Elijah De Ville is not lovely as her best friend made seemed to be.
His inky black hair and warm green eyes, and the welcoming expression he wore, were all part of an act. When he smiled, she can see the hidden threat behind it. Elijah has many shades and this one is one of them.
It was Amelia's free time and she was talking to one of the students from the technology class when Betty, one of Claire's minions went to meet her friend.
She gave Amelia a slight nod and she went to meet her friend.
When they were out of earshot Betty began to whisper.
Amelia listened through her earphone, they thought that he was listening to music but in truth, she had her volume off.
"It's been a day after their quarrel and Elijah hasn't talked to Claire. Poor girl, the bitch was trying hard to find who this mystery girl is."
"So tell me, did you find something?" the Tech girl probed.
"No, and I don't think I will get anything. She was like a ghost. I couldn't find anything about her. It's like her files were secured. I always ended up at a dead end. Oh, God. She will fire my dad if I cannot get my hands on her files!"
Betty cried out and for a moment, Amelia felt a pang in her heart.
She was about to stand up when her ears perked up.
"But I did find something interesting," she giggled and showed the amateur video she captured to her friend.
All the color drained on Amelia's face.
"You see, I was on my way from the girl's restroom when I caught these two."
She pressed play and Amelia's voice can be heard.
"If you value your life, then stay back."
There was a slight pause and you can hear their breathing.
The girl stopped the video and tapped her chin in wonder.
"Does her voice seems familiar to you?"
The tech girl shook her head and muttered 'No.'
Amelia's tensed shoulders sagged in relief. But she was still on edge.
She has to destroy this video before it leaks and landed in the wrong hands.
"It doesn't matter, what you need to do is go to Claire and show it to her."
"I'll think about it, maybe I can use it to her as leverage and ask for my papa's raise."
"Brilliant, yeah you do that. You know, she might consider it."
"Perfect."
When they are gone, Amelia hurriedly went to the library and opened her laptop. Her hands shook as she entered her password, she has to destroy it before it landed in the wrong hands.
She let her magic work as she finds the girl's network. Then she went to tap some firewalls and broke into their system. Different videos and graphic videos spilled out of her folder. Videos she can use as leverage for Claire and her family.
"Seems like the Princess wasn't innocent after all."
Amelia mused as she saved the pictures of Claire with different guys and some with teachers exiting hotels. How she gets it was another story. This Betty must have hated Claire for going behind her back. What a good friend she is. Amelia thought as she skimmed all the pictures she could collect and stored them in her backup files.
With this amount of evidence, she could destroy her family and ruin Claire's reputation in a blink of an eye.
After she copied all the files, Amelia made sure to destroy any copies of their footage on her phone.
Then, as a punishment, she leaves some virus that will corrupt and destroy her files. She will be shocked when she opens her precious phone.
"Have fun with that." Then she pressed enter and the virus countdown starts.
Amelia exited the library and walk down the hallways. As she expected, Betty's face was full of fear. She kept clicking on her phone and muttering incoherent words to herself.
She grins as she watched her tuck her phone into her pockets. Her shoulders slumped, a troubled look marring her cake-up face.
Time seems to fly and before she knows it, she was walking into the familiar path of her dormitory.
She was seconds before reaching her door when someone grabs her.
Her squeal was muffled by the large hand that covered half of her face. Her eyes watered and her legs started to tremble. Whoever this person is, she was doomed. He could hurt her and nobody would see. They are located in the camera's blind spot. So the camera couldn't catch the footage.
The fire began to crackle in her hands, and sweat beaded on her forehead.
"Do not scream." the person rasped. Her eyes widened at the familiarity of the voice. His musky and cologne fill her nostrils.
"If you scream, I'm going to hurt you so bad that you will beg for death."
She whimpered.
"You didn't want that to happen do you?"
She nodded her head in submission. She hated being weak but she had no choice but to surrender, whoever this person was he was powerful and he can kill her with a snap of a finger.
"Now, I want you to be a good girl and open the door for me."
She whimpered and did what he told her. She closed her eyes and calmed her breathing. The person shuts the door with a click.
Amelia turned and glared at the man in front of her. She had her suspicions. The dark has obscured his face, she can feel the dark energy emitting from him, swirling like a blanket on his skin. As he stepped out in the light, she gasped in fear.
"What are you doing?" She spat, maintaining a good distance from her unwanted guest.
This was her sanctuary, her safe place. Now that the devil was here, she fears for the unknown. Why is he here? Did Claire find out? Did he find out who she is?
He ignored her question and smirked. He sat on her bed as if he owned the room and began to inspect some books of her books in his hands.
"You have good taste in books, hmm. I like this one."
"Shut up, Elijah. What are you doing here?" she asked, with edge bleeding in her voice.
Elijah smiled darkly.
"Don't pretend you don't know, I know your better than that Amelia."
She didn't react. Because she knows that is what he wants. To see her cower in fear.
No, she wouldn't give him the satisfaction.
Instead, she plays along. Confrontations are always scary let alone with the devil.
"No, and I won't fall into your mind games Elijah, just tell me why are you here and what you want from me."
She calmly states, but inside she wants to scream bloody murder.
Elijah pretend to think and tap his chin, while his intense eyes pierced every part of her. Anxiety claws in her throat as his intense gaze raked over her body. The air crackling, between them, she refused to meet his eyes, her heart pounding loudly in her chest. Her mind couldn't seem to wrap up all the events in her mind.
"I know who you are, and I suggest if you want to live in peace then I suggest you leave this Academy immediately. This place isn't for good girls like you. You don't belong here."
Anger boiled inside her veins. How dare he tells her what to do. It's her life and nothing will stop her from getting justice for her friend!
"I don't care if I belong here or not, who are you to tell me what to do? It's because you're the King here that doesn't mean you can dictate to the people what you want to do.
I didn't come here to be your lap dog and you don't scare me."
She hissed.
Bluff, liar liar pants on fire.
However, she will not admit that. Elijah stood up with grace like he had practiced this many times, the way he carried himself, the confidence, the charismatic aura. He possessed it all.
"Very well. But don't come running to me when that time comes. Claire is crazy and it was a matter of time before she discovers your secret. Keep in mind that you have been warned."
She didn't utter a word and watched him go with narrowed eyes.
Elijah warning her about Claire? That's rich coming from the Devil himself. Claire was crazy yes, she knew it since day one. Airheads like her didn't scare her.
He grabs the knob and turns to her.
"And oh, before I forget, I'm inviting you to join The Big Five's table from now on."
She stood shocked. Pleased with what he saw, he dismissed himself and shut the door lightly.
Amelia was heading to her literature class when she saw a crowd of students.
Her ears perked up when he heard Claire's voice.
"Today, we gathered here to witness the capital punishment of student Elizabeth Farrington from the Somatic division."
"What you are about to see is the example of what we Elites can do. You people seem to forget that it's us that holds the power here. Not the teachers and not even the Dean can stop us."
There were a lot of murmurs sounding on the corner. Amelia pushed past the students and see what the commotion was about. Her eyes widened and she held back a gasp. Betty was kneeling on the ground, her eyes were downcast, and her pale face was burning with embarrassment. Both of her fists are clenched tightly, to the point that her knuckles
turned white.
There was no mistaking it, Claire was truly a cold-hearted bitch, she likes to show her power and dominance through the people by fear, how barbaric. Amelia thought.
The people clamored, and some were giggling, excited about the show they were about to see. Amelia felt her stomach churn, and she grimaced in disgust at the students. Even though they were not close, she feel an ounce of pity for Betty. She was just doing her job but Amelia couldn't risk herself and exposed her identity.
"This student was caught by the technology department, she was caught taking stolen pictures of one of the Elite members. Upon discovering, that this girl was stalking my Elijah, they even found the dress and the mask of the mystery girl in her room."
The crowd gasped.
Amelia's heart quickened at the thought. She reckons that it was missing this morning. Her eyes narrowed at Elijah. As if sensing her burning gaze, their eyes locked.
Her breath hitched in her throat when their eyes met, she quickly averted her eyes fearing that her cover might be exposed.
Amelia turned her gaze at Claire, she has an evil smile plastered on her coral lips. Her voice was like honey, but her words were cold and blunt which will send anyone into their grave.
"And you know what we do to those students who were caught breaking the rules didn't we?"
There was a long pause and then whispers.
Amelia observed Claire in the distance, she has a cruel expression on her face the other members stood to her side, Sebastian was leaning on the wall, Constantine looks bored, and Elijah, there was an unreadable expression on his face.
"Show her what the Elites can do!"
"Punish her for breaking the law!"
Shouted by the students, Amelia concluded that they were the Big Five's fanatics. Claire smiled brightly at them.
"She is a disgrace to the academy, we can not have those filthy eyes sully the image of our King."
"Kill her!"
The last word sent chills down her spine, she wouldn't do that did she? it was just a picture. No harm can do.
"Now, now, now. Don't be too harsh people, I'm just setting an example to those people who don't know their place. Let me tell you all again, Elijah is mine and only mine. Anyone who dares to think and talk about him will be punished, and this student just breached capital punishment."
How ridiculous, Are they some kind of God? Amelia thought and rolled her eyes at the absurdity.
With a snap of her fingers, Betty's body starts to tremble.
Constantine and Sebastian step to her side, Constantine waves his hands a ball of water forms in his hands and threw it on Betty's body. The fabric of her thin uniform was drenched showing the linings of her bra. Next, Sebastian uses his abilities manipulating Betty and she stood up undressing the crowd. Her hands shook as she fights to control herself.
The crowd went silent watching the punishment of the poor student. Some boys were ogling her exposed skin, while some are disgusted.
"Please, I'm so sorry! p-please! I beg of you. Please stop this."
Betty wails, her eyes almost bulging out on her face.
With no clothes left, Betty cried and covers her assets in shame.
"You whore, and here I thought of you as my friend and this is how you repay me? You bitch. You just used me to get close to my Elijah. Do you think that he will look at you with that kind of body?"
Betty whimpered. Amelia gritted her teeth but her mind and body are conflicted, it could be her in her place but somehow relieved that it was not her. She feels disgusted having this kind of thought. Because of her, someone is suffering and it was all her fault.
"I hope that this punishment serves you a lesson."
"Clean this mess, and please inform her family about her arrival."
With that being said, Claire turned on her heels, and the other members follows her without saying any word
Elijah followed after but not before giving Amelia a pointed look. A look that will haunt her every night.