"Hell" Flora repeated in shock.
She could feel a shiver down her spine at the mention of the word. She turned around and saw the girl who had said the statement.
"It would be better for you to just go back home. You are in for it already and there is no one who could help you against her." The girl added then walked away with her clique.
Once they were gone, the hallway erupted into excited chatter. Sophia quickly pulled Flora away from the curious stares and whispers.
"Are you okay?" Sophia asked as they hurried down the corridor.
Flora took a shaky breath.
"I... I don't know. What just happened?" She asked, her eyes widening in disbelief.
Sophia sighed, guiding Flora toward the dormitories.
"You just made an enemy of Clarissa on your first day. That is... not great." Sophia said, shaking her head.
"She started the fight. I didn't do anything wrong." Flora protested weakly.
"I know, but..." Sophia hesitated and Flora narrowed her eyes at her, subtly urging her to continue talking.
"Look, Clarissa's family is old money. They have a lot of influence here. Most people try to stay on her good side. Her father is an Alpha, and not just any Alpha but one of the most influential and wealthy Alphas in our community." Sophia explained.
"So everyone just lets her act like that?" Flora asked, frowning her face.
Sophia shrugged helplessly.
"It is complicated. Pack politics and all that. And to top that, she is betrothed to Liam." Sophia added.
"Liam? You mean the boy who caught me from falling off the stairs?" Flora questioned. At her question, one part of her mind wished it wouldn't be so.
"Yes." Sophia responded.
"He is also at the top of the ladder here. His father is an Alpha." She added.
Flora heaved a sigh but decided to just keep quiet.
Meanwhile, as the girls walked away, Caleb who was at a corner, and had been watching the scene unfold from the beginning to the end, smirked.
"That cocky airhead helped the new girl? How interesting! I am definitely going to catch fun!" Caleb thought to himself, his smirk getting bigger.
~~~~~~~~~~~
The girls finally reached a door, and Sophia took out a key from her backpack.
"This is your room. Let's get you settled, and then we can talk more." She said to Flora.
As they entered the small but well-appointed dorm room, Flora's mind whirled.
"My first day at Lunar Academy is nothing like I have imagined." She thought to herself as she remembered the earlier events.
"Sophia, what have I gotten myself into?" She said quietly as her friend helped her unpack.
"Do I need to stop schooling here even before I got started?" She added.
Sophia paused, then gave Flora a reassuring smile.
"It is going to be okay. I've got your back, remember? We will figure this out together." Sophia assured her.
"Here is a piece of advice though... This place isn't just a school, it is like a battlefield. You have to keep your head down and steer clear of Clarissa and her clique. Don't draw attention to yourself. That way, you are going to be at peace." She added.
Flora heaved a sigh but nodded, grateful for her friend's support.
"Don't worry too much. You are going to be okay." Sophia said in an attempt to calm Flora's nerves.
"This is just overwhelming! How I wish that was just a dream!" Flora lamented, shaking her head in disbelief.
"You just need to be careful. Crossing Clarissa's likes isn't just about school drama. It could have consequences outside these walls too." Sophia told a very stunned Flora.
Flora could sense that her friend was choosing her words carefully, as if she didn't want to divulge everything.
"That is ridiculous. We are just students. How much damage could they cause?" Flora pressed on, her curious eyes narrowed at Sophia.
"I know what I am saying, Flora, trust me." Sophia maintained.
As Flora and Sophia were talking, a piercing howl echoed through the hallways, causing both girls to jump.
"What was that?" Flora gasped, her eyes wide in shock.
Sophia's face paled and she had on a knowing look.
"Oh no, not now." She muttered, rushing to the window.
Flora followed, peering out into the dusky evening.
"Sophia, what is going on?" She questioned.
Before Sophia could answer, the door burst open and a group of female students walked into the room.
"There she is!" The girl leading the group said and the others behind her clapped their hands.
"Oh, wow! The new girl!" Their voices rang out in chorus.
"Who are they?" Flora asked Sophia, her voice dropping to a whisper.
"The girls in charge of initiating the new students. This group is completely different from Clarissa's." Sophia replied, then quickly faced the girls before Flora could say another word.
"Girls, can this wait for another day? The new girl has had a long day already." Sophia said to the group.
At that statement, the group burst into laughter. A loud, mocking one.
"Can anyone remind me since when did that girl's opinion start to matter?" The leader of the group, Vivian asked her subordinates rhetorically. Her gaze was fixed at Sophia's face intently, as if daring her to say anything word.
Sophia exhaled loudly but didn't say anything. Vivian noticed that and nodded her head in satisfaction.
"Girls, grab her." Vivian instructed her subordinates and the four girls sprung into action.
The girls rushed at Flora and grabbed her, despite the latter's resistance.
"What are you doing?" Flora yelled.
"Just what needs to be done, honey. We are simply welcoming you to the school." Vivian replied Flora, her voice dripping with mischief.
"Can I just be left alone, please?" Flora yelled again, this time she glanced at Sophia for help.
"I'm sorry but there is nothing I can do." Sophia muttered to her, helplessly.
"Girls, let the show begins. Strip her!" Vivian ordered and Flora's heart sank as the group closed in on her.