AURA

AURA farming

Rachel's POV

I strode into the hallway, heel wacky but my smile intact, and the crowd's gaze locked onto me. I was the main act now, and I wasn't about to disappoint.

I winced as my heel hit the floor, the sharp c***k echoing through the hallway. All eyes snapped to me, and for a split second, I froze. The sedatives still lingered, fogging my brain.

But I recovered fast. I straightened, adjusting my glasses and walked straight into the slippery floor . Damnit!

I pushed myself up from the oil slick, my glasses askew, but my aura was anything but broken. I straightened, a fiery confidence rolling off me, and the crowd's laughter died.

Silence.

I adjusted my glasses, eyes flashing with amusement, and began to walk. No one dared to move. I strode past the frozen crowd, oil dripping off me, leaving a trail of stunned faces.

The principal's office, here I come .

***********************

I walked into the principal's office, oil still dripping off me, and the secretary's eyes widened. "Uh, can I help you?"

I smiled sweetly. "Rachel, new student. Here to, ah, 'discuss' my entrance."

The principal, a no-nonsense woman with a kind smile, looked up from her papers. "Ah, Rachel! Welcome. Sorry about the... um, messy entrance."

I chuckled, taking a seat. "All part of the charm, Ms...?"

"Ms. Patel. So, Rachel, we'll need you to take an entrance exam to assess your placement. And, uh, a cooking practical."

My heart sank. Cooking? 😬

"Cooking?"

Ms. Patel nodded. "Our school emphasizes practical skills. Don't worry, it's just a simple dish. Can you, uh, cook?"

I bit my lip. Not. A. Thing.

What do I do?

I cleared my throat..

I smiled, unfazed. "Ma'am, I don't really know how to cook, but this is why I'm here to learn... So I will proudly take every exam and practical I have to."

Ms. Patel raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "Very... confident, Rachel. Alright, I like that. We'll schedule the entrance exam and cooking practical. You'll be expected to catch up, though."

I nodded, still smiling. "I'll catch up, ma'am."

She nodded, impressed. "Alright, let's get the paperwork done. Welcome to Springdale, Rachel."

I beamed, and the secretary handed me a thick folder. "Entrance exam's tomorrow. Cooking practical's... let's say Friday. Good luck

**********************

After the meeting I went to the ladies room to freshen up.

I pushed open the door, and was immediately hit with a wave of awkwardness. Some guy with emerald green eyes and dark hair , was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, and our eyes locked like magnets.

For a beat, we just stared. Me, mortified, oil-stained and dripping; him, amused.

"Wrong door," he drawled, a smirk creeping onto his face.

I recovered fast. "Clearly."

He pushed off the wall, moving closer. "You make a habit of crashing guys' rooms?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Only when they're hot."

The guy's smirk , turned intrigued. "You know how to play, don't you?"

I smiled sweetly. "I play to win." He grinned and it quickly vanished the same way it came . Then the guy turned on his heel and left . And I went back to freshning up ..

*. *. *. *. *.

Charlie's POV

I sauntered into the cafeteria, scanning the room like I owned the place. My boys were at our usual table, and I slid into my seat, grabbing a fry off Phil's plate.

Phil nodded at me. "So, guys, what do you think of the new girl?"

Jace shrugged. "She's pretty hot for a nerd."

They turned to me. "What about you, Charlie?"

I glanced her way, catching her laughing with Emma's crew. She was... distracting. "Ah... She's fine," I said, casual as hell.

Rick raised an eyebrow. "Fine? That's it?"

I shrugged, taking a sip of my soda. "What more's there to say?"

Suddenly the school fake queen bee crystal sauntered over, fake smile plastered. "Hey, new wanna be," she sneered, eyeing the new girl.

she looked up, calm as pond water. 😏

Emma stepped in. "Leave her alone, Crystal."

Crystal pouted. "Oh, okay Emma. Why not?"

In a flash, she grabbed the glass and poured water all over the new girl . Gasps echoed.

I raised an eyebrow. "Dramatic much?" I said.

The room froze.

I smirked.

The new girl slowly stood, a sly smile spreading. She slipped off her glasses, and the room gasped. Her eyes sparkled, and her wet shirt clung to her curves. She ran a hand through her hair, and the cafeteria erupted.

Crystal's face turned beet red. "b***h," she muttered.

The room hummed. Jace whispered, "Whoa."

I leaned back, intrigued. "Guess the new girl's got claws." I scoffed.

Rachel's POV

I flopped onto the couch, and Emma immediately pounced. "Rach, you were AMAZING! 😏 Crystal's gonna be talking about this for weeks!"

I smirked, twisting my wet hair. "Just the beginning, cuz."

Emma's eyes sparkled. "Oh no, what are you planning?"

I leaned in, voice low. "Time to give Crystal a taste of her own medicine." I said smirking.

we chatted for a while then I went upstairs , I showered then I settled into my cozy bed, textbooks sprawled around me. The cafeteria drama faded as I dove into cooking jargon – sauces, techniques, recipes. My mind wandered occasionally . Focus, Rach.

I finished studying then I laid on my bed staring at the ceiling .

The silence was heavy, my mind a jumble of thoughts. I reached for the familiar bottle, tapping out a pill. The familiar bitter taste, the slow creep of calm... 😴

Sleep took me.