Emirates Academy
The car door swung open
And instantly…
Noise exploded.
"ESMERALDA IS HERE!"
Phones came out.
Whispers spread like wildfire.
Girls adjusted their hair.
Boys stood straighter.
Esmeralda stepped out of the car.
This time smiling.
Not warm.
Not kind.
But bright enough to blind people into liking her anyway.
"ESMERALDAAAA!"
Poppy and Emilia practically flew toward her.
"Why weren't you in school yesterday?!"
Esmeralda flipped her hair slightly.
"…Birthday preparations."
A beat.
Then
"OH MY GOD!!!"
"You're throwing a party?!"
"The Cold Stone Queen is hosting?!"
"This is going to be insane!"
Students nearby turned instantly.
"Wait, did you get invited?!"
"I heard last year someone cried because they weren't on the list!"
Esmeralda smiled slightly.
Enjoying it.
Class E
Marco slammed Andre's desk.
"EVERYBODY'S LOSING THEIR MINDS OVER THIS GIRL!"
Hugo leaned back casually.
"She's basically the celebrity of this school."
Marco scoffed
Then froze.
"…Wait."
"…Why is she coming here?"
Esmeralda walked in with a wide confident smile.
Students whispered loudly now.
"She's going to invite someone!"
"Imagine if it's me"
Then she stopped.
Right in front of Andre.
Silence dropped.
"I'm having a party this weekend."
She tilted her head slightly.
"You should come."
Andre didn't respond.
She blinked once.
"…Okay."
A small smile.
"I don't think you heard me."
She leaned slightly closer.
"I want you there."
Andre finally looked at her.
"I'm not interested."
The class exploded.
"HE SAID NO?!"
"IS HE NORMAL?!"
Marco grabbed his head.
"BRO THAT WAS A LIFE OPPORTUNITY!"
Andre didn't even look at him.
"I don't like crowds."
Maria stared at him in disbelief.
"…You just rejected a party people would sell their souls to attend."
Esmeralda studied him.
Then
She pulled out golden tickets and dropped them on his table.
"Take them."
A pause.
"And bring your… friends."
Marco grabbed one instantly.
"…Can I sell these."
Maria gave him a hard knock on the head again
"Shhhhhhhhhhhhh!!."
Esmeralda leaned closer to Andre.
Lower voice.
"Don't tell me you are scared of having a dance with me."
Then she gave a seductive smile, straightened and walked away.
Marco clutched Andre's shoulders.
"EXPLAIN YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT GIRL RIGHT NOW."
"There is none."
"LIAR."
She walked toward the door when voice called her name.
"Esmeralda."
Her steps stopped.
Slowly
She turned.
Carlos walking toward her.
"What do you want?" she asked coldly.
"If it's a ticket, take one."
She handed it without looking.
Carlos didn't take it.
"It's not about that."
A pause.
"…It's about you."
Students nearby leaned in.
Drama.
Esmeralda sighed.
"…We're doing this again?"
Carlos smirked slightly.
"I miss you."
She laughed.
"You miss the attention I bring."
Carlos's smile faded slightly.
"Esmeralda, im just asking that you give me another chance."
Esmeralda stepped closer.
Face to face.
"Another chance?"
A pause.
Her eyes turned colder.
"You had your chance."
"And you lost it."
Carlos's jaw tightened.
She leaned in slightly
"You're not special, Carlos."
"You were just convenient."
Students gasped quietly.
She stepped back.
Fixed her hair.
"If you want attention…"
A pause.
"…earn it."
Then she walked away.
Leaving Carlos standing there.
Alone.
Marco whispered:
"…Bro got downgraded to background character."
Andre and the others looked at him and burst into laughter.
Bell rings for classes to start.
After school
Mrs. Jenkins' Residence
Andre stood by the door.
"I'm not going."
Mrs. Jenkins didn't look up.
"Yes, you are."
"I said no."
She turned slowly.
Eyes sharp.
"You run from people."
A pause.
"…Because you don't know how to belong."
Andre's gaze hardened.
"I don't need to belong."
Her voice softened.
"…That's what lonely people say."
Silence.
She walked closer.
Placed the suit in his hands.
"This belonged to my son."
Andre froze.
"He was your age."
A pause.
"He hated parties too."
Her voice cracked slightly.
"…But I still forced him to go."
Andre looked at her.
For once
Listening.
"He died of cancer."
Silence hit like a wall.
Andre's grip on the suit tightened.
"I'm not asking you to go for fun."
She said quietly.
"I'm asking you…"
A pause.
"…to live a little."
Andre looked away.
Something shifting inside him.
"…I'll go."
She smiled softly.
"…Good."
The Roberts mansion
Pacho walked in.
Trying to act normal.
Failing.
"Get ready."
He said quickly.
"I'll see you at the party."
He turned
Trying to escape.
She grabbed him.
Pulled him back.
"Why are you running?"
Before he could react
She pushed him onto the bed.
He blinked.
"…Rihanna"
She climbed closer.
Smiling.
But her eyes…
Soft.
Curious.
"You've been acting weird."
He swallowed.
"…I haven't."
She leaned closer.
Really close.
"You have."
A pause.
"Are you nervous around me now?"
Pacho smirked slightly.
"…Never."
She raised a brow.
"Then prove it."
Silence.
Pacho reached out slowly.
Placed his hand gently on her waist.
She didn't pull away.
Instead
She leaned in.
Their faces inches apart.
"…You talk too much," she whispered.
"…You don't let me finish," he replied softly.
A beat.
Then
She kissed him.
Soft.
Slow.
Pacho froze for half a second
Then melted into it.
His hand tightened slightly on her waist.
Pulling her closer.
Her fingers slid into his shirt.
Holding him.
The kiss deepened.
Not rushed.
Not wild.
Just…
Real.
She pulled back slightly.
Breath uneven.
Forehead resting against his.
"…You're trouble."
He smiled faintly.
"…Only for you."
She laughed softly.
Then hugged him.
Tightly.
"You better not break my heart."
Pacho wrapped his arms around her.
Holding her closer.
"I won't."
A pause.
Then a small smirk.
"But I do have a surprise for you."
She pulled back.
Eyes lighting up.
"…What kind of surprise?"
He leaned in slightly.
Whispered near her ear.
"You'll see…"
A pause.
"…at Esmeralda's party."
She smiled.
Excited.
Curious.
"…Now I really can't wait."
They stayed like that for a moment.
Close.
In each others embrace.
Mrs Jenkins Residence
Night
The room was quiet.
Too quiet.
Andre stood by the window, staring into the night.
Then he felt it
A presence.
"…You tied your wings so they don't make a sound."
Andre didn't turn.
A voice answered from behind him.
"Of course I did."
A pause.
"I have a reputation to maintain."
"You know, shadow lurker."
Andre turned slowly.
And there he was.
Azazel.
Sitting comfortably on the bed.
Like he owned the place.
"What are you doing here?"
Andre asked flatly.
Azazel stretched slightly, completely at ease.
"I came to check on my only family."
Andre stared at him.
Then
He smiled.
"That's a lie."
A pause.
"We both know you don't care about anyone."
Azazel placed a hand on his chest dramatically.
"Ouch."
A beat.
"You wound me."
Then his expression shifted.
Just slightly.
"But surprisingly…"
A pause.
"I do care about you."
Silence.
Andre's eyes narrowed.
"…Say what you came to say."
Azazel clapped once.
Light.
Mocking.
"Straight to business."
A grin.
"I like it."
He leaned forward slightly.
"You should join MMA."
Andre frowned.
"…What?"
Azazel smirked.
"You've been busy lately."
A pause.
"Fighting."
"Aura farming."
Another pause.
"Breaking bones."
Andre's voice dropped.
"…What do you mean?"
Azazel tilted his head.
"Don't act innocent."
A pause.
"You broke the rule."
Silence.
Andre's expression hardened.
"…Then I won't fight anymore."
Azazel laughed.
Not loud.
But dark.
"You think it's that simple?"
He stood up slowly.
Wings barely visible behind him.
Shadows bending around his presence.
"Come back with me."
Andre didn't move.
"To the underworld."
Azazel continued.
A pause.
"I'm not a fortune teller…"
His voice lowered.
"…but I see something ahead."
Silence thickened.
"Blood."
"Sorrow.
"And pain."
Andre's jaw tightened.
"You should leave this place…"
Azazel said softly.
"…before it begins."
Andre's eyes darkened.
"…Stop."
A pause.
"…And leave."
Azazel sighed.
Disappointed.
"You still don't get it."
He stepped closer.
Now face to face.
"This isn't a prophecy."
A pause.
"It's a spoiler."
Azazel's eyes glowed faintly.
"You are destruction."
A pause.
"And people…"
His voice dropped to a whisper.
"…are going to die because of you."
Another pause.
"…for you."
"…and by you."
"You yourself will end the life of the ones you care about most."
Silence.
Andre didn't respond.
Didn't move.
But something in his eyes…
Shifted.
Azazel straightened.
Wings spreading slightly.
Dark.
Terrifying.
"Think about it."
With a single flap
He vanished.
The room fell silent again.