"Tessa! Wake up, sweetheart. You're going to be late."
Tessa Blake groaned and pulled the blanket over her head.
She had been awake for several minutes already.
She simply didn't want to get out of bed.
Today was the day she had to leave.
Again.
She finally pushed the blanket away and stared at the ceiling of her enormous bedroom.
Her room was beautiful. Too beautiful, actually.
Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the enormous gardens surrounding the Blake mansion. Her designer bags were lined neatly against one wall, her clothes were arranged perfectly in her walk-in closet, and everything in the room screamed money.
Yet none of it could make her feel better.
Because her mother had ruined everything.
Tessa sat up.
"Why did she have to change my school?"
She grabbed her phone from the bedside table and checked the time.
7:05 a.m.
She had less than an hour before she needed to leave.
Tessa sighed and dragged herself out of bed.
She had spent the entire summer preparing for one thing.
Going back.
Going back to the school where the people who had made her middle-school years miserable still were.
Going back to the people who had laughed at her.
Humiliated her.
Made her feel powerless.
She had imagined walking through those gates again and finally making them regret everything.
But her mother had other plans.
A transfer.
A completely different school.
And, to make things worse...
A boarding school.
"Unbelievable."
Tessa walked into her bathroom and stared at herself in the mirror.
She looked different.
Not completely different.
Still her.
But there was something sharper in her eyes now.
The summer had changed her.
Months of training had given her discipline, confidence, and the ability to defend herself. More importantly, she'd stopped seeing herself as the helpless girl everyone else had decided she was.
She brushed her hair and muttered,
"Fresh start."
The words sounded ridiculous.
She didn't want a fresh start.
She wanted revenge.
A knock sounded on her bedroom door.
"Tessa?"
Her mother's voice.
Tessa opened the door.
Her mother stood there with a gentle smile.
"Good morning, baby."
"Morning."
Her mother stepped inside.
"I know you're upset."
"That's one way to put it."
"Tessa..."
"You moved me to another school without even asking me."
"I know."
"And it's a boarding school."
"I know."
"And I was perfectly fine where I was."
Her mother sighed.
"Baby, you're angry now, but you'll understand eventually. You need a fresh start."
Tessa folded her arms.
"I don't need a fresh start."
Her mother gave her a knowing look.
"Yes, you do."
Tessa looked away.
Her mother walked over and gently fixed a strand of hair that had fallen across Tessa's face.
"Just give it a chance."
Tessa didn't answer.
Her mother kissed her forehead.
"You might actually like it."
"Highly unlikely."
Her mother laughed softly.
"Come downstairs. Breakfast is ready."
When her mother left, Tessa looked around her room one last time.
Fresh start.
Right.
She picked up her bag.
Maybe Westbridge High would survive her.The classroom was louder than Tessa expected.
Students were talking, laughing, comparing homework, and complaining about the first period.
Tessa stood outside the classroom door with her new timetable in hand.
She took a breath.
Then walked inside.
The room gradually became quiet.
One conversation stopped.
Then another.
A few boys looked up.
Then looked again.
Tessa could practically hear the whispers beginning.
"Who's she?"
"She's new."
"She's pretty."
"Transfer student?"
Tessa ignored them.
At the front of the classroom, the teacher looked up from her desk.
"You must be Tessa Blake."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Come in."
Tessa walked to the front.
The teacher turned toward the class.
"Everyone, we have a new student joining us today. Please introduce yourself."
Tessa looked at the sea of unfamiliar faces.
"Hi. I'm Tessa Blake."
A few boys smiled.
One whispered something to his friend.
Tessa raised an eyebrow.
She wasn't impressed.
"I'm looking forward to having a good year here."
The teacher smiled.
"Wonderful. You can take the empty seat near the window."
Tessa nodded and walked toward it.
She was almost there when someone casually stuck out a leg.
Tessa noticed it.
Her eyes moved upward.
The blonde girl from the courtyard was sitting there with her friends.
The girl smiled sweetly.
Too sweetly.
Tessa stopped.
She looked at the leg.
Then at the girl.
The classroom seemed to go quiet.
Tessa's lips curved into a tiny smirk.
Instead of stumbling, she simply stepped over it.
Then, as she continued walking, her shoe landed firmly on the girl's foot.
The smile disappeared.
Tessa kept walking.
"Oops."
She didn't even turn around.
A few students covered their laughter.
The blonde's expression darkened.
Tessa reached her seat and sat down.
The teacher cleared her throat.
"Enough. Let's begin."
Tessa opened her notebook.
She could feel someone staring at her.
She looked sideways.
The blonde was still watching.
Tessa gave her a small smile.
The message was clear.
Try again.
At lunch, Tessa sat alone.
She didn't mind.
She was halfway through her meal when someone dropped into the seat opposite her.
"You're Tessa, right?"
Tessa looked up.
A girl with curly brown hair and a bright smile was sitting across from her.
"Yeah."
"I'm Maya."
"Tessa."
"I know."
Tessa smiled slightly.
Maya laughed.
"Okay, that sounded creepy."
"A little."
"I'm supposed to show you around after lunch."
"Supposed to?"
"The teacher assigned me."
Tessa raised an eyebrow.
"So you didn't volunteer?"
"Nope."
They stared at each other for two seconds.
Then both laughed.
Maya pointed at her.
"I think we're going to get along."
Tessa smiled.
"Maybe."
After lunch, Maya showed her everything.
The library.
The science building.
The cafeteria.
The sports complex.
The dormitories.
"The girls' dorm is this way," Maya explained. "Your room number should be on your admission papers."
Tessa looked at the enormous building.
"This place is huge."
"You'll get used to it."
"I hope so."
Maya glanced at her.
"So... why did you transfer?"
Tessa's expression changed for half a second.
"Family decision."
Maya noticed the hesitation but didn't push.
"Fair enough."
They continued walking.
By the end of the tour, Tessa had learned that Maya talked way too much, loved gossip, hated morning classes, and was obsessed with basketball.
Tessa had also realized something unexpected.
She liked her.
Maybe this school wouldn't be completely terrible.
