Selene's POV
"Come… come to me."
The voice was soft, yet commanding—neither male nor female, neither kind nor cruel. It echoed through the endless darkness, wrapping around me like cold smoke.
My bare feet moved on their own.
Each step echoed loudly in the empty hall, the sound bouncing off unseen walls. The place felt ancient, abandoned, and wrong. Shadows clung to the corners, stretching unnaturally as if they were alive.
"Come closer…"
I hugged myself, shivering violently. My breathing grew uneven, my chest tightening with every step forward. I didn't know where I was, yet something deep inside me recognized this place.
The air grew heavier.
Hot… yet cold.
Suddenly—
A shadow flashed past me, swift and powerful, brushing against my shoulder like a blade of wind.
"I've been waiting," it whispered.
My heart slammed painfully against my ribs.
"Waiting… for you."
"AHHH!"
I jolted upright, my scream tearing through the silence of my room.
Sweat drenched my skin, my hair sticking to my face. My chest rose and fell rapidly as I gasped for air, my eyes darting around wildly. My room. My bed. The soft glow of the night lamp.
A nightmare… just a nightmare.
I reached for the glass of water on my bedside table and drank it all in one go, my hands trembling.
But even as my breathing steadied, the feeling remained.
That voice.
It hadn't felt like a dream.
It felt like a call.
NLGS
The next morning, the halls of NLGS buzzed with their usual noise—laughter, gossip, heels clicking against polished floors. To the powerful, it was paradise.
To the weak, it was hell.
Angela and her crew cornered Lucy near the back hallway, where teachers rarely passed. Lucy clutched her books tightly to her chest, her oversized uniform hanging loosely on her thin frame.
"Well, well," Angela sneered. "Seems you haven't learned your lesson yet, Four Eyes."
Lucy tried to step back, but Terry shoved her hard.
She hit the floor with a dull thud.
"Poor little rat," Terry said, laughing. "Your place is below us. So when we're talking, you look down."
Lucy's glasses slid off her face. Tears welled in her eyes as she tried to reach for them.
"Please… what did I ever do to you guys?" she sobbed.
Angela crouched in front of her, gripping her chin roughly and forcing her head up. "You want to know what you did?"
Lucy nodded weakly.
"You dared to look at Felix."
The words hit harder than the slap that followed.
They dragged Lucy into the girls' restroom, ignoring her cries. The door slammed shut, muffling the sound of her sobs. Angela shoved her face down toward the dirty tiled floor.
"Clean it."
Lucy shook her head desperately. "Please… please don't—"
Terry grabbed her hair and forced her head down. Water splashed everywhere as Lucy cried, her hair soaking up the filth.
"Do it properly," Angela said coldly. "Use your hair."
When they were done, they stepped back, disgust and satisfaction written all over their faces.
"The next time I see you anywhere near Felix," Angela warned, leaning close, her voice dripping with venom, "I'll make sure not even your wretched mother recognizes you."
They left, laughing loudly as if they had just finished a game.
Lucy remained there, curled up on the cold floor, her arms wrapped around her knees. Her quiet sobs echoed in the empty restroom.
Students walked in and out, whispering.
"Poor thing…" "She deserved it." "That's what happens when you forget your place."
Lucy lowered her head further, wishing she could disappear.