The moment Amara stepped onto the marble floors of Elysian High, she knew she didn't belong. Her faded sneakers squeaked against the polished tiles like a scream in a silent cathedral. Everywhere she looked, it was designer bags, polished nails, and cars with private drivers. She clutched her backpack tighter and walked straight ahead, ignoring the stares.
"Who let the charity case in?" someone snickered.
She paused but didn't turn. She had promised herself—no matter what, she wouldn't cry.
Just as she reached the staircase, her path was blocked by a group of four stunning boys in navy-blue blazers. One had silver hair and eyes like winter ice—Kai Donovan. The other three stood beside him: fun-loving Riku, artistic and quiet Eli, and playboy Damon.
Kai looked down at her, lips curled slightly. "You're new."
"I'm not blind," she said flatly.
A silence fell around them like a slap. Damon laughed loudly. "Oh, she's got fire."
Kai's gaze sharpened, amused yet dangerous. "Let's see how long it lasts."
As he turned to walk away, a red card fluttered down from his fingers—landing at her feet.
The crowd gasped. A challenge. The Violets' signature card. Anyone who received it… was in for a nightmare.
Amara picked it up slowly, stared at it, then looked up at him. "You made a mistake."
Kai paused.
She tore the card in half.
"I'm not afraid of roses. Even if they have thorns."
The air thickened with tension.
Someone actually gasped. Others just stared, jaws slack, as the pieces of the infamous red card floated to the ground like cursed confetti.
Kai Donovan slowly turned around. His expression didn't change—still unreadable, still calm—but something flickered in his eyes. Surprise? Amusement? No one could tell.
"You have guts," he said coolly.
Amara squared her shoulders. "I'm not here to bow to rich boys with too much time and too little manners."
Damon let out a low whistle. "She just called us jobless. I like her."
Kai's eyes narrowed slightly. "What's your name?"
She stared at him for a moment, then smiled—not sweetly, but like someone who'd walked through fire and learned to love the burn.
"Amara. Remember it. I don't repeat myself."
The bell rang, sharp and shrill, slicing through the tension.
Without waiting for a response, she walked away, her torn uniform hem brushing her calves, her confidence wrapped around her like armor.
The crowd parted.
Some looked at her in awe, others in fear—for going against him. No one ever challenged the Violets. And certainly, no one dared to embarrass Kai Donovan in public.
Behind her, Riku chuckled. "Kai, she just shattered your ice mask in front of the whole school. What are you gonna do about it?"
Kai tilted his head, eyes still on Amara's back as she disappeared around the hallway corner.
"I don't know yet," he said, voice cool as midnight. "But she just made herself unforgettable."
Later That Day – The Cafeteria
Amara sat alone at the farthest table. It was no accident. The moment she entered, the noise had dipped. People whispered, pointed, and avoided her like she carried a virus.
"Outcast already?" a soft voice said beside her.
She looked up to see a girl with messy curls and oversized glasses grinning at her. "Name's Yemi. I was outcast last semester for correcting the principal's grammar."
Amara cracked a small smile. "Looks like we'll get along just fine."
As they shared lunch—plain rice and beans from Amara's packed meal—students gasped again.
The cafeteria door opened.
The Violets walked in.
But instead of heading for their usual private table in the back, Kai walked straight toward Amara.
She stiffened.
He stood at her table, glancing at her food like it was from another planet.
"What is that?" he asked flatly.
Amara didn't blink. "Real food. Something money can't buy."
He smirked. "Prove it."
Before she could stop him, he picked up her spoon and took a bite.
The cafeteria went silent.
Amara stared in shock.
He chewed thoughtfully, then nodded. "Not bad."
He leaned in slightly. "But don't get comfortable, Amara. I haven't even started with you."
He walked away without waiting for her reply.
Yemi gawked. "Girl, you just declared war with the richest boy in school... and fed him. Are you insane?"
Amara sighed, leaning back. "Maybe."
But even she had to admit—her heart was pounding.
Not in fear.
But in something far more dangerous
---
Amara stared at the empty spot where Kai Donovan had just stood.
She wasn't sure what rattled her more—the fact that he'd eaten her food without asking, or the way her heart skipped a beat when he smirked at her. She wasn't the type to get flustered over boys, especially not arrogant, entitled ones like him. But there was something about his gaze. Cold, unreadable, yet curious. Like she was a puzzle he suddenly wanted to solve.
"Hey," Yemi said, waving a hand in front of her face. "Don't get hypnotized. That's how they start."
Amara blinked. "Start what?"
"Getting in your head. Messing with your life. The Violets don't bother with people like us unless they're planning to ruin something."
Amara folded her arms. "Then let him try. I'm not afraid of rich boys playing games."
"You should be," Yemi said, suddenly serious. "He's not like the others. Kai doesn't just destroy people. He breaks them slowly."
Amara met her gaze calmly. "He picked the wrong girl this time."
That Night – At Home
Amara sat on her narrow bed, flipping through a worn-out textbook. The electricity had gone out again, and her little rechargeable lamp flickered weakly. Her younger brother was fast asleep beside her, curled into a blanket.
She should've been focused on studying for tomorrow's math test, but her mind was stuck in the cafeteria. In those seconds when Kai had looked at her like she was worth noticing. Like she was more than a scholarship girl in old sneakers.
She hated that it unsettled her.
Not because she wanted his attention—but because she knew what attention like his could cost.
Her mother peeked into the room, smiling tiredly. "Still up?"
"Yeah," Amara said. "Just revising."
"You're doing great, sweetheart. Don't let those rich kids push you around."
Amara smiled faintly. "I won't. I promise."
The Next Morning – Elysian High Courtyard
Amara walked into school, head held high. She had no intention of letting yesterday define her.
But the moment she stepped onto the school grounds, she noticed it.
The stares.
The whispers.
The posters.
All over the courtyard, on lockers, on classroom doors—there were printed flyers with her photo. A still from the cafeteria security cam.
> "This week's charity case crush—Amara Jones. Kai's new entertainment project."
Her jaw tightened.
She grabbed one of the flyers and crumpled it in her fist.
From the second floor balcony, Kai watched silently, his hands in his pockets. Damon laughed beside him. "That didn't take long. Someone's playing dirty."
"She's not reacting," Riku said, tilting his head. "She's stronger than I thought."
"She'll break," Eli murmured. "They always do."
Kai didn't say a word. His eyes were still on her. The way she didn't flinch. The way she didn't cry. The way she picked up her bag and walked straight through the chaos with her chin up.
He felt it again—that tug in his chest. The one that whispered she's not like the others.
"She won't break," he finally said.
The others turned to him in surprise.
"She'll fight back."
As Amara marched down the hallway, clutching the crumpled flyer, her steps echoed with purpose. Every pair of eyes followed her, waiting for her to run away, to cry, to beg for the attention to stop.
But instead, she stopped at the student council noticeboard, pulled out a pen from her bag, and scribbled something across one of the posters taped there.
Students gathered around, craning their necks.
In bold black ink, she wrote:
> "If you're going to stalk me, at least use a better angle. Sincerely, The 'Charity Case Crush.'"
A few gasps.
Then, silence.
Then—laughter.
One student chuckled. Another girl near the lockers giggled behind her hand. Yemi, who had just walked in, stared in awe.
"She actually clapped back," she muttered.
From above, Kai leaned forward ever so slightly. He hadn't expected that. She didn't hide. She mocked them. He couldn't help the curve of interest tugging at the edge of his lips.
But just as quickly, it faded. His eyes darkened.
"She's making herself a target," Eli said quietly.
"She already was," Kai replied. "Now she's proving she doesn't care."
Lunch Break – Rooftop
Amara escaped to the rooftop, needing a moment of quiet. She leaned against the rusted railing, letting the wind brush through her braids. The city stretched far in the distance, glittering with opportunity—and cruelty.
Behind her, the rooftop door creaked open.
"Don't worry," Yemi's voice said. "It's just your sidekick."
Amara turned and offered her a small smile. "You came to escape too?"
Yemi handed her a wrapped snack. "No. I came to warn you."
"About what now?"
"They're planning something. I overheard two girls in the bathroom saying you 'won't last a week.' One of them said they're going to embarrass you publicly. Make you wish you never stepped foot in this school."
Amara looked away, jaw clenching. "Let them try."
Yemi shook her head. "I admire your courage, but Elysian High is a battlefield. And The Violets? They run this war."
Amara stared up at the sky, defiant. "Then maybe it's time someone changes the rules."
Elsewhere – Violet Lounge
In the exclusive upper-level lounge where only The Violets were allowed, Kai sat in silence as Riku played music and Damon flirted with a group of senior girls through messages.
"She's not scared," Riku said, scrolling through social media posts. "People are starting to like her because of it."
"Or envy her," Eli added, flipping through his sketchbook. "Kai, you sure you want to keep playing with her? She's not like the others."
Kai didn't look up. He was flipping through a school file. Her file.
"Her grades are top-tier. Full scholarship. Works part-time after school. Lives in one of the poorest districts. No father in her life."
He closed the file and stared out the window.
"She's not playing