Colide

chapter one: New beginnings**

"We are here," Mrs. Lockwood announced happily as she pulled into an empty parking spot at the school. Patti Lockwood, who had had her head in a book since they left the house, let out a sigh and stared out of the window at Willow High. It looked just like the brochure: grand brick buildings framed by perfectly manicured lawns and tree-lined paths, bustling with students.

Though it had been Patti's dream to attend Willow High, the largest and most prestigious school in the world, now that she was here, she felt a pang of uncertainty.

"You okay, hon?" her mom asked, noticing her reluctance.

Patti took a deep breath, pushing her heavy-lens glasses to sit comfortably on the bridge of her nose. She had needed glasses for as long as she could remember due to her poor sight. "Yes, just a bit nervous."

Mrs. Lockwood smiled and gave Patti's fingers a squeeze. "You're going to do great, hon. You always do, and that's probably why Willow High wants you in their school."

Mrs. Lockwood was right. Patti had been born a genius, and that's why she was the first Black girl to be admitted to the world's best school.

"If you want, I could walk you in," Mrs. Lockwood offered.

"Then you'd be late for work," Patti said.

Mrs. Lockwood was a lawyer with a case that morning. Despite wanting her mom to walk her in, Patti didn't want to disrupt her work. "Thanks, but I'm okay."

Mrs. Lockwood smiled. "If you say so, hon."

Patti half-smiled and took off her seatbelt. "Thanks for dropping me off," she mumbled.

"Oh, don't be silly," Mrs. Lockwood laughed and started the car.

Patti waved as the car rolled out of the parking lot. Almost immediately, a Tesla drove into the empty spot her mom had left, nearly knocking Patti off her feet. She jumped back in reflex, her heart racing.

The driver's seat and the back seat opened, and a group of white kids strolled out. Three boys and a girl. The girl was a blonde with a model's body, dressed in the latest fashion, exuding confidence.

Then there was another blonde boy, tall and athletic, with a chiseled jawline and piercing blue eyes.

But the one who caught Patti's eye was the boy who had been driving. He was super hot, with dark, tousled hair and mesmerizing blue eyes that seemed to see right through her. His confidence was magnetic.

He looked Patti over, and the group strolled off without an apology.

"What a start," Patti mumbled to herself.

"Don't mind them," a voice called behind Patti. She turned to see a girl about her age.

"Hi, I'm Emily Lauren," the girl said, her tone friendly.

Patti noticed Emily must be obsessed with pink; everything about her was pink, from her hair to her accessories. "Patricia Lockwood, but you can call me Patti," Patti said, taking Emily's offered hand.

Emily smiled. "You're new, obviously. Let me be your tour guide."

Patti nodded, following Emily across the school front yard, where students, all white, gathered in groups, chatting and laughing. As she passed, Patti felt the gazes that followed her every move.

"Who were those guys from before?" Patti asked, trying to distract herself from the attention. She couldn't quite blame them; she was, after all, the only Black girl.

Certainly, let's wrap up this introduction with a bit more flair:

"You mean SH4?"

"SH4?" Patti repeated, tightening her grip on the book in her arm.

"Super Hot 4," Emily started. "They're the four hottest guys in school. The girl is Brittany Berg. The blonde guy is Steven Hackett, the one with the red hair is Cole, and the guy who drove the car is Ethan Lee."

Emily went dreamy as she said Ethan's name. "He's the hottest and richest."

"Oh," Patti managed, a quick reflection of Ethan filling her mind-his shiny dark hair, his blue eyes, and those perfect red lips. Pushing thought of Ethan aside, she reminded herself why she was here at Willow High: to study and not for boys.

"The dean's office is this way," Emily said, leading the way.

Emily waited outside while Patti went in to check in with the dean. Then, Emily showed her the locker room.

"Just so you know, never get on the wrong side of the SH4 if you want to last here. Those four practically rule this school," Emily advised.

Patti sighed as she slipped her belongings into her locker, taking only the few things she knew she would need that morning.

"Oops, that's the bell," Emily said as the bell rang for the first class. "What do you have first?"

Patti checked her schedule. "Science."

"Good, that's exactly what I'm having. Goodness, I feel we are gonna be best friends."

Patti smiled, feeling a sense of relief. She felt the same way.