Chase Me Tomorrow

First Day at Aurorium Academy

Abigail’s POV

I walked into Aurorium Academy like I owned the place. Not because I wanted to, but because it was the only way to survive here. My first day, and already I felt the eyes on me, whispers floating around like a thick cloud. Every step I took in my heels echoed through the hall, making the stares even worse. It wasn’t just my face they were looking at, but my clothes, expensive, unique, and perfectly tailored to fit. Fashionable enough to stop anyone in their tracks.

I didn’t wear it to show off, but it felt like that’s all anyone cared about.

A group of students whispered nearby. I could feel their gazes darting in my direction. A girl stepped forward, probably thinking she’d be the first to approach me.

“Hi! You’re new, right? I was thinking—”

“I’m not interested.” I cut her off quickly, giving her a polite smile. No need to be rude, but I wasn’t about to waste time on pointless conversations. I had a job to do, though I wasn’t exactly sure what that job was yet. Dad made that part vague.

The girl’s face fell, but she nodded, backing away. I felt a little bad, but that’s just how it had to be. More students tried to come up to me as I walked further down the hall, but each time, I said the same thing. They were all the same. Friendly on the surface, but here? At Aurorium? People wanted something. And I wasn’t here to play their games.

Then, just as I thought I might make it to class without more interruptions, I heard a voice that made my skin crawl.

“Well, well, if it isn’t the new girl.”

I turned around slowly and came face to face with Xioron. His grin was... unsettling, to say the least. He was an Elite, which made him feel untouchable, but I knew better. I’d read his file the night before. He wasn’t at the top of the ranks, far from it. He only became an Elite because of how much his family donated to the school. Basically, he bought his way in.

“You look... hot,” he said, his eyes scanning me in a way that made me wanna punch him. “That body... damn. I bet you break hearts without even trying.”

I forced a smile, though my hands balled into fists at my sides. “Not interested.”

But he didn’t back off. “Come on, you’re too gorgeous to be walking around here alone. Let me show you around. I can give you the real tour. You know, one only the Elites know about.”

“I think I’ll pass,” I said, my voice a little sharper this time.

Xioron stepped closer, and I could feel my irritation turning into something else. Something darker. He leaned in like he owned the place, like he thought his Elite status meant he could do whatever he wanted. But just because he was part of this so-called Elite didn’t mean he could control me. Elites were ranked, after all. Red Elite? Sure, they were slow but have enough power. Blue Elite? Stronger, sharper, more influential than Red. But the Black Elites? They were on a whole different level. The leaders of them all. And Xioron? He wasn’t even close to their rank.

“Look,” I said, trying to keep my cool, “I’m really not in the mood for this.”

He grinned wider, and I felt trapped, like I couldn’t breathe. “You’ll change your mind. Trust me.”

That was it. I had enough. I was about to tell him off when, out of nowhere, a shadow fell over us. The mood shifted in an instant.

The other students around us grew silent, their heads lowering in some kind of nervous respect. I glanced over to see a boy walking towards us, dressed in the sharp black uniform of the academy, a white scarf draped around his neck, and a logo stitched onto his sleeve. Black Elite. The highest rank.

He stopped in front of us, his eyes scanning the scene. “What’s going on here?” His voice was calm but had this edge to it, like he wasn’t really asking. He already knew something was off.

Xioron turned to him, but didn’t answer right away. His usual cocky grin faded a bit, but he tried to hold on to whatever power he thought he had. “None of your business.” Xioron said, waving him off like he was just some regular student.

I could feel the tension spike, like the air was about to c***k open.

The Black Elite boy narrowed his eyes, giving Xioron this cold, piercing glare that sent a shiver down my spine. “Step away,” he said, his voice lower now, like a warning. “Now.”

But Xioron didn’t move. Instead, he scoffed, standing his ground. “I don’t need you telling me what to do. You may be Black Elite, but that doesn’t mean you own the school.”

I could hear the students around us whispering, shifting nervously, some glancing towards the clock. Classes were about to start, but no one was moving. Everyone was too wrapped up in what was about to happen.

I stood there, feeling caught in the middle of something I didn’t fully understand. Xioron was an i***t for pushing the limits, but I didn’t care much for this Black Elite guy either. He might have had power, but I wasn’t sure if I could trust him yet.

The boy in black took a step closer, his face hardening. “I said, step away.”

For a second, I thought Xioron might do something stupid. But then, with a sneer, he backed off. “This isn’t over,” he muttered under his breath, giving me one last look before slinking away into the crowd.

The boy turned to me, his gaze softening just a little. “Are you alright?”

I shrugged. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

Without another word, he nodded and walked off, the students parting like the sea for him. The scene was over, but I could still feel the weight of it, like something had shifted in the academy, and not for the better.

As I made my way to class, I couldn’t help but wonder... who was that guy? And why did he step in to help me? Black Elites didn’t usually bother with stuff like that. There was something strange going on at this school, and I had a feeling I was only scratching the surface.

But one thing was clear. I needed to watch my back.

---

The classroom I walked into was huge, way bigger than any regular classroom I’d ever been in. It felt more like a mini-cinema with rows of seats stacked up, all facing the front like we were about to watch some grand performance. The walls were lined with sleek panels, and the lights were dim, giving the room this weird, serious vibe. I wasn’t surprised though. Aurorium Academy wasn’t like other schools. Everything here was meant to impress, to make you feel like you were part of something bigger.

I scanned the room as I stood at the front, waiting for the teacher to introduce me. Most of the students looked pretty normal, but I could spot a few that stood out. There were three—no, maybe four Red Elites sitting scattered among the students. Their uniforms stood out, red with a kind of fitted, tailored look that screamed status. And then there were a few Blue Elites too, maybe seven at most. They looked sharper, their uniforms a darker shade, more serious. But none of the Black Elites were in this class, except for... him.

I swallowed hard as my eyes landed on Xioron, lounging at the back of the room like he owned it. He caught my eye, grinning like he’d already won something. I clenched my fists by my side, feeling a wave of irritation wash over me. I could already tell he was going to be a problem. How could someone like him even be an Elite? He wasn’t smart, wasn’t strong. Just rich. Bought his rank, and now he thought he could do whatever he wanted.

I didn’t care what it took, I needed to rank up. To get to where the real power was, either Red or Black Elite. That was the only way I’d have enough influence to get rid of people like Xioron. Maybe then, I could finally figure out why Aurorium Academy was so different from every other school.

“Class,” the teacher said, pulling me out of my thoughts, “this is Abigail Amora Golleger. She’s new, and I expect you all to make her feel welcome.” He motioned for me to speak, and I cleared my throat, trying to keep it short.

“Hi. I’m Abigail,” I said, not really giving much detail. I wasn’t about to share my life story with a room full of strangers. “That’s all about it.”

A few students laughed quietly, but Xioron didn’t. He just kept staring at me, his eyes filled with that same twisted look. I felt my stomach turn as I forced myself to keep it together. I was so over him already, and it wasn’t even lunchtime.

The teacher nodded and motioned to a seat near the middle. “You can sit there, Abigail.”

I walked through the rows, feeling the weight of all the eyes on me again. This was becoming a theme, wasn’t it? Everyone watching, waiting for me to trip or say something wrong. But I wasn’t here to entertain them. I slid into my seat, relieved that the attention finally shifted back to the front.

The teacher started talking about something, but I wasn’t paying attention. My mind was racing, thinking about the Elites, about what I needed to do to climb up the ranks. That’s when I realized I’d forgotten something. I reached into my bag, digging around for my pen. Nothing. I checked again, pushing aside books and folders, but still nothing.

I was about to give up when a voice next to me spoke up.

“Here,” a girl said softly, holding out a pen. “You can borrow mine.”

I looked over and saw a girl sitting beside me, smiling kindly. Her uniform was blue, fitted perfectly to her figure. Blue Elite. Great. Just what I needed. More Elites around me. But something about her felt different. She didn’t have that air of superiority, that attitude like she was better than everyone else. She just seemed... normal.

I took the pen, managing a small smile. “Thanks.”

“No problem,” she said, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’m Nathalie, by the way.”

I blinked. Nathalie? A Blue Elite? I wasn’t expecting this. I thought all Elites were arrogant, self-obsessed people who used their rank to push others down. But Nathalie seemed so... nice. Polite, even. It threw me off for a second.

“Abigail,” I replied, feeling a bit awkward. “Nice to meet you.”

She smiled again, and something in her eyes made me feel like maybe not all Elites were the same. Maybe I was wrong about them. But I shook that thought away quickly. I couldn’t afford to trust anyone here.

The teacher’s voice boomed through the room again, snapping me out of my thoughts. “Alright, everyone, get your materials out. We’re starting today’s lesson.”

I grabbed Nathalie’s pen on my table, nodding my thanks again before opening my notebook. As the class went on, I couldn’t help but glance at Nathalie from the corner of my eye. There was something different about her, and it made me uncomfortable. Why was she so kind? Why wasn’t she acting like the others?

I tried to focus, but my thoughts kept drifting back to the Elites. How was I going to move up the ranks? What was the real secret behind Aurorium Academy? And why was Xioron still watching me like he was planning something? And the boy who is a black elite, what is his role in here? What is everyone role in here?

Class dragged on, but my mind stayed busy. I needed to find answers. Fast.