An ordinary classroom full of students in a luxurious-looking high school, far up north of Sydna with little civilization. Despite that, it still reigned as one of the most prestigious academies in the world. There remained students with characteristics such as, studious, rich, poor, or those who simply do not care. Though, none of those qualities mattered when ranks already predetermined one's future.

"Please finish all your work and hand it in by next Monday. No late work will be accepted," the teacher drawls. The dark eye bags on her face and her disheveled, unprofessional appearance exposed many of the school's failures. Understandably, she wasn't very amused with students who never took her seriously. They never had to, considering their high social standings.

The bell rings and she dismisses the whole class. All that remained were three friends in the now empty classroom, waiting for the rest of the group to join.

"That bitch talks too much," Lydia scoffs. She flips her wavy black hair to one side and opens a pocket mirror to examine her makeup. She fixes her eyeliner quickly before turning to the others. Her black, doll-like eyes made her look like she was straight out of a movie. Former actress, and daughter of a high executive with close ties to the government of Atarina. Not even the teachers could do anything to stop her if things got out of hand. "What's even the point of keeping us here to do meaningless paperwork? She's just wasting our time."

She leans on a desk and adjusts her jacket and skirt.

"You can't call anyone a bitch, when you're one yourself," Rey chuckles playfully. He brushes his thick, brown hair back and does not bother to adjust his messy collar with undone buttons and slightly-oversized pants. His personality often contrasted his muscular and intimidating appearance. Son of another high ranked executive closely tied to a prestigious assassination firm.

In front of them was Shinta, a studious-looking teenager who had just about enough of the two. Compared to Shinta, Rey looked like a peasant with how trim his collar was along with his clean, sleek outfit. In addition, his dashing looks made it easy on the eyes for almost anyone.

"Quiet. I can't focus with your incessant shouting. Stupid fucking bitches," he rolls his eyes and mumbles under his breath. It was abundantly clear who will have a successful future, considering he was the youngest son of the country's ruler. His personality was a slight issue, however. He ties up his long, black hair into a half up half down to keep his hair neat. Always calculative for the best options, even hairstyles. Rey scoffs and shoots him a dirty look.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Lydia shoos him away. "Anyways, can I copy your homework again, Rey?"

Rey rolls his eyes and opens his palm facing towards Lydia, "You can once you actually pay me back for last time. And don't try lying to me that you did, cause I can tell. Just make sure to change it up a bit so it doesn't look like you just copied it. Though knowing you, you wouldn't."

"Oh come on, now! I helped you edit your shitty essays using my valuable free time!" Lydia argues. "And I paid for dinner last time too!"

Before they could continue bickering like children, five more of their friends finally arrived. Hopping off the desk, Lydia gestures to them to sit down.

"What took you all so long?!" she teases. She hooks her arm around Karna and pulls him down, who was essentially a palm tree to her, making him slouch in an uncomfortable position.

"Ugh, having the old man right before lunch is such a pain in the ass. He's too strict over everything," Karna responds. The rest of the friends follow behind, gathering around Shinta's desk. Khari stands slightly further away from the group and redoes the bandages on her hands that keep falling off. Hazel eyes that shone golden in sunlight with dark brown hair tied back into a neat ponytail. A golden string was visible from the hair ornament hanging next to her ear. Oldest daughter of the high secretary in the government's council.

"Khari, are you okay?" Lydia asks with a concerned expression. She tries to clasp Khari's hands, but she flinches and turns away. Uncharacteristic to her cheerful and bright spirit, Khari shuffles back quietly, hiding herself in her baggy clothes, juxtaposed with her background.

"She's fine," Elios puts himself between the two of them and turns Khari the other way. He was like a statue, tall, brooding, and cold to anyone except his lover. Silver, fluffy hair, onyx eyes, and glasses that fit him just right. If he stood next to Shinta, they'd look of the same class, which was far from the truth. Elios was only a son of a mere low executive that worked for the government after all. Clearly no one approved of his relationship with Khari, but none of that mattered to the two.

"How odd," Shinta quietly notices, but doesn't pay mind to it.

Kenji ignores the interaction and turns to Rey. He was the tallest, but had a thin frame, making him appear more lean than the rest of the boys. Two piercings on his left ear and an eyebrow piercing, all a result of Rey's persuasion. Brown eyes and long, brown hair tied neatly into a low ponytail. Son of the sister noble family from another country, Eunsiatia.

"You aren't getting lunch, Rey?" Kenji asks. Rey stares confusedly, then suddenly jumps up off his seat and looks panicked.

"Aw, shit! I completely forgot!" he says in frustration. "I hope they still have fried rice!"

He bolts out of the classroom and shoves his way out of the group.

"Thank you for reminding meeeeee!" he shouts from a distance, Rey's voice slowly becoming a soft echo. Kenji chuckles lightly and everyone gathers together except for Elios and Khari. Lydia, Karna, and Kenji gather around Shinta's desk.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

Rika stood behind Lydia, despite being close to the group, she was obviously excluded. She was the shortest of the bunch, and her timid nature definitely didn't help with fitting in. Big onyx eyes that always looked terrified, and long, straight black hair. Rika also wore baggy clothes, with at least some sense of style that pales Khari's, but it didn't change how low her status was. Daughter of low end workers, or in other words peasants, which no one wanted to associate with.

"Ugh, fuck I'm thirsty. Rika, get me some water," Lydia throws coins at Rika's face, leaving marks on her forehead. She picks up the coins from the floor and scurries away. "God she's so fucking useless. I still don't know why my dad even gives that useless family a chance."

"You're such an asshole," Karna laughs and jabs her arm. Long hair around his bangs, with his roots dyed into a lighter brown at the ends, making a gradient. Brown eyes with more piercings on his ears than Kenji's. Typical delinquent look, which was not so far from the truth. Son of another high executive to the government with ties to Shinta's father.

"What? Don't even, you're no better, you son of a bitch," Lydia snarls and combs her hair. "She's so annoying. But hey, I gotta give credit, she's the reason I don't have to do any homework."

Karna rolls his eyes and turns his attention to Shinta. He ruffles Shinta's hair playfully and notices the amount of work he was doing during a break time.

"Come on, don't always have a stick up your ass! Stop doing work for once and experience the joys of life! Have fun with us man!" Karna smiles and puts his arm over Shinta. He doesn't do anything in response, but simply accepts his fate, hiding a small smile.

"I don't understand how he's so comfortable with you. He doesn't even let us lay a finger on him!" Lydia shakes her head in mock disapproval, obviously joking around.

"Come on, you don't know? Obviously because we're together!" Karna puckers up his lips to Shinta. Shinta pauses. "I'm just kidding. I don't know, maybe he likes me or something."

Shinta lowers his pen for a brief moment to process what happened, losing concentration from the comment. While everyone continues to joke and goof around, Khari and Elios stand together near the door.

"Do you feel like joining this time?" Khari inquires.

"No, I'm okay just standing here with you," Elios brings Khari closer to him. He gives her a light peck and Khari chuckles.

He mutters quietly to himself, "Not like they ever cared about me anyway."

"You are sweet indeed, but you can't just rely-"

Khari's face scrunches up in pain and she stumbles. Elios catches her with his left arm around her waist.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" he asks with great concern.

"Yeah. Just...the migraines," Khari holds her head, trying to regain control of herself. She starts sweating and breathing heavily.

"Khari...I'm worried for you. You've been having these migraines for weeks and it doesn't seem to be getting any better. Your hands too...you can tell me what's wrong, right? It can't have been just an angry cat that bit you," Elios holds her up so she doesn't fall. Khari reaches into her pocket, but realizes it's empty.

"I think...I just need to go to the nurse's office. I'll be back," Khari pushes Elios's arm off her and leans on the wall, preparing to leave the classroom. "My hands are fine, it'll go away soon."

"Khari, are you sure you're fine?" Elios asks before she leaves. She looks at him longingly and decides to make a white lie to not worry her lover.

"...Yes, I'll be fine." She says with a small smile.

Khari makes her way down the never-ending hallways. Trudging, further and further. Bandages falling, wheezing getting worse and worse. Vision blurring, everything starts to become hazy to the sick girl. Her world starts to spin into a-

"Are you okay? Hello? You there?" Two random girls ask with worried expressions. Khari looks up in confusion, unable to understand what they were saying. Realization struck. Khari looks up in terror, her whole body freezing up, unknowing of what to do. One of the girls extends their arm out to help stabilize Khari with how much she was heaving. "Do they know already?" Khari's vision starts to blink a tint of red. "I can't let them know!"

She swats the hand away and starts running, continuously stumbling on the way and running into many confused students. After the struggle, Khari finally hobbles her way in the nurse's office and the nurse stares nonchalantly at her weakening state.

"For what reason are you here today?" she picks up her clipboard, unfazed.

"I...need painkillers," Khari pants. "Urgently."

The nurse gives her a perplexed gray look. Authority also revolved around traditional standards of age in Sydna.

"I'm afraid I can't give you anything until you tell me your condition."

"Migraines. Really...really bad migraines."

The nurse starts writing information down on the paper, not paying much attention to Khari about to faint, trembling and gasping. It didn't matter what Khari's status was so long as she was older and of the same rank.

"Name?"

"Please...! Just give me the painkillers, I need something to alleviate the pain!" Khari almost loses it, her patience dwindling with her consciousness. Her mind and vision could no longer comprehend the nurse as a coherent person.

"Quiet, child! This is a nurse's office and I will not tolerate such demanding behavior!" The nurse slams her clipboard down on her table. "You may leave."

"What? I-"

"I said, you may leave. You are no longer permitted to enter the nurse's office due to your disrespectful behavior," the nurse scorns at her.

"W-what?" Khari's face contorts to shock. "You want me to leave? Because I'm being rude?!"

The nurse glares at her and notices the atmosphere had changed with Khari's pissed off expression.

Meanwhile, Elios taps his foot impatiently in the classroom, awaiting Khari's return.

"Dude, can you stop? The whole foot tapping is starting to get really annoying," Karna snaps Elios out of his mind.

"Oh...sorry," Elios stops and starts biting his nail instead. "She's been pushing me away for a while...I thought she'd be able to handle this, but it only seems to be getting worse."

"What's got you so worried anyways?" Kenji asks.

"Had none of you noticed? Khari's been in pain for weeks and it only seems to be getting worse. That's why I'm worried," Elios snaps.

"Dude, chill the fuck out. Yes, we've noticed, but we haven't brought it up because you're hovering over her like a bodyguard. Besides, if you're so worried about your girlfriend, go to the nurse's office to check up on her instead of waiting here and making us all uncomfortable. I would if it were me," Lydia rolls her eyes, annoyed at Elios's attitude. Elios nods and puts his head down, leaving the classroom abruptly to join Khari.

"I really hope she's okay." Elios thinks to himself. He arrives at the nurse's office and opens the door. There sat the love of his life, mutilating the dead nurse and ripping flesh with her teeth like a rabid animal. Her eyes were bloodshot, nails turned black, and the veins on her neck popped out. He tried to look into her eyes, hoping to find a glimpse of his lover. Reality struck. She's gone. Whatever that creature was standing in front of him was no longer her.

"K-Khari?" Elios reaches his hand out, still hoping she was somewhere in there. All there was in response was an abrupt stop in movement and deafening slurring. She turns to Elios and stares at him with piercing eyes for a couple seconds. He could only stare at her odd movements. Suddenly, she viciously lunges towards Elios, her mouth agape. He could barely react, fear halting any control he had in his entire body.

"Fuck!"