The Purple Eyed, Aria.

Chapter 1: The Outcast

The Outcast

My name is Aria Solenne. I’ve lived in Auxford my whole life. Well, at least the only life I’ve known.

I’m seventeen now, but since I was a kid, I always felt… different. People say it’s because of my eyes.

They’re purple. Not brown, not black, not hazel—just purple. A color no one else has. A color everyone looks at like it’s cursed.

And because of that, I learned how to live quietly. Keep my head down. Don’t talk unless needed. Don’t try to make friends, because even if I do… no one wants me around.

At school, I was “the weird girl.” “The freak.” “The cursed eyes.”

But if I’m honest? It wasn’t the whispers that hurt. It was the laughter. The kind that makes you feel smaller than dirt.

“Move it, purple freak.”

That was Cassandra, the queen bee of Auxford High. Pretty face, sharp tongue, and a heart made of poison. She shoved my shoulder against the locker, making my books fall on the floor.

Her three shadows—Marisse, Glaire, and Tiffane—burst into laughter. They always laughed.

I bent down to pick up my books, but Cassandra stepped on one. “Oops,” she smirked, twisting her heel to tear the cover. “Clumsy much? Oh wait—you don’t even need books, right? It’s not like you’ll have friends to study with.”

The hallway roared with laughter. I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood, my hands trembling as I grabbed my notebook from under her shoe.

“Why don’t you just wear contacts?” Marisse added, flipping her perfect blonde hair. “At least pretend you’re normal.”

“Contacts won’t fix ugly,” Glaire said, loud enough for the entire corridor to hear.

And Tiffane? She just leaned in and whispered, “No wonder no one loves you.”

That one cut the deepest.

It was always like this. Every single day.

I wanted to scream. To fight back. But the words never came out. Instead, I stayed quiet. Silent. Because if I spoke, I’d just give them more reasons to tear me apart.

But then—

“Enough.”

The voice came from behind me. Strong, calm, firm.

Eryx.

He stood there, tall with his messy black hair and sharp eyes that could silence anyone. The boy everyone liked. The one who always seemed… different.

“You four really have nothing better to do?” he said, stepping between me and Cassandra. His tone wasn’t loud, but it had weight. “Pathetic.”

Cassandra’s smirk faltered. For a moment, she looked like she’d swallowed her own venom. But then she laughed, masking her anger.

“Relax, Eryx. We’re just having fun.”

“Funny,” he shot back. “I didn’t hear her laugh.”

The hallway went quiet. Everyone stared. Cassandra rolled her eyes and pulled her friends away, but not before hissing in my ear:

“This isn’t over, freak.”

I stood frozen, clutching my books against my chest. My heart was racing so fast it hurt.

Eryx glanced at me, his expression softening. “Don’t listen to them,” he said quietly. Then he picked up the last notebook I had missed and handed it to me.

Our fingers brushed for just a second. I pulled away quickly, muttering, “T-thanks.”

He smiled, small but real. “Anytime.”

And just like that, he walked away.

For the first time that day, I felt like I could breathe again.

But I also knew Cassandra’s words were true about one thing—

This wasn’t over.