Mia's Point of View:
I couldn't stay still in my seat during class. Everyone else was glued to the teacher up front, but Matt and I were clearly the only ones who couldn't relax.
"Do you think she's okay?" I whispered to Matt, who was staring out the window with a dead-serious look on his face.
He didn't answer. I could tell he was just as nervous as I was. Zein was all alone in that class, and even though she's a tough girl, she's still a girl.
I started breaking out in a cold sweat again as I remembered what happened earlier. That smirk from the guy with the red hair....
*flashback*
I was just staring out the window. Math was honestly so boring.
My forehead creased when a guy with bright red hair suddenly appeared-----fair-skinned, sharp nose, tall, broad build, and his ears were covered in piercings. He was standing outside the window, just smirking and looking straight at me.
I couldn't look away. It was like I was hypnotized. I couldn't even turn to look at Zein, who had been calling my name for a while. He just stood there for a few minutes, and then that creepy smirk crawled across his face again. It gave me the chills.
Then everything happened so fast. In the blink of an eye, he vanished, leaving behind an image that absolutely traumatized me---a man who was clearly dead, tied to a chair.
I grabbed Zein and hugged her, totally shaken and terrified.
*end of flashback*
"Ms. Almia Mendez? Are you with us?"
My thoughts were cuts short when I heard my name. I felt a wave of embarrassment when I realized everyone, including the teacher, was staring at me.
"I'm sorry," I said politely, bowing my head a little.
Dave reached out and held my hand, so I couldn't help but look at him, but his eyes we're fixed on the front of the room.
****
Zein's Point of View:
I could feel beads of sweat forming on my forehead. My heart was pounding so fast, it felt like I was in the middle of a trial.
"Are you okay?" The girl next to me asked, sounding like she was almost laughing at me.
I just nodded without looking at her. A nail? Who is she? What's her connection to the Black Blood Gang, whose symbol is a nail?
Shit! Is she an accomplice to the murders?
"You want to know everything?" She whispered in my ear, making the hair on my whole body stand up. Even my plams were sweating.
Wait, what was she even talking about? Was this about HU?
"Nah. I'll figure it all out on my own. I don't need your help," I answered, trying to sound brave.
She let out a deafening laugh. Not a single one of our classmates dared to even look back, as if looking would literally kill them.
Who is she? What's her rank in HU?
"Your curiousity will kill you, Zein. But if you really wanna know, it's better if you find out yourself," She whispered again.
I frowned. I didn't understand a thing she said. I couldn't think straight because her presence felt so heavy and suffocating.
Our teacher finally arrived, looking visibly shaken. He was drenched in sweat and kept glancing around, like he was hiding from someone.
"You're late, Mr. Dimatalo," She said.
Mr. Dimatalo started sweating even more. He was clearly shaking. What was his problem? Was someone chasing him?
Shit, curiousity is killing me.
"I'm sorry," Our teacher replied before starting the lesson.
I couldn't focus on anything he was saying because my mind was racing. My head was starting to ache, and it felt like my brain was going to explode from overthinking.
What is with Hell University?
"Poor girl. If I were you, I'd stop poking around. You might leave this world earlier than expected," The girl threatened.
I gathered every bit of courage I had before turning to look into her pitch-black eyes. There was just something so intimidating about the way she started at me.
"Who are you?" I asked boldly.
"Let's just say I'm one of the most feared people here. No one has ever dared to tell at me the way you do. You know why? Of course not, so you'll look for answers, right? Go! Feed your curiousity. You've already impressed me, Ms. Zein Shion. I wonder what you'll do next to impress me even more?"
I spent the rest of the class just staring into space, her words replaying in my head over and over.
****
Our last subject is from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Class ends just thirty minutes before Bloody Night.
I skipped class, so I know my friends are probably worried sick.
I quickly his behind a pillar and kept moving from spot to spot so that evil-looking girl wouldn't notice I was following her.
Is this the right thing to do? Or am I just walking straight into danger? Fear was eating me alive, but my curiousity was winning.
I must have spaced out for a second because I lost sight of her. I stepped out from my hiding spot and looked around frantically. Shit, I lost her!
Then everything happened in a flash. I gasped as I felt the cold tip of a nail pressed against my neck. One wrong move and it would sink into my skin.
"Are you ready to die?" She threatened.
I swallowed hard, my lips thrembling. I closed my eyes tight as she presses the nail even harder against my neck.
"You're bold, huh? Who do you think I am? Someone you can just trick? You really don't know me. I've killed a lot of people. Wanna be next?" She taunted, her voice chilling.
I couldn't deny she was right, though. It was clearer now why she's one of the most feared people on campus. In the few seconds she was out of my sight, she managed to catch me.
"Who are you, really?" I asked.
I breathed a sigh of relief when she finally let me go. She tucked the nail back into her pocket.
"You wanna know my name?" She asked. "Well, I am Nicky Colt. Remember my name, bitch!"
Just like earlier, she vanished from my sight in an instant.
I slumped to the floor, my legs feeling like jelly. My breathing was ragged, like I'd been running from a wild animal. No---she is a wild animal.
I don't know how many minutes I sat there. I still felt so weak.
"No class?"
I jumped and stood up when someone spoke behind me. I spun around quickly to see who it was. A guy with glasses stood there, notebook in hand. He looked like a total nerd, but for some reason, my knees started shaking twice as hard.
"Full name, please?"
"Zein Shion."
He flipped through his notebook, looking for my name. He was frowning as he searched. This guy looked like a normal student, but why did he have such an intimidating aura?
"Boom!"
I screamed when he suddenly startled me. He laughed and laughed while I clutched my chest. Seriously, this guy.
"Why would you do that?!" I yelled.
He turned serious again and adjusted his glasses.
"You have a class right now, don't you? Why are you here?" He asked.
"Why do you care?!"
I turned my back to leave, but he grabbed my arm, so I looked back at him. The guy was smirking now. When he tightened his grip, his nails digging into my skin, I couldn't help but yell in pain.
"O-ouch!"
I tired to struggle, but I couldn't do anything. He was incredibly strong.
A few more seconds passed before he let go. I sank to the floor again, feeling totally drained. He only used one hand, but it felt like my bones were about to break. What monster-like strength.
Now I'm wondering.... is he really just an ordinary student?
"Look at my arm...."
I felt sick when I saw the mark his hand left. Even the imprints of his fingernails were there.
"That's the first warning, Ms. Zein Shion. If I catch you wandering around during class hours again, I might just take that arm off for good."
"Who are you?" I asked.
"Ace Craige. I'm the Supreme Student President of Hell University. Nice meeting you, Ms. Shion."
I just watched until he disappeared from sight, my brain still trying to process everything.
"P-president? Ace?"
Is it him? The only Nicky was talking about when I arrived late in class? The reason students and even teachers are so terrified of being late?
He looks like a nerd, but inside him was a demon with insane strength. No wonder everyone is scared of him.
Damn! We are literally surrouuby demons.
I held my arm as I headed to our last subject. The moment I walked in, our teacher stopped talking. His eyes went straight to my arm, and he just shook his head.
I went straight to the back where my worried friends we're waiting.
"Where have you been?! Shit, Zein! Are you trying to kill us with worry?" Vanesss blurted out.
I couldn't even answer because of the shock. I had just ran into two of the most terrifying people in HU. Nicky who almost stabbed my neck, and President Ace, who almost crushed my arm. Lucky me.
"What happened to your arm?" Matt asked. He roughly pulled my hand away to see it. "Who did this?" He asked firmly.
I heard whipers throughout the classroom as everyone stared at my arm. What is their problem? Are they going to gossip about this too? Seriously, do they have to discuss everything?
"What happened?!" Mia asked worriedly, looking at my arm, which was bright red with Ace's fingernail marks.
"That's the Supreme Mark Warning Number One."
We all looked at our tecaher, who was just shaking his head. He handed over a first aid kit, and Jerome took it to treat my arm.
"What does it mean?" Dave asked.
"The Supremo did that. Just make sure you don't get two more warnings. Otherwise, you're headed for the grave."
I almost laughed at what the teacher said. Warning that-----seriously, they were being so dramatic.
"Supremo? Who?" Dave asked next.
"Ace Craige," I muttered under my breath.
Class started, and no one said a word. It was like everyone was too scared to even more. I suddenly felt a wave of pity for the students here.
We've only been here a few days, and we can barely sleep at night. What about the ones who have been here a long time? What kind of brutality have they witnessed and experienced?
Who are the people actually running Hell University? Who are the members of Black Blood Gang and the Devil God Warriors? Who is behind all of this?
Nicky's words came flooding back: "Your curiousity will kill you, Zein. But if you really wanna know.... it's better if you find out yourself."
I swallowed hard as I realized what she meant. Does she want me to go out when Bloody Night starts?
Shit! It's like..... something is pushing me to do it.
This is bad. So bad.