I kick the blanket at 5am on the dot. I really need to stop doing that. Especially if I aim to have a boyfriend. No one will have a ninja for a girlfriend. I go to the bathroom and have a glass of water before I brush my teeth and splash water on my face and pat my face.

I groan as I go back to make my bed. I place the outfit for the day and my phone rings just in time.

"There she is." She has a wide smile on her face, and she looks better than yesterday. Hope creeps in my heart and I smile, genuinely happy.

"Mommy!"

"How did you sleep, sweetheart?"

"Great after I made a friend."

"Oh, already?"

"Yup. Yesterday when I went to check out the campus. He lives two floors down."

She spots a frown. Oh, yes. That little info.

"He stays in your dorm?"

"The boys have a separate floor, mom. No boys will sneak in here."

"I guess that's what they meant when they said they teach you independence."

I nod. "Don't worry, mom. You know I'm better than that."

"I know." She sighs. "You will make more friends, my shining star."

I wince a little at the name.

"I'm sorry. I forget. But it's been 9 years, sweetheart."

I don't respond. She knows this isn't a topic I like getting into. After I ask for updates about her health, she lets me go and I finish getting ready. I take my bag and I head to school. I meet Simba at the foyer of our building, and we walk together.

He gives me the low down on some of the students. Who to avoid. Who is nice. And apparently in this school the biggest bullies were a group called The Syndicate. The name made me uncomfortable, but it was whatever at this point but still what a weird coincidence, I think to myself.

Its not too full when we get to the dining hall. We line for our food and when we get to the front, Simba starts getting uncomfortable.

"What's wrong?" I ask him. We collect our food.

"Don't look. The lords of the school are here. Let's just rush to our seats."

I honestly want to look back, but he starts walking and I follow. I guess I will see them when I am sitting.

"Cele!"

The loud voice comes from the other side of the room, and I guess it's one of the 'lords.' It seems my friend here is not very high on the food chain. Just my luck. But he is nice, and he's the only one I have. I can't be too choosy.

And higher hierarchal classes aren't what I'm here for. I'm here to get my diploma so I can go to med school and become a doctor.

I walk and I nudge him, but he is rooted in place.

I feel their presence behind me before they come in front.

"You got yourself a nice piece of ass this time. Maybe she can p-" the owner of the voice freezes as his eyes widen, like he's seeing a ghost. My own open eyes widen as my heart rate quickens.

What. The. Fuck.

No. No. This can't be happening to me. I hope I am seeing things, or it's a cousin. Preferably distant. Doppelganger maybe. That dream is crushed when three more sets of eyes come into view, and we all stand there staring at each other.

So many emotions going through me and their eyes. I see anger, so much anger, loathing and...pain. Their gazes are intent on me, they burn through me with their eyes.

I blink and avert my gaze. Then I do the reasonable thing I can think of, and I move to leave. I barely take three steps before my hand is grabbed and my tray drops to the floor, making a mess. I look down at the mess he's made.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" the icy words cut through all the bullshit that started coming to me and I look up to find no more shocked expressions but seething ones. They look at me like I stole their children and sold them to slavery. My eyes dart from each one. I can't seem to open my mouth to say anything. They enclose me in a circle, and I am trapped.

"Are you a fucking mute now? What the fuck are you doing here?" Mason repeats, tone even deadlier.

My mouth opens and then closes. The hall has gone eerily quiet. I am guessing all the students have stopped what they are doing, and their eyes are on us.

I try to gather myself. "I-I didn't know you guys went here." I say weakly.

"You are violating the agreement, Clark." I turn to see Bas. His voice is so different, manly. I look around at all of them they are all men now. And I swallow. And why the fuck are they that good looking.

"Cat got your tongue, Zaza." Jose flips a knife to my face, and I jump back, only to hit a hard body. I try to jump away but pale hands circle my throat, and they squeeze. Leo. Joseph comes close and he moves the knife next to my face. My eyes dart around, and tears forms in my eyes.

These are not the boys I remember. Mason has a cruel smile, Jose looks like he wants to skin me alive and Bas looks like he would let him.

"I'm s-sorry." I blurt out, hating myself for being so weak.

"Not yet you're not." Leo's breath brushes my ear and I shudder. I hate my reaction and I try to move my ear from him which is no use.

Jose moves and Mason comes close and leans into me and our faces only an inch away from each other. My heart jerks even harder in my chest. Leo's hold on my throat gets tighter and he cut my air supply. I try to claw his hands away from me, but he doesn't budge. Mason pretends Leo isn't chocking the life out of me before he leers.

"You are pretty, I wonder what you look when you are on your knees."

"What is going on here!" an adult's voice comes from somewhere in the room but none of them move.

"Nothing to see here." Jose says in a cool, even tone and the students scram to whatever they were doing and the chatter returns, but in whispers. Leo loosens his hold and I use my opportunity. I elbow him and he loosens some more, and I push Mason and I run out of there.

"You better fucking run." He calls after me

I run back to my dorm.

Well, I guess my plan of laying low has just gone to shit. I am guessing they are the Syndicate. I hear steps behind me, and I try to run faster.

"It's me. don't run so fast. I have asthma." Simba huffs behind me

I slow my pace and he catches up to me. We stop when we get to the dorm. We take a break catching our breath before we get in and go to my dorm. He hasn't asked me anything and its starting to get to me.

"We went to primary school together. First to third grade, that's all."

"Really? He leans against the door as I open. "Cause to me its like you stole their first-borns or something."

I roll my eyes trying to hide my real reaction.

"Oh, right. I'll stand right here and wait for you. It seems like it was fate that the two people the syndicate hate the most would be friends." He chuckles nervously

I look back at him. Like, woah, there albatross.

"I mean, not that we are friends. Just...just friendly is what I meant." He stammers

I shake my head but don't say anything. I close my door and undress. My jeans and sneakers are ruined. I feel where Mason grabbed me, and it hurts a bit. I just hope it won't bruise. Fucking Mason. I guess he hasn't gotten rid of that temper.

I wipe my feet and change into another pair of boyfriend jeans but with a hoodie this time. I had a nice top before but now I know who is here. Hoodie it is, so I can hide when I move from class to class. Yup, solid plan.

Right now, it's the only plan I have. I don't want any more run ins with them. I will keep my head down and I will keep myself out of their radar. It occurs to me then that I have three meals a day with them and seeing them is a guarantee every day.

I have to find a way to make them not interested in me. They have to know I'm not here for them and we don't have to be enemies. Or even on each other's radar. This school can be big enough for all of us. We don't have to interact or acknowledge each other.

As I walk out of my room, I realize that I am speaking about a pipe dream. I know they will come for me. Maybe not today, but they will, and I don't know what I'll do when that time comes.

I tune out Simba as he drones about his robotics class and the boring teacher, he has to deal with all semester because the normal one is pregnant. I think of how I can make myself smaller. I really need to get myself out of their radar or I will have to talk to my father again to change schools. He may be mad but if I tell him the reason, I'm sure he'll see it necessary.

When I walk into first period, I sit three chairs away from the back in the middle row. It's a history class. I take out my tablet and open the slides for the day. Then I look around. I notice some students are stealing glances at me. I keep my mouth shut and wait for the teacher.

My attention gets lured by an annoying giggle, and I look up. Joseph and Leo enter the class with girls on their arms. My eyes lock with each for only a moment before I swallow then look down.

No. this can't be fucking happening. Why me, lord? Why?

They sit at the back with their giggling friends. The teacher rescues me from the awkwardness.

"Morning students. Ah, we have a new student joining us this year. Miss Clark. Please." He gestures for me to rise with his hand.

Spoke too soon.

I stuff the nerves down and I rise. Fuck me. I guess I'll be doing this all day today. I hear chuckles and snickers from the back, and I don't dare look. The joke is on me, obviously.

"Come, introduce yourself. Tell us a bit about you."

My feet carry me to the front.

I lick my lips before I turn. I tend to lick my lips every time I'm nervous and I've learned to try and hide it. No one wants to look at a random person randomly licking their lips. It's kinda gross to some people. That's what I've been told.

"I am Willow Clark and I transferred from Oak Wood in Nevada. I-uh, like pizza, ice cream sandwiches and Rihanna is my idol." I shrug, trying to be playful. And to say I was met with ice would be an understatement. I was met with an avalanche of silence. I shift nervously on my feet before I glance at the teacher for help.

"Right. Great to meet you, Miss Clark. This is the fun class. I hope you enjoy your time here." He nods as I turned to plant my ass back to the chair. Somebody made a farting sound as I sat and the whole class laughed. I looked around and there was no doubt, they were laughing at me.

Fucking high school kids.

Fucking syndicate.

I hate it here.