Ethan walked alongside Daisy, his mind heavy with the weight of their family's finances. "Mom and Grandpa carry everything right now," he said, breaking the silence. "They make sure our expenses are met, but I don't want it to just be on them. I want to do something."
Daisy looked up at him. "What are you thinking, brother?"
"I need to find a job," Ethan said firmly.
"A job? Why so suddenly?"
"I want to give Mom and Grandpa some room to breathe," he replied. "To give them some ease."
"Then I'm doing it, too," Daisy said, her voice filled with conviction.
Ethan smiled and shook his head gently. "The best thing you can do right now is focus on your studies. Work hard there—that's your job for now."
Daisy opened her mouth to argue, but they had already reached the school gates. Spotting Sophia in the crowd, she waved and hurried over. Ethan watched her go, a small smile lingering before he turned toward his own classroom.
Inside, the morning hum of the school day had already begun.
"Morning, Ethan," Finn said, dropping into the seat next to him.
"Morning, Finn."
The classroom was alive with the usual chatter—games, weekend plans, and gossip—but Ethan remained quiet, lost in thought. Suddenly, the door swung open, and the room fell into a hushed silence. A tall, striking student stepped inside.
"What's a third-year doing here?" someone whispered.
"That's Jake," another replied.
"He's so handsome... he's basically a celebrity around here."
The murmurs followed Jake as he walked with an air of quiet confidence toward the lectern. He gathered a few stray papers, his expression unreadable. Ethan found himself staring, searching Jake's face for something he couldn't quite define, but Jake simply turned and exited, closing the door softly behind him.
"Teacher probably sent him to grab their notes," a student guessed, and the class quickly returned to its normal volume. Soon after, Mr. Henry arrived, and the lesson began.
Meanwhile, Daisy was at her desk, chatting with Sophia, when several of Olivia's friends approached. Sophia, naturally introverted, shrunk back slightly. Daisy's eyes narrowed, sensing trouble.
The leader of the group, a girl with a sharp blonde bob, stopped in front of them. "Daisy, there's something we need to tell you."
"I'm listening," Daisy said, her voice guarded.
"We're sorry for how we've treated you. Even Olivia wants to make things right. Can you come meet her?"
The girls avoided eye contact.
Daisy paused, considering the offer. "If she truly wants to apologize, then I accept. We don't need a formal meeting for that. Just tell her I forgive her."
The girls exchanged a quick, uncertain look before nodding and walking away. One of them held a phone tucked against her side—the call was live. On the other end, Olivia's face contorted as she clenched her fists.
"Plan A failed," Olivia hissed to herself, a cold, predatory smile spreading across her lips. "I'll just have to lure her out another way. And I have the perfect idea."
The morning classes blurred into lunch. Ethan sat outside the café, his mind still cycling through job ideas. Maybe I should ask Madison's grandfather if he has any openings, he thought.
The cafeteria doors swung open, and Jake stepped out again. He stopped for a beat, his gaze locking onto Ethan's for a fleeting, intense second before his friends caught up to him. Without a word, Jake turned and walked away.
Inside, Daisy was mid-meal with Sophia when her phone vibrated. An unknown number. She ignored it once, but when it rang again immediately, a prickle of anxiety hit her. She answered.
"Hello? Is this Daisy?" a man's voice asked, sounding breathless and urgent.
"Yes, who is this?"
"I work with Mr. Luke. He... he collapsed, Daisy. He's in the hospital now. If you're his relative, you need to get here immediately. I opened his phone and saw yours contact on top, so I called you."
Panic flared in Daisy's chest. "Please, send me the location. I'm on my way!"
She didn't want to worry Ethan until she knew more, so she rushed to the principal's office. After a frantic explanation that her mother was out of town and her grandfather had been hospitalized, she was granted an emergency leave.
Daisy sprinted toward the GPS coordinates sent to her phone. As she ran, a sense of unease began to override her panic. She knew this neighborhood well, and she didn't recall a hospital being in this direction. But the fear for her grandfather pushed her forward.
The GPS led her into a narrow, shadowed alley. Daisy skidded to a halt, her instincts screaming at her to stop. She turned to run back toward the main street, only to find her path blocked.
Olivia stood there, flanked by her friends, a cruel smirk on her face.
"Leaving so soon?" Olivia purred. "But the party's just starting."