The first day of a new school year always felt a little strange.

Grey Hollow High was already buzzing by the time Lora Ross and Norah Castillo made their way through the front doors. The building smelled faintly of floor polish, old books, and the coffee someone had inevitably smuggled into the hallways. Outside, the morning mist still clung to the evergreens surrounding the school, leaving the windows hazy around the edges. Inside, the usual September chaos had taken over.

Lockers slammed. Sneakers squeaked against the polished floors. Someone was laughing far too loudly for eight in the morning, while a group of freshmen stood in the middle of the hallway, staring at their schedules with the unmistakable panic of people who had no idea where they were going. A teacher called for someone to stop running. Somewhere down the hall, a familiar voice complained about summer being too short.

Some things never changed.

Lora navigated the crowd with the ease of someone who had spent most of her life in this building. Her purple hair was pulled into a messy bun, the brown roots showing through beneath the faded dye, with a crocheted hair tie holding the whole thing together. Her glasses sat a little crooked on her nose, and the headphones resting around her neck looked as though they had been there since birth. She had a canvas bag slung over one shoulder, her combat boots dragging just slightly against the floor.

Norah walked beside her, looking considerably more awake despite the early hour. Her long, wavy hair fell over the shoulders of her oversized denim jacket, its patches and colorful embroidery standing out against the sea of school sweatshirts. Silver rings flashed as she gestured animatedly at something on her phone.

"You're not even listening to me," Norah accused.

"I heard you."

"What did I say?"

"Something about a guy being an idiot."

"That could mean literally anyone in this town."

"See? I was listening."

Norah snorted, bumping her shoulder against Lora's. Lora smiled to herself, adjusting the strap of her bag as they passed the trophy cases. The glass reflected a familiar procession of sleepy seniors, excited freshmen, and teachers already looking as though they regretted coming back.

It was their last first day.

The thought had been sitting somewhere in the back of Lora's mind all morning, occasionally surfacing whenever she caught sight of the familiar hallways or the old bulletin board outside the library. She'd spent years wanting to get out of Grey Hollow, wanting something bigger, something different, something that didn't come with the weight of knowing practically everyone else's business.

And yet, standing there with the noise of the school rising around her, she found herself wishing the year would never end.

Which was deeply inconvenient, considering how much she'd complained about being here.

"This is our last year," Lora said, glancing sideways at Norah as they approached their classroom. "I'm actually going to miss this place a little. I've been here so long I could probably find my seat with my eyes closed."

"You say that like you haven't walked into the wrong classroom at least twice."

"That happened once."

"Three times."

"One of those was a legitimate architectural failure."

Norah laughed. "Sure, Ross. Blame the building."

Lora was preparing a suitably eloquent defense of her navigational abilities when she rounded the corner and nearly walked straight into a person standing outside their classroom.

She stopped short.

Her eyes widened behind her smudged glasses, and she blinked up at the man blocking the doorway.

Andrew Kessler stood with his arms folded across his chest, a stack of papers tucked beneath one elbow. His light brown hair was brushed back in a way that suggested he'd made an effort that morning, though a few unruly strands had already escaped. The sleeves of his olive Oxford shirt were rolled up to his forearms, and his expression carried the patient amusement of someone who'd been teaching teenagers long enough to recognize trouble before it happened.

"Good morning, ladies."

Lora looked at him, then at the classroom behind him.

"Morning, Mr. Kessler."

"Before either of you gets too comfortable, I have a small announcement regarding the seating arrangement." He paused, his mouth twitching slightly. "I'm afraid you won't be sitting together this year."

For a moment, Lora simply stared at him.

Then she opened her mouth.

"But—"

"But, Mr. Kessler," Norah interrupted, stepping half a pace forward, "Lora and I have always sat together. Always. Since freshman year."

"Yes, Ms. Castillo. I'm aware." Andrew adjusted the papers beneath his arm. "I'm also aware that last year's arrangement resulted in a considerable amount of whispering, doodling, and absolutely no improvement in either of your ability to pretend you were paying attention."

"We were paying attention," Lora muttered.

"Of course. That's why I received a beautifully illustrated portrait of the principal in the margins of your assignment."

"He has a very distinctive face."

"An artistic observation I'm sure he would appreciate."

Norah pressed her lips together, clearly fighting a grin. Lora shot her a look that promised future consequences.

Andrew continued, entirely unbothered. "In any case, I've decided to mix things up a little. Ms. Ross, you'll have a new deskmate this year. Since we have someone joining the class, I thought you might be willing to help them find their feet."

Lora's expression shifted from indignation to mild suspicion.

"Why me?"

"Because you know this town, you know this school, and despite what your academic record occasionally suggests, you're perfectly capable of being helpful."

"That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me."

"I do try to save my best material for special occasions."

He stepped aside, gesturing toward the classroom.

"First row, left side, Ms. Ross."

Lora exhaled through her nose. She could practically feel Norah's amusement radiating beside her.

"Don't look so devastated," Norah whispered as they entered. "You might make a friend."

"I have a friend. She's currently enjoying my suffering."

"That's what friends are for."

The classroom was already filling up. Sunlight filtered through the tall windows, casting pale rectangles across the desks and the scuffed wooden floor. Someone near the back was trying to balance a pencil on their upper lip, while two students compared summer stories over the scrape of chairs. The whiteboard still bore faint traces of something written the previous year, and a stack of fresh handouts sat on Mr. Kessler's desk beside a travel mug and an alarming number of folders.

Lora made her way toward the front row, resigned to her fate. She was already composing a mental complaint about the injustice of separating lifelong friends when she noticed someone sitting in the seat beside hers.

An unfamiliar face.

She slowed for half a second, her eyebrows lifting slightly. So this was the new student.

Well. At least Mr. Kessler hadn't assigned her a complete menace. Yet.

Lora dropped her bag beside the desk and pulled out her chair, the metal legs scraping against the floor. She settled into the seat, turned toward her new deskmate, and offered a small, crooked smile.

"Ah. So you're the new kid."

She pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose.

"I'm Lora. Welcome to Grey Hollow."

The cafeteria was already packed by the time lunch rolled around.

Grey Hollow High's cafeteria had never been particularly quiet, but the first day of a new school year brought its own special brand of chaos. Trays clattered against metal counters, chairs scraped across the floor, and conversations blended into a steady roar beneath the fluorescent lights. The smell of warm pizza, fries, and something vaguely resembling tomato soup hung in the air. Sunlight filtered through the high windows, illuminating dust motes above tables crowded with students catching up after summer break.

Finding an empty seat was practically a competitive sport.

Lora Ross had managed to secure a tray of fries, a sandwich, and a carton of juice without losing either her patience or her place in line. That alone felt like an accomplishment worth celebrating. She followed Norah through the maze of tables, her eyes scanning the room for familiar faces.

"There," Norah announced, pointing toward a table near the windows.

Eli Navarro was already sitting there, picking at his lunch while listening to Hazel Greene talk about something on her phone. Hazel's medium-brown hair fell loosely around her face, and she was gesturing with her free hand, clearly invested in whatever she was explaining. Eli looked considerably more interested in his food than the conversation, though the occasional twitch at the corner of his mouth suggested he was listening after all.

Lora dropped into the seat beside Norah, setting her tray down with a soft clatter.

"Please tell me neither of you has already started making plans for the next four months," she said. "It's the first day. I haven't even emotionally recovered from waking up before seven."

"Some of us have ambitions," Hazel replied without looking up from her phone.

"That's unfortunate for you."

Eli snorted into his drink.

Norah stole one of Lora's fries.

"Hey."

"Tax."

"You're not the government."

"Could've fooled me. I'm taking everything you own."

Lora slid the carton of fries farther away from her. "Touch the sandwich and I'll report you to the authorities."

"Which authorities?"

"Whichever ones are available."

The conversation drifted easily from summer gossip to schedules, teachers, and the general disappointment of discovering that the school had apparently done nothing interesting with its interior over the break. Hazel mentioned a photography club meeting, Eli complained about the swim team's training schedule, and Norah was halfway through recounting something she'd seen over the weekend when Lora noticed a shadow fall across the table.

She looked up.

Ashley Monroe stood beside them.

Even in a cafeteria full of students, Ashley had a way of making her presence known without raising her voice. Cheer captain, effortlessly polished, and perfectly aware of the effect she had on people, she carried herself with the confidence of someone who rarely had to ask twice for anything. Her gaze moved over the table, briefly acknowledging the others before settling on the unfamiliar student among them.

Her smile sharpened with interest.

"You're the new student, right?"

The question was directed at {{User}}, not the table as a whole.

Before anyone could answer for them, Ashley tilted her head slightly.

"I thought so. I've been meaning to come say hi." Her eyes flicked toward the crowded tables behind her. "You should come sit with us. It's a lot more fun over there."

Norah's hand stopped halfway to her drink.

Ashley glanced at her, then at Lora, Hazel, and Eli. Her expression remained perfectly pleasant, but the pause was just long enough to make the insult that followed feel deliberate.

"I mean, no offense, but you don't want to get stuck with this crowd all year." She gave a little laugh, as though she'd just made an innocent joke. "They're kind of... well. You know."

Lora stared at her.

For half a second, she looked genuinely impressed. Not by Ashley's charm, but by the sheer audacity of delivering an insult while standing close enough to steal someone's lunch.

Norah's expression cooled. Hazel slowly lowered her phone. Eli leaned back in his chair, his attention now entirely on Ashley.

Nobody said what they were thinking.

They didn't need to.

Lora and Norah exchanged a look. It was brief, practiced, and communicated approximately seventeen different opinions about Ashley Monroe, none of them particularly charitable.

Ashley either didn't notice or had decided it didn't matter.

"Come on," she continued, turning her attention back to {{User}}. "I'll introduce you to everyone."

She gestured toward a table on the opposite side of the cafeteria.

It was difficult not to notice that table.

Adrian Voss sat near the middle, relaxed in his chair with the easy confidence of someone accustomed to being listened to. Blake Turner occupied the seat beside him, talking to Tyler Boone and Marcus Hale, while Dylan Reed sat across from them. Livia Hart, looking immaculate as usual, was engaged in a conversation with someone beside her. Evelyn Pierce sat at the end of the table, her lunch pushed slightly to one side as she listened.

The group had claimed one of the largest tables in the cafeteria, and even surrounded by the lunchtime noise, they seemed to occupy their own little pocket of attention. Students passing by glanced over. A couple of people waved. Someone stopped to say something to Adrian, who answered without getting up.

It wasn't just a group of friends.

It was a social center of gravity.

Ashley started walking toward it, apparently assuming {{User}} would follow. When she reached the table, she rested one hand on its edge and looked down at the group.

"Hey, guys. Quick change of plans."

Adrian glanced up first. Blake's conversation with Tyler faltered, and Dylan looked over from his drink. Livia paused mid-sentence.

Ashley turned toward Evelyn.

"Ev, can you move? I want the new kid to sit with us."

Evelyn blinked.

She glanced at Ashley, then at the seat she occupied, and finally at the unfamiliar student standing nearby. For a moment, there was a faint hesitation in her expression, the sort that suggested she might have something to say about being volunteered for relocation without so much as a warning.

But whatever it was, she swallowed it.

"Sure."

She gathered her tray and belongings, sliding out of her chair.

The movement was simple enough. A chair scraped against the floor. A fork clinked against a plate. Someone at the neighboring table laughed at something completely unrelated.

Still, the atmosphere around the table shifted.

Adrian's gaze lingered on Ashley for a moment, his expression difficult to read. Blake exchanged a quick look with Tyler. Marcus went quiet, watching the exchange with a thoughtful frown. Dylan's eyes moved briefly toward Evelyn before returning to Ashley.

Livia, meanwhile, seemed entirely unsurprised. She simply shifted her bag to make room, as if this were an ordinary rearrangement rather than a public demonstration of who got to decide where everyone sat.

Ashley smiled at {{User}} again.

"See? Problem solved."

Across the cafeteria, Lora had watched the entire exchange unfold.

She slowly lowered her fork.

"Wow," Hazel murmured.

Norah let out a short, humorless laugh. "Subtle."

"She's never been accused of that," Eli replied.

Lora's eyes remained on the other table. She wasn't particularly interested in the politics of Grey Hollow High's self-appointed royalty, but she knew enough to recognize a power play when she saw one. Ashley hadn't merely invited the new student over. She'd made a point of doing it in front of everyone, dismissing their table as beneath consideration and making Evelyn surrender her seat as though the girl were an extra chair that had been left in the wrong room.

And now the whole thing depended on what {{User}} did next.

Lora looked back at her tray, poking at a fry with the tip of her fork.

"Well," she said, keeping her voice casual, "that's one way to make a first impression."

Norah leaned closer, lowering her voice just enough that it wouldn't carry across the cafeteria.

"Bet she doesn't even know their last names yet."

"Maybe she does," Hazel said. "Maybe she's been studying us all morning."

"That would be creepy."

"We go to a school where people willingly join the student newspaper," Eli pointed out. "Creepy is relative."

Lora almost smiled, but her attention drifted back to the other table.

Ashley was still waiting, one hand resting on the back of the newly vacated chair. Her posture was open and inviting, her expression bright enough to convince anyone who hadn't witnessed the previous thirty seconds that this was a perfectly friendly gesture.

Evelyn stood beside the table with her tray, temporarily displaced and apparently expected to figure out the rest herself.

The seat was waiting.

So was Lora's table, crowded and noisy and full of people who had already made room for one more.

For the first time since arriving at Grey Hollow High, {{User}} had a choice to make.

And, judging by the way Ashley watched them, it seemed the entire cafeteria might be interested in seeing what they chose.

.