The sound of the alarm broke the calm of the morning. Grey turned it off with one quick motion and stared at the ceiling for a few seconds, trying to process the idea—it was his first day of high school.
A new beginning… he thought as sunlight slipped through the curtains, painting the walls in shades of gold.
In the kitchen, the smell of coffee and toasted bread filled the air. Cora was already there, wearing her uniform perfectly, her hair loose, playing idly with an apple.
"Look who actually woke up on time," she said with a teasing smile.
"Barely," Grey replied, pouring himself some juice. "If it weren't for you, I'd probably still be asleep."
"That's what I'm here for," she said, shrugging. "To keep you alive."
Talia walked in, calm but sharp as always.
"Ready for the big day?" she asked, setting a few papers on the table.
"More or less," Grey said. "Not sure if I'm excited or nervous."
"I am nervous," Cora admitted. "It's been so long since we had something this… normal. It feels weird."
Talia smiled gently.
"After everything you've been through, you both deserve a bit of normal," she said, placing a hand on each of their shoulders. "And remember—no one needs to know what you are."
"We know, Mom," Cora nodded.
Grey grabbed his backpack, sighed, and muttered,
"Let's see what starting over feels like."
The walk to school was full of chatter, laughter, and the hum of passing cars. Beacon Hills High stood tall ahead of them, with its brick walls and the noise of hundreds of students filling the air. Cora looked around with curiosity, while Grey tried his best not to look too out of place.
"It's not as bad as I imagined," she said, eyeing the hallways covered in posters.
"Give it a week," Grey joked. "Something's bound to explode."
"You're such an optimist," Cora said, rolling her eyes.
They laughed, walking through the crowd. There was something oddly comforting about blending in, about being part of something that didn't require hiding. For a moment, everything almost felt… normal.
Classes went by quickly. Grey adapted easily, catching on to lessons faster than most. Teachers noticed, and so did some of the students. Cora, on the other hand, stood out effortlessly—her poise and quiet confidence drew eyes even when she pretended not to care.
At lunch, they sat under a tree, enjoying a break.
"You know, it wasn't that bad," Cora said, taking a bite of her cookie.
"Told you. We survived the fire, this is nothing," Grey said with a crooked grin.
"You always have to say something like that, huh?" she teased, giving him a light shove.
He laughed softly.
"It's part of my charm."
Cora rolled her eyes and hid a laugh behind her notebook, pretending not to be flustered by the comment.
Around them, the noise of the schoolyard filled the air. Friends talked, couples laughed, groups argued over homework—it all felt distant and peaceful. For a few minutes, they were just two teenagers sharing a quiet afternoon.
The rest of the day passed in a blur of new faces and introductions. When the final bell rang, Grey and Cora walked out together, the sun sinking behind the trees, coloring the sky with orange and violet tones.
"I guess tomorrow's going to be… a weird day," Grey murmured. "New classes, new people… and everything that's going on."
"Yeah," Cora said softly, staring at the horizon. "But as long as we're together, it won't be that bad."
Grey smiled faintly.
"Promise."
Just as they were about to leave, they caught the sound of voices coming from the corner of the hallway. They didn't recognize them, but the words froze them in place.
"I heard they found a woman's body near the woods… they say it was a mountain lion attack," whispered a nervous voice.
"You should come with me tonight, I want to check it out," the same voice added, almost excited.
"Are you crazy? That sounds dangerous," the other replied, uncertain.
"Come on, I can't go alone… don't you want to know what really happened?" the first insisted, lowering his tone.
Grey frowned, tension prickling in his chest. Cora glanced at him, and both instantly knew it wasn't just some random rumor.
It can't be a coincidence… Grey thought, his pulse quickening.
"Do you think we should…?" Cora whispered, leaving the question hanging.
"Yeah," Grey said quietly, his voice firm. "We need to follow them tonight."
They slipped away unnoticed, blending into the crowd of students leaving the school. The afternoon light had dimmed, and an uneasy feeling crept through the air.
As they walked home, silence lingered between them. Only the sound of wind rustling through the trees filled the space. Cora finally spoke.
"If it's really what I think it is… we're not ready for something like this."
"Maybe not," Grey admitted, looking at the ground. "But we can't just ignore it either."
Cora nodded slowly.
"Then we'll go. But this time… we think before we act."
Grey smirked faintly.
"Deal."
The breeze picked up, brushing against their skin, carrying the faint scent of pine and dusk. The first day of school was over, but beneath the quiet sunset, something darker stirred in Beacon Hills—something that would soon pull them into the unknown.