Chapter 8 – First Impressions

Tanny stood just outside the towering gates of Evendale High, her heart pounding like tribal drums in her chest. The sky was a soft blue, painted with streaks of morning gold, but the scenery before her was anything but calm. Students swarmed around the schoolyard in animated clusters—laughing, chatting, filming TikToks, and weaving between each other like restless bees.

She took a deep breath, clutching the straps of her bag tighter. This was it. A new beginning.

Lucinda had dropped her off moments ago with a brief but encouraging, “You’ve got this, darling,” before zooming off in her sedan. Tanny was grateful, yet slightly panicked. Everything felt too big—too fast.

As she walked past the gates, she couldn’t help but notice the stares. Heads turned. Whispers floated. Some boys elbowed one another; a few girls gave her long, judgmental once-overs. She was used to occasional glances, sure, but this was something else entirely. Her beauty was effortless—her honey-toned skin, the softness of her features, the long lashes that made her eyes look like they held stories. And today, under the glimmering sun, she was radiating something new: mystery.

She tugged the hood of her oversized black hoodie over her head and quickened her pace, eyes fixed on the ground.

Just find the office and don’t trip, she told herself.

But fate had other plans.

In her hurry, she rounded a corner and—bam! She crashed into someone. Hard.

Books flew into the air like startled pigeons. Papers scattered like autumn leaves. Tanny stumbled back, wide-eyed.

“I—I’m so sorry!” she exclaimed, already crouching to gather the spilled contents.

The boy she had run into slowly knelt as well, brushing a hand through his dark, curly hair. His expression was unreadable—calm, almost bored—but his emerald green eyes flicked toward her with an intensity that made her heartbeat stutter.

“No harm done,” he muttered, his voice deep and smooth, almost too casual.

She paused for a second, mesmerized. His hoodie was navy blue, zipped halfway. He wore jeans and sneakers like everyone else, but something about him screamed different. He looked like someone who belonged on a magazine cover but didn’t care enough to pose for one.

Then came the voice that cut through the awkward silence.

“Well, look at that,” a girl sneered behind them. “New girl’s already knocking people over.”

Tanny turned her head. A tall girl with glossy braids and too much lip gloss stood a few feet away, arms folded and eyes sharp with disdain. She had that popular-girl aura—loud, confident, and annoyingly graceful.

“I didn’t mean to,” Tanny mumbled, rising to her feet.

The girl smirked. “You think because you’re pretty, you can just barge into anyone like you’re the main character? Newsflash, honey. We’ve already got one.”

Tanny’s eyes narrowed slightly, but before she could say a word, the boy—still picking up his things—spoke.

“Sasha,” he said simply, without even looking up. “Go away.”

The girl—Sasha—froze for a moment, clearly surprised. “Excuse me?”

“I said go away,” he repeated, standing upright now, clutching his books.

Sasha blinked, scoffed, and then flipped her braids dramatically. “Whatever. I’ve got better things to do than play hero for weirdos.”

And with that, she sauntered off, heels clicking against the concrete.

Tanny let out a slow breath she didn’t know she was holding. “Thanks,” she said quietly.

The boy shrugged. “Didn’t do it for you. She’s just annoying.”

A pause.

“I’m Tanny,” she offered, trying to ease the awkward tension.

He glanced at her. “Owen.”

She smiled a little. “Nice to meet you.”

He didn’t smile back. “Try not to knock anyone else over.”

And just like that, he turned and walked away, leaving her there—still stunned, still unsure what just happened.

What a weirdo… she thought, though she couldn’t deny the way her stomach fluttered just a bit.

What was with those eyes?

The bell rang, snapping her out of her thoughts. She hurried toward the administrative block. Her heart was still racing—not from embarrassment, but from that strange interaction.

She could already tell this school was going to be different.

Very different.

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Tanny’s first few classes were a blur. She got her timetable, met a few teachers, and sat through a rushed orientation with other new students. Everyone seemed curious about her—some were kind, others overly fake. She hated being the center of attention.

In Chemistry, two girls offered to help her find the lab, but spent more time asking if she was related to any celebrity. In Literature, she got stuck in the front row and accidentally answered a question correctly—which earned her more attention.

During lunch, she sat alone under a tree with her earbuds in, hoping no one would bother her. Her thoughts drifted to Owen. Who was he? Why did he seem so cold? And why did his words still echo in her head?

“Try not to knock anyone else over…”

She almost smiled. Almost.

Then she noticed him again across the yard, sitting alone at a bench, typing on a small laptop with earbuds plugged in. His face was focused, lit slightly by the glow of his screen. Something told her she’d be seeing more of him—whether she liked it or not.

Author's note: Thanks for the reading !💜 If you enjoyed it, leave a like or comment 😉