Heat Beneath the Ice.

Aurora Dawson had spent most of her life being the center of the universe. As the only daughter and the second child in the Dawson household, she was the undisputed apple of her father’s eye. Noah Dawson doted on her shamelessly, a habit that had left Aurora a little spoiled, incredibly confident, and entirely used to getting her way. However, being a Dawson meant being a nomad. Due to the high-stakes nature of Noah’s career, the family moved like a deck of cards being shuffled. But this time was different. Noah and Sophie had finally decided to drop anchors in the concrete jungle of New York City, prioritizing a stable education and a social life for their children. Aurora stood at the base of the massive stone steps leading into her new school. She felt a rare flicker of nerves, her eyes tracing the grandiose architecture that looked more like a museum than a high school. All around her, the air hummed with the lighthearted energy of students reuniting after the summer. "Stop standing there like a statue and move," a voice droned behind her. It was Kayden, her brother, already strolling past her with his headphones around his neck. "You're blocking traffic." Aurora popped a lollipop into her mouth, her expression shifting from awe to her usual lazy confidence. "Tch. Relax. I’m just taking it in. It’s my first time seeing this place in person, after all." "Are you lost? Or just new?" Aurora turned to see a boy watching her with a curious grin. "New," Aurora replied simply. "Just started today." "I thought so. I definitely would have remembered a face like yours," the boy said, stepping closer. "I’m Michael, but everyone calls me Mike. Need a tour guide?" "Maybe later, Mike," Aurora said, checking her watch. "Right now, I need to find History. Can you point me in the right direction?" "My pleasure. Follow me." The History wing was bustling, but eventually, Aurora found herself seated in Miss Aimee’s classroom. The teacher scanned the room with a warm, welcoming smile. "It seems we have a full house this fall," Miss Aimee announced. "I’d like our new transfers to introduce themselves. Don't be shy." A boy stood up first. "I'm Jackson. I just moved from Seattle. I'm sixteen, and I’m a big basketball fan, even if I’m more of a bench-warmer than a star player." The class gave a polite chuckle. As Aurora stood up to take her turn, a sharp whisper cut through the quiet from the back of the room. "She definitely had work done," a girl hissed. "Right? No one is naturally that symmetrical," another whispered back. "You better keep Kace interested, Shayla, or he’s going to trade you in for the new model." Aurora didn't blink. She smoothed her hair and leaned casually against her desk. "I’m Aurora," she said, her voice clear and dripping with honey. "I just moved here, too. Like Jackson, I love basketball—except I actually play. And for the record," she added with a pointed wink toward the girls in the back, "I’m single." The class erupted into laughter and whistles as Aurora sank back into her seat. Miss Aimee tapped her desk to regain control. "Alright, alright. Back to business, everyone." Once the final bell rang, Aurora went looking for Mike to take him up on that tour. As she turned a corner into a quiet hallway, the door to a classroom swung open abruptly. She collided head-on with a firm chest. "I’m so sorry! I didn't see you coming out," she said, steadying herself. She expected a polite "no problem," but instead, she met a pair of cold, narrowed eyes. "You should be sorry. Watch where you're going," the boy snapped, brushing past her as if she were a nuisance. Aurora’s blood boiled. She reached out and grabbed his arm, jerking him back. "Excuse me? Is your ego so big you can't manage a simple 'it's okay'?" The boy froze. He looked down at her hand on his sleeve, then back at her face. He grabbed her wrist—not painfully, but with a firm, dismissive grip—and forced her to let go. "Mind your words," he shot back, his voice a low growl. "You don't know who you're talking to, and you definitely don't want to find out." "There you are!" Another boy, Warren, came jogging up the hall. "Dude, where have you been? Don't tell me you were—" He stopped mid-sentence when he saw Aurora. "Whoa. Who is this?" "I don't know and I don't care," the cold boy—Kace—said, turning his back. "Let’s go, Warren." "Wait, wait!" Warren fumbled for his phone, looking at Aurora with wide eyes. "Can I get your socials? Please? I think I’ve just witnessed a miracle." "No," Aurora said flatly, her eyes still locked on Kace’s retreating back. "And you should tell your friend to work on his manners. I won't be this nice next time." She turned and walked away before Warren could respond. "What?" Warren blinked, watching her go. "Teach Kace manners? His own parents couldn't do that. Wait... did she just threaten him?" He shook his head and ran to catch up. "Yo! Kace! Wait for me!"