Chapter 4: Observed Behavior

“Welcome to Crownwood. Don't trust the Starbound.”

That's what the anonymous note in my book said. I tried to hide my nerves from Jordan, shaking my head. "The Starbound? What's that?"

Jordan kept it cool. "We shouldn't talk about it here. Let's meet later, somewhere private."

"You trying to get me to pull another all-nighter?"

"I'm so caffeinated I can't close my eyelids, but I'll take it easy on you. Meet me at the old greenhouse behind the science building after dinner. Most people don't even know it's there."

"Got it. See you then," I said, feeling a mix of curiosity and apprehension. And who left that note anyway? I wasn't sure if I could trust anybody.

Later that afternoon, I called my mom. Her tone had shifted from contentment to worry.

"Cadence, I just miss you so much. Shipping children away is what wealthy assholes do, but I want my baby by my side. Maybe I made a big mistake."

"Mom, I'm doing fine. Really," I said, feeling a twinge of irritation. She was always like this. Running hot and cold. Her indecisiveness drove me crazy. "This is a great opportunity for me. I promise I'm okay."

"I know, sweetie, but it's hard being so far away. Did I tell you where Uncle Jay is trying to have the family reunion this year?"

"Hey, Mom, I love you, but I've gotta run," I said, cutting the conversation short even though I could tell she wanted to keep talking. The truth was, I felt a mix of guilt and annoyance. She had to understand how important this was for my future, right?

When I got back to my room, I saw the scrunchie on the doorknob. Again. I was about to leave in a huff when the door opened, and Blue Eyes emerged. He flashed a casual smile. "Hey, I'm Jake. Sorry about last night."

"Um, no problem," I replied, taken aback. He handed me a business card he pulled from his back pocket. "Here's my number. You're cute. Call me sometime."

I stared at the paper, then back at him. "Uh, that's ick. You’re a skeeve."

He saluted with drowsy eyes and a keen smile, completely unaffected by my response. He disappeared down the hall, leaving me standing there, dumbfounded. I walked into the room to find Emma in tears. Her face was flushed, and she was sobbing quietly.

"Emma, what happened?" I asked.

"Nothing. It's no big deal," she managed.

"Okay. Whatever," I said, turning to my desk and pulling out my books.

"Jake broke up with me," she choked out.

I sighed. The last thing I wanted was to show this bullying stuck-up princess compassion, but I couldn't just leave her there bawling her eyes out.

"I'm sorry, Emma."

"I hate that I'm crying in front of you," she said through her tears.

"Been there. I get it. The breakup and the crying-in-front-of-people part," I replied, sitting down on my bed. "Just, let me know how I can help."

Emma sniffled, wiping her eyes. "I've been such a bitch..."

"Alright. Boy drama truce for the night."

"Yeah, okay. Thanks," she said.

"Are you cookies and cream or dark chocolate?"

"Dark chocolate."

"Dessert for dinner. Let's get you cleaned up and get out of here."

She hesitated, then took a deep breath. "Cadence? I left a note in one of your books the first night you were here. Did you see it?"

My eyes widened in shock. "You left that note? Why?"

"I can't talk about it out loud," she whispered, glancing around nervously. "They're always watching and listening. I can't afford to get on their bad side. No one here can."

A chill ran down my spine. I mouthed "The Starbound?"

Emma nodded her head, her expression terrified. "You're exactly their type, and I didn't want them to get their hooks into anybody else."

We hit up one of the dining halls and had our fill of Jeni's ice cream, and Emma seemed to be feeling a lot better. I didn't tell her I was meeting up with Jordan. I wasn’t sure I wanted to, but I couldn’t just stand them up.

As I walked to the old greenhouse behind the science building, my mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. The note, Emma's warning, and now this secret meeting. The greenhouse was overgrown and forgotten, a relic of the past. Jordan was already there, waiting for me.

"You made it," they said with a smile.

"Yeah. What’s with all the cloak and dagger stuff?" I asked, my voice tinged with curiosity and apprehension.

Jordan took a deep breath.

"The Starbound Society. It's a secret group of some of the smartest students here. They host amazing parties, help each other out academically, and there are even some opportunities to make a little money on the side. You'd be part of an exclusive group that could open a lot of doors for you, socially and academically."

I listened intently, the weight of their words sinking in. This is what Emma was so afraid of?

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked.

"Because I think you can handle it. I want to sponsor you for membership. And because you need to know what you're getting into if you decide to join," Jordan replied. I nodded slowly, processing everything.

"Sounds amazing."

Jordan looked around, ensuring we were alone.

"There are two ways to go through Crownwood. At the bottom, and at the top. The Starbound are the pinnacle. Just remember, Cadence, what you do here matters. Your actions, your choices—they're all being watched. It's not just about fitting in; it's about surviving and thriving in a place where everyone has their eyes on you. Don’t think you’re going to slip into the Ivy League by going unnoticed."

The idea of being watched, of every action being scrutinized, felt eerily similar to the double-slit experiment we had discussed in class. How differently would I behave under observation versus in secret? The thought was unsettling, yet strangely thrilling.

As we left the greenhouse, the night air felt cooler, heavier with the secrets now shared between us. My first few days at Crownwood had been intense, but I had a feeling things were only going to get more complicated.

Walking back to my dorm, I replayed the conversation with Jordan in my head. Could I stay true to myself in this environment? Or would I become someone else under the pressure?

As I entered Lamar House, I noticed the building felt quieter than usual. The events of the past few days weighed on me. I climbed into bed, my mind racing with thoughts about The Starbound Society, Emma's cryptic warning, and Jordan's advice. Oh, and the little matter of passing all my classes.

Just as I was about to drift off to sleep, my phone buzzed with a text. I picked it up and saw a message from an unknown number: "I'm feeling lonely tonight. Got my eye on you. 👀😊.”