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RINA'S POV
"Ah—what the—who the hell is that?!" I shouted, stumbling back as a motorcyclist zoomed past me, nearly knocking me off balance.
I was about to resume my string of curses when they froze in my throat.
First, I saw the silhouette—tall, lean, commanding. Then he removed his helmet, and I swear, time paused.
"Aries Mantle—OMG," the girls around me moaned in unison, breathless like they'd seen a Greek god.
And I couldn't blame them.
He was breathtaking.
Cassie leaned in, practically swooning. "That's Aries Mantle. The bad boy of Silver High. A literal walking fantasy."
His tousled dark hair fell in perfect waves around his face, brushing the shoulders of his fitted leather jacket. The way his graphic tee clung to his torso made it obvious he was jacked. He had piercing blue eyes—intense, magnetic—and a chiseled jawline with a hint of stubble. Every feature screamed dangerous temptation.
But there was more—something about him said he wasn't just a pretty face. There was mystery behind those eyes.
"Damn…" I breathed, not realizing I'd said it out loud.
"Someone's got a crush already," Chloe teased, poking my arm.
I didn't respond. I was still stunned.
"Who doesn't?" Natasha added. "He's the hottest guy in Silver High. Rich, rebellious, and impossible to ignore."
That's when I noticed the swarm of students rushing toward him like wild fangirls. He was signing notebooks, backpacks, even someone's cast.
And then—her.
A girl stepped out of the main building like she was stepping onto a runway. Raven-black hair in a sleek bun. Strappy designer heels laced up to her knees. A white sundress hugging all the right places. Her aura screamed luxury. She moved straight toward Aries—confident, calculated—and clung onto his arm right after he finished signing.
"Who's that?" I asked, not taking my eyes off the scene.
"I think that's your nerdy sister," Cassie said with a chuckle.
"Not her—the girl on his arm."
"Oh. That's Stacy Ross," Chloe said. "Remember? The Queen Bee we were stalking on Insta earlier. Oh my God—is that the latest edition Gucci bag?!"
I rolled my eyes. Typical Chloe—distracted by designer labels.
"Why's she all over Aries like that?" I asked, my tone sharper than I intended.
"They're rumored to be a thing," Natasha said. "Nothing confirmed, but they make out a lot. It's kinda like… a power couple vibe."
I smirked, flipping my hair. "All I heard was 'not confirmed.' So that means... I still have a chance."
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RHEA'S POV
Ava and I were about to head out of the school lobby when a loud revving noise made us freeze. A motorcycle pulled up right in front of us.
Ava tightened her grip on my arm. Her eyes were locked on the guy stepping off the bike.
Within seconds, the area flooded with students. Girls squealed and pushed forward like he was some kind of celebrity. I nearly got trampled—thankfully Ava caught me before I fell.
Then he took off his helmet.
He shook his head, running his fingers through his black hair like he was in a movie—and it worked. His features were sharp, flawless… almost unreal.
"Who's that?" I asked, even though I already had a sinking feeling.
"That's Aries," Ava breathed. "The god of Silver High."
"Wait… Aries? Aries Mantle?" I blurted out.
"You know him?"
But I wasn't listening. I couldn't.
He looked familiar. Too familiar. My eyes locked on his, and suddenly I couldn't breathe.
He was walking toward us.
Straight. At. Me.
I froze, every muscle locking in place. My heartbeat thundered in my ears.
He stopped just inches away from me. Our eyes met—and for a split second, it felt like he knew. Like some distant part of him recognized me.
Then, he pulled a pen from his pocket and leaned in. I stopped breathing. He smelled like fresh rain, musk, and something darkly addictive.
"Cool cast," he said, casually scribbling his name. "Must be a badass."
He handed me the pen, his fingers brushing mine, and I took it without thinking.
Then a girl—gorgeous and smug—wrapped herself around his arm like she owned him.
My gut twisted.
The bell rang.
POP. Ava broke my trance, snapping her fingers in front of me.
"Come on. That means it's time for class," she said, tugging me away.
I nodded, cheeks flushed. I couldn't afford to get distracted. Aries was hot, sure—but I wasn't like the girls throwing themselves at him. I had a purpose here: study hard, survive Silver High, and protect my sister.
---
We walked into the classroom together, Ava acting as my personal tour guide. The warmth I felt reconnecting with her was overwhelming. I hadn't felt this safe in a long time—not even when Dad returned.
The classroom was incredible—state-of-the-art everything. Giant digital whiteboard. A sleek podium. Desks arranged with precision. It looked more like a private university than a high school.
"Welcome to a Silver High classroom," Ava said with a grin. "I'll show you to your locker later."
"Thanks, Ava. I owe you one."
"Hey, what are best friends for?"
More students began filtering in, including Rina—flanked by her clique like some kind of royalty. Ava leaned in and whispered, "Here come the three Dumketeers. They'd rather get an A in looks than in class."
I snorted.
Soon after, a neatly dressed middle-aged man with sandy blond hair walked in. Striped white shirt. Brown pants. Calm demeanor.
"Good morning, students," he greeted.
"Good morning, hottie!" some girls shouted back.
Seriously?
He chuckled. "I'm Mr. Zain. I'll be your history teacher this semester."
He wrote History on the board in clean block letters.
"Before we begin, I'd like to know your names. Please write them on this sheet and pass it around. Also, write down anyone who's absent."
The class buzzed with chatter and giggles. Mr. Zain didn't stop it. Maybe he was giving us time to ease in—it was the first day, after all.
A few minutes later, he held up the list and began calling names.
"Rhea St. Clair?"
"Present," I said, raising my hand.
"Rina St. Clair?"
"Here," Rina replied with a flip of her hair.
"Whoa, identical twins in the class? That's cool," someone said.
"The resemblance is uncanny," another added.
"Duh, that's why they're called identical, genius."
Rina stood. "Excuse me, Rhea and I might be twins, but we're nothing alike. I'm clearly the sexy one."
Cheers and laughter erupted. I just turned back to my notebook, ignoring the spotlight she clearly craved.
"She had to make it about her," Ava muttered.
Mr. Zain chuckled. "Alright, alright. Everyone's unique in their own way. Let's move on."
"Stacy Ross?"
She raised a perfectly manicured hand, eyes glued to her phone. Not a word. Her silence somehow made her seem more powerful.
"Okay then…" he moved on. "Aries Mantle?"
Silence.
No one raised a hand. No reply.
He wasn't here.
My heart jumped—and I wasn't sure if it was from relief… or disappointment.
Moments later, the classroom door swung open.
Aries walked in casually, unfazed by the wave of whispers and gasps that followed him.
He made his way to the back and took the vacant seat beside Stacy, his expression unreadable.
Our eyes met for a second—and I quickly looked away, heat rising in my face.
"Okay, students," Mr. Zain said, closing his notebook. "That'll be all for today."
"What? That's it?" Ava asked.
"Hey come on, Wilson," a guy—Ralph Dunlop—grinned. "Don't be a kill-hot."
"Excuse me for being responsible," she snapped.
"You're excused," he winked. His friends laughed like he was the funniest thing alive.
Mr. Zain smiled. "I just wanted to get a sense of the class. And believe it or not, this short session told me a lot about all of you."
"Then tell me about me, Mr. Hottie," Chloe chimed in, sticking out her chest and playing cute.
He raised a brow. "Alright. But I won't sugarcoat it."
"Hit me."
"You're a spoiled brat who depends on your parents for everything and spends more time thinking about boys and older men than your future."
"BURN!" someone yelled. Laughter exploded.
"And it's all true," Chloe giggled, somehow unbothered.
"Okay, enjoy your free period," Mr. Zain said, collecting his things and exiting with a smirk.
"Okay, it's official," Ava smiled. "Mr. Zain's my favorite teacher."
A sudden cough interrupted our laughter—Rina, two rows away, hacking hard. Concerned, I grabbed my water bottle and approached.
"Rina," I said softly, tapping her shoulder. She looked at me, and I offered the bottle.
She hesitated—but then Natasha snickered. "Look at that. Your dork sister is giving you water."
"Yeah, Rina," Chloe added mockingly. "Why not take it?"
They burst into giggles like a pack of mean girls in a cheap teen movie.
"I'm fine," Rina said flatly.
I stayed.
"I said I'm fine!" she snapped—and shoved my arm.
I stumbled. The bottle slipped, water splashed everywhere, and my injured arm slammed into the ground.
A sharp jolt of pain shot through me. I winced, clutching it as the class erupted into laughter.
"Are you serious right now?!" Ava cried, rushing to help me. "What is wrong with you, Rina?!"
"I—I didn't mean to—" Rina stammered.
"She doesn't owe you an explanation," Cassie sneered. "What's a scholarship bakery girl doing talking anyway?"
I stood up, wiping my eyes—not from tears, but from the shame.
And then… I looked up.
Aries was watching me.
Not laughing.
Just watching. Like he saw everything.
"You—"
"…It's fine, Ava. Let's just go," I whispered, tugging her shirt gently.
She huffed, but followed.
I looked back once.
He was still watching.
And I didn't know what that meant.
But I was going to find out.
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