ST. VERITAS HIGH: THE DIAMOND LEAGUE.

CHAPTER 6: TWO DIFFERENT WORLDS

By the time Tuesday afternoon came to an end, Aurora was exhausted.

She had spent the entire day trying to understand St. Veritas High.

The rules, the leagues and the annoying privileges.

And, of course, the five Gold League girls who had already made it clear that they weren't going to make her first week easy.

But instead of going straight home, Aurora decided to make a small detour.

She wanted to see her parents.

More importantly, she wanted to see the cafe.

Their cafe.

The little dream her father had talked about for years.

As she approached the building, a small smile appeared on her face.

A wooden sign hung above the entrance.

SIMPSON'S CAFE

It wasn't enormous.

It wasn't luxurious.

But it was warm.

Through the glass windows, Aurora could see several tables, comfortable chairs, bookshelves filled with novels, and a few customers quietly reading.

Her father's dream had actually come true.

Aurora pushed the door open.

A small bell rang above her.

Her father was behind the counter, carefully placing a cup of latte in front of a customer.

"Here you go, sir."

"Thank you." The customer replied.

Her father smiled before turning toward the entrance.

The moment he saw Aurora, his face brightened.

"There's my girl."

Aurora smiled.

"Hi, Dad." She greeted, giving him a hug.

She dropped her backpack beside one of the chairs and sat down.

Her mother immediately appeared from behind the counter.

"My daughter!"

She hurried toward Aurora.

"How was school?"

Before Aurora could answer, her mother placed a glass of water in front of her.

"Drink first."

Aurora laughed.

"Thank you, Mom."

She picked up the glass and took several gulps.

Her mother sat opposite her.

"So?"

Aurora lowered the glass.

"So what?"

Her mother raised an eyebrow.

"How was your first real day at St. Veritas?"

Aurora stared at her for a moment.

Then she sighed.

"Mom..."

"Yes?"

"That school is crazy."

Her mother laughed.

"Crazy?"

"You wouldn't believe what I saw."

Aurora leaned forward.

"The students have leagues."

Her mother frowned.

"Leagues?"

"Diamond, Gold, Silver and Bronze."

She continued before her mother could interrupt.

"They literally have stars on their uniforms. And the way they behave..."

Aurora shook her head.

"It's like they think they're better than everyone else."

Her mother listened quietly.

Aurora told her everything.

The Gold League girls.

The cafeteria.

The way they had walked straight past the line.

The way nobody had dared to say anything.

She even told them about the helicopters.

"Wait."

Her father had finally finished attending to another customer and walked toward them.

"Did you say helicopters?"

Aurora nodded.

"Three of them."

Her father stared at her.

"In a school?"

"Yes!"

Aurora laughed.

"Three helicopters landed yesterday. Students were screaming like celebrities had arrived."

Her mother shook her head in disbelief.

"And you said you saw students with different stars?"

"Yes."

Aurora paused.

"Oh!"

She suddenly remembered something.

"I forgot to tell you."

Her father pulled out a chair and sat beside them.

"What?"

Aurora looked between her parents.

"I have to stay in the school dormitory on weekends."

Her mother's expression changed.

"Every weekend?"

Aurora nodded.

"Saturday and Sunday."

Her father was quiet for a moment.

Then he reached across the table and gently held her hand.

"Don't worry."

Aurora looked at him.

"It's only two years.You're already in Year Two."

He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Before you know it, you'll be graduating." He added

Aurora nodded slowly.

"St. Veritas has opportunities that most schools don't have," he continued. "You've already seen that."

He smiled.

"That school can open doors for you."

Aurora looked down at their joined hands.

"Just be careful."

Her father continued.

"Don't get into unnecessary trouble. Don't allow anyone to drag you into something you don't want."

Aurora nodded.

"I won't."

"And don't change who you are."

She looked up.

"You're kind. You're hardworking. You're determined." Her mother said, giving her a smile

" So continue to stay that way." Her mother added

Aurora smiled back.

"Okay, Mom ."

For a moment, everything felt normal again.

Just the three of them.

Together.

Aurora suddenly remembered something else.

"Dad?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I go swimming later?"

Her father looked surprised.

"Swimming?"

"I haven't been in the water properly since the competition." She smiled.

"I miss it."

Her father exchanged a glance with her mother.

Then he smiled.

"Of course."

Aurora's face lit up.

"Really?"

"Just don't stay out too late."

"I won't!"

She grabbed her bag.

Her mother laughed.

"At least eat something first!"

Aurora stopped.

"Oh."

She looked at the food on the table.

"I forgot."

Her parents burst into laughter.

For a little while, Aurora forgot about St. Veritas.

She forgot about the leagues.

She forgot about the Gold League girls.

She was simply Aurora again.

Their daughter.

Their champion.

---

Later That Evening

Across the city, another house was anything but warm.

A black car pulled into the driveway of an enormous mansion.

The front doors opened.

Zayn stepped inside.

He didn't bother looking around.He already knew the house.

He had grown up in it.

The expensive furniture, the massive staircase,the polished marble floor and the paintings hanging in the walls

Everything was familiar.

His father was sitting in the living room.And beside him sat a slender woman.

Zayn stopped for barely a second.

Then continued walking.

He didn't greet them.

"Zayn."

His father's voice stopped him.

Zayn paused on his tracks.

"At least acknowledge us." His father said calmly.

Slowly, Zayn turned around.

His eyes met his father's.He said nothing.

The woman beside his father smiled awkwardly.

"Maybe he had a bad day at school."

Zayn's expression immediately hardened.

He looked directly at her.

"I don't want to ever hear my name or my matter in your mouth."

The woman froze.

Zayn's voice remained cold.

"You don't deserve to talk about me." He added, ensuring the word sliced through the woman's brain.

"Zayn."His father's voice was sharper this time.

" Where are your manners? " His voice slightly raised.

Zayn looked at him.

For several seconds, neither of them spoke.

Then Zayn gave his father a cold glare and smirked.

Without another word, he turned around and walked upstairs.

The woman looked uncomfortable.

"Maybe I shouldn't have—"

"Don't....don't say anything" Zayn's father interrupted her.

He stared toward the staircase and his jaw tightened.

---

Zayn entered his room and shut the door behind him.

Silence.

His room was enormous.

It was almost the size of a small apartment.

A large bed stood in the center.

A private sitting area occupied one corner.

There was a walk-in wardrobe, a study desk, and a bathroom connected directly to the room.

Everything was expensive.

Everything was perfect. Yet Zayn barely noticed any of it. His blue eyes was only fixed at the wall

His eyes moved toward the wall.

A photograph stood there.

A woman smiled from inside the frame.

Elegant, beautiful and warm.

His mother.

And beside her stood a much younger Zayn.

He stared at the photograph.

For a moment, the anger disappeared from his face.

Something softer replaced it.

Something painful.

His fingers curled slightly.

Then he gave a bitter smile.

"Mom..."

The word barely escaped his lips.

He looked away.

Whatever memory had crossed his mind, he clearly didn't want to stay with it.

Zayn grabbed a fresh towel and headed toward the bathroom.

The door closed behind him.

And once again...

The mansion became silent.