By sheer fortune, Winterwood High School was approximately only a 15-minute walk from Silvia’s home. The cerulean sky stretched endlessly overhead, with not a wisp of cloud to obscure the gentle rays of sunshine. Despite the weather not being too hot, Silvia felt beads of perspiration forming on her forehead, which she swiftly wiped away with the sleeve of her arm. She hadn't a clue if it was because of the wig or her growing anxiety. Perhaps both.

Silvia arrived at the open gates of Winterwood High, where a monumental sign proudly bore the school’s name. Her backpack clung to her shoulders, and she clenched its straps tightly, mentally preparing herself for the challenges that loomed ahead. However, her feet seemed to develop a will of their own, resisting her commands to move forward. She noticed the nearby students surreptitiously observing her and exchanging hushed remarks. “Are they gossiping about me? I hope they haven’t seen through my disguise.”

A gentle tap on Silvia’s shoulder pulled her from her thoughts, and she was instantly elated by the sight of Camila, who had come to check on her much like her father had.

“I’m fine, Mila. Remember, we have to maintain the pretence that we’re not friends,” she reminded her loyal companion.

“I know, but I can’t help feeling a little worried.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve got this.”

“Lucky for you, Silus shares the same homeroom as me. It’s in Room 12.”

Silvia noticed the other students, their gazes darting warily towards Camila, engaging in hushed conversations once more. She couldn’t shake the suspicion that they were whispering about Camila simply because she was seen conversing with ‘Silus’.

She turned back to Camila. “Thanks, but first I need to see the principal.”

Camila pointed in the direction of the school office, and Silvia felt blessed to have her supportive best friend by her side.

“Principal Cronin is his name. A highly intelligent man, so I wish you the best of luck,” Camila added with a last-minute piece of advice.

 

Silvia set foot in the school office, but the reception she received from one of the staff members was anything but welcoming. Her gaze dripped with undisguised disdain, regarding Silvia with a sneer.

“Well, well, if it isn’t the notorious troublemaker, Silus Arias. Here to see the principal, I presume?” she drawled, her veneer of professionalism slipping away in an instant.

Maintaining her composure, Silvia didn’t take her contemptuous tone to heart. After all, the disdain remarks were aimed at her irresponsible brother. She nodded meekly in response.

The staff member reacted with an exaggerated eye roll. “I’ll let him know.” Rising from her desk, she approached the heavy oak door leading to the principal’s inner sanctum.

From behind the door, a dignified voice commanded, “Come in.”

The staff held the door open, gesturing for Silvia to step into the principal’s domain. As Silvia crossed the threshold, she found herself in the presence of Principal Cronin—a figure of great authority seated on his imposing leather chair behind his grand mahogany desk.

Cronin seemed to have transcended the boundaries of age, his appearance belying the passing years, save for the subtle crow’s feet that hinted at the wisdom of age. Neatly trimmed facial hair, unmarred by the touch of grey, framed his resolute jaw. His meticulously styled hair whispered of a strong commitment to his vocation, each strand representing the dedication that had propelled him through his illustrious career. Despite the aura of respect that surrounded him, his bleak eyes held a deep, enigmatic quality, as if they had witnessed secrets and mysteries beyond the comprehension of others.

Silence hung heavy in the room, broken only by the faint hum of the computer. Silvia, her nerves taut, took a seat across from him and felt the intensity of his eagle-eyed gaze, causing her to swallow nervously.

Cronin finally shattered the suffocating silence. “Silus, I understand that you’ve been burdened by your family’s unfortunate circumstances, especially at such a tender age. I won’t impose punitive measures on you this time. But let it be clear that should a similar incident occur in the future, the consequences won’t be as lenient. I don’t condone your current behaviour, but I want you to know that I’m here to offer support. If you ever find yourself in a difficult position, don’t hesitate to reach out.”

His unexpected display of empathy caught Silvia off guard, as she had anticipated a harsher reprimand. She deepened her tone, expressing her remorse. “Sorry, sir. I won’t let this happen again.”

A fleeting smile graced Cronin’s lips upon hearing her heartfelt apology. His gaze lingered on her for a moment, as though his eyes were attempting to pierce through her very soul. He then cleared his throat, breaking the gaze, and issued a final directive. “Very well, Silus. Off you go; I wouldn’t want you to be late for homeroom.”

Exiting the principal’s office, Silvia felt an odd mixture of relief and trepidation. The encounter had taken an unexpected turn. Nevertheless, she was now faced with the pressing concern of navigating the unfamiliar school halls in haste, the school bell announcing the start of homeroom ominously ringing in the background.

 

Silvia’s heart pounded in her chest as she gasped for breath upon reaching Room 12. Her spirit had been in vain, for she had arrived late. As she stood in the doorway, the collective gaze of the entire classroom bore down on her. The atmosphere within crackled with curiosity and judgement.

Miss Cowan, her homeroom teacher, wore an expression of clear displeasure as she addressed Silvia’s tardiness. “Late again, Silus? What’s your excuse this time?”

Quick thinking was Silvia’s only ally, and she improvised on the spot. “U-uh…I got stuck in the restroom.”

Her words prompted laughter to erupt among her classmates, and Silvia felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment.

Miss Cowan’s response was delivered with a curt tone, her patience fraying. “Just go find your seat.”

Silvia’s eyes scanned the classroom, and they locked onto an empty desk. She was confident it belonged to her brother, and with resolve, she made her way towards it. A couple of tables to her, Camila sat, struggling to suppress her amusement but failing miserably. Her hands clasped together as if in apology for forgetting to provide directions to the homeroom. Silvia shook her head in exasperation, her best friend’s unreliability never failing to meet her expectations.

As Silvia settled into her designated seat, a male classmate positioned behind her cast furtive glances in her direction. An inexplicable sensation tingled on her back, compelling her to turn her head. The mysterious boy quickly averted his gaze, but not before Silvia had a chance to study him cautiously. His sleek, black two-block haircut and deep brown irises, nearly indistinguishable from his pupils, exuded an uncanny sense of familiarity. Her eyes widened in disbelief as the realisation hit her—a face from the past, a figure she had forgotten until this very moment.

Silvia flowed with the tide of students, navigating the labyrinth corridors of Winterwood High. Camila, always the loyal companion, soon caught up with her amidst the combined noises of lockers and chattering students. They exchanged hushed whispers, plotting their next moves, when an unexpected twist interrupted their clandestine conversation.

Out of the bustling crowd emerged the same young man who had shared homeroom with Silvia earlier. With an almost acrobatic flourish, he leapt onto her back, his grin stretching from ear to ear as he greeted her, “You finally decided to come back to school.”

Silvia, attempting to maintain her cover, responded with feigned nonchalance, “Oh, hey, Dane…”

As Dane scrutinised her more closely, his grin faltered, and a seed of suspicion took root. “Wait a second…”

A lump formed in Silvia’s throat as Dane’s suspicion intensified.

“Since when did you start hanging out with Camila?” he inquired, his eyes narrowing.

Camila, quick on her feet, came to Silvia’s aid with a convincing cover story. “We’re not friends, you idiot. I just came here to give him a piece of my mind for being such an ass to Silvia.”

Dane seemed to buy the explanation, at least for now. “Oh yeah, Silvia. How’s your sis?”

Silvia, still playing her part, avoided eye contact with him. “Um, she’s good, I guess…”

“We should catch up sometime, and you should bring Silvia with you too! Anyway, I better run. Aiden’s waiting for me.” With a casual wave, Dane scurried off, fading into the crowded sea of students.

Silvia released a sigh of relief, grateful that Dane remained as the same slow-witted guy she last perceived him as, completely unsuspecting of her true identity.

Camila paid attention to her solace and decided it was high time to provide some much-needed information. “I should’ve told you sooner, but there are a few people here you need to be cautious around if you don’t want your cover blown.”

Silvia was dumbfounded by the delayed assistance. “You’re telling me this now?”

“I know, my bad. Let’s start with the first person: Dane Andruth, also known as the resident ‘dumbass’. You already know him, childhood friends and all that, and he used to be close pals with Silus. Be careful around him; he knows your family better than anyone else here, aside from me. Next up is Aiden Hyde, Dane’s best friend. He and Silus share an intense mutual dislike. Aiden’s ex-girlfriend cheated on him with Silus, so avoid him for your own sake. Lastly, Jared Vino. He despises Silus way more than Aiden does, but no one knows why.”

“Why does Silus have so many enemies?”

Camila shrugged, her expression darkening. “Honestly, I can’t blame them. He’s quite the piece of work. Oh, I nearly forgot about one more person. Speaking of the devil…”

Camila’s warning came a moment too late as the person herself marched purposefully towards them. A petite girl with fox-like eyes glared at Silvia with overt and venomous hatred, the air around her charged with animosity.

“Ugh, you’re back?” she sneered.

Camila, never one to back down, raised an eyebrow. “What do you want, Felicia?”

Felicia snickered at Silvia. “What’s the point of coming back to school? Isn’t it obvious nobody likes you here?”

Camila, crossing her arms defiantly, fired back, “Oh, please, you’re just upset that Rosecrest accepted his sister and not you.”

“I wasn’t even that desperate!”

Silvia, perhaps too empathetic for her own good, couldn’t hold back her sudden remark. “You can still get into Rosecrest.” The words slipped out before she could stop them, and her hand flew to cover her mouth in a futile attempt to retract the statement.

Felicia, bewildered by the unforeseen remark, stammered in response, “O-Obviously! I don’t need you to tell me that. Ugh, whatever, you’re going to make me late for class.”

With a final display of vexation, she stormed away. Silvia, left in the wake of the encounter, felt slight remorse for her inadvertent comment.

Camila, her anger dissipating, offered a reassuring tone. “That’s Felicia Topaz, by the way. Don’t worry about her. She’s just jealous that Rosecrest chose you over her.”

Silvia’s gaze remained fixed on the spot where Felicia had vanished, a cloud of confusion and curiosity enveloping her thoughts.

 

Dane weaved his way through the hallway, eventually reaching the entrance of his first class. There, he encountered a laid-back yet brooding figure, who appeared to be waiting impatiently, nonchalantly leaning against the wall.

His brow furrowed as he shot Dane an impatient glance. “Took you long enough. What were you up to?”

Dane, still carrying the remnants of his cheerful demeanour from earlier, offered a casual response. “Yo, Aiden. I was just talking to Silus.”

Aiden, visibly perturbed at the mere mention of Silus’ name, pushed off from the wall. His agitation was apparent as he queried, “He’s back already?”

Unbeknownst to the both of them, a mysterious figure loitered nearby, shrouded in an aura of detached curiosity. Their conversation had triggered his interest, and he couldn’t help but eavesdrop.

Dane, sensing the brewing tension, attempted to defuse the situation. “Come on, you’re still hung up on that incident? You didn’t even like your ex.”

“It’s not about her. It’s about him thinking he can ruin my reputation.”

Dane’s attempt at humour fell flat in the face of Aiden’s growing anger. “Aiden, he’s a good friend of mine.”

“You still consider him a friend after he ditched you for those delinquents?”

“He’s been through a lot.”

Aiden, resolute in his stance, remained unswayed. “That doesn’t give him the right to wreak havoc on innocent people.”

Meanwhile, the mysterious figure, hidden in the shadows, felt his anger intensify with each passing word. He muttered under his breath, “That bastard is back?”

 

Exhaustion gripped Silvia as she hastily made her way home, her first day at Winterwood having drained her both physically and mentally. She cast a fleeting glance at the ornate clock hanging on the living room wall, its delicate hands ticking away the precious seconds.

With a heavy sigh, Silvia realised that time was slipping through her fingers like sand. She couldn’t afford to dawdle. Her transformation from Silus needed to be swift and seamless before embarking on her next task at her part-time job.

As she entered her bedroom, a sense of urgency fuelled her every move. The room itself seemed to hold its breath, as though aware of the secretive switch taking place within its walls. The weight of her dual life bore down on her, and Silvia knew that she had to master the art of transformation to keep her secret hidden from the world.