The heartbeat series

Antena's voice trembled as she stood at the kitchen counter, gripping the edge with white knuckles. "Mom, I said I don't want to go! Why can't you just listen to me for once?"

Her mother, hands busy chopping vegetables for dinner, didn't even look up. "Antena, we've been over this. This move is for your own good. You'll thank me later when you're sitting in a lecture hall at Harvard."

"I don't care about Harvard!" Antena snapped, her voice cracking. "I just started fitting in here. I've made friends-real friends-for the first time. I'm not going to throw that all away because of your stupid obsession with a perfect future!"

Her mother stopped chopping, placing the knife down carefully. She turned, her expression calm but unyielding. "You might not understand now, but you will one day. Life isn't about what's comfortable, Antena. It's about making the hard choices that lead to success."

Antena's chest heaved as frustration and helplessness built up inside her. "You're not listening!" she screamed, the words echoing through the small kitchen. Without waiting for a response, she turned on her heel and stormed down the hallway, slamming her bedroom door so hard the walls shook.

She leaned against the door, her breath shallow and uneven. Tears stung her eyes as she slid down to the floor, burying her face in her hands. She stayed like that for what felt like hours, sobs wracking her chest.

When the tears finally slowed, Antena crawled to her bed and curled up on the floor beside it. She grabbed the stuffed animal she'd had since she was little-a small, fraying teddy bear-and held it tightly against her chest.

Her thoughts swirled, a chaotic mix of anger, sadness, and frustration. She didn't understand why her mom couldn't see things from her perspective. It felt like no matter how loud she screamed, her voice just disappeared into the void.

As she stared at the shadows dancing on the ceiling, she began to focus on her breathing, counting slowly in her head to calm herself. In, one... two... three... Out, one... two... three...

The rhythm steadied her, quieting the storm inside just enough for her to think clearly again. Maybe, just maybe, she could find a way to convince her mom to change her mind.

For now, though, she let the quiet of her room wrap around her like a shield.

The quiet didn't last long. A knock at the door broke the stillness.

"Antena?" her mother's voice was soft, almost hesitant. "Can I come in?"

Antena froze, quickly wiping her arm with the sleeve of her hoodie. "Go away," she said, her voice hoarse from crying.

There was a long pause. "I know you're upset," her mother said, still on the other side of the door. "But I want you to know I'm doing this because I love you."

Antena let out a bitter laugh, low and sharp. "Love? You think dragging me out of the only place I've ever felt okay is love? That's not love, Mom. That's control."

The words stung more than she intended, and the silence that followed told her they had landed.

"Please open the door," her mother said quietly, almost pleading now.

Antena stared at the door for a long moment before shaking her head. "Just leave me alone."

After a few seconds, she heard her mother's footsteps retreating down the hall. The knot in her chest loosened slightly, but it didn't go away.

Antena crawled onto her bed, curling into a tight ball beneath her blanket. Her phone buzzed on the nightstand, but she ignored it. The glow of the screen dimmed and disappeared into the darkness.

In the quiet of her room, she let her thoughts spiral. Would she ever feel like her life was hers? Or was she destined to be dragged along by other people's plans forever?

As she lay there, her arm throbbed faintly. She pulled her sleeve down to check the cut. It wasn't deep, just enough to leave a mark-a mark she'd probably hide from the world, just like everything else.

She sighed, the exhaustion of the day weighing heavily on her. For now, all she wanted was to disappear into sleep, away from the chaos, away from her mother's expectations.

Antena stepped through the gates of her new school, clutching her backpack straps tightly. The sprawling campus felt intimidating, with students rushing in every direction like a sea of strangers. She glanced down at the school map her mom had shoved into her hand that morning, her fingers trembling slightly.

"Admin block," she muttered to herself, scanning the paper. "Where even is that?"

She took a deep breath and started walking, trying to follow the paths and buildings marked on the map. After a few wrong turns and awkward moments standing in the middle of bustling hallways, she finally found the administrative block. Relief washed over her as she pushed open the glass door.

Inside, a friendly-looking receptionist greeted her with a warm smile. "You must be Antena. Welcome to East Ridge Academy! Here's your schedule," she said, handing her a printout.

"Thanks," Antena mumbled, her eyes scanning the paper. The receptionist gestured toward the hallway, offering directions, but it all felt like a blur.

As Antena stepped back out, clutching her schedule, a voice cut through her thoughts.

"Lost already?"

She turned to see a guy leaning casually against a pillar, a mischievous grin on his face. He had tousled dark hair and striking eyes that seemed to sparkle with amusement.

"I'm just trying to find my class," Antena said, trying to sound confident but failing miserably.

"Let me guess," he said, glancing at her schedule, "room two-thirteen?"

She blinked. "Uh, yeah. How did you-"

"Lucky guess. I'm heading that way. Come on." He motioned for her to follow.

Antena hesitated but nodded, trailing behind him as he navigated the busy hallways with ease.

"So, new kid," he said over his shoulder. "What's your name?"

"Antena," she said softly.

"Nice to meet you, Antena. I'm Nate," he said, flashing her another grin.

They reached the classroom door, and Nate pushed it open. "Here you go. Homeroom, room two-thirteen. Good luck."

"Thanks," Antena said, stepping inside.

The room fell quiet as she entered, and all eyes turned toward her. She froze, gripping her schedule tightly.

"Ah, you must be Antena," the teacher said, smiling warmly. "Welcome! Why don't you introduce yourself to the class"

Antena's heart raced as she stood at the front of the room. "Uh, hi. Um, I'm Antena, and-uh..."

She stumbled over her words, feeling the weight of dozens of eyes on her. Suddenly, a voice cut through the silence, smooth but teasing.

"Looks like someone forgot how to talk."

Her head snapped toward the back of the room, and her eyes widened in disbelief. It was Nate-the same cute guy who had helped her find her way. He leaned back in his chair, a playful smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

The class burst into quiet laughter, and Antena's cheeks burned hot. She felt a lump forming in her throat but forced herself to hold it together.

The teacher clapped their hands to regain attention. "All right, settle down, everyone. Antena, you can take the seat by the window."

Antena nodded stiffly, keeping her head low as she walked to the desk. Sliding into the chair, she stared out the window, pretending to be engrossed in the view outside.

But the sting of embarrassment was too much. She pressed her sleeve to her face, trying to wipe away the tears before anyone noticed.

Nate glanced in her direction, his smirk fading slightly. For a moment, he looked like he might say something, but instead, he turned back to face the front of the class.

Antena let out a shaky breath, sinking deeper into her seat. The first day at her new school was already turning into a nightmare.

****end of class******

"Hi I'm jenny " a cute brunette said stretching her hands out to red eyed Antena sniffling she let's out a coarse hello,

"I'm sorry about nate he's like that sometimes " she proceeds to apologise and proceeds to invite Antena to sit with her friends during lunch, the rest of the day goes smoothly she sees jenny in all her classes for the day as the last bell rings different limited edition cars pull up to pick up students

Antena watches in awe she was used to going home by bus this was new territory for her but she quickly composed herself caught her bus and headed home as she sat in the bus she thought to herself with a smile 'eastridge wasn't so bad'.

Antena pov

---

One week later

I woke up this morning feeling extremely refreshed. East Ridge Academy isn't as bad as I expected it to be. It's actually wonderful. The campus has started to feel familiar, and I'm finding my way around easily now.

I even made a new friend, and she's been a lifesaver. Having someone to talk to has made all the difference. It feels good not to be completely alone here.

As I get ready for the day, I can't help but smile. Maybe this place isn't so bad after all.

---

"Good morning, Mum," I say as I walk into the kitchen counter to have breakfast. When I don't get a response, I look around to see a note on the counter. It reads:

'Early morning shift. I won't be back till tomorrow. Love you, baby.'

I sigh as I prep my breakfast. After I'm done eating, I prepare to take the bus like I usually do.

I hear a car honk beside me. To my surprise, it's Jenny and her driver.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Get in!" she says, giggling.

I get into the car, and if I thought the exterior was dope, the interior leaves me speechless.

"You're lucky there are no bugs in here, Tena," she says, snapping me back to reality. Only then do I realize my mouth is open.

She bursts into another fit of laughter. "Why are you so wide-eyed?" she asks.

"Nothing. How did you find my house?" I retort.

"Your mum called me," she says simply, offering nothing

I blink at her, taken aback. "Wait-what? My mum called you? When did that happen?"

Jenny shrugs, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. "I don't know. She called me last night. Told me to make sure you didn't 'get lost' on your way to school or something."

I groan, burying my face in my hands. "That is so embarrassing."

"Oh, come on. It's cute," Jenny teases, nudging me with her elbow. "You should be thanking me. I'm saving you from the horrors of public transportation."

I roll my eyes but can't help smiling a little. "Fine. Thanks, I guess."

"You guess?" she repeats with mock offense. "Girl, do you even know how much effort it takes to convince my driver to pick someone up? He's not exactly a people person."

I glance at the driver through the rearview mirror, but his expression doesn't give anything away. He looks completely indifferent, like chauffeuring teenagers is just another day at the office.

"Seems like he's doing just fine," I say, smirking.

Jenny laughs. "Don't let the poker face fool you. He grumbled the whole way here."

As the car glides smoothly through the streets, I can't help but relax a little. Jenny has this way of making everything feel lighter, like the world isn't as serious as it seems.

"So," Jenny says, turning to me. "What's the verdict? Fancy car rides or the dusty old bus?"

I raise an eyebrow. "This feels like a trick question."

She grins. "It's not. But I'm taking notes for future reference."

I laugh, shaking my head. "Okay, fine. Fancy car rides win. Happy?"

"Very," she says with a dramatic sigh of satisfaction. "See? You're already adapting to the high life

---

We arrived at school just before the bell rang and then went to our separate classes for the day. Unfortunately, Jenny and I didn't share any classes. But to my dismay, Nate and I had all of them together. It was like he was hell-bent on frustrating my life. First, he was a complete pest, then he stuck gum on my seat now everyoneis calling me gum girl , and now becauseof i barely understood what the teacher in my calc class was saying Godd! I hate that boy.

****************Breaktime***********************

I'm so happy it's break time. He can't disturb me here. I'm at peace. Just me, Jenny, and my food.

Jenny looks at me. "So, have you thought of joining any clubs?"

"Yeah, the debate team," I reply.

Jenny's eyes widen. "What the... Debate team? Seriously? You've got to be kidding me."

"Why not? I think they're cool," I say, shrugging.

"Oh my God," she groans, shaking her head. "You have such a beautiful body. Join the cheerleaders or something. I don't know."

I raise an eyebrow. "What do you mean, I love debate team I think they're cool! Plus it would really help my college application "

Jenny sighs dramatically. "Oh my God, that's literally in the next decade live a little damn! "