Chapter 1
Ariah walked through the hallway with a quiet confidence, her blonde hair bouncing like gentle waves, cascading down her shoulders with every step. Her ocean-blue eyes held a depth that could draw in anyone who dared meet her gaze—calm on the surface, endless beneath.
At her sides were her two best friends: Chala and Sia. Twins by birth, but not by spirit.
Chala was bubbly by nature, sweet and endlessly kind, with a heart so pure it often betrayed her. People mistook her softness for weakness. She laughed easily, smiled often, and believed in people even when they gave her reasons not to.
Sia, in contrast, had a broad, heavy build that made her seem like a walking force of nature. She walked more like a volcano about to erupt and most times she did erupt. She spoke more with her fists than with her words, though beneath her tough exterior, she was just as sweet as Chala—she simply hated being seen as weak.
The twins' brunette hair was always slightly scattered, as if it had just survived a fight, giving them an untamed, lively look. They bickered constantly—small, playful quarrels bouncing between them—but Ariah loved it, knowing deep down that their teasing was a reflection of the immense love they had for each other.
Sia had recently transferred to Northwest School after getting involved in a fight—coincidentally the same school Ariah and her twin attended.
The three girls mingled easily, laughter trailing behind them, looking carefree, inseparable, happy.
As Ariah glanced at Chala, a smile spread across her lips. Memories flickered in her mind—memories no one else saw. No one would ever guess that this smiling, radiant girl had once been an outcast. No one would believe she was the same Chala who had been bullied, ignored, and pushed aside.
But Ariah remembered.