The echoes of hiddenvile high

Episode 1 It was a bright morning at Hidden Ville High. Students filled the hallways, their voices echoing as lockers slammed open and shut. The smell of fresh coffee drifted from the teachers’ lounge, mixing with the usual noise and chaos of a new school day. Everything felt normal. Until she walked in. The front gates opened, and the new girl stepped inside. She was tall and slim, with coily hair that framed her face. Her presence was different — noticeable. In a school filled with mostly white and mixed students, she stood out. Immediately… heads turned. Whispers followed. “Who’s that girl?” “Is she new?” “Oh my gosh… she’s so pretty.” “I love her skin.” “Ew… she looks weird.” The words came from all directions — some kind, some cruel. She heard some of the things said but pretended not to care, though her chest felt tight. She walked around for a few minutes, searching for the principal’s office. Just as she turned a corner— Bang! She bumped into three girls. Missy. Regina. Talia. The mean girls. “Oh—sorry,” she said quickly. Missy rolled her eyes. Regina smirked and bumped her shoulder harder. “Watch where you’re going,” Talia muttered. The girl said nothing. She didn’t want trouble. Not on her first day. Finally, she reached the principal’s office. “Name?” the principal asked. “Iris,” she replied softly. Moments later, Iris was standing in front of her new class. “Class, we have a new student,” Mrs. Bella said with a smile. Then she asked Iris to introduce herself. Iris hesitated for a second. Her heart raced, but she forced herself to speak. “My name is Iris… and I just moved here.” Her voice was calm, even if she wasn’t. Mrs. Bella thanked her and showed Iris her seat — in front of a very quiet girl, and beside her was a chill, brunette girl named Jenna. Jenna smiled as Iris sat down. They got along easily, and for the first time that day, Iris felt a little comfortable. The bell for lunch rang, and Jenna took Iris to the cafeteria. She ate and socialized with both girls and boys. They asked her questions: “Where are you from?” “Why did you come to California?” “Why is your hair texture like this?” She answered politely. As she was talking, a little light sparkled from Iris’s necklace, catching Jenna’s attention. She couldn’t help but ask where it was from — in front of everyone. Iris panicked. “Oh… it’s just an old necklace my grandma gave me,” she said. But something inside Jenna told her this was no ordinary necklace. Curiosity grew. The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. Iris and Jenna walked back to class. Jenna kept asking about the necklace. “Can I see it?” she asked. “No!” Iris said immediately. Jenna reached for it anyway. “Let me see it!” “No—give it back!” Iris shouted. Suddenly, a spark of light flashed from Iris’s hand. Lockers slammed shut. Papers lifted into the air . The classroom went silent. Everyone stared. Iris froze.