C4 HEADER [https://i.imgur.com/xzJbRLr.png]

Day 2: September 2, 2013, Monday.

I knocked on the door of the faculty office and waited for a response. When someone said, "You may enter," I opened the door and went inside.

I bowed and greeted everyone in the room. "Good morning. May I know where Ms. Rhea Dhees is?" I politely asked.

"Nicole Fenton? I am Rhea, you may come here." A pretty, professional-looking young woman raised her hand and signaled for me to come to her desk.

When I was making my way to Ms. Dhees, I felt an unsettling leer directed at me; it was enough to make me quiver. I discreetly tried to search where the bad feeling was coming from when one of the male teachers greeted me.

"Hey, Nicole. We heard about your situation. If you need anything, feel free to let me know, okay?" A huge muscular teacher said to me as he reached out his hand.

I had always been good at reading other people and figuring out what they wanted from me. This guy was bad news; he was the one leering at me just now. He must have thought I was just some pushover girl he could take advantage of because of my situation. The way he was ogling me was disgusting. I really didn't want to shake his hand, but the situation called for it.

I was about to reach the teacher's hand when a striking, tall guy with distinctive white hair yelled out for him.

"Hey, Mr. Cam! Can I get my piercings back? I promise I won't wear them on academy grounds anymore, and please don't suspend me from basketball practice!" The white-haired boy said while repeatedly bowing his head.

This prompted the teacher to withdraw his hand and address the boy who called out to him. It was a relief.

He subtly clicked his tongue, "Okay, okay! Don't yell inside the faculty office, Edward. And don't call me Mr. Cam! I'll talk to you later, Nicole," The teacher said as he went back to his desk.

While I looked at the huge teacher return to his desk, I noticed the Edward guy looking at me. And when our eyes met, he gave me a wink as if to say, "I got you." He was sharp; he must have noticed my hesitation to shake hands with the teacher. To show gratitude, I bowed and smiled back at him to say, "Thank you." for what he did.

Upon reaching Ms. Dhees's desk, I sat down. "Hello, Ms. Dhees. I am here to talk about my medical history and to ask which class I belonged to," I said respectfully.

"My, what a polite girl! You can just call me Rhea, there is no need for formalities, Nicole," she said with a smile.

I obliged and went on to call her Ms. Rhea. We discussed my whole situation. I asked her who knew about it at the academy, and it seemed only the faculty members and high-ranking staff knew about it—which was good. She then went on to tell me that I would be part of class 2-A—the class that she was supervising. We sorted out everything, and I became officially a student at Magnolia Academy.

"I know your doctor gave you the go signal, but don't push yourself too hard, okay? Take it slow and steady. I am here if you ever need anything," Ms. Rhea said in a comforting and soothing tone. She was a good teacher, and I was glad to be in her class.

"Edward! Come here," Ms. Rhea called out to the white-haired guy who was about to leave.

"Nicole, this is Edward. He is in the same class as you, he can be difficult sometimes, but he is very reliable. So, I will have him show you the ropes, okay?"

Edward approached me and held his hand out. "Hey, dollface. So, your name is Nicole. I'm Edward! Nice meeting you!"

This guy... He was overflowing with confidence and seemed to think really highly of himself. But it wasn't off-putting in any way. I couldn't sense any ill will from him or anything like that. He felt genuine—a very straightforward guy. His attitude didn't bother me, but calling me dollface did. I didn't want another grandiose nickname like that.

I shook his hand. "Nice to meet you as well, old man. My name is Nicole," I said sarcastically, smiling.

"Ouch! Old man? At least I called you pretty, that was harsh," Edward said while scratching his head.

The three of us shared a chuckle and proceeded to class 2-A's classroom.

Ms. Rhea told me to wait outside while she and Edward entered the room. It was your classic "Wait till I call your name" transfer student moment you always see in a book or anime.

"Okay, class. Take your seat. I have someone to introduce to you today." I could hear Ms. Rhea's voice from inside.

"Really? I hope it's a pretty girl!"

"I wonder why they transferred so late in the year?"

"It will be totally cool if it's a foreigner!"

The classroom became noisy because of the announcement. Hearing their anticipation made me smirk. It was the perfect scenario for the plan I had in mind.

"Quiet, everyone! I can't introduce her if you are all making such a ruckus." With Ms. Rhea's skillful handling, the class immediately went silent. She was certainly an amazing teacher.

"Come on in, Nicole." Taking my cue, I opened the door and stepped inside the quiet classroom. I stood beside Ms. Rhea.

"Class, this is Nicole. Please be nice to her and help her adjust to her new school life, okay? I'm counting on you, everyone."

I bowed my head. "Hello everyone. My name is Nicole Fenton. We just moved here from Northwind. It is a pleasure to meet all of you. I hope we all get along," I said confidently.

There was another reason why I didn't tie my hair in my usual ponytail. Leaving it down made me look more welcoming and warm. And with my eyes a bit swollen, it created the guise that I was a "kind, approachable, and polite" transfer student. Who would have thought that my swollen eyes would come in handy.

I also deliberately introduced myself assertively and with optimism. The combination of being confident and welcoming was the recipe for having a "magnetic" personality.

As expected, when I lifted my head and faced everyone, there was a sudden uproar.

"Oh my gosh! You're so pretty!"

"Please become my girlfriend!"

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

"What school did you come from?"

A huge commotion enveloped the room, and amidst the uproar, a familiar, cute voice stood out. "Nicki! Over here! I'm so happy we are classmates!" It was Katie. She did mention she was in class 2-A. I was relieved to see her, I had someone I could trust in this class.

I also spotted Edward looking at me. And when our eyes met, he winked at me again. This guy just loved to wink. But I knew he was seeing through my "act." He was a keen one.

"Okay, class! That's enough!"

The ruckus immediately stopped due to Ms. Rhea's loud voice. She pointed me to my seat, which coincidentally was in front of Katie's seat. And on the right of my seat was Edward.

When I took my seat, Katie immediately greeted me with her pleasing and warm smile. Edward also tried to talk to me, but I ignored him.

To my left was the window. I glanced outside and saw the front gate of the academy. And it suddenly dawned on me, based on the position and distance of the gate from the window, along with the building's layout. This was the same window where the vision of my mom from yesterday was standing.

It gave me the creeps and made me feel uneasy; I felt sick. I could feel it coming... It was starting again... Then suddenly, just like magic. When I looked at the orchid flower, it calmed me down and relieved the anxiety that was building up. I regained my composure and was able to prevent myself from hallucinating. I was really glad I took the orchid with me because I absolutely didn't want to start a scene on my first day in class.

Perhaps noticing my brief moment of distress, both Katie and Edward asked if I was all right. They must be really paying close attention to me if they noticed it. I was fairly good at hiding my emotions, hence why the people from where I lived before called me The Ice Queen because of how stoic I was. I told them that I was fine and that they didn't have to worry.

The class started, and I was able to acclimate myself in no time. It was a breeze, to be completely honest. I participated in class, answered questions from the teachers, interacted with some of my classmates, and so on. I fitted in like a normal student, and not going to lie, it felt weirdly nice.

Lunchtime came as the academy bell rang. A bunch of my classmates started to gather around me and began asking a lot of questions. My "plan" was coming to fruition, this was the result I was hoping for when I introduced myself the way I did.

Since I was alone in a new environment with no one to trust and no information whatsoever. Well, there was Katie. But what I planned to do was to create an information network by building "fake" relationships with the people here and making good connections. That way, I could blend in well with everyone if they thought I was their "friend," making it easier for me to have my way. And since my classmates were kind enough to lay bare themselves to me. I would gladly take it. People who approached you on their own were the easiest to use and manipulate.

With a plan in mind, I entertained everyone who came to me and gave my best "kind, approachable, and polite" girl impression, and soon enough, everyone in the class took a liking to me. However, there were a few who were irked by my presence and the attention I was getting. They glared at me as if I were some slime in a video game, I would probably be dead tenfold by now if glaring at someone could kill. But I didn't mind it; you couldn't please everybody.

While I was busy pretending to be the "perfect" girl, Katie grabbed me and pulled me into the corner of the room. This surprised everyone and put us even more in the spotlight.

Katie put her arms around me and whispered, "Hey, Nicki! You were not this nice to me when we met yesterday! Even today when we were walking together to the academy! What's with the sudden change? Don't tell me it's the hair!"

Katie was a lot sharper than I initially thought. She even noticed that I didn't tie my hair in a ponytail today. So I told her the truth—at least half of it. That I just wanted to fit in with everyone. I also apologized to her for the cold shoulder when we first met and that I would make up for it by buying her lunch today.

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"Deal! Let's go and get Pen too, she should be in the library. Then the three of us can eat together!" A happy Katie exclaimed.

This "Pen" that she mentioned—I wasn't sure, but maybe she was referring to Penelope Craig, who was also in our class. She was seated far away from me, so I wasn't able to get acquainted with her. I guess she would be fine since Katie seemed fond of her.

We returned to our classmates, who were eagerly waiting for us. I told them I had to go because I would be eating lunch with Katie. Some of them let out a groan of disappointment, and some were even clearly sad because they wanted to eat lunch with me. They were so into me now.

Katie backed me up by declaring that she was my best friend. And anyone that would get in our way would be severely reprimanded. And to my surprise, it actually worked. Our classmates backed down, and they really looked scared. Was Katie the secret boss of a gang or something? I wasn't sure what was crazier, this girl who threatened an entire class? Or our classmates who took her threat seriously?

The chattering was interrupted by a loud yell, "Hey dollface! So Kat already got to you, huh?" It was Edward, who just casually walked to us. As I thought, this guy was also in the same league as Katie in terms of popularity and how well-liked they are. Both of their presences were intimidating and overwhelming. You could classify them as the popular, cool kids at the top of the school hierarchy. So, all except one person who was around me went silent and just stared at Edward, captivated by his striking appearance.

"Ed! You talk like you already knew Nicki. Calling her dollface... Did the two of you already meet?" Katie, the one person who wasn't affected by Edward's charisma asked.

"Of course! We bumped into each other in the faculty office. We are best friends too, right dollface?" Edward said confidently while looking at me.

This was perfect, I already established that I was "smart, confident, and welcoming." The ingredients for the perfect student act. So, if we added being funny in there as well. All the groundwork would be laid.

"Right. We need to respect our elders, Katie. That's why I paid attention to this old man when he approached me earlier," I said nonchalantly.

The whole room burst out into laughter.

"Oh my gosh, Nicki! I didn't know you were so funny! Serves you right, Ed!" Katie exclaimed while laughing her heart out.

Edward groaned and put both his arms on the back of his head. "Come on... don't call me old man. I'm calling you dollface as a compliment, you know."

Because of the sudden light and cheerful mood in the room, our classmates who were intimidated by Edward earlier started to talk and tease him as well. And as planned, they complimented me for being not just pretty and smart but funny as well.

But being in the center of the spotlight was not all fun and games. When everyone had their sights set on you. Among those looking eyes, some were likely to be evil and repulsive.

I felt the same disgusting leer I got earlier in the faculty office. But now it was coming from some of my classmates who were acting casually with me. They were trying to get close to me and even attempted to touch me. These scums would pay...

"I could smell your lust even a mile away... You degenerate," I thought to myself. These losers really believed I was just a pushover transfer student. But there was also a limit to how much I could take. They would regret thinking that they could prey on me.

I was about to disregard everything and blow my fuse when Edward yelled again, bringing me back to my senses. "Okay, enough with the jokes! Come on, Nicole. Time to show you around school."

That was close; I was just about to let it rip. I almost lost my cool there. I started thinking darkly and negatively. I was also getting to the point where I was beginning to insult and talk badly about my classmates in my mind. This was also a huge reason why I kept myself distanced from people after the incident. I became a "sociopath"—well, not really, but maybe a bit?

Due to my unstable mental health, whenever I got angry or fed up, it was being amplified by my condition. So whenever I reached my limit, all I could see was red. The doctor said that losing my mom changed my behavior immensely. Some of my "original" or "normal" behavior prior to the incident changed. And since I became so detached and antisocial now, maybe I was friendly and outgoing before. Who knows, my memories were a mess.

The doctor already gave me the green light and told me I was in good condition. I was stable, and even now I could confidently say that I was a fairly patient and calm person. But just to be on the safe side, I still avoided anything that could make me angry, especially the things I hated the most.

But do not misunderstand me. I wouldn't go on a rampage or go bananas and hurt anyone when I got mad, at least not physically. I was more of the type to verbally abuse someone and cause emotional and mental damage.

I didn't want to get out of control and do something I would deeply regret. That was why I detached myself from people so much; I didn't want my dark secret to come to light ever again.

"Ms. Rhea did say something like that. All right, let's go." I waved goodbye to everyone. And I told Katie I would meet up with her later.

I accepted Edward's invitation for two reasons: first, I wanted to get out of the classroom and compose myself. Second, this guy was really sharp. He noticed how some of the boys were acting "cozy" with me. And when he saw I was uncomfortable with it, he interfered. I could use this guy: his wits, authority, and popularity.

"If you even lay one finger on Nicki, I'm telling you, Ed. You will face my wrath!" Katie threatened Edward; she didn't sound like she was joking.

Edward raised both of his hands in the air as if he were being arrested. "I know, I know! Jeez... You can be really scary sometimes, Kat. That's why no one dares to mess with you because you would just straight up beat them to a pulp!"

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" Katie roared, and she continued to reprimand Edward. They looked like a tiger chasing its prey rabbit.

I told both of them that lunch would be over soon if we didn't get a move on. So they stopped playing around, and Katie said that she was going to fetch "Pen" so we could eat together and introduced her to me later. We said our goodbyes, and Edward began to tour me around Magnolia Academy.

Edward showed me all around the best places inside the academy. He also let me in on the latest news, gossip, and rumors. He told me everything I wanted to know without me even asking him. He made for a fine escort.

Two things stood out while walking around the academy: first, the vibe was not what you would expect out of a grand-top academy. Given that there were a lot of students doing normal student things, you could feel the tension and uneasiness in the air. It felt like they were afraid of something.

And second, Edward. Walking with him just accentuated how popular and well-liked he was. Everywhere we went, someone would always greet him—girls, boys, students, and teachers alike. Walking together with someone as well-known as this guy would definitely spark some weird rumors, along the lines of "the new transfer student getting snuggly with the hottest guy in the academy." Just thinking about it made me shiver; I didn't want any of that. But this was exactly what I needed. He would be perfect as my protector.

"Hey, why does everyone look so tense? Did something happen?" I asked Edward, who was walking ahead of me.

He stopped walking and looked back to face me. "Oh! About that, Nicole. You see—" He then went on to explain the reason for the academy's restless state.

"The curse," I whispered, taking the word out of Edward's mouth. I already knew the answer; I just wanted to squeeze out more information from him. Besides, I fancied playing the part of a "poor damsel in distress who doesn't know anything." I got the feeling that he was the type of guy who would "protect and keep you safe," so this would draw him in.

"It's the curse of this town, The 13 Plagues, we call it. You just moved into town, right? I guess being in charge of taking care of you, I should probably tell you about it," Edward said with an expression and tone different from his usual self. He sounded serious.

Wait a minute, when did he become the person in charge of taking care of me? What the heck? But it was all according to plan; he was being reeled in by my fishing hook. Edward was observant and smart, he could definitely see through my "perfect student act." So I decided to interact with him normally without any charade, while also leaving myself a bit "exposed"—to make him feel special for the different treatment I gave him. Guys like him loved to be treated "differently," after all.

He repeated the same thing Katie told me yesterday. The academy was on edge because it was that time again—the curse was starting. Going by what I knew about the curse so far, yesterday was supposed to be the start of it. They said it always starts at the beginning of each month, up to the 13th day. So, did something happen yesterday? Then I remembered the news report earlier this morning. But there was no way, right?

To clarify my assumptions, I asked Edward with a concerned tone. "Did something happen from someone in the academy?"

As I said those words, Edward looked crushed. He was nowhere near his usual self; he looked like he was about to cry or something. Bingo, I hit the mark.

He told me that he, along with the basketball team, went out to celebrate another win yesterday. They were out until late doing various stuff like eating at different shops, going to karaoke, and even hitting up on some girls. This guy, I swear.

Nothing out of the ordinary happened; everyone enjoyed themselves and had fun. All of them went home feeling satisfied and happy. But when morning came, the team was greeted by an alarming news. One of the team members just vanished without a trace. The parents of the said team member contacted everyone from the team and the academy. They said that their son did return after the team's celebration, but when they came to check on him this morning. He was just gone, so they immediately reported it to the authorities.

The academy already took the necessary safety precautions. They informed the student body and asked them to report immediately if they knew something that could help with the investigation. That answered why everyone was anxious. They believed it was the curse. I guess the announcement was made before Katie and I arrived at the academy.

"I'm sorry, Nicole. I didn't mean to burden you with heavy and dark topics like that. I was supposed to be taking care of you, not the other way around!" Edward declared as he forced a smile.

He came close to me and looked at me straight in the eye. "Don't worry about that silly curse, I will protect you, Nicki." He winked.

He was back to his usual self, which was good. Because I didn't want to "exploit" someone who was down in the dumps, that would leave a bad taste in my mouth. Now then...

I took a few steps backward to put some distance between us. "No, thank you. I could handle myself," I told Edward confidently. He was the type of guy who could easily get the things he wanted because of his status and fame, everyone around him turned into a yes-person because of his overwhelming charisma. So, if I treated him differently from what he was used to and pushed him away a little. He would easily fall deeper into my clutches.

"Ouch! That hurts a lot more than I thought it would. If I said that to another girl, they would be jumping for joy, you know!" Edward insisted.

"Too bad. I'm not that "another girl," I replied teasingly.

This made Edward laugh cheerfully. During the time we spent together on this tour. That was the first time I had seen him so happy. He was opening up to me, and I was seeing his true self and feelings.

Edward then bowed in front of me. "That concludes our tour around the academy. Did you enjoy it, my lady?" He said it in a polite and gentlemanly way. Imitating a butler of some sort.

This guy sure liked giving me nicknames. But I did have fun, and I got to know a lot of things about the academy thanks to him. So, I decided to play along with him as a thank you for today. And also to put the icing on the cake.

I smiled at Edward and did a curtsy. "I did. Thank you for escorting me, Edward. I greatly appreciate it."

He didn't react or respond to what I did; he just ignored me. After all the trouble I went through playing along with him, this is what I got? But as I raised my head and saw Edward in the state he was in, I thought, "Perfect." to myself.

His eyes were sparkling, and his face was all red. His mouth was wide open with awe. He looked like he saw something breathtaking, I guess my curtsy was just that good.

All my actions leading to this point were calculated: my body language, tone of voice, and the questions I asked. I never once called Edward by his name ever since we met. I figured I could use that as my "Trump card" when the right moment arrived. I just needed to stir his emotions a little and set up a situation where calling his name for the first time would leave the best impression. It was a huge help that he was easy to predict due to his personality. So I just led and pushed him a little to create the perfect scenario. He began opening up to me, and calling him for the first time in that circumstance was paramount and the key to my plan. Everything fell into pieces, and the impact it had on him was significant. It was a success; he was now under my spell.

"Hey, are you all right? What happened to you?" I asked the dumbfounded Edward.

Abruptly, he turned his back against me, as though he didn't want me to see his face. "Oh, Nothing! Come on! Let's return to the classroom and eat our lunch. Kat must be waiting for us," Edward said while in jitters.

I followed right behind him, and we headed back to the classroom. As I walked behind him, Edward mumbled something. I wasn't able to fully hear it. But I could throw a guess as to what he said.

On our way back, Edward gave me a handkerchief. He noticed that my eyes were a bit swollen and asked if I was all right. He offered to bring me to the infirmary room. But I told him I was fine and it was just a result of not getting enough sleep because of first-day school jitters. He didn't believe me and insisted on at least lending me the handkerchief. So I accepted it to make him feel more strongly that he needed to protect me, I would have him act as my shield against pervs and sickos.

Edward Carl, if I were to describe him. Perfect would be the best word to use. He had those striking good looks, and he was very keen and sensitive to his surroundings. Furthermore, the guy was smart and quick-witted. His personality was also endearing. He was kind, compassionate, and had a strong sense of justice. But for me, his most redeeming quality was that he was not even a bit condescending. Yes, he may be a little overconfident, but he was not arrogant in any way. Excluding Katie, he could be the closest one I could consider a friend in this academy.

Unbeknownst to me, Edward was already beginning to develop feelings for me...

(To be continued.)

Edward END [https://i.imgur.com/AaWzeVP.png]

Rhea END [https://i.imgur.com/i2p7MAw.png]

Cam END [https://i.imgur.com/uciSxzq.png]