Truth or Dare

Lesson 1: New student

Everything in life is an experience. The more experience you gain, the better. At Acel High School, however, every student is either a bully or a victim, and no family truly knows what happens behind its doors. Once you step into this place, leaving isn't so simple.

This was my third year at Acel, and by now, I had learned its rhythms, its secrets, the truths whispered in dark corners. As I approached the school's entrance, I took a moment to study my surroundings. The building loomed ahead, gray and weathered, a silent witness to decades of hidden stories. Vines crept up its walls, draping them in a forgotten embrace, as if nature itself sought to erase the evidence of what had transpired within. The entrance, framed by rusted metal bars, stood like a guard, worn by time and neglect.

In my three years here, I had come to know the school, its undercurrents, its mysteries. The most notorious of them all was the murder—a case that the police had never solved. Despite their efforts, the truth remained elusive, buried beneath layers of silence. The school administrators, desperate to maintain their pristine image, did everything in their power to shield Acel's reputation from the outside world. The incident was swept under the rug, never making the news, never reaching the parents. It was as if it never happened—except we all knew it did.

Suddenly, I felt arms wrap around me from behind. It was Mia Shimizu, my desk mate for as long as I could remember. Her short blonde hair, wavy and vibrant, framed her round face perfectly, and her blue eyes sparkled with energy. Her hair had that effortless shine, its natural texture catching the sunlight, and even a gentle breeze was enough to make it dance around her face. Her expression was bright and full of life, as if the first day of school had already filled her with a new sense of excitement.

I, on the other hand, stood there with blunt-cut black hair tinged with purple, my violet eyes scanning the surroundings. She was undoubtedly the more eye-catching of the two of us.

"Rose! It's so good to see you again!" Mia exclaimed, her voice bubbling with enthusiasm.

I sighed, rolling my eyes. "You say that every time you see me," I replied, a bit exasperated.

Mia, undeterred, grabbed my hand and tugged me toward the schoolyard. I followed her, my gaze drifting around the familiar layout of the school. Acel High had a distinct V-shaped design, with the main entrance sitting at the point where the two wings converged. The classrooms spread out in both directions, and the whole school felt like it had been built with a strange, almost secretive symmetry.

Acel wasn't like other schools. It had five floors in total, each one with its own distinct purpose. To the left of the entrance was the cafeteria, a central hub of activity, while directly ahead, the counselor's desk sat in the middle, always bustling with students. On the right side, there wasn't much—just a set of stairs and an elevator reserved for the teachers.

The first floor housed the ninth and tenth grades, with ninth on the left and tenth on the right. The second floor was dedicated to the eleventh and twelfth grades, the eleventh on the left and twelfth on the right. As I glanced up, I knew the third floor contained the labs, art rooms, music classrooms, and a few storage spaces for supplies. Finally, on the fourth floor, at the very center, was the conference room, with large backstage areas flanking either side, hidden from view like the rest of the school's mysteries.

I didn't realize we'd reached the classroom until Mia's voice broke through my thoughts. "Good morning, everyone," she called out in a playful tone. As she greeted our classmates, I took a moment to observe the familiar faces around the room.

In his usual spot in the back corner by the window sat Felix, his gaze fixed on his phone. His blond hair and green eyes glowed in the soft morning light, and he kept adjusting his hair absentmindedly as he scrolled. Felix wasn't much of a talker, especially with those who sat around him; he often seemed lost in his own world.