The Grand Entrance Hall of Brighton Wisdom School was a magnificent space of polished marble and soaring vaulted ceilings, currently buzzing with students preparing for the day's big event.
Gabriella stood near one of the huge oak doors. She wore her uniform with cool precision: a heavy, dark green coat over a crisp white shirt. A neat, bowed tie cinched the neckline, and the coat fell just above her matching green skirt. The outfit was flawless, but her eyes held a restless energy.
Beside her, Ajax stood relaxed in his own school uniform, which he wore with a natural, casual style that contrasted with Gabriella's stiffness.
Gabriella's gaze swept across the hall, landing on Lara. Lara, dressed in her representative uniform, was busy organizing a group of students for the meeting—a clipboard held tight in her hand.
"Is everything ready, right?" Gabriella asked Ajax, her voice low.
"Yes, all set," Ajax replied. Then, leaning in close, he whispered into her ear, his breath tickling her skin, "Are you girls still... fighting?"
Gabriella offered a cold smile. "Are you that interested? Then you should ask her. Because I didn't start any fight."
Ajax teased, "If you didn't hide anything from her, she wouldn't be angry with you, would she?"
Gabriella stared at him, her eyes intense. "Then why are you hiding your real motive from me?"
Ajax smiled. "I told you the reason why she's angry with you. Every friend doesn't want their bestie to hide something from them." He paused, his expression turning cold. "You're smart. You turned the question against me."
Gabriella smirked. "You didn't reply yet."
"Every time you ask me, there's one thing I have to say," Ajax stated firmly. "I hate Silverstorm because they bullied us. And you can believe me, I won't betray you."
Gabriella's tense face softened into a small smile. She turned and began walking towards the outside entrance. Ajax walked silently beside her until his phone rang.
"One second, I have to attend this call," he said, stepping away to the side, near a dense cluster of green bushes.
Gabriella was left standing alone. Suddenly, she felt a familiar weight on her wrist. She looked down at her silver bracelet, examining it with a deep, thoughtful frown. She was thinking about the group of students she'd overheard discussing Jake. They said Jake had stood against Silverstorm the day before and was about to punch Selina in the face.
"Is he angry because Selina planned that dirty trick to trap me?" Gabriella whispered to herself. She widened her eyes slightly. "Is he really... likes...?" She stopped, then whispered a little louder, "...loves me?"
At that exact moment, Gabriella's silver bracelet started to glow with a blinding white light. She stared at the brightening metal, confused. Why is it brightening?
A sudden roar ripped through the quiet school yard as a sports bike sped close to her. Gabriella's eyes widened. The bike screeched to a halt right next to her. She blinked, and the rider removed his helmet.
It was Jake. His golden hair shone brightly in the sunlight. He was wearing his school uniform, looking effortlessly intense. She saw it immediately: on his wrist was a silver bracelet, exactly like hers, and it was also brightening with the same intense white light.
Jake stared at her, his eyes unblinking and intensive. Gabriella couldn't pull her gaze away from him. He suddenly turned his eyes away, then stood up from the bike. He walked closer, but stopped a few steps away, turned, and went to the other side of the courtyard.
Gabriella watched him go. He didn't spare her another glance.
"Hey, shall we go to the auditorium? Let's see how the arrangements are going," Ajax said, appearing suddenly beside her.
Gabriella nodded, her eyes still locked on Jake's retreating back.
Jake stopped once he heard the voice of a boy speaking to Gabriella, but he didn't turn around. He simply continued to walk away.
Gabriella finally turned to Ajax.
Ajax smirked. "Why were you watching him like...?"
"Like what?" she asked coldly.
He teased, "Like a girl who doesn't want to separate from her lover."
Gabriella scoffed. "Don't talk if you don't know anything."
Ajax suddenly changed his tone to a normal, soft voice. "Oh, but..."
"No but!" she shouted, cutting him off. She spun around and walked quickly back into the school building. Ajax followed her, a knowing look on his face.
The Planner on the Rooftop
Above the world, on the rooftop of Brighton Wisdom, a girl sat, concealed from the eyes below. A book was open in her hand. Her fingernails were painted a striking black, contrasting with her nude-colored lips.
She whispered the words from the page: "Three stages to Defeat your...." She paused, a small smile curving her lips. "Your Enemy. Shock... Give a shock.... to them."
The smile deepened as her face appeared. It was Raina.
"Interesting," she whispered, and her smile suddenly disappeared, replaced by a ruthless resolve. "Then let's try it."
Backstage: The Secret Deal
In the busy, cramped Backstage of the Auditorium, Lara was rechecking supplies. She noted down water and snacks for the guests in a small notepad. One thing was missing: Tissue. She turned and let out a small gasp.
Ronnie was standing right behind her. She had a mini heart attack. Ronnie just laughed.
Lara tried to move away, but Ronnie grabbed her hand. "Leave me," she demanded.
Ronnie's smile disappeared. He looked serious. "Are you still angry? Lara, I'm sorry."
"Yes, I am!" Lara pulled her hand away. "You said I was enjoying it while you were being beaten by the students! Do you think I am a heartless person? I am not, Ronnie, not a second!" She was emotional. "I know something is going on between Silverstorm and Gabriella. I don't have any idea about it. I even asked Gabriella."
Ronnie stared, listening intently. "What did she say?"
"She didn't," Lara replied.
Ronnie turned his eyes downward.
"I know you won't tell me," Lara said. Ronnie was about to say something, but Lara quickly cut him off. "I didn't want to hear anything from you. If you really wanted to tell me," she paused, her voice shaking emotionally, "you should have told me earlier."
Ronnie stared at her, unsure of what to do.
"I will find out," Lara declared.
Ronnie was shocked. "What?"
"Yes. I know Gabriella told you that I am also involved in that, so I will find the truth."
Ronnie froze. As Lara turned to leave, she stopped and spoke with hesitation. "I want to tell you something that... don't get suspicious about my... my love. I don't know anything about my past, but... I really loves you." She walked out.
Ronnie was overwhelmed with emotion. He couldn't believe it. He quickly pulled out his phone. A message flashed on the screen. He pulled a small powder packet from his pocket and mixed it into one of the three water bottles—the one with the white ribbon tied around its neck. He texted: i have done. Then, he slipped out the same way Lara had gone.
The Stage
On the stage, Lara was placing flowers on a small table. Ronnie rushed up and grabbed her hand again.
"I'm sorry. I want one answer," he said.
"Leave me!" Lara tried to pull away.
"I will leave, but I want one answer, please," Ronnie pleaded. "I know you're angry. I shouldn't have spoken to you like that yesterday. I didn't know the truth, that's why."
Lara looked at him with a cold face. "What answer do you want?"
"Are you still into me?" Ronnie asked.
Lara's eyes widened. "Yes."
Ronnie couldn't believe it. "Really?"
"I'm sorry," Lara said, her cold facade breaking. "That day, I was also clueless about what happened there, and I couldn't even watch you like that. But I don't know which side to stand on, because one side is my best friend and," she said emotionally, "the other side is my... lover."
Suddenly, Ronnie pulled her into a tight embrace.
The Program Begins
In the Grand Auditorium, the program was about to start. Students settled into their seats. The Silverstorm members—Raina, Selina, Han, Ronnie, and Jake—were sitting in the last row.
Gabriella entered the auditorium. She wore her School Representative badge pinned to her coat. She watched around, checking the decoration one last time. She noticed Raina as she sitting beside her. Raina saw her but ignored her presence.
Gabriella stopped in front of her. "Don't you greet the School Representative?" she demanded.
Other students stood up and greeted her, but the Silverstorm members remained seated. Selina was focused on her phone. Gabriella, without a word, reached down, grabbed Selina's phone, and dropped it onto the floor.
Raina instantly got pissed. She stood up, snatched the phone, and glared at Gabriella. "What the heck are you doing? Are you thinking yourself as the Queen here?"
Gabriella smiled coldly. "Yes. Actually, me." She smirked. "Are you thinking yourself to be the queen still now?"
Raina didn't reply. She stared, rage simmering in her eyes, as if she wanted to tear Gabriella to pieces. She controlled her anger and slowly sat down. Gabriella walked towards the stage.
Raina sat on the chair. The other Silverstorm members were staring at Raina. "Mind yourself instead of staring at me," Raina shouted. They instantly turned away.
Backstage: The Sealed Bottle
Backstage, Gabriella was rechecking the food for the guests. She checked the snacks, then moved to the water bottles. She found one water bottle with a broken seal.
"Why is its seal broken?" she asked a nearby student.
"We checked it before,Gabriella, it was alright," the student replied quickly.
"Change another water bottle," Gabriella ordered. She then opened the broken-seal bottle and brought it close to her nose. She smelled it. It smelled faintly of dirty water. She rolled her eyes.
Just then, she noticed someone hurrying outside the window. It was Erica.
Ajax rushed in. "What happened, and how did the water bottle seal break? I checked it before—it was alright."
Gabriella replied coldly, "Someone did it."
"Who?" Ajax demanded.
"I know who did this," Gabriella said, her voice tight.
A student ran in, interrupting them. "We need a new projector,Gabriella! The old one isn't working."
"Okay, then I will take one from the Computer Lab," Gabriella said.
Ajax grabbed her hand. "No, I will."
"No, you have the inauguration speech. Guests will be arriving now. I will go," she insisted, pulling her hand away and running out the door.
The Storage Room Trap
Gabriella hurried down the hallway toward the storage area. "Who places a projector in a storage room?" she whispered, slightly annoyed. "Why is that lady keeping the projector here instead of the Computer Lab, ha."
She entered the storage room. She coughed, the air thick with dust. She searched everywhere until she finally found the projector tucked away in a corner. As she was about to leave, she heard a sound. Someone was locking the door from the outside.
She ran to the door, twisting the handle hard, but it was already locked. She tried desperately to open it, hitting the wood with her fist, but it wouldn't budge. She checked her pocket, but her phone wasn't there. She slammed her hand against a nearby desk, frustration boiling over.
"Raina," she whispered, her voice full of icy hatred.
The Program and the Ploy
In the Auditorium, the program had just begun. The guest, Mr. Ryan, had arrived. Ryan was a middle-aged man with white hair, dressed in a sharp black suit. Principal John invited him to the stage, and the students clapped. The Silverstorm members clapped without interest from the back row.
Mr. Ryan and Principal John sat down. Gabriella's chair was noticeably empty.
Ajax, who was backstage, whispered to himself, "Why hasn't she arrived yet?"
Principal John noticed the empty seat. Mr. Ryan, the guest, asked, "Where is your school representative?"
Principal John chuckled nervously. "She will come. These days, kids are planning surprises, you know."
Mr. Ryan smiled, picked up the white-ribboned water bottle, and drank the water.
Ajax walked onto the stage and started his welcome speech.
In the back row, Selina leaned into Han. "Look, she hasn't come yet. How could they vote for such an irresponsible girl?"
Han stared at Selina until she quieted down. Jake was ignoring everything. Ronnie, sitting next to him, chuckled. "I think Raina is a good fit for the School Representative, not anyone like her."
Jake turned his head sharply towards Ronnie. Ronnie stopped smiling and immediately avoided Jake's eye contact.
Ronnie changed the topic immediately. Jake stood up. "I'm going."
Han asked, "Where?"
"I can't sit here. It's so boring," Jake said, and he walked out of the auditorium.
Breakthrough and Breakdown
It was an hour later in the Storage Room. Gabriella was sitting on the dusty floor. She was tired and struggling to breathe, as there was no window in the small room. She felt dizzy, about to faint.
Suddenly, she heard the sound of someone opening the door. She tried to stand up. Yes, she could barely stand. She staggered toward the light.
A girl was standing there, looking shocked. "Why are you here? Ajax has been searching for you everywhere! And who locked you in here?"
Gabriella took a deep, ragged breath. "I don't know," she rasped, and then without another word, she ran outside. The girl watched, confused, as Gabriella sped away.
The Escalation of Chaos
Only a few more minutes until the program was complete.
Gabriella entered the auditorium. Raina, sitting in her chair in the back row, saw her. She smirked, then turned away. Principal John, on the stage, also saw Gabriella and quickly signaled her to hurry.
Gabriella was about to take another step when suddenly, the students in the front row started to scream. The screaming spread to the second row, then the third, until the entire audience was shouting and crying.
Gabriella didn't understand. Students were screaming the word: "Rat! Rat! Rat!"
On the stage, Mr. Ryan and Principal John stood up. Mr. Ryan stared at John. "Rat?"
"Impossible!" John exclaimed.
Suddenly, small, gray rats appeared on the audience floor, darting and squeaking. Principal John was shocked. Mr. Ryan's expression was pure disgust.
Gabriella froze near the back entrance. Rat? How?
Ajax ran to the entrance and stopped in shock when he saw Gabriella. "Where were you before?" he demanded.
He then noticed the students running and screaming.
"Long story. Go! Bring someone to remove the rats from here!" Gabriella told him.
Ajax ran out to call the cleaning staff. Gabriella's brain couldn't process the chaos.
In the back row, Raina was visibly enjoying the scene. Selina nudged Raina. "Is that your plan, right?" she whispered.
Raina replied, "No."
Han stood up and went to the front row to help the panicking students. Ronnie was also smiling, watching the show.
Raina counted under her breath: "One... two... three...."
Suddenly, Mr. Ryan, the guest, began to sway. Principal John grabbed him before he could fall. "Mr. Ryan! Wake up!" Some staff quickly lifted the fainting guest and carried him to the nursing room.
Gabriella stood still near the entrance. She was frozen, the worst possible things happening one after another.
Ajax returned with cleaning staff, and they began removing the rodents. Ajax went toward the front.
Gabriella panicked, but then she heard a low, mocking voice right behind her. "How are you feeling now?"
Gabriella turned. She saw Raina standing there with an evil smile.
Gabriella instantly grabbed Raina's collar. "Is that you behind it, right?"
Raina gently removed Gabriella's hand. "Yes," she said.
"How is your feeling as a...?" Raina's smile vanished suddenly. "School Representative."
Gabriella didn't reply.
Raina continued, "I didn't expect the idea in that book would work, but see, it's worked." She leaned in. "Look... you're shocked. And one more thing: don't think that I will leave you." She paused, her voice dropping into a tone of deep vengeance. "I won't allow you to be at peace. In every single day, from today onwards."
"Do you think I will be afraid of you? Not," Gabriella challenged.
Raina smiled. "Not my words, but My actions will afraid you."
Gabriella was about to turn away.
From the back side of the stage, a hand—unseen, vainly—lit a lighter and threw it at the screen. The screen slowly began to burn.
Gabriella turned back toward the stage. From behind her, Raina was standing with a cruel, teasing smile. Raina counted again: "Three... two... one...."
Suddenly, a massive fire burst out from the stage side. The screen was engulfed in flames. Gabriella's eyes widened in horror.
Raina placed her head on Gabriella's shoulder from behind and whispered in her ear. "Look... you're shocked again."
Gabriella tried to shove Raina off by shaking her shoulder. Raina stood steady.
"How is this?" Raina asked coldly. "One shock after another. You didn't even get time to think, right, what's happening around you? That is exactly what I wanted—for you to be in that position."
Gabriella stared at Raina. She wanted to punch her, but she controlled her rage. She turned to leave.
Raina grabbed her hand. Gabriella's eyes turned red with fury. "Leave me! Otherwise..."
Raina smiled. "Wait, there is no hurry to leave. Do you want to listen to what I am going to do next?" Raina winked.
Gabriella shoved Raina's hand off strongly. She rushed to the stage side, helping students escape, and then ran to grab a fire extinguisher.
Raina stayed where she was in the back row of the Auditorium. Selina and Ronnie came near her. "Then, shall we go? I think the show is over," Selina said.
Raina smirked while looking at the panicked Gabriella. "The main show is right now. My enemy's suffering." Ronnie smiled in agreement. "You're right."
After a few minutes, Gabriella was done. The fire was extinguished, but the stage looked half-burned. Only a few students had minor injuries. Gabriella looked at the destruction around her. She couldn't believe it. Everything was perfect when the event started, but now, the stage was half-destroyed.
Lara was helping the students. Ajax came closer to Gabriella. "Gabriella," he said in a low voice. Gabriella couldn't seem to hear anything. Ajax noticed her hand. It had burn injuries. He grabbed her hand. "You're hurt! Let me see."
Lara heard him and rushed over, panicked. "What?" She looked at the burn injuries on Gabriella's hand.
Gabriella suddenly knelt on the floor. Everyone in the auditorium looked at her. They had never seen Gabriella like this before—always strong, always cold, always in control. Now, she looked broken.
"Gabriella, are you okay?" Lara and Ajax asked with shock and worry in their voices.
Gabriella slowly turned her head toward the back row of the Grand Auditorium. Selina, Ronnie, and Raina were standing there with a cruel, teasing smile. On the opposite side, Gabriella was kneeling, as if she had lost all faith.
Gabriella stared at Raina, her eyes red with vengeance.
She whispered, her voice a promise. "I won't leave you."
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