Chapter 1: The Mystery of the Letter
Lilly Vale, sixteen, silent, and socially invisible, was getting ready for another ordinary day at school—or so she thought.
A high school junior and the ever-forgotten middle child, Lilly blended into the background like a shadow at noon. She didn't mind much. Being unnoticed had its perks. No one expected you to talk, smile, or pretend. And today started just like any other—grey skies, a cold morning, and an early class where the chairs outnumbered the students.
She took her usual seat near the window, halfway between the board and the back wall. The room was quiet, too quiet. As she pulled out her books, something unusual caught her eye—a letter. Folded neatly and tucked beneath her desk.
A letter? For her?
No one had ever written to Lilly before. Not a text. Not a sticky note. Nothing.
Curious, she opened it.
> Help me save everyone. Room 13. Everyone is going to die.
Her heart skipped a beat.
"What... the hell?" she whispered.
Her first instinct: prank. It had to be. Someone was trying to mess with her. After all, why her? She was practically invisible.
So she crumpled the note and shoved it into her bag, brushing it off like it was nothing but another schoolyard joke.
The rest of the day trudged on. Periods ticked by, and now it was time for PE—a day her class had a basketball match against the senior team.
That's when he entered the picture.
William Ashford.
Famous. Mysterious. Cold as a winter draft through a broken window. William wasn't just good at basketball—he was the leader of VX3, the school's most admired trio, along with his equally gorgeous best friends Felix and Robin. If high school had royalty, VX3 wore the crown. Girls swooned. Teachers smiled. Boys secretly envied them.
As the match began, cheers erupted across the court. But not for Lilly's class. Most of the girls were screaming for VX3.
Including Yuna. Typical.
Lilly stood in a quiet corner, arms crossed, watching without interest. But someone was watching her.
William's eyes flicked toward her more than once—side glances so subtle you'd miss them unless you were looking.
When the game ended (Lilly's class got crushed, no surprise there), the basketball boys snapped.
"Hey! You girls dumb or what? Our class loses and you're cheering them?" one of the boys shouted, clearly salty.
Lilly sighed. Drama.
Later that day, as students packed up to leave, something strange happened.
Lilly spotted Yuna, frozen outside a door down the hall.
Room 13.
It was never open. Ever. That room had been locked for as long as Lilly could remember—rumored to be haunted, cursed, or both. But today, the door stood ajar.
Yuna was staring inside. Not moving. Not blinking.
"Yuna?" Lilly asked, cautiously walking up behind her. "What are you looking at?"
No reply.
Yuna turned slowly, looked Lilly dead in the eyes... and walked away without saying a word.
Chills ran down Lilly's spine.
She peeked into the room.
Empty.