An hour later,

ACE Academy.

The weight of the day pressed down on Emma as she stepped through the doors of ACE Academy. The familiar walls, the crowded hallways - it all felt so different now. She was a ghost in her own life, drifting through the motions with no one to truly see her.

Lily, her beloved sister, was gone. 

And though Emma had tried to bury the pain of that loss beneath a veil of anger, she knew deep down that she would never be the same. The whispers followed her. The stares. Her sister's supposed death had turned her into an outcast.

With her backpack slung over her shoulder, Emma walked towards her locker, her gaze fixed on the floor. She could already feel the eyes on her, the murmurs, the judgment. Her step-sisters, Ava and Alexis, were as usual waiting for her by her locker, smirking as Emma reached them.

“Look who it is,” Ava sneered. “The dead girl’s little sister. Guess you didn’t get the memo, Emma. Nobody cares anymore.”

Alexis snickered, clearly enjoying Emma’s discomfort. 

“Your sister’s gone, sweetheart. Who are you going to cry to mow?”

Emma gritted her teeth, the anger bubbling up inside her. She didn’t want to fight, didn’t want to give them the satisfaction. But it was hard, so damn hard to swallow their venom without snapping.

Before she could respond, Ava stood up, blocking her path. 

“What’s the matter? Scared to be alone? That’s what happens when you’re the weak one in the family.”

Ava shoved Emma hard, sending her stumbling backward. The force of the blow knocked her into a chair, and for a moment, everything blurred.

“Stop it,” Emma snapped, her voice cracking with the weight of her emotions. 

But it didn’t matter. The laughter from Ava, Alexis, and thier minions only grew louder.

“That’s it,” Ava said, stepping closer. “We’re gonna teach you a lesson.”

Emma’s heart pounded in her chest, and her mind raced, searching for a way out. But she was cornered — there was nowhere to go.

Then, like a storm crashing into the calm, a voice cut through the tension.

“Is there a problem here?”

Emma looked up to see Xander Hawke, his gaze intense and unwavering, followed by his brothers, Lysander and Caspian. The three of them moved in like a force of nature, standing tall and imposing.

“Stay out of this, Hawkes,” Alexis hissed, but the fear in her voice was clear. 

Ava’s smug expression faltered as she realized that her crush was infront of her and she tried jer best to look cute.

Xander’s lips curled into a smile, but it was far from friendly. 

“You should really learn how to treat people with respect,” he said, his voice low but filled with authority. “And it’s clear you’ve forgotten that.”

Lysander stepped forward, his presence just as commanding as his brother’s.

“I think you should leave. Now.”

The twins exchanged a glance, their bravado faltering as the Hawkes closed in on them. They were no match for the three of them, and they knew it.

With a final sneer, Alexis turned and yanked Ava's arm, pulling her away.

“We’ll deal with you later, Emma,” she spat before disappearing into the crowd of students.

The hallway buzzed with hushed whispers, but Emma didn’t pay attention to any of them. She was still too shaken, her heart racing in her chest.

“Are you alright?” Cassandra’s voice was soft as she knelt beside Emma, offering her a hand.

Emma hesitated, then took it, allowing Cassandra to help her up. The relief of the twins’ departure still buzzed in the air, but the anxiety in Emma’s chest hadn’t gone away.

“I - yeah,” Emma replied, her voice wavering. “I’m fine, just... a little shaken.”

Cassandra’s eyes softened with understanding. 

“I can imagine. But you’re not alone, Emma.” She paused, glancing at her brothers. “We’ve got your back.”

Caspian nodded, his green eyes steady and reassuring. 

“You don’t have to face them by yourself. We’ll make sure they don’t try anything else.”

Emma felt a warmth spread through her chest at their words, the weight of her isolation beginning to lift, even if just a little. She had allies here, people who understood, who would stand with her. For the first time in what felt like forever, she didn’t feel completely alone.

“You don’t have to die in silence,” Lysander added, his voice softer than the others. “If you ever need us, just ask. We won’t let them tear you down.”

Emma swallowed, blinking back the surge of emotions threatening to overwhelm her. She wasn’t sure if she believed it yet, but it felt like a promise she could hold on to.

“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice thick with gratitude. “I didn’t expect this... I didn’t expect anyone to care.”

“You’re one of us now,” Xander said with a reassuring grin. “And we take care of our own.”

Emma felt something shift inside her, a spark of hope she hadn’t realized she was missing. For the first time, she felt like she might have a chance to stand up for herself, to fight back against the darkness that had swallowed her life.

As the bell rang, signaling the end of the lunch period, Cassandra placed a hand on Emma’s shoulder. 

“Let’s get you to class,” she said with a smile. “We’ll walk with you.”

The gesture was small, but to Emma, it meant everything. As she walked out of the cafeteria with the Hawke siblings at her side, the sense of isolation began to fade, replaced by something far more powerful: the feeling of being seen.

The day dragged on, and Emma couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to change. She didn’t know what it would be, or how it would happen, but for the first time in a long while, she felt like she might have a future again.

The bell rang for the end of the day, and as Emma gathered her things, she noticed a familiar figure standing by the door: 

Xander.

“Hey,” he said, his expression unreadable. “I need to talk to you.”

Emma’s heart skipped a beat. “About what?”

Xander glanced around to make sure no one was listening before leaning in.

“It’s about your sister. There’s something you need to know.”

Emma’s breath caught in her throat.

“What? What about Lily?”

Xander’s eyes darkened, and he stepped closer, lowering his voice. “I can’t say too much right now. But there’s more going on than you realize. You need to be careful.”

Emma felt a chill run down her spine. “What are you talking about?”

Before Xander could respond, a sharp, cold voice cut through the air.

“Xander.”

They both turned to see PA Jin standing in the hallway, his expression as cold and emotionless as ever. He looked at Xander, then Emma, before giving a slight nod. 

“We need to talk.”

The tension between them was palpable, and Emma’s pulse quickened. Whatever that man had to say, it wasn’t going to be good.

And in that moment, Emma realized she was being pulled deeper into a world she hadn’t fully understood.

And she was trapped in the middle of it.