The shrill sound of my alarm jolts me out of sleep. I groan and stretch, realizing it’s already six on the dot. Time to get ready for school. I drag myself out of bed and head for the shower.

Thirty minutes later, I’m done bathing and brushing. Now comes the hardest part deciding what to wear. My wardrobe is full of beautiful clothes, yet picking one always feels like a battle.

After several minutes of indecision, I settle for a black body-fitted short gown with a side slit that runs from my thigh down to my knee. It’s off-shoulder with long sleeves, and the fit makes my curves stand out softly. I add a thin belt around my waist to highlight the shape.

It’s plain black with subtle designs elegant but bold.

I match it with black block heels and a medium-sized black handbag. One last look in the mirror and I smile. Wow. I’m freaking beautiful. My skin glows, my curves sit right, and my hair neatly braided in black extensions frames my face with two thin strands left on each side. I apply light makeup, just enough to look fresh, not dramatic.

“Now… what color of bag?” I mutter, glancing around. “Red, maybe?”

I pick a small red purse and nod to myself in approval. Perfect.

“Hun, breakfast is ready! Hope you’re dressed,” Mum calls from outside the door.

“Yes, Mum! I’ll be down in a minute!” I shout back, slipping my books into the bag.

Before leaving, I hear a soft bark. “Cutie!” I smile, turning to see my puppy wagging its tail eagerly. I kneel, and she jumps into my arms.

“That’s your way of saying good morning, huh?” I giggle, placing her gently on the floor. “Be a good girl, okay? Don’t mess up the room or run outside. We’re still new here. I’ll send someone to bring your food. Bye, Cutie.”

I leave the room and head to the dining hall. Mum, Dad I mean, Mr. Andrew and that bitch, Kathryn, are already seated.

“Good morning, Mr. Andrew. Good morning, Mum,” I greet politely, taking my seat. Mum’s eyes study me, probably wondering why I still call him Mr. Andrew instead of Dad. But I’m not ready for that yet.

“Good morning, dear. You look beautiful today,” Mr. Andrew says warmly.

“Thank you, sir,” I reply with a polite smile as I start to eat. Kathryn hisses softly and continues with her food.

“We’re definitely winning ‘Best Sisters of the Year,’” I mutter sarcastically, nearly choking on my food.

“Be careful,” Mum says quickly, handing me a glass of water.

“I’m leaving now, Dad,” Kathryn says, standing up.

“Are you done eating, darling?” he asks.

“Yes, sir,”

“I’ve credited both your accounts, “Use the money wisely and behave yourselves in school.”

“Okay, Dad,” Kathryn says sweetly, kissing him on the cheek. I follow, kissing both Mum and Mr. Andrew before heading out behind her.

The Rolls-Royce is already parked outside. The driver opens the door for us, and we get in. The moment we drive off, I can’t help but think this is the most luxurious car I’ve ever ridden in.

I sit quietly, counting the reasons my life feels upside down. I left behind my friends, my city, my peace everything. Sometimes I wish Dad were still alive. I’m not into material things. I just want happiness.

My thoughts are cut short when the car stops in front of the university gates with name boldly written “GATEWAY COLLEGE “. As soon as we step out, three girls rush over to Kathryn. One of them, wearing tiny bum shorts and a crop top, points at me and whispers something. Suddenly, everyone’s eyes are on me.

I feel their stares and whispers follow me like shadows as I walk to my locker. I’m arranging my things when a sharp voice cuts through the noise.

“Well, look who we have here. The new girl. I’ve heard quite a lot about you,” one of Kathryn’s friends sneers. She’s dressed in a tight short gown that barely fits.

I decide to ignore her, but Kathryn speaks up.

“Let’s go, girls. She isn’t worth it. You’ll be seeing us around, bitch,” she says with a smirk before walking off with her crew.

“Wow,” I mutter, forcing a smile. “Lily, welcome to your new nightmare.”

“Hey, do you remember me?” a cheerful voice says behind me. I turn around to see a familiar face.

“You were the lady who rescued me the other day when I was almost robbed!” she says excitedly.

“Yeah, I remember. Linda Daniels, right?”

“Yes! How did you know my name?”

“You forgot your ID card that day,” I reply, handing it to her from my bag.

“Oh my God! Thank you so much. I’ve been looking for this everywhere.” and so happy right anyways since you know my name so what’s your name

“No problem. I’m Lily. I just moved here and transferred to this university recently.”

“I figured,” she laughs. “It’s written all over your face.”

We both laugh.

“I’m in the Psychology Department. You?” I ask.

“Same here!” she says brightly. “We also have an Inspirational Class that includes all levels 100 to 500. You should join me there; it’s where most people go. You’ll meet everyone the beautiful, the rich, the weird, the powerful.”

Linda is fun to be around light-skinned, with long natural hair tied in a high ponytail. She’s wearing a blue pencil skirt, a black crop top, and simple black sandals. She’s effortlessly stylish.

“Hey, Earth to Lily,” she laughs, snapping her fingers. “Come back to Africa!”

I burst into laughter. “Sorry, I was just thinking. So, how’s school generally?”

“It’s nice… except for one group The DIVAS.”

“The DIVAS?” I repeat, confused.

“They’re a group of rich, entitled girls. Kathryn’s one of them. Their parents basically control this university, so they do whatever they want. Everyone avoids them unless you want trouble. The only people they respect are a group called The BOLD a set of handsome, mysterious guys in 300 level. But those guys rarely talk to anyone.”

“Wow, sounds like a lot of drama,” I sigh.

Linda chuckles. “Oh, there’s more. You’ll find out soon enough.”

We walk together into our lecture hall and take seats near the front a huge mistake, apparently.

“Let’s ignore them,” Linda whispers when she notices the DIVAS sitting nearby. “I also saw you coming out of the same car as Kathryn today.”

“Yeah, long story. I’ll tell you later,” I whisper back. “By the way, who’s that girl in the black tight gown sitting close to Kathryn?”

“That’s Annabel the jezebel of Gateway University,” Linda whispers, and we both laugh quietly.

“And the one in bum shorts and a crop top?”

“Mirabel. She’s… let’s say, the campus flirt. She can’t resist cute guys.”

“Wow. Classy,” I mutter.

Linda grins. “And the one in the pink beret and white top is Jessica the school’s number-one gossip. She spreads rumors faster than wildfire.”

We both laugh too loudly, earning stares from our classmates. I notice Kathryn and her crew glaring at us. Annabel starts to stand up but freezes when the lecturer walks in.

“God saved my ass this morning,” I whisper to Linda, and we both hide our laughter.

“Good morning, class,” the lecturer began, stepping to the front of the room. “Today’s topic is Introduction to Psychology. Before we start, I’d like to welcome a new student who just joined us. Could you please raise your hand?”

I hesitated for a second, then slowly stood up. My heartbeat pounded so loudly I could hear it in my ears. I could already feel the judgmental eyes of my classmates burning into me.

“Good morning,” I said, trying to sound calm.

“Good morning,” he replied with a kind smile. “Please introduce yourself.”

“My name is Lily,” I said firmly. “I’m here to study.”

The room erupted in laughter even the lecturer chuckled a little.

When the noise finally died down, he said, “Well, everyone is here to study too, Miss Lily.”

I met his eyes. “I don’t think so,” I said, my voice steady.

He raised a brow. “And why do you think that?”

“Because some people are here to show off, bully others, or make them feel less than they are,” I answered. “But I’m here to do the opposite to learn.”

A few students clapped quietly. They knew exactly who I was talking about.

The lecturer nodded, slightly impressed. “That’s a fair point. You may sit down.”

He turned to the board and wrote PSYCHOLOGY in bold letters.

“Now,” he continued, “I’m sure everyone here has heard the word before. Who can tell me what psychology means?”

The room was silent. No one raised a hand. Then, just as he was about to call on someone, his phone rang. He frowned, answered it quickly, and his expression changed.

“Apologies, class. I have to attend to something urgent. We’ll continue this next time,” he said before hurrying out of the room.

I turned to Linda, who was already packing her things.

“So, what’s the plan now? We’ve got a few minutes before the next class,” I asked.

“Let’s drop our books first. Meet me at the entrance,” she said, heading for her locker.

“Okay, see you there.”

I walked to my locker, humming softly to myself. It had been an interesting morning my first day, and I’d already spoken up in class. Not bad, I thought. And Linda seems like fun. No dull moments with her.

As I swapped my books, I suddenly felt a gentle tap on my shoulder.

“Hey” I turned around and froze.

It was Linda. Her hair was damp, her face streaked with tears, and her books were wet.

“Linda! What happened?” I grabbed her shoulders, panic rising.

“Please, Lily,” she said softly, her voice trembling. “Don’t get involved.”

“Linda,” I said firmly, “was it the DIVAS? Yes or no?”

She didn’t answer just looked down and nodded. My jaw tightened.

“Follow me,” I said through clenched teeth.

“Lily, please,” she pleaded. “You can’t fight them. They’ll twist everything against you. Their parents basically run this school. If we react, we’ll be the ones punished.”

I sighed deeply, trying to calm the storm inside me. “Fine. But let’s get you cleaned up first.”

We went to the restroom. I helped her dry her hair and wipe the water off her face.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “You didn’t have to.”

“I know,” I said quietly, “but you’re my friend.”

We hurried to our next class nearly late and slipped into seats at the back, directly across from Kathryn and her friends.

I could feel their eyes on us. Smirks. Whispers. Then laughter. I clenched my fists under the desk.

“My patience is running out,” I muttered under my breath, just loud enough for them to hear. “Keep pushing, and I’ll come for you.”

They laughed harder, like I’d just told a joke.

When the class ended, most students quickly left maybe they sensed what was coming. Kathryn and her crew strutted toward us like they owned the place. She folded her arms, tilting her head in mock pity.

“Well, well… the new girl and her charity case,” she said coldly. “Do you really think you or your mother could ever fit into my family? Let me make it simple for you. I’ll make sure of that.”

I kept my eyes on my notes, pretending not to hear her, even as she leaned closer.

“I’m talking to you!” she snapped, shoving my books off the desk.

“Don’t provoke me, Kathryn,” I said quietly. “I’ve tolerated your nonsense, but if you don’t back off, I can’t promise I’ll stay calm.”

“Oh, I’m so scared,” she said with fake laughter. “What are you going to do, new girl?”

Before I could reply, she slapped me hard. Gasps rippled through the classroom. My cheek stung, and for a moment I couldn’t breathe. Her friends laughed and kicked my books across the floor.

“Don’t test us again,” Mirabel sneered as they walked out, flipping their hair like nothing had happened.

I stood there, silent. My hands were shaking, my eyes burning, but I refused to let the anger consume me. I bent down and picked up my books slowly, one by one. Everyone was staring. Some looked shocked; others just… amused.

“I can’t keep doing this,” I said finally, my voice low. “I’m done letting them treat us like trash.”

“Lily, please,” Linda said, pulling at my arm. “Let’s just leave.”

We walked out together, ignoring the whispers that followed us. I could still feel Kathryn’s slap burning on my face.

Outside the school gate, Linda asked softly, “Where do you stay?”

“Chilove Estate, Number Two,” I said.

Linda blinked. “Wait…what? Is that not the same house the almighty Kathryn lives too or am I getting it all wrong lily?”

“Yeah,” I muttered. “It’s… complicated. I’ll explain later.”

“I will be waiting,my house isn’t far from the Chilove estate we can just book a ride instead cause we both know you can’t ride with Kathryn

Within few minutes our ride arrived and he hooped in. We arrive at the estate but I was so angry to go inside cause it reminded me of that bitch…Linda noticed it and hugged me

The cab stopped me at my gate after which the cab took Linda to her house.

“Don’t forget to call me when you get home ok?

Linda nodded as the car drove off.

“Oh no, I’m going to be late!” I groaned, rushing out of the bathroom with my towel wrapped tightly around me.

With only a few minutes left, I scrambled to get dressed black mini jeans skirt and a fitted white top, and white sneakers to match. I let my hair fall free, styling two neat braids from the sides near my ears. A gold hairband held everything together, keeping it from falling into my face.

After packing my school materials into my black bag, I stood before the mirror. My reflection looked exhausted, so I quickly applied a little makeup foundation, powder, a hint of lipstick, and shaped my brows. My “simple look” as I liked to call it was just gloss, powder, and soft baby curls.

An hour later, I was finally downstairs. I packed my breakfast into a bag because there was no way I could eat that much food right now. Dad had already given me permission to take his truck.

“He’s such a good man,” I smiled, slipping on my knuckles rings.

I was still admiring the car when my mind flashed ..Cutie hadn’t shown up, and I hadn’t seen her since I woke up.

“Should I go upstairs to check on her? Or just rush to school?” I muttered. “I’m already late, and Linda’s going to nag me to death.”

I quickly texted Mom:

Me: “Hey Mom, please check on Cutie.”

Grabbing my bag, I headed out and drove straight to Linda’s house.

When I got there, I honked the horn. “Linda!” I called through the window. “Hurry up, we’re late!”

Her voice came from inside. “I’m coming, Lily! Just give me a second!”

Moments later, Linda stepped out, brushing her hair behind her ear. She looked effortlessly pretty in her jeans and a white crop jacket.

“Wow, look at you,” I said teasingly as she got in. “You really took your time.”

“Whatever,” she said, rolling her eyes as she fastened her seat belt. “And by the way, your car looks so damn good.”

“Right? It’s Dad’s. Try not to fall in love with it,” I said with a smirk as we pulled out of the driveway.

Linda laughed. “You’re so full of yourself.”

“I’m confident, not full,” I replied, laughing too.

“Anyway,” she said, “what about your stepsister, Kathryn?”

“She’s the same noisy drama queen as always,” I sighed. “She probably woke up yelling again this morning.”

Linda laughed. “That girl could win an award for talking.”

“Exactly,” I said, shaking my head.

We cruised down the street, music filling the car as the city woke around us.

“Please, drive slower,” Linda begged. “I don’t want to die young. I still have goals to achieve.”

“Like getting The BOLD to finally notice you? But which of the guys are you crushing on?” I teased.

She gasped. “Lily!”

“Relax,” I laughed. “Your secret’s safe with me.”

“It better be,” she said, trying to sound serious but failing to hide her smile.

When we reached the school gate, heads immediately turned as we drove through. The stares followed us all the way to the parking lot.

“Why are they staring like that?” I whispered.

“Because we look hot,” Linda said with a wink.

We parked and stepped out, the attention making me blush a little. I tugged Linda’s hand. “Let’s go before they start drooling.”

Inside the building, we stopped at our lockers to grab our materials.

“Why were you walking like you were enjoying all those stares?” Linda teased.

“What’s wrong with that?” I said, grinning. “Maybe they’ve never seen two beauty queens before.”

“You’re impossible,” she said, laughing.

When we got to the lecture hall, there were still a few empty seats, so we chose the second row. According to what I’d heard, this hall was for all levels for “Inspirational course”, while the hall opposite was for other courses.

“Lily,” Linda whispered, “what’s your plan after class?”

“Nothing much,” I replied.

“There’s a party the level-three guys are throwing today for freshers. Are you coming?”

“I don’t know,” I said. “Maybe I’ll go to the general fresher’s party next week instead. Mom probably wouldn’t let me go to this one unless it’s school-organized.”

“Come on,” Linda urged. “It’ll be fun to meet new people.”

There was something in her tone that made me suspicious. “Linda,” I said, narrowing my eyes, “if you tell me the real reason you want to go, maybe I’ll consider it.”

She smiled nervously. “What reason? I just want to have fun! Jeez, what are you thinking?”

“Nothing,” I said, pretending to believe her.

She suddenly nudged me, motioning toward the door. Standing there were The DIVAS including Kathryn.

Kathryn wore a mini black leather skirt with a silky crop top jacket that revealed her flat stomach. Her sky blue sneakers and heavy makeup screamed attention. Beside her, Jessica wore a tight mini dress. They all strutted in confidently, soaking up the spotlight.

“Backbenchers,” Linda muttered under her breath.

The class was almost full. We had about five minutes before the lecturer would arrive, but Linda kept glancing toward the door.

“Hey, Linda,” I whispered, “did you forget your brain outside? Why are you staring at the entrance?”

“Nothing,” she said quickly. “I’m just waiting for the lecturer.”

“Sure you are,” I teased. “Serious student indeed.”

Then Linda froze. Her cheeks turned pink. I followed her gaze toward the doorway and that’s when they walked in.

Three guys.The BOLD they murmured around.

The air in the hall shifted instantly. Every girl began adjusting her outfit,intentionally popping out their boobs for attention , while the guys just gawked like they’d never seen competition before.

“Oh, great,” I muttered. “My gender is embarrassing me again.”

Even the DIVAS weren’t left out, each one subtly fixing her clothes and adjusting what doesn’t need adjustment,Kathryn zipped down her jacket reviewing only her bra to draw attention.

Kathryn stood up and confidently walked toward the first guy the one in front. He wore all black: a fitted shirt, dark jeans, and black sneakers. His hair was dreaded neatly, while the other two had low cuts and matching black outfits.

The guy with the dreads walked right past Kathryn without even looking at her.

“Now that’s impressive,” I whispered under my breath.

Linda leaned closer. “That’s them,” she whispered.

Before I could ask who she meant, our lecturer walked in. The class instantly went silent.

I turned around again, only to lock eyes with the guy on dreadlocks. My heartbeat skipped. He looked away casually and took a seat in the middle row just a few seats away from us.

“Honestly, Linda,” I whispered, “I don’t get why everyone finds that group of guys so attractive. They’re overrated.”

Linda smirked. “Lily, I’m tempted to say you’re blind.”but you are blind my love

“I’m not,” I muttered, though my cheeks betrayed me.

But my eyes kept drifting back to him, and a thought whispered in my mind. Something told me this wasn’t just a random encounter.

And somewhere across the hall, in his mind… he thought the same.

FINALLY … I MEET HER.