Rosalyn Luxe, Aurora's only daughter, a kind-hearted teenager gazed out at the sleek glass facade of Lexington Manor High School, a building that had become familiar yet still felt foreign. It had been a few days since her transfer from Los Angeles, and everything about this East Coast elite school seemed to clash with her West Coast vibe. She had traded sun-kissed beaches for Manhattan's concrete jungle, and the laid-back atmosphere of her old school for the cutthroat competitiveness of Lexington Manor's Grade 12 crowd. As she walked through the hallways, she nodded to familiar faces, trying to memorize names and cliques. The designer labels and effortless confidence of her classmates still intimidated her, but she was determined to fit in. Rosalyn thought back to her old life, wondering if she'd ever find her footing in this new world. Would she be able to navigate the complex social hierarchy of Lexington Manor, or would she always be the new girl from LA?
Luis sat beside the swimming pool, the sunlight glinting off the water, unaware of what was actually happening to him. The day had started out like any other, as he moved through the halls of school, but now, everything seemed unusual. He absently watched as the ripples disturbed the perfect surface of the pool, thought spiraling in his mind, until he suddenly heard a voice from behind him.
"Sweetie, what are you doing over here? I searched for you all around the school, but luckily, I have found you," Mariana, a flirtatious young lady, said with a bright smile on her face as she approached him.
Luis looked up, surprised by her sudden appearance. He couldn't help but notice that she was wearing casual attire instead of her school uniform. Her hair was loosely tied up, and she exuded a fresh energy that contrasted with the somber hues of the environment.
"Dimpy, you're arriving at school at this time of the day and still not in your school uniform," Luis remarked, motioning for her to sit beside him.
Mariana sat down, her touch warm as she took hold of Luis's hand. "I'm leaving for Texas and will be back in a few days," she announced, her eyes shimmering with excitement mixed with sadness.
"Oh, perfect! So you felt I didn't deserve to be informed a bit earlier," Luis retorted, a hint of annoyance creeping into his voice, even as he admired her spirit.
"I know you think not telling you earlier is anomalous, but what happened is that my grandma was feeling unwell last night, and the decision to go see her was made this morning," Mariana explained, attempting to convey her sincerity.
Being a supportive boyfriend, he understood the urgency of family matters and asked gently, "Are you leaving right now? I see the driver is waiting for you."
"Yes, I am. I came to say goodbye to you," Mariana replied, her cheerful demeanor faltering slightly as she got up to leave.
Luis followed her lead, standing as well. "You should have sent me a text message or given me a call instead of troubling yourself by coming here," he chided playfully, masking his genuine concern.
"I know, but how would I get a goodbye kiss if I didn't come?" she said, teasingly stepping closer, her playful nature evident.
"Not today, please, Dimpy. I'm not in the mood," he responded, his tone more serious now.
"No problem, but a hug should do?" Mariana inched even closer to him, her eyes glittering with mischief and affection.
"I'm serious, Mariana!" he said, taking a step back, trying to assert himself.
"Okay then. I will take my leave now. The driver has been waiting too long," she said, sounding a bit dejected. Luis noticed her sadness and, with a gentle touch, held her back and leaned in to give her a small calming kiss.
"I knew you wouldn't be able to ignore me," she smiled brightly now, her previous sadness dissipating as she turned to leave.
Luis watched her walk away, feeling a mix of emotions. Not too long after her departure, Luis also set off back. As he headed back to the classroom, he hoped no teacher was inside. Luckily for him, when he stepped through the door, the classroom was teacher-free, and the chatter of his classmates filled the air.
He moved towards his seat where he usually resides with his friend
"Luis, where have you been, man? You missed a lot that happened in your absence," Elijah, his energetic friend, said as he walked up.
"Did anything go wrong?" Luis became curious, the remnants of his earlier conversation with Mariana fading into the background.
"Remember Rosalyn? The new student?" Elijah asked, expecting Luis to recall her.
"Yeah, the one that arrived last week," Luis replied, his mind racing as he tried to piece together the events that had unfolded since his absence.
"You won't believe it! Her beautiful and cute innocent face has been ruined with mud. Mercedes was assigned to take her around the school today, and you know how Mercedes can be; she threw the innocent girl into the mud!" Elijah explained, almost animatedly.
Luis felt his frustration rising, "I just can't get that girl! She wants to cause drama with someone who hasn't even had a chance to know her, let alone offend her!" He shook his head, headed towards the spot on the ground where the incident occurred.
"Why is he getting so angry?" Elijah asked him, dropping back into his seat, continuing with whatever issue he had been engrossed in before.
"Where is he off to in such a hurry", Alex, a friend of both Elijah and Luis inquired from Elijah after seeing how Luis stormed out while he was on his way to meet them.
"Who knows", Elijah retorted. "What's up man, how did go? ", Elijah continued. Alex took his seat and took a deep breath. "Was definitely hectic, if I must say but successful afterall", Alex responded and both continued chatting
** * * * *
As Luis approached the scene, he saw Rosalyn standing there, completely covered in mud, looking utterly embarrassed while Mercedes and her crew made a laughing stock out of her. Luis's protective instincts kicked in, and he strode up to them.
"Hey Luis, what are you doing over here?" Mercedes asked, a teasing smirk plastered on her face.
"I don't owe you any explanations. I'm here to warn you against causing any harm to Rosalyn. There's no way she could have offended you, so why the bitterness towards her?" Luis declared, his tone firm but calm.
Mercedes stepped closer, her eyes glinting with amusement. "Like you said, you don't owe me any explanations, and the same applies to me."
"I didn't ask for any explanations. I'm just cautioning you because Rosalyn isn't going to be one of your preys," Luis made it clear, meeting her gaze with unyielding determination.
"Oh wow! I don't get you, but why do I have this strange feeling that you may actually like her? It's like you got fed up with that... that girl, Mariana, like you did with me, so you want this lovely girl to be your next prey. How fascinating of you! Poor Mariana must be heartbroken and shattered, just like I was when you left me for her, and that could be the reason she didn't show up today," she said devilishly, her broad smile revealing a sense of triumph.
Luis felt an involuntary flush of anger at her words, but he did not respond. Instead, he turned toward Rosalyn, who was standing there, too embarrassed to even move.
"Come on, I will lead you to the lavatory," he offered, and without a backward glance, Mercedes left, her laughter trailing behind her.
** * * * *