Chapter 1 : A Dangerous Assignment

     The sharp knock on the classroom door made us all look up. Mrs. Hall poked her head in, her usual calm expression fixed in place. “Serena and Elodie, can I see you in my office for a moment?”

      I glanced over at Elodie, who was sitting at the back of the room, half-hidden behind her notebook. She didn’t look up, as if pretending not to hear her name. Typical.

     “Go on, girls,” said Mr. Cooper, motioning for us to leave.

    I stood, smoothing my skirt as I grabbed my notebook, while Elodie took her time getting up, shoving her things into her bag with unnecessary force. Her chair scraped loudly against the floor as she pushed it back, earning a few snickers from our classmates.

     We walked to Mrs. Hall’s office in awkward silence. I kept a polite distance from Elodie, but her scowl was hard to miss. Whatever this meeting was about, she clearly didn’t want to be a part of it.

     Mrs. Hall was already seated when we arrived, gesturing for us to take the two chairs across from her desk. I perched on the edge of mine, but Elodie slumped into hers, arms crossed, her entire posture screaming "I don’t care."

     “Thank you for coming,” Mrs. Hall began, her voice gentle but firm. “Serena, as you know, you’ve been excelling in your studies this year. Elodie…” She hesitated, glancing at the other girl. “I’ve noticed you’ve been having some trouble keeping up in a few subjects.”

     Elodie rolled her eyes. “A few subjects? Try all of them.”

     I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from retorting her.

     Mrs. Hall ignored the sarcasm and continued, “That’s why I’ve decided to pair you two together. Serena, I’d like you to help Elodie with her schoolwork after class for the next few weeks.”

     I blinked. “Me?”

     “Yes. You’re one of our most capable students, and I believe you have the patience and skills to help.”

     I glanced at Elodie, who looked as though she’d rather be anywhere else in the world. Her lip curled in what might’ve been disgust—or was it defiance?

     “I don’t need a tutor,” Elodie said flatly, tossing her hair back in a way that felt more like a challenge than a casual gesture.

     “You do,” Mrs. Hall said firmly, though not unkindly. “And Serena is the best person for the job.”

     I nodded hesitantly. “Of course, Mrs. Hall. I’ll do my best.”

     Elodie snorted. “Yeah, right.”

     Mrs. Hall’s eyes softened as she addressed Elodie directly. “I know this might not be what you want, but I believe you’re capable of much more than you give yourself credit for.”

     Elodie didn’t respond. She just stared at the corner of the desk, her jaw clenched.

     “Starting tomorrow,” Mrs. Hall concluded, “you’ll meet in the library after school. I’ll check in with you both in a few weeks to see how things are going.”

     The meeting ended, and as we left the office, I couldn’t help but wonder what I’d just gotten myself into.

     “Hey,” Elodie’s voice startled me as we walked down the hallway. I turned to see her staring at me with those piercing blue eyes, filled with disdain. Her tone carried a storm’s weight, dark and threatening. “We need to talk about this.”

     “We don’t,” I replied, keeping my voice steady. I wanted to spend as little time with her as possible. “You do your part, I do mine. It’s all set.”

      Elodie’s eyes narrowed into slits. “Don’t talk to me like I’m your slave, smart girl,” she snarled. Her words dripped with venom, and I felt my pulse quicken.

     “I—I didn’t mean it like that,” I stammered, but before I could say more, Elodie shoved me against the wall.

     The impact startled me, and my bag slipped from my shoulder. Her face was inches from mine, the overwhelming scent of cheap cologne assaulting my senses. The skull on her black t-shirt seemed to glare at me, as though daring me to fight back.

     “I’ve got a good deal of experience with beatings, smart girl,” she whispered, her voice eerily soft. “So if you try to preach to me about study tips or whatever, I’ll give you a lesson of my own. Got it?”

     My legs felt like jelly, and I gripped the wall for support. Tears pricked the corners of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. “We’ll see,” I managed to choke out.

     Elodie grinned, her lips curling in a way that made me feel small. “Then you’d better see real quick,” she hissed before turning and striding away toward the playground. Her laugh echoed in the quiet hallway, chilling and triumphant.

     When I stepped back into the classroom, every pair of eyes turned to me. Either I looked as shaken as I felt, or everyone was curious about what kind of trouble I’d gotten into with the “bad student.”

     I slipped into my seat, my hands still trembling.

     “What did Mrs. Hall say?” whispered Ivy, my desk mate and best friend. She leaned over, her dark eyes wide with concern.

     “She wants me to tutor Elodie,” I murmured.

     Ivy’s eyebrows shot up. “Seriously? Good luck with that.”

     I didn’t respond. As the day dragged on, I couldn’t shake the sinking feeling that I’d just made the worst decision of my life.