*Secrets and lies*

Chapter 1 : New year, old secrets 🤐

If Weylen University had a theme song, Charlotte was sure it would be dramatic violin music layered over a ticking clock.

It was the first day of the semester, and the school grounds buzzed with students hauling backpacks, waving to friends, and pretending not to dread Advanced Calculus. Everyone looked fresh-faced and excited. Everyone… except her.

Charlotte adjusted her blazer, eyes locked on the main building. Her assignment file—coded, of course—had been sent to her three days ago. Subject line: "Internal Breach Suspected. Trust No One."

Typical Weylen.

She barely made it past the bronze eagle statue when Olivia twirled into view like a commercial for flawless entrances.

“Darling,” Olivia beamed, flipping her hair. “You look tense. Like you haven’t smiled since kindergarten.”

Charlotte blinked. “I was undercover in kindergarten. Smiling wasn’t in the brief.”

Olivia laughed, then whispered behind her coffee cup, “Heard the criminals are blending in better this year. Charming. Handsome. Probably in the drama club.”

Charlotte’s expression didn’t change. “Which means we don’t get to enjoy anyone’s face until we’ve cleared them. Annoying.”

Before Olivia could reply, a third voice cut in, low and calm.

“You two gossip like villains.”

Emma leaned against a bench, sketching something in a small notebook. Her backpack had a patch that read “Licensed Investigator – Kind of.”

Charlotte raised a brow. “You’re early.”

Emma shrugged. “I heard someone screamed in the science wing last night. Figured I'd start the semester with a mystery.”

“Was it another caffeine experiment gone wrong?” Olivia asked. “Because I warned Professor Gray not to trust anyone who drinks three espresso shots before 7 a.m.”

“Could be something worse,” said a voice from above.

The three girls looked up to see Sophia on the roof of the library, sitting cross-legged next to a satellite dish, holding a laptop like it was a pet cat.

She jumped down—gracefully, of course—landing in front of them with a grin. “The school’s security system glitched at 3:17 a.m. Someone accessed a restricted file. I tracked the IP, but it bounced through six different firewalls.”

Emma blinked. “That’s... impressive. Also, mildly terrifying.”

Sophia grinned. “Thanks. I call it ‘Tuesday.’”

Before anyone could unpack the info bomb, a loud CRASH echoed from the hallway behind them.

“EVEEEEELYYYN!” someone shouted.

“IT WASN’T ME!” another voice yelled back. “OKAY, MAYBE IT WAS.”

Enter Evelyn and Isabella—identical twins in permanent frown mode, storming out of the admin building with matching scowls. Behind them, a student picked up a knocked-over trash can and retreated slowly, as if afraid they’d throw it again.

“Let me guess,” Charlotte said. “You two made a friend.”

Isabella grunted. “He asked if we were new here.”

“We’ve been here for three years,” Evelyn added. “He deserved to trip.”

“You tripped him?” Emma asked.

“It was symbolic,” Isabella said.

Before they could explain what that meant, the school bell rang—loud, shrill, and deeply judgmental.

The group scattered toward their classes, but not before Charlotte caught a glimpse of something… strange.

A boy, standing near the history building. Looking directly at her.

He smiled, then disappeared into the crowd.

Charlotte frowned.

That wasn’t just a student.

That was Ethan.

And he wasn’t supposed to be here.