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"EXCUSE ME," cassie muttered as she sidestepped a student blocking her way. the assembly hall was packed, rows upon rows of chairs filled with students, the air thick with the collective chatter of hundreds of voices. she carefully threaded her way through the maze of legs and bags strewn across the narrow aisles, her eyes scanning for an empty seat. after what felt like an eternity, she finally spotted a vacant chair near the middle of the room. with a sigh of relief, she quickly slid into the seat, placing her bag on the floor beside her.
as she settled in, she allowed herself a brief glance to her right—and instantly regretted it. her eyes widened in surprise before she snapped them straight ahead, heart pounding. "oi, you." a voice came from her side, sharp and unmistakable. cassie kept her gaze fixed forward, silently willing the universe to let the comment be meant for someone else. "cassie." damn. so much for wishful thinking.
slowly, she turned her head, and there he was—spider, staring right back at her with that mischievous grin she’d grown to loathe. next to him sat ant, leaning back in his chair with a lazy, disinterested expression, and beyond him was dusty, who seemed more focused on the front of the room than the conversation unfolding next to him. "you and ant hooked up, ay?" spider nudged her shoulder, his tone dripping with suggestive curiosity.
cassie felt her face flush slightly, caught off guard by the bluntness of the question. she knew she had to think quickly. "uhm, we more like, made out at a party," she lied, her voice wavering slightly. she forced a smile, hoping it looked convincing. "whoever made that stupid thing is bullshitting," she added, letting out an awkward laugh, before turning away from spider and fixing her eyes on some random spot in the distance.
the tension in her shoulders began to ease slightly, but the moment of relief was short-lived. the buzz of conversation around her shifted suddenly, and she picked up on a low murmur growing in intensity. "holy shit, is that harps?" someone nearby exclaimed, drawing her attention to the entrance of the hall. cassie followed the collective gaze of the students, her eyes landing on harper mclean as she strode confidently into the room.
harper had been known for her long, flowing blonde hair, a signature look that many envied. but now, she was almost unrecognizable—her hair shaved down to a buzz cut that was both shocking and undeniably bold. cassie’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, but as she took in harper’s new look, a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips. it suited her, she decided, nodding to herself. the buzz cut gave harper an edge, a kind of fearless defiance that cassie couldn’t help but admire.
before she could dwell on it further, the headteacher, woodsy, stepped up to the podium at the front of the room, her presence immediately commanding silence. "sit down, amerie," she snapped at a lingering student, her voice sharp and no-nonsense. once everyone was seated, woodsy began her address, the words that followed causing cassie to cringe.
