MISTAKE TO MASTERPIECE!💋

Episode 3 - Stepping Into Another World

The first thing Salem noticed when she stepped through the gates of St. Brielle’s Academy was the air. It smelled faintly of roses and freshly cut grass, nothing like the dusty scent of chalk and crowded classrooms she was used to. Even the breeze felt different, as though it belonged to a place where people expected more from life.

Tall marble pillars framed the walkway, leading to a grand building with polished glass doors. Students moved in small groups across the lawns, their uniforms spotless and perfectly fitted. Some of them carried sleek leather bags with gold initials engraved on the side.

Salem’s own uniform was brand new but stiff, the fabric a little too heavy on her shoulders. She clutched the strap of her simple black backpack, acutely aware that it didn’t match the elegance around her.

She tried to keep her head high as she walked toward the main hall, but it was impossible not to notice the stares. A few students glanced at her with mild curiosity; others looked her up and down with something colder in their eyes — as if they had already decided she didn’t belong.

“Are you the scholarship girl?” a tall boy asked as she passed. His tone wasn’t unfriendly, but it wasn’t kind either. Salem gave a small nod and kept walking.

Inside, the main hall was even more overwhelming. A crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, scattering light across the polished floor. The walls were lined with photographs of former students who had gone on to become doctors, judges, politicians, and business magnates. Every face seemed to silently challenge her: Can you live up to this?

She was still staring at one of the portraits when a voice came from behind her.

“Don’t bother memorizing the faces,” the girl said. “You won’t be one of them.”

Salem turned to see a girl about her age, with sleek hair pulled into a perfect ponytail and a badge on her blazer that marked her as a class prefect. Her smile was sharp, almost amused.

“You’re Salem, right? The one who got in for free?” the girl continued. “Just a little advice — people here notice everything. What you wear, how you speak, where you come from… especially where you come from.”

She didn’t wait for a response before walking away, leaving the faint scent of expensive perfume in her wake.

Salem stood there for a moment, her cheeks burning. She had heard of people like this — the ones who thought the school belonged to them and everyone else was just visiting.

Fine, she thought. Let them watch. Let them doubt her.

Because one day, she would not just be the scholarship girl. She would be the girl whose name hung on this wall, whose story everyone whispered about — not because she came from nothing, but because she turned herself into something.