*Reborn in Shadows*

Chapter 12: first day

I woke up feeling a mix of anticipation and nervousness for my second day at school. I dressed myself in neat white pants, a black silky T-shirt, and a casual brown coat. My hair was styled with soft curls at the ends, giving me a polished look. As I came downstairs for breakfast, Emily's eyes lit up. "You look perfect, Cath," she said with a warm smile.

Derek, Ryan, and Michael were already at the table. Derek looked up from his phone and smirked. "You look neat, Cath," he teased, his tone light but his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Ready for your first full day?"

I chuckled, feeling a bit self-conscious. "Yeah, I guess so."

After breakfast, I headed to school, feeling the weight of the day ahead. My first period was politics, and as I walked into the classroom, I spotted Michael and Amelia. I chose a seat near Amelia, careful to maintain some distance from Michael. I wasn't ready for everyone to know I was part of the Thompson family, so I introduced myself simply as Cath.

When the teacher called on me to introduce myself, I stood up, trying to mask my nervousness with a lighthearted tone. "Hey, everyone," I began. "I'm Cath. Just Cath for now because, to be honest, I'm still trying to figure out the rest."

There were a few chuckles from around the room, which helped ease the tension in my chest. "I'm new here, and if you see me wandering the halls looking lost, feel free to point me in the right direction—or laugh, whichever works for you."

The laughter grew, but it was friendly, and I smiled, feeling a bit more at ease. "Anyway, I'm here to study a bit of everything, apparently. So, if anyone has any survival tips for school, I'm all ears."

As I finished, I added with a softer, more sincere tone, "I'm looking forward to getting to know all of you... and, you know, finding my way."

After class, I was on my way to my next lesson when two girls approached me. They were clearly not here to make friends. One of them looked me up and down with a sneer. "So, you're the new girl. Trying to steal our spotlight already, huh?"

The other one chimed in, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "What's your deal? Think you're special or something? Newsflash: You're not."

Before I could reply, a voice interrupted. "Ladies, why don't you mind your own business?" A tall, sharp-featured boy stepped in. Raiden. He was handsome in a way that made you do a double-take, with an intensity in his eyes that was hard to ignore.

The girls glared at him but backed off, muttering something under their breath as they left. Raiden turned to me with a smirk. "Sorry about that. They're just jealous because they can't pull off the 'new girl' look like you do."

I laughed, though it was more from relief than anything else. "Thanks for that."

"No problem," he said, leaning in a little closer. "I'm Raiden, by the way.

"Nice to meet you, Raiden," I replied, trying to keep my cool.

So What subjects are you interested in?"

I told him I was considering forensic psychology. He leaned in slightly, his breath warm against my ear, and said with a teasing tone, "Sounds like you have a taste for the bloody side of things." I felt a shiver at his proximity and the intensity of his gaze. He gave me a nod before walking off to his next class. Amelia caught up with me soon after, looking amused. "Wow, new girl and already on the radar of Mr. Mysterious. Impressive."

I rolled my eyes, though I couldn't help but smile. As we headed to our next class together, the day seemed to be going a bit better. But that, too, was short-lived.

During lunch, I found a quiet corner to sit and catch my breath. But peace wasn't on the menu. The two girls from earlier, Kristy and her friend, approached me again, this time with reinforcements—two boys in soccer jackets.

"Well, look who's all alone," Kristy sneered, her voice loud enough to attract attention. "What, no friends to sit with you? Or did they all realize what a loser you are?"

The words stung, but I tried to ignore them, focusing on my food. That only seemed to make her angrier. "Hey, I'm talking to you!" Kristy shoved my tray, spilling the contents all over me.

I stood up, the anger bubbling inside me. "Back off."

"Or what?" Kristy shot back, stepping closer. Her eyes were cold, calculating. She picked up a fork from the table and held it to my neck. "You think you can just waltz in here and talk to whoever you want? Don't forget, you're nothing here. Just a pathetic little nobody."

Her friend laughed, and one of the boys muttered something derogatory under his breath. And Kristy came near my ear calling me something making me go in disbelief 'slutt' and hearing this i could feel my hand clench together and tears in my eyes but they were full of rage  Before I could react, Kristy's hand flew up, ready to slap me.

But then, out of nowhere, Alex's voice cut through the tension. "Back off, Kristy."

The room went silent. Everyone knew Alex, the golden boy of the school. His presence alone was enough to make Kristy drop the fork . Raiden appeared beside him, glaring at the group with a look that could kill.

Kristy's bravado crumbled, and she backed away, her friends following suit. Raiden came to my side, his eyes full of concern. "Are you okay?"

I nodded, though my hands were still shaking. Amelia rushed over, her face a mixture of anger and worry. "Those bitches!" she hissed. "Come on, let's get you out of here."

The rest of the day was a blur of whispers and stares. By the time the final bell rang, I was ready to bolt. I ignored Amelia's calls and rushed out to the car, desperate to escape.Alex and Raiden saw me leaving ,Alex tried to run before me but Amelia stopped him saying 'you did enough for today '

Michael joined me shortly after, oblivious to what had happened. He broke the silence by mentioning his hockey practice, but I barely heard him. My mind was still reeling from everything.

As soon as I got home, I rushed to my room, trying to hold back the tears. Derek saw me and tried to tease me, but I brushed him off, not in the mood for jokes. The moment I closed my door, I let the tears fall. I was angry, hurt, and exhausted.

I eventually fell asleep, and when I woke up later, the house was filled with laughter. With my pyjamas on I joined the family for a moment, trying to put on a brave face, but I couldn't eat. So grabbed a fruit "Can I be excused today? I'm just really tired and not very hungry."

Emily looked at me with concern as I took a piece of fruit.

The family agreed, though Emily's concern was evident. Michael shot me a knowing look, but he didn't press.

Emily came into the room later and, sensing something was off but not pushing for details, offered a comforting suggestion. "It's a holiday tomorrow. How about a girls' day out? We can do anything you want and pick up some things you need."

Despite my weariness and the events of the day, I agreed. "That sounds nice. Let's do it."

Emily left with an excited smile and, as she walked out, added, "You know, you can call me Mom if you want."

I appreciated her gesture but wasn't ready to respond. Instead, I went back to sleep as I still felt very tired..