraneous rules of the school.
"How about shooting?" the woman asked, staring at me mysteriously.
''Shooting?" I questioned back.
"Yes. A lot of our students belong to well-known families, and they grow up developing interests in different games. Our shooting club includes students from the most sophisticated families. I believe as the granddaughter of the White Wolves' family, you will enjoy it there," The woman said. A smirk appeared on the corner of her face.
There was something unusual about the woman. I noticed her glowing eyes as she calmly continued sipping on the tea.
"A wolf?" I mumbled. I had not considered that there would be people in the school, including students and teachers, who were also werewolves.
I fathomed after coming out of the room that Caspian had asked this woman to enroll me in the shooting club. I had never touched a gun in my entire life. How could I possibly join the shooting club? I wondered.
Caspian had made it apparent that the game had started, and I needed to prove my worth to be able to bear the title of the successor of the white wolves.
I sighed, realizing I could never get close to Caspian as a friend since he considered me a contender for his throne.
I returned to my class as Cassidy waved at me, smiling happily. It felt good to be able to make a friend on my very first day.
I took my assigned place as Cassidy asked, "I heard you joined the shooting club. Indeed, the sophisticated families always go for shooting or archery," Cassidy said.
"Who keeps spreading all the news? It's not even an hour since the phase coordinator informed me about it," I said calmly.
"Well, you don't know this school yet. Your name's already on the bulletin board of the shooting club," Cassidy cheerfully said.
I was about to say something when a few girls appeared before our desks.
"When are you going to stop being a digger? You are always after the famous ones, aren't you?" one of the girls questioned.
I noticed Cassidy's face getting gloomy as she tensed up. I looked at the girls who were still standing before my desk.
"So you are the breaking news of the past few days?" One of the girls asked me, crossing her arms on her chest. Her silky, long straight hair was loose with an expensive crescent hairpin in the front. The girl was pretty. However, I could clearly read the word bully written all over her face.
"I suppose that's me, unfortunately," I said calmly.
"That's quite hard to believe. Nevertheless, don't get caught by these leeches on your very first day," the girl warned me.
"Leeches?" I asked, frowning.
Cassidy seemed frustrated. She got up hastily and said, "Bailey, I need to use the restroom. Please, don't mind those words."
"Why are you running away? Do you think you can pretend to be rich like the other students by hiding that you came to this school through scholarships?" the girl asked as Cassidy attempted to leave,
"Ah- I see," I got up from my chair, saying. Cassidy stared at me skeptically. "I was waiting for you since morning," I stared at the girl and said.
"You know me?" the girl asked, frowning. "That's not even a surprise. My father's company had run hundreds of deals with the white wolves. Indeed, you have heard of our company," the girl said proudly.
"Not at all," I said indifferently. "Don't you watch movies? What does the protagonist expect on the first day of her school?" I questioned.
"What are you talking about?" the girl asked, getting annoyed. Our conversation had seized the attention of the entire class already.
"I am talking about bullies. It would be a shame if a few money brains hadn't shown up, disrespecting others," I said calmly.
Cat bit the girl's tongue as she stood there dumbfounded.
"Did you just call me a bully?" the girl asked. Tears filled the girl's eyes unexpectedly as she ran away from the class, crying.
"I apologize. I should have told you before that I am a commoner," Cassidy said.
"Isn't that great? You are one of the most talented students in this school, aren't you? I am certain that getting a scholarship is much tougher than getting admitted with one's money," I said. However, Cassidy seemed tensed.
"That girl is pretty good at convincing others with her tears," Cassidy said.
"Don't worry. I have seen this enough in my life," I said, smiling. After all, I led a life of a commoner all my life.