The Red Fox of Westbridge

Toptier girls

After that, the conversation at the table slowly returned to normal.

Laughter came naturally again. Caleb started talking about a game update, Julian joked around like usual, and even Marcus relaxed a little. Theo listened quietly, occasionally adding short comments.

And somehow…

Marin blended in.

It was subtle, almost unnoticeable, but it felt like she had always been part of their group.

Like she belonged there.

—

Not everyone saw it that way.

At a nearby table sat three girls — their classmates.

Cheska Bennett, Kristine Brooks, and France Whitmore

They were known as one of the most popular groups in their year.

And right now—

They were not happy.

Cheska crossed her arms, her brows slightly furrowed as she watched Marin sitting comfortably with the five boys.

She was the third-ranking student in academics, active in school events, and came from a well-known family with multiple businesses. With her brown hair, glasses, and tan skin, she carried a natural elegance.

But what most people didn’t know—

She liked Adrian.

A lot.

And yet…

Adrian had never once noticed her.

—

Beside her, Kristine leaned back in her chair, her expression sharp.

Kristine — was a cheerleader, a constant prom queen, and one of the most talked-about girls in school. With her striking looks and confident presence, she was used to attention.

Especially from Julian.

After all—

They used to date back in 8th grade.

But it didn’t last.

And now, seeing Marin sitting there…

Laughing with him…

Something in her snapped.

—

France, the quietest among them, simply watched.

She came from one of the richest families in the school, always composed and refined. She rarely spoke, but her eyes lingered briefly on Theo before shifting back to Marin.

Even without saying anything—

Her presence felt heavy.

—

Kristine suddenly stood up.

Without a word, she grabbed her drink and walked straight toward Marin’s table.

The boys didn’t notice at first.

But Marin did.

She looked up calmly.

And just as Kristine passed by—

Splash.

Juice spilled across Marin’s uniform.

The cold liquid soaked into the fabric, dripping slightly onto the floor.

The table fell silent.

Kristine placed a hand on her chest dramatically.

“Oops… sorry, Marin,” she said, her tone far from apologetic. “You were in my way.”

Marin slowly stood up.

Her red hair clung slightly to her damp uniform.

For a moment—

She didn’t react.

—

Julian was the first to move.

“Hey—are you okay?” he asked, clearly concerned.

Caleb quickly pulled out his handkerchief and handed it to her.

“Here, use this.”

Adrian stood up as well, his brows slightly furrowed, unsure what to say but visibly worried.

Marcus, however—

His expression darkened.

He shot Kristine a sharp, warning glare.

Theo removed his earphone completely and stood up slowly.

His eyes locked onto Kristine.

“Tine,” he said coldly, “don’t say sorry if it was intentional.”

The air grew tense.

“We know you.”

Kristine smirked slightly.

Theo had never liked her.

Not since she dated Julian.

Not since he saw how she treated people.

Especially other girls.

She had a reputation—

And it wasn’t kind.

Most students feared her, not because of strength, but because of the way she could quietly ruin someone’s social life.

—

Marin gently dabbed her uniform with the handkerchief.

Then she looked up.

Her expression was soft.

Calm.

Almost too calm.

“It’s okay,” she said quietly. “It was probably an accident.”

Julian looked at her, confused.

Marcus frowned slightly.

Theo narrowed his eyes.

Because something about that response…

Didn’t feel right.

—

“Kay,” Kristine said flatly.

She smirked at Marin… then shifted her gaze sharply toward Theo, her eyes turning cold.

“Well, what’s your problem with me, genius?” she snapped.

Her voice was loud enough that nearby students began turning their heads, whispering as the tension rose.

Theo didn’t flinch.

“Well,” he replied calmly, “I just stated a fact, Tine. That’s the truth.”

A few murmurs spread across the cafeteria.

Kristine let out a short, mocking laugh.

“Look, Theo,” she said, crossing her arms, “I don’t care if you’re the smartest person in this room. Don’t act like you know me.”

Her eyes flickered briefly toward [France Whitmore](chatgpt://generic-entity?number=0)… then back to Theo.

“We’re not close.”

There was something deliberate in that glance.

Something only a few would notice.

Then, with a slight tilt of her head, she added—

“Nerd.”

Theo’s expression remained unreadable, but his jaw tightened just slightly.

Kristine turned on her heel.

“Let’s go, girls.”

The three stood up.

As they passed by Marin, [Cheska Bennett](chatgpt://generic-entity?number=1) paused for a second.

She looked Marin up and down—

slowly.

Judging.

Then leaned just enough to whisper near her ear.

“Trying hard.”

She straightened and walked away.

[France Whitmore](chatgpt://generic-entity?number=2) followed quietly, her steps calm and composed. As she passed Kristine, she spoke softly,

“Tine… it’s okay.”

And just like that—

They were gone.

—

Marin remained standing.

Still.

Her uniform slightly stained, her hands resting lightly at her sides.

Her expression?

Soft.

Innocent.

Unreadable.

She watched the three girls walk away… her eyes lingering just a second longer than necessary.

Then she turned back to the boys.

“Guys… it’s really okay,” she said gently.

Julian frowned slightly.

“That didn’t look ‘okay’ to me.”

Caleb scratched his head awkwardly.

“Yeah… they can be like that sometimes.”

Marcus scoffed under his breath, still clearly irritated.

Theo simply sat back down, silent, though his eyes briefly studied Marin.

Adrian, on the other hand—

He was still standing.

Watching her.

There was something in his chest he couldn’t explain.

Worry?

Confusion?

He quickly looked away, pretending it didn’t matter.

—

They all sat down again.

Julian tried to lighten the mood with a joke, while Caleb began explaining.

“Uh… so yeah,” Caleb said, glancing at Marin. “Those three… they’re kinda like the ‘top girls’ here.”

He pointed subtly.

“Cheska’s super smart, like top-tier. Kristine’s… well, you saw that. And France—she’s rich-rich. Like, scary rich.”

Julian added with a grin,

“They’ve basically ruled this place since forever.”

Marin listened quietly.

Nodding.

Smiling softly.

As if she were simply taking everything in.

Understanding.

Learning.

—

But deep inside—

Something else was moving.

Something quiet.

Something patient.

Something… dangerous.