The Blake Girl

Chapter 1

"Checkmate." I moved my final piece, feeling the weight of victory and defeat all at once.

"Juliette Allegria Blake, you're just like your mother." I clenched my teeth, barely containing my frustration. "Now get to school." I stood up and walked away from the table where my grandfather sat, his pride evident. It only fueled my anger as I boarded the bus, staring out the window in silence. By the time the bus arrived at school, my anger simmered beneath the surface. I made my way to my locker, where Rebecca was already waiting.

"Hey, Julia!" she greeted me with a smile.

I returned the smile, though it felt forced. "Hey, Becca, you're here early."

"It's Emily's first day, so the Hawthornes gave us a ride." I nodded in acknowledgment.

"I'm guessing the infamous Hawthornes are with Emily right now?"

She nodded again. "Yeah, she's getting her schedule."

"Well, she's in good hands. Let's focus on us." I looped my arm around hers, and we headed towards our class together.

"Ah, my two favorite girls!" Xander was leaning against the classroom door, a mischievous grin on his face.

"Xander, this isn't your class," Rebecca pointed out.

"Who cares? Xander could probably teach this class better than the actual teacher," I said with a smile.

"Don't you have your own class to get to?" Rebecca asked, skeptical.

"Nope!" Xander replied, strolling into our classroom like he owned the place. He walked in and spotted Jameson. "Jameson! My dear brother! You never mentioned you were in this class!"

My eyes followed Xander to the boy with dark brown hair and striking green eyes. I knew Jameson Hawthorne as well as anyone who'd never actually spoken to him would. Rebecca and I exchanged a quick glance before joining them. "Did Emily make it to her class alright?" Rebecca asked Jameson.

Jameson turned his attention from Xander to Rebecca before his gaze landed on me. "She's with Grayson," he said, then smiled at me. "I don't think we've met."

"Well, now we have," I replied with a small smile. "I'm Julia."

"Jameson," he introduced himself, and I just nodded.

"And I'm Xander!" I glanced at Xander, who was raising an eyebrow at me.

"Nice to meet you, Xander," I said, finally breaking eye contact with Jameson.

"Likewise," Xander replied with a playful wink, but his attention quickly shifted back to his brother.

Jameson's gaze lingered on me for a moment longer, as if he was trying to figure something out. He finally nodded as if coming to a decision, then turned back to Xander.

"So, what's the plan for today?" Jameson asked, his voice casual, but there was something in his tone that made me think he was always up to something.

Xander grinned widely, his mischievous nature practically radiating off of him. "I was thinking of taking a tour of all the classes I'm not actually enrolled in. You know, make some new friends, stir up some chaos—typical Xander stuff."

Rebecca laughed, shaking her head. "You're going to get caught one of these days."

"That's half the fun, Bex," Xander replied with a wink. "Care to join me, ladies?"

I raised an eyebrow. "You want us to skip class with you?"

"Who said anything about skipping? It's called 'exploring new academic opportunities.'" 

Xander's grin widened, and even Jameson chuckled at his brother's antics.

Before I could respond, the bell rang, signaling the start of class. Rebecca nudged me. "We should probably get to our seats before Mrs. Turner shows up."

"Right," I said, but as I turned to head to my seat, Jameson caught my arm gently.

"Julia, right?" His voice was softer now, more serious.

"Yeah," I answered, feeling my heartbeat quicken.

"If you ever need someone to show you around or just hang out, let me know. I am always up for new friends." His smile was warm, and for a moment, the guarded look in his eyes softened.

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind," I said, giving him a small smile in return.

He released my arm, and I walked over to my seat, trying to ignore the way my skin tingled where he had touched me. As I sat down, I noticed Rebecca watching me with a curious expression.

"What?" I whispered as the teacher walked in.

"Nothing," she whispered back, though the smirk on her face said otherwise.

As the lesson began, I couldn't help but steal a glance at Jameson. He was listening to the teacher with that same intense focus he had when he'd looked at me earlier. It was as if he saw right through people, as if he was trying to understand them on a level most didn't even think to explore.

Whatever was ahead, I had a feeling things were about to get a lot more interesting.

A/N: Yes I am starting this book over for the third time, and yes this should be the last I do this bc I actually really like this chapter. I feel like it gives each character especially Julia more personality compared to the last one.