The Sacred Heart School. Just the name evoked grandeur, wealth, and a certain untouchability. Located in the heart of Luminara, it shone like a jewel among the other schools in the country. Known for its elitism and its students from the most prestigious families, it had a reputation for shaping tomorrow's elite: politicians, business leaders, lawyers, and doctors. Yet for Eliott Moreau, this place didn't represent a haven of opportunity. No, Sacred Heart had become his own personal hell.
There was no place for "common folk" at Sacred Heart. Those without money were invisible, despised, or worse, persecuted. Eliott had learned this from his very first days here. It all started because of one name. A simple last name was enough to change the course of his life. "Moreau." Nothing particularly remarkable, and yet, this name carried a heavy burden: his parents owned a small fast-food restaurant on the outskirts of town. A simple family business struggling to survive in the face of debt and constant threats from the owner of their property.
Eliott remembers the day everything started to go wrong. He had entered class for the first time, hesitant, a little lost in this jungle of luxury and arrogance. Marc Leblanc, the boy with orange hair, had watched him from a distance before coming over. With his smirking smile and predator-like presence, Marc embodied everything Eliott hated about rich kids. He wasn't just arrogant; he was calculating, cruel, and most of all, he was the son of the owner of the very place Eliott's parents rented.
Everything changed the moment Marc heard his last name. "Moreau," he repeated, his eyes lighting up with mischief. From that moment on, Eliott became his target. He was no longer just a student; he was the son of the tenants his father openly despised. And for Marc, it was the perfect opportunity to assert his power.
The humiliation started slowly, almost sneakily. A few harsh remarks here and there, muffled laughter behind his back. Then things escalated. Soon, every day at Sacred Heart became a new ordeal for Eliott. Marc wasn't alone in his cruelty. He was always accompanied by his lackeys, ready to blindly follow every command of their "leader." They made Eliott's life a living hell.
Marc, with his fiery orange hair, imposing presence, and superior air, led the charge. He seemed to take a sick pleasure in reminding Eliott of his place in this world: that of a "poor" person. His designer clothes, his expensive watch, everything about him screamed material superiority. He was everything Eliott was not. And that was the problem. In Marc's eyes, Eliott was just an anomaly in this world of privilege.
Eliott had always dreamed of becoming an architect. Since he was little, he loved drawing buildings, imagining grand structures that would defy time. But those dreams seemed to slip further away with every humiliation, with every blow to his ego. His parents worked hard to make sure he could study here, and he didn't want to disappoint them. They opened their restaurant at dawn, closed late at night, always smiling despite their exhaustion. His mother always reassured him, telling him it would all be worth it, that one day he would realize his dreams and build magnificent buildings they would all be proud of.
Yet, reality was starting to hit him harder every day. The debts piled up. The owner, Victor Leblanc, constantly threatened to raise their rent or evict them. But despite everything, his parents held on, refusing to give up. They always told him they were doing it for him, for a better future. Eliott knew how much they sacrificed, and it hurt even more to see how Marc and his friends destroyed everything they had built.
In this school, everyone seemed untouchable, especially those like Marc. But not Kai Diaz. Eliott had noticed him from the very beginning. Kai wasn't like the others. He was handsome, charismatic, and above all, he spoke to everyone, regardless of their social status. He was popular, but in a different way. Everyone seemed to like him. With his relaxed smile and easygoing attitude, he naturally attracted people. Yet, despite his sociability, he wasn't the type to get involved in other people's issues. He observed everything from a distance, with a gaze no one could really decipher.
Eliott often wondered why someone like Kai had never been targeted. Maybe because he knew how to blend in with the crowd while still being unique. Maybe because he mastered the subtle art of talking to everyone without ever taking sides. Or maybe there was something else about him, something Eliott didn't understand yet. Some even said he was the heir to a multinational corporation...
And as Marc's harassment became more unbearable, Eliott couldn't help but wonder: how much longer until he cracked? How much longer until his dreams were completely destroyed?