Felix drove through the increasingly dilapidated streets, his sports car sticking out like a sore thumb among the worn-down buildings and cracked sidewalks. As the neighborhood grew darker and more deserted, Felix couldn't hide his unease. He stole glances at Faerie, trying to gauge her reaction, but she sat with the same calm expression, her face illuminated by the occasional streetlight that flickered through the car window.
Finally, they reached her destination: a rundown apartment building with peeling paint and a cracked sign that barely clung to the entrance. It was a world away from the polished, luxurious neighborhoods Felix was used to. He slowed the car to a stop, his brow furrowed in concern.
"You live here?" he asked, a hint of disbelief in his tone as he scanned the dim surroundings, noting the shadowy figures lingering at the end of the street. The area seemed sketchy, like it was filled with unspoken danger.
Faerie caught the surprise in his voice and smirked slightly. "Yeah, Felix. Not everyone has a chauffeur and a gated mansion," she replied with a dry edge, pushing open the car door.
She stepped out, the night air feeling cooler as she turned back to face him briefly. "Thanks for the ride," she said, the words coming out almost dismissively before she walked toward the entrance of her building. Felix watched her disappear into the dark corridor, his fingers tightening around the steering wheel, his mind lingering on her small, solitary figure in this unfamiliar place.
After a moment, he shook his head and pulled away, but he couldn't quite push aside the thought of Faerie living there—alone.
---
Inside her apartment, Faerie flicked on the lone, dim light bulb that barely illuminated her modest space. The room was sparse, with bare walls and a single worn-out couch pushed against the corner. She sighed as she dropped her bag onto the floor, the silence of the small apartment settling in around her.
She headed straight to the tiny kitchen, opening a cupboard to pull out a few ingredients for dinner. The meal she prepared was simple—just something to fill her stomach as she kept an eye on her limited groceries. Cooking had become a routine for her, one of the few things that made the evenings pass by in this isolated place.
After dinner, she set up her books at a small wooden table, her old textbooks and worn-out novels stacked beside her. Her phone lay on the edge of the table, its screen dark, the internet long gone. Faerie spent her time like this most nights, reading fantasy books that took her mind somewhere else, and studying to keep up with the rigorous demands of her new school.
Hours later, Faerie finally retreated to her bed, the small mattress tucked against the window. The hum of distant traffic and occasional voices drifting in from the street below filled the silence. She lay on her back, staring at the dark ceiling, thoughts swirling in her mind.
"Am I doing the right thing?" she whispered to herself, the words barely more than a breath. She thought of her mother, of the life she left behind—a life that had once been filled with warmth, safety, and the kind of fun she could barely remember now.
"Is this what I really left my mom for?" she continued, her voice cracking slightly as the questions weighed on her. "Left my normal, beautiful life for?"
Her mind replayed the faces of the rich kids she encountered at school, their sneers, their laughter, their casual cruelty. And then Felix's expression flashed before her eyes—his genuine surprise at seeing where she lived, the concern in his voice.
A bitter smile tugged at her lips as she turned onto her side, pulling the thin blanket closer. "Remember why you're doing this, Faerie," she whispered to herself, trying to drown out the doubts gnawing at her heart. But even as she repeated the words, a part of her wondered if the cost was becoming too great.
The next morning, Faerie awoke to the muted light seeping through the thin curtains of her window. Her bed was far from comfortable, but she had grown used to it—just like she had grown used to the cold, drafty apartment. She prepared herself a quick breakfast and pulled on her school uniform, the blue tie that marked her as one of the scholarship students standing out starkly against the plain fabric. She stared at herself in the mirror, smoothing out the wrinkles in her shirt as if she could iron out the messy complexities of her life with the same ease.
"Today is another day," she murmured to her reflection, forcing a smile that didn't reach her eyes. She picked up her school bag and headed out the door, locking it behind her.
The streets outside her building were just as bleak as she had left them the night before, but she navigated them with ease, slipping through alleys and shortcuts that saved her time. Her mind wandered to Felix, his surprise when he saw where she lived. The look in his eyes—pity, or maybe curiosity—had lingered with her more than she wanted to admit.
---
Felix sat in his car in the school parking lot, tapping his fingers restlessly against the steering wheel. He had gotten there earlier than usual, unable to shake the thoughts that had followed him since dropping Faerie off last night. He couldn't get her small, cold apartment out of his mind, the shadows that seemed to cling to every corner of that neighborhood.
As students began to arrive, their cars filling the parking lot with luxury vehicles, Felix caught sight of Faerie entering the school gates. She walked with her head held high, the same confident, almost defiant expression she always wore. But there was a tension in her shoulders that made him pause.
Felix shook his head, pushing the thoughts aside. He didn't know why he cared so much. She wasn't his responsibility, and he wasn't supposed to care about anything beyond how he felt in the moment. Yet, the memory of her smile as she got out of his car last night stayed with him, and he found himself watching her more closely than he intended as she disappeared into the building.
---
In class, Faerie joined Sunny at their usual spot, trying to focus on the lesson but finding it harder to keep her mind from wandering. The whispers about her were still there, the looks from other students lingering longer than they should have. But she forced herself to keep her expression neutral, meeting their stares with a cold indifference that hid the turmoil inside her.
Sunny, oblivious to her thoughts, chatted away, trying to lighten the mood. "You know, you handled yourself pretty well yesterday with Chanelle. I thought she was going to explode when you threw that line back at her!" she said, grinning at Faerie.
Faerie managed a small laugh, appreciating Sunny's effort to keep things normal. But her mind kept drifting back to the bigger picture, the real reason she was here. It wasn't just about blending in or surviving among these rich kids. It was about what she needed to do to set things right for her father—and herself.
And she knew that Felix was a key part of that plan. She just had to keep playing the game, even if it meant keeping him closer than she had originally planned. But as she glanced toward the window, catching a brief glimpse of Felix walking across the courtyard, she couldn't shake the feeling that things were becoming more complicated than she had anticipated.
As the day went on, Felix found himself running into Faerie more often than usual. In the hallways, during lunch, even during a brief moment outside by the lockers. It was as if her presence was following him, or maybe he was just more aware of her now.
By the time school ended, Felix decided to leave the matter alone, yet when he stepped outside, he spotted Faerie again, walking towards the same direction as yesterday—likely towards the bus stop.
Without thinking, he found himself jogging up to her. "Hey, Faerie," he called out, and she turned around, raising an eyebrow.
"What, no fancy car today?" she replied, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
Felix smirked, catching his breath as he reached her. "It's in the garage. Besides, I thought you might want some company on the walk to... wherever it is you're going."
She tilted her head, giving him a curious look. "Why? Did last night scare you, Felix?" she teased, but he could see the slight wariness in her eyes. "Not used to places without security gates and luxury cars?"
Felix shrugged, trying to keep it casual. "Maybe I just want to see if you're as tough as you think you are," he shot back, and for a moment, they shared a look that almost felt like understanding.
Faerie's smile faded slightly, but she started walking, and Felix fell into step beside her. They didn't talk much on the way, the silence stretching between them like a tightrope. Felix's usual cocky demeanor slipped, just for a moment, as he glanced at her from the corner of his eye, wondering what secrets she kept buried beneath that confident exterior.
But Faerie kept her thoughts to herself, her mind already moving two steps ahead, planning her next move. She was determined to keep her focus, no matter how much Felix tried to pry through her defenses. Because she couldn't afford to let anyone get too close—not when everything depended on her staying in control of the game.