The morning had a weird energy. I could feel it buzzing through the halls before I even reached the school. The lockers clanged, the announcements droned on in the background, and students jostled past each other, but my head wasn’t in the chaos. It was elsewhere.
Zayelle. Today she would finally start, and for some reason, my chest felt tight just thinking about it. Lena, of course, had been whispering excitedly all morning. “Cass, brace yourself. She’s about to enter the battlefield of high school like a tiny queen. You’re ready, right?”
I nodded, trying to seem casual. Lena smirked. “Don’t lie. You’re nervous. Admit it.”
“I’m… slightly apprehensive,” I muttered.
“Good,” she said. “A little fear keeps you alive.”
I reached my usual table in the cafeteria, my tray loaded with sandwic
