The city lights of Los Angeles blurred past the car window as Mark and I settled into the backseat. I tried to ignore the exhaustion pressing against my eyelids, but it was impossible. Mom had this habit—this unstoppable urge—to move every few months. One hospital to the next. One country to the next. I didn’t know if I hated the constant change more than I hated her timing. I mean, who gets moved in the middle of the night and expected to adjust instantly?“Lisa, you awake?” Mark’s voice was soft, careful. I could tell he was just as tired as I was.“Mm… barely,” I muttered, rubbing my eyes.Our mother, Miss Phil, sat in the driver’s seat, eyes glued to the road as if the entire world depended on her concentration. Mom was rich. That’s not even the right word. She was loaded, comfortably so. And everything she touched—our lives included—was always perfect in her mind. Perfect, yet chaotic for the rest of us.I sighed, letting the seat hug me as the car finally stopped outside a sprawling mansion. The kind that made me feel like I’d accidentally wandered into a movie set. The driveway alone had more space than my entire old apartment in Paris. I blinked. Mom didn’t even notice my awe. She was already dragging bags from the trunk like it was nothing.Mark nudged me. “Come on, let’s get your stuff.”I groaned but followed, trudging up the long steps and into the polished marble foyer. Everything smelled new—expensive furniture, fresh paint, and something I couldn’t identify, like vanilla mixed with steel. I hated the feeling of being small in big spaces.After setting my things in my room, I finally got a moment to breathe. I could feel the adrenaline still buzzing from the car ride, from the move, from knowing I’d have to start a new school. Again. I didn’t make friends easily. Not that I wanted to, but starting over repeatedly was exhausting.Two days passed in a blur. I stayed mostly in my room, trying to figure out how I’d survive Mega High without losing my mind. That’s when I decided to take a stroll. Not a walk, a real ride—on my bike. Not the kind you see in parks. I meant a full-speed, city bike. It cleared my mind.And that’s when it happened.Xavier.I didn’t see him. He didn’t see me. Our bikes collided almost head-on. Time slowed. The thud, the surprise, the anger—it all came crashing at once. He barely apologized, smirked instead, that arrogant rich-boy grin that made me want to punch him immediately.Perfect. Just perfect.The next morning, Mom drove Mark and me to Mega High. My stomach twisted as we pulled up. Mega High wasn’t just any school—it was a battlefield. Everyone had a place, a reputation, a following. And everyone wanted what the HKS had: status, power, fear, respect.I stepped through the front doors, backpack heavy, heart heavier. Whispers followed me immediately. Eyes scanned, evaluated, measured. I wanted to shrink into my hoodie and disappear, but it was impossible. The HKS were already noticeable, standing near the central staircase. Xavier, the one I’d collided with, was in their center. The others flanked him: Ken, the cute one obsessed with pink; Kelvin, abs visible even in uniform; Kendrion, the basketball star; Kinsley, the brainiac. Together, they commanded the room.Then there were the TDLS: Lia, leader; Mia and Caesar, her followers. They noticed me immediately, whispering, glaring, plotting.And then… the classroom.I was assigned a seat near Xavier. My stomach did a weird flip, and not the good kind.I tried to ignore him as the teacher droned on about rules and introductions. But my mind couldn’t escape the tension, the awareness of him. He was too close. Too confident. Too everything.Then Lia and the TDLS leaned toward me.“I said,” she leaned closer, voice lower now, sharper, “stay in your lane.”My brows furrowed.“I didn’t cross any lane.”A small scoff came from one of the others.Mia.“She doesn’t even get it,” she said.I looked between them, irritation rising.“I literally just got here.”“That seat?” Lia tapped the desk again. “Is not yours.”Something in me snapped.Not loud. Not dramatic. Just… enough.I stood up suddenly, the chair pushing back with a sharp sound.“The fuck is going on here?” I said, louder than I planned.The room went quiet. Good.“Is it because of this seat?” I continued, anger clear in my voice now. “Fine. No problem.”I grabbed my bag.“I’ll tell the damn teacher to change it.”I turned, ready to walk out.I wasn’t about to deal with unnecessary drama on my first day.Not again. Not here. Not with people I didn’t even know.I took one step.Then—a hand grabbed mine.Firm. Warm. Unstoppable.I froze instantly.Slowly… I turned back.And there he was.Xavier.Standing. Close. Too close.His grip didn’t tighten—but it didn’t loosen either.His eyes locked on mine.Calm. Dangerous. Unreadable.“Where,” he said slowly, voice low enough that only I could hear, “do you think you’re going?