Eleena Halvorn gazed at her reflection in the mirror, wearing a crisp white shirt paired with a red skirt that reached just to her knees. Her azure-braided hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall, and her equally blue eyes sparkled in the sunlight streaming through the window.
She rested her head on her right hand and tilted it slightly, admiring how beautiful she looked in the academy uniform. She glanced at the mirror once more and carefully adjusted her crooked tie around her neck.
She smiled, pleased that everything looked perfect, then spun on her feet to examine whether the dress fit her as it should.
Satisfied that everything looked perfect, Eleena reached for the red coat hanging in her closet and slipped them on, smoothing the fabric as her eyes drifted to the single silver star shining brightly in the sunlight. It was pinned to the right side of her chest, just below her shoulder.
"In two years, I will graduate from the academy with three stars," Eleena said, clenching her fist with determination.
Knock! Knock!
Eleena turned her head toward the door. "Wait, who is it?" she called out. She heard no reply, but the sound of the knocking stopped.
She took one last hurried glance in the mirror to make sure everything was perfect, then glanced at the clock. It was 9:30 a.m. Without wasting a second, she bolted from her room and slipped on her black leather shoes.
Eleena stood before the door and, before opening it, leaned into the door viewer to see who had knocked. She wondered if it was just someone playing a prank and running away, but this was an academy dormitory and no one in their right mind would pound on someone else's door without good reason.
A boy stood in front of her door with red hair neatly combed to the right and black eyes that glinted like those of a hungry fox. His right hand rested against the door, and his head was so close that, had she opened it, he would have nearly fallen forward into her.
Ugh, what is Gerard doing here? Eleena's stomach churned at the sight of Gerard Osborne, who was practically pressing himself against her door, waiting for her to open it.
She considered waiting him out, but then the knocking resumed, louder than before, and he began pounding the door so forcefully that it rattled on its hinges, fluttering like a bird's wings.
The door was sturdy enough that it would not break so easily, but the way this bastard Gerard was hammering on it did nothing to settle her nerves. She took a few calming breaths and forced a friendly smile onto her face.
She reached for the doorknob and pulled the door open, immediately sliding her body to the right. Gerard lurched forward, nearly falling face-first, but he managed to steady himself just as she stepped aside. She had hoped to see him fall onto the floor and teach him a lesson, but the bastard kept his balance.
"Hi, classes will start soon. I came to invite you," Gerard said, smoothing his coat and forcing a smile to mask his embarrassment. His fox-like black eyes flickered as he scanned her from head to toe.
Eleena felt a wave of disgust at his stare and wanted nothing more than to gouge his eyes from their sockets, but she kept her feelings hidden behind an even brighter smile and dipped her head slightly in greeting.
"Lord Gerard, you really should not humble yourself by inviting someone of lower rank to walk beside you in the academy," she said, attempting to push him away with her words. "A duke’s son seen with a marquis’s daughter would not suit your reputation, and I must say it would only invite negative rumors about you."
Eleena lifted her head, waiting for the bastard to walk away, but she knew in her gut that he was not going to leave without a verbal fight, and in the end, he would find a way to make her walk beside him to class.
"No, I have decided we will walk to class together. It took me quite an effort to get here, and yet you’re trying to push me aside," he said, his smile starting to falter as if he were on the verge of a tantrum. He stepped closer, standing just inches from her, and added, "Besides, who would dare spread rumors about the son of the Western Duke?"
Eleena took a few steps back until her back pressed against the wall. She could hear the footsteps of students passing by in the corridor, but most did not spare them a second glance once they saw Gerard standing there.
Eleena kept her smile in place and said, "Yes, you are correct, Lord Gerard. We should hurry lest we be late for the academy."
Eleena began walking toward the door, but suddenly Gerard grabbed her left hand. Her blood boiled with anger; she wanted to freeze him in place, but she restrained herself. She turned her head back and matched his gaze, and forced a smile as she waited to see what he would do next. She tried to jerk her hand away, but his grip was firmer than she expected.
"There is no need to call me 'lord' inside the academy. Nobility and ranks do not matter here. We are equals, so call me Gerard—just Gerard—from now on," Gerard said, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. His expression made Eleena's irritation flare even higher, and she found herself wishing she could punch him right in the face, but she held back because he was the duke's son.
She hated being pushed around by someone like Gerard, who was nothing more than a clown in her eyes. Bringing this matter to her father was out of the question; their family held a marquis rank and served the northern duke, and the western duke was a power they could do nothing about. She could not risk worrying her father, which left her with only one person to turn to. Yet she refused to ask that person for help. She would rather endure the struggle on her own than seek his help.
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