Chapter Five

The next day came fast. It was my first day at the new school in this strange town. I wasn’t sure what to expect.

I wore a simple turtleneck dress and jorts underneath. My jet-black hair was tied up in a messy bun on top of my head. A tote bag swung from my arm, holding the few things I needed.

Aunt May dropped me off at the school. The building looked big and busy, full of kids rushing everywhere.

She smiled at me as I got out of the car. “You’ll be fine, Lia. Just be yourself.”

I nodded but didn’t say much. My stomach was twisting with nerves.

I took a deep breath and walked toward the school doors, hoping today wouldn’t be as hard as I thought.

The crowds were bigger than I expected. Kids were everywhere—laughing, talking, rushing to their classes. The noise was loud, and it made my head spin.

I tried to stay calm, keeping my head down as I walked through the busy hallways. Lockers slammed, voices echoed, and the smell of cafeteria food hung in the air.

Suddenly, I stopped and turned around. Someone had startled me.

It was the girl from the gas station.

“Hey,” she said with a small smile. “What were the odds you’d be going to this school too?”

I blinked, surprised. “Yeah… I guess.”

She laughed softly. “I realized we didn’t introduce ourselves yesterday. I’m Tallulah, but most people call me Lulu.”

I nodded, trying to find the words. “I’m Lia.”

Lulu smiled and said, “Cute name for a cute girl.”

I felt my cheeks heat up and looked away quickly.

Lulu noticed me getting shy and gave a gentle smile.

“Don’t worry, Lia. This school can feel big and loud at first, but you’ll get used to it. Everyone’s busy with their own stuff. Just take it one step at a time.”

I didn’t expect Lulu to be this nice. Honestly, I thought she’d be like the twins well one of the twin—distant and a little mean. But she seemed… different. Friendly.

As we walked down the hall together, she asked, “So, what grade are you in?”

I shrugged. “Tenth. You?”

She grinned. “Same here. Looks like we’ll be seeing a lot of each other.”

A warm feeling spread through me. Maybe this new place wasn’t so bad after all.

For the first time that morning, I felt a little happy.

I took a deep breath and said, “Hey, I’m sorry about how I left yesterday when I came back asking about your brothers. I didn’t mean to be rude.”

Lulu waved it off with a smile. “Nah, it’s not a big deal. You seemed nervous. I get it.”

We started walking toward our first class together when suddenly the hallway doors stormed open.

In walked Lulu’s brothers — Mufasa and Matisse.

They looked like those guys from high school movies — the kind everyone stares at when they walk in, like the world suddenly slows down around them. Heads turned. Whispers followed. The hallway seemed to make space for them without even trying.

And Mufasa? He was right at the center. Calm, confident, too cool for everything.

I wouldn’t say I hate him—I don’t even know him—but one thing’s for sure: he’s annoying.

The way he looked at me as he passed by—like he knew some secret I didn’t—sent chills crawling across my skin.

No smile. No nod. Just… a stare.

I quickly looked away, heart pounding like a drum inside my chest.

When they walked past, Matis gave me a smile and a polite nod.

“Hey,” he said, reaching out for a quick handshake.

I blinked, surprised. At least he seemed decent—unlike his brother.

“Catch you later,” he added, then kept walking beside Mufasa, who didn’t say a word—just wore that unreadable expression, like he was trying to figure me out.

Lulu leaned in and whispered, “Don’t take it personally. Mufasa’s like that with everyone new.”

I shrugged, trying to act unfazed. “Whatever.”

But inside, I couldn’t stop thinking about that look.

We finally made it to our first class—math.

Ugh. Math.

The room was bigger than I expected, rows of desks stretching out with a massive whiteboard up front. Some kids were flipping through notebooks. Others just sat, waiting for the lesson to start.

The door creaked open and in walked the teacher—a tall woman with sharp eyes and a tight-lipped, impatient smile.

“All right, everyone,” she clapped once, “settle down. Let’s get started.”

Her eyes scanned the room. When they landed on me, she paused.

“You must be the new one. Welcome to Ms. Klein’s math class,” she said, her tone warm but brisk.

I nodded, clutching my bag tighter.

“Why don’t you introduce yourself? Tell us your name, maybe something about you.”

All eyes turned to me. My heart sank.

“I’m Leah,” I said, keeping my voice as steady as I could. “Just moved here.”

A few polite smiles. No whispers, no stares lingering too long. Relief.

Ms. Klein nodded and turned to the board.

“All right, class. Let’s settle in. We’ve got a lot to cover today.”

I slumped into my seat, still tense but slightly more hopeful. Maybe—even with math—this day wouldn’t be a total disaster.

When math finally ended, I let out a soft sigh of relief. Ms. Klein had started throwing around terms that made my head spin, but I’d survived round one.

“Next is English,” Lulu said as we stood up and stretched. Her voice was lighter now.

I followed her down the hallway, trying to shake off the math fog clouding my brain.

The English room had a warmer vibe—posters of famous writers, inspiring quotes all over the walls. Students were already chatting as we walked in. Lulu waved at a small group near the windows.

“Hey, Leah, come meet my friends,” she said, tugging me over.

There was Ava, bubbly with curly hair and a megawatt smile; Selena, chill and sharp-eyed; Gavin, tall and easygoing; and Chris, quiet but friendly.

“Guys, this is Leah—the new girl,” Lulu grinned.

Ava was the first to step forward. “Hey! Welcome to our little chaos crew!”

Selena’s gaze flicked to my denim shorts. “Okay, those are awesome. Where’d you get them?”

I blinked. “Thanks… some thrift store back near where I used to live.”

Selena smiled, clearly impressed. “They’ve got that perfect vintage vibe. I love it.”

I smiled back, feeling—just a little bit—like I belonged.At break, Lulu turned to me. “Stick with us, Leah. We’ll help you survive.”

She led me out to the courtyard where a few kids were lounging on benches, chatting and laughing.

“So, Leah,” Ava said with a wide grin, “what’s your story? Where’d you grow up?”

I glanced around at their curious faces, all waiting. It felt surreal—but kind of nice. Like I wasn’t invisible for once.

A dozen memories flashed through my mind. Truth was, I never really had a place to call home. I’d moved from town to town with my aunt, never staying long enough to plant roots. Always packing up, always saying goodbye.

I took a breath. “Honestly? Kind of everywhere. My aunt and I moved around a lot. I’ve gotten used to new places… and new people. It’s been… interesting.”

Lulu nodded, her smile encouraging. “Sounds like you’ve been on a real adventure.”

I shrugged. “Yeah, I guess. It’s not always easy, but I’ve learned how to adapt.”

Gavin leaned in, curious. “What about your parents? Any siblings?”

My chest tightened. Those were always the hardest questions.

I stared down at my hands, searching for the right words that wouldn’t make me feel too exposed.

After a pause, I said quietly, “They’re… gone. It’s just me and my aunt now.”

Silence fell for a moment. Ava’s eyes softened. Lulu reached over and gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze.

Then she broke the tension with a cheerful tone, almost protective. “Okay, no more heavy talk. Let’s move to something fun.”

Lulu grinned and nudged me. “Hey—after school, Selena, Ava and I are going shopping. Wanna come?”

I blinked, surprised by the invite. Shopping? With them? It sounded fun… but also kinda scary. I wasn’t sure if I’d fit in.

Before I could answer, Gavin and Chris wandered over, catching the tail end of the convo.

“What about us?” Gavin teased.

Chris just shrugged, glancing between me and Lulu.

Lulu rolled her eyes and waved them off. “Please. Girl stuff. You wouldn’t get it.”

Gavin laughed, hands up in mock surrender. “Fine, fine. We’ll let you explore your fashion secrets.”

I hesitated, feeling the pressure of their hopeful looks. Part of me wanted to say no—to cling to what I knew. But Lulu’s smile was warm and sincere. She made it feel easy. Like maybe I could belong here.

Maybe it was just teenage impulse. Or maybe I really did want something normal. Something fun.

I nodded. “Sure… I’ll come.”

Lulu beamed. “Yes! You won’t regret it.”

I paused, then added, “Besides, I do need more clothes. Didn’t bring much with me.”

They all laughed, like they totally understood.

Selena winked.

Don’t worry. We’ll fix that.”