Chapter 2 WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM

I heard him touch the piano keys again, and then his phone started ringing.

"Yeah? I'll be there," he said softly into the device.

His voice was so smooth and gentle that it made my heart flutter even more for him. But at that moment, I was also scared. What was he going to do?

I heard him stand and begin to walk toward the door, toward me.

Oh, God!

To my surprise, he walked right past me without even glancing in my direction.

Huh?

Is he really that much of an introvert?

I leaned slightly to catch a better view as he made his way to the door. Just as he was about to exit, something fell from his hands, his car keys. I held my breath.

He's definitely going to turn around to get it.

Time seemed to stop as he bent down to retrieve them, and I knew this would be it.

Boom! We locked eyes.

Gosh!

Is this for real?

Jesus, he was even cuter in person than on TV or in magazines.

Oh my God! I could hardly catch my breath.

His long lashes framed deep eyes, and his dark, curly hair fell across his forehead in a way that looked effortlessly stylish.

Even though I only caught a glimpse, I could swear he was the most handsome guy I'd ever seen.

He held my gaze for just a moment before quickly looking away, as though I weren't important.

And then, just like that, he was gone.

I placed a hand on my chest, taking a deep breath.

That was so close!

I can't believe he didn't react to my presence at all.

But still, it felt surreal to know I had been in the same room as Zane, my heartthrob.

Unbelievable.

I stepped out of the room and scanned the hallway, hoping for one last glimpse of him.

But he was nowhere to be seen.

I lingered for a moment, still reeling from what had just happened.

A smile crept across my face as I recalled his soft voice: "Do you realize this is a restricted area?"

I wish I could hear him speak again.

Finally, I made my way back down the stairs to the office, where I found Dad already chatting with the principal.

"Nora, where have you been? I've been looking everywhere for you," he said as I took a seat next to him.

"Sorry, Dad. I was just exploring a bit," I replied, turning to the principal, a friendly-looking man with a welcoming demeanor.

"Good morning, sir," I greeted him, glancing at the nameplate on his desk that read Mr. Mark Clarkson.

"Good morning, dear. Your dad already filled me in on everything. Just fill out this form, and you'll be on your way to your new class," he said, sliding a sheet across the table.

I picked it up and filled in my details, nervously glancing at my phone, hoping I had the school map saved.

"We'll be assigning someone to show you around later today. Welcome to Starlake High," he added with a warm smile as he extended his hand for a handshake.

"Thank you, sir," I said, returning the handshake as I stood with Dad.

"Thank you so much, Mr. Clarkson. I really appreciate all your help," Dad said as they exchanged goodbyes, and we headed out of the office.

"Make sure you stay out of trouble, Nora, and pay attention in class, okay?" he reminded me as we walked down the hallway, hand in hand.

When we reached the balcony, I stopped and hugged him tightly.

"Thank you, Dad. Thank you for everything," I said with genuine happiness, and he patted my back lovingly.

"Just make me proud, alright?" he said gently, and I nodded before pulling away.

"Now go on, or you'll be late to class," he urged, and I waved goodbye as I headed off.

I opened the school map on my phone and followed the directions to my new classroom.

As I entered, I was struck by how big and beautiful it was, filled with good-looking boys and girls.

Every student here must be wealthy; Starlake High didn't offer scholarships, so there was no room for those without financial backing.

Thank goodness for Mr. Harrison, or I wouldn't be here at all.

I hesitated as I walked into the classroom, feeling all eyes on me. Keeping my gaze low, I found an empty seat in the third row.

Wow! I can't believe I'm actually at Starlake High.

I wondered what grade the Phoenix 4 were in and if we would be in the same classes.

A short while later, a teacher entered, and everyone settled down.

"Good morning, Mrs. Smith," several students greeted her as she approached the front and set her books on the desk.

"Good morning, students. How was your weekend?" she asked.

"Boring!"

"Nice!"

"Okay!"

Various responses floated around the room, accompanied by chuckles and friendly banter.

"Alright, alright. However it was," Mrs. Smith said, a smile on her face. "By the way, we have a new student joining us today. Miss Nora, could you please come to the front for a brief introduction?"

Oh no...

I took a deep breath and stood up, walking to the front of the class, where I had the chance to finally take a look at my classmates.

Wow!

They all looked like they belonged to some exclusive club, rich, charming, and a little flirty.

"Your name, miss?" Mrs. Smith asked, prompting me.

I shook my head slightly, feeling shy.

"Um... I'm Nora Harrison," I finally said.

"Welcome to Starlake High, Nora. You can take your seat," she said, and I smiled before returning to my desk.

Mrs. Smith began teaching, and after two subjects, it was time for a break.

Students started filing out in pairs, and I got up, planning to head to the cafeteria.

Wow. It seemed like all the students here were just loud and self-absorbed; no one paid any attention to me.

As I gathered my things to leave, a fashionable girl entered and walked straight up to me.

"Hi! You must be Nora, right?" she asked with a smile, and I nodded, curious about her.

She was chewing gum and exuded stylish confidence.

"Cool. I'm Carissa. Mr. Clarkson asked me to show you around," she said, and I felt a bit taken aback.

Huh?

This fashionable girl was going to show me around?

"Uh... you don't have to do that," I began, unsure.

"I can just figure it out on my own..."

"Oh, come on! It's part of my course and will help my GPA," she insisted, her tone light. "It's for my benefit as much as yours."

I sighed and relented, nodding.

"Alright, let's go," I said, and Carissa beamed at me before walking out of the classroom.

She had a strict demeanor but seemed friendly enough.

She showed me all the important spots, the gym, the lab, the library, the bookstore, and other noteworthy areas.

"This is the gym," she explained as we entered the massive sports hall filled with all sorts of equipment.

"It's huge! Our sports days are Wednesdays," she continued, and I nodded, taking in the environment.

"Do the Phoenix 4 come for sports on Wednesdays too?" I asked, my heart racing with curiosity.

Carissa laughed, glancing at me. "Everyone hopes they will. But honestly? They only show up once in a blue moon," she replied, and I felt a twinge of disappointment.

"Aw, that's too bad."

"So, you've got a crush on them, don't you?" she teased, causing me to blush slightly.

"Everyone loves the Phoenix 4," I shrugged, trying to play it cool.

"I get it! Why don't we grab lunch together?" Carissa offered, and I hesitated for a moment.

"Uh... okay, sure," I agreed, and she smiled, leading me to the cafeteria.

The cafeteria was spacious and beautifully designed, filled with students but not overwhelmingly loud.

Carissa and I found a nice table, and she made her way to order our food, returning with a full tray.

"What grade are the Phoenix 4 in?" I asked, eager to know.

"Oh, they're in your grade," she replied, and my eyes widened in excitement.

What?

"But..."

"Yeah, they don't always attend classes," she cut in, almost reading my mind.

"Oh no..." I said, disappointed.

"Honestly? They don't like mixing with everyone all the time. Evan, Leo, and Caleb show up more frequently, but Zane? He's a rare sight around here," Carissa explained.

"Really? Why not?"

"Well, it's pretty simple. Mr. Leonard teaches further math, and he's the only one who can actually get Zane to show up because he's strict and doesn't tolerate favoritism," she said, smirking. "He's kind of like Zane's worst enemy."

I laughed at the thought.

Wow! I couldn't wait for math class.

According to the schedule, we'd have further math tomorrow.

Oh my!

Hopefully, Zane would be there.

"It's amazing, right? We get to go to the same school as the Phoenix 4," Carissa said, an excited grin on her face.

"Uhm... Carissa," I said, hesitating as I thought about something.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure! What's up?" she replied, looking curious.

I cleared my throat.

"Do you have any idea what happened between Zane and Max?" I asked, eager for any insight into the mystery surrounding them.