The Dellinger were dressed in their uniform but Instead of wearing the standard blazer, they opted for the purple school vests, matching the tie and plaid skirt. Malia’s brown curly hair framed her heart-shaped face, bouncing lightly with each step she took. Her auburn eyes were accentuated with a touch of shimmering gold eyeshadow, and she wore a glossy pink lip tint that made her smile seem almost saccharine. A gold chain sparkled around her neck and Instead of the usual loafers, Malia wore white platform sneakers, embellished with small star-shaped charms that dangled from the laces, catching the light.
Orla, on the other hand, was the polar opposite of her sister’s bright aesthetic. Her black hair was pin-straight and pulled back into a half-up ponytail with a black lace bow. Her eyes were heavily lined in black kohl, giving her a slightly smoky look that contrasted with her pale complexion. She wore a pair of chunky combat boots, the silver buckles gleaming as she moved. Her black knee-high socks had lace detailing at the top, barely visible under the hem of her plaid skirt. Orla’s nails were painted a glossy black, and around her neck hung a delicate silver pentagram pendant, barely noticeable unless one looked closely. Her expression was neutral, almost indifferent, as they both walked towards Eira’s seat.
"Why are they coming over here?" Cyran’s voice wavered as he leaned closer to Eira, his eyes wide with concern. But Eira said nothing.
"Ephyra, you came!" Malia smiled widely as she hurried to Eira’s side and held her hand. "We were so worried when you didn’t come to school yesterday and there was a lot of gossip and rumor going on about your absence." At her words, Orla snorted.
"Yeah and because of those rumors, you thought she’d been kidnapped or something." She said making the guy beside them chuckle before shaking his head.
"Malia always loves overreacting."
Malia rolled her eyes at the two. "I was just worried okay." she turned to Eira, concern etched over her face. "So what happened? Why didn’t you come to school yesterday? Did something happen at your house? When I received your text yesterday I wanted to ask but Orla told me not to, and that it would be better if I asked in person."
Eira smiled, "It was nothing, my injury relapsed so I couldn’t make it to school so you don’t have to worry. It was nothing serious."
Malia smiled back. "Now I’m relieved." she turned to Cyran. "Hi Cyran, how are you doing?" she asked in a chirpy voice making Cyran smile slightly, "I’m fine, thanks for asking."
"Still as cute and polite as ever," Malia teased, giving Cyran a light pat on the shoulder, which made him blush slightly. Orla’s eyes flickered between the two, her lips twitching in amusement.
Eira watched the exchange with a raised eyebrow, finding Malia’s outward friendliness a bit overwhelming, as always. But the Dellinger sisters had always been like that—one warm and inviting, the other cold and distant. They were a strange duo, but their presence had become almost familiar to Eira, even if she still found it hard to trust them entirely.
"Who is this?" She pointed the blonde haired guy in front of her.
"Oh, this here is Lance Avery Dellinger. My cousin. He was suspended from school for breaking rules and has been at home for the past week. He came to our house yesterday and decided to to school." She finished her narration with a weary sigh retelling the story drained her. Lance, noticing Eira’s scrutiny, flashed a charming smile. He had a mischievous glint in his blue eyes, the kind that suggested he often found himself in trouble but never seemed to regret it. He was talk and fit, his short-sleeved white t-shirt hugging his body while simultaneously showing the tattoo in his arms.
"Nice to meet you, Ephyra," Lance said, extending his hand casually. "I’ve heard quite a bit about you from my cousins."
Eira took his hand, shaking it with measured politeness. "I wish I could say the same," she replied, her tone neutral, catching the faint flicker of surprise in Lance’s expression before he masked it with another grin.
"Don’t worry, you’ll get to know me soon enough," he said confidently, leaning back with a relaxed demeanor. Orla shot him a look that was part warning, part exasperation, but said nothing.
Eira didn’t respond, only raising an eyebrow as she dropped his hand. She gave a small, indifferent shrug and turned her attention back to Malia.
"So, what did I miss yesterday?" Eira asked, steering the conversation away from the newcomer.
Malia immediately perked up. "Oh, nothing much! Just the usual—boring classes, gossip, and... oh, right! There’s going to be a new notice about an upcoming school festival. I heard It’s going to be huge this year; they’re even planning a masquerade ball!" Her excitement was infectious.
"A masquerade ball?" Cyran repeated, his eyes lighting up with interest. "That sounds... fun. But it hasn’t been announced by the school."
Malia held up a finger. "Not yet, but soon. I promise!"
Eira looked up at her and raised a brow. "How did you get to know?"
Malia smiled mischievously, "From a reliable source."
Orla shrugged, "From someone in the school administration department."
"Orla!" Malia shot her sister a playful glare. "You weren’t supposed to tell her that!" she said with a pout, crossing her arms. Orla simply smirked, unapologetic as ever.
"Well, a masquerade ball does sound intriguing," Eira said thoughtfully and Cyran nodded.
"Yeah, It’s been a while since the school had an event like that."
"Exactly!" Malia agreed, her face lighting up.
"And It’s not just the ball," she continued, clearly eager to share more. "There’s going to be a talent show, booths, games—oh! And I heard there’s even a haunted house being set up by the drama club."
Eira’s smiled. "Sounds like it’ll be a busy festival."
"Oh, it will be," Malia said, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "And I heard they’re inviting alumni this year too. It’s going to be the biggest festival in years!"
"Hmm," Orla mused, crossing her arms. "I wonder if it’s just an excuse for the school to show off. With all the rumors going around lately, maybe they’re trying to distract everyone with a grand event."
"They’re going all out this year because it’s the school’s anniversary. And there’s talk about a surprise performance by a special guest!"
Cyran’s eyebrows shot up. "Who’s the guest?"
Malia’s eyes sparkled, but she pressed a finger to her lips. "Now that’s something even I don’t know... yet. But I’ll find out soon enough," she promised with a wink.
Orla sighed, clearly less enthused. "As long as we’re not forced to attend, I don’t really care. Those events are always more trouble than they’re worth," she muttered, glancing sideways at Cyran.
"Talk for yourself." Malia shot back at her sister, "anyway, we should all go together! It’ll be fun, right? Ephyra, Cyran—you’ll come with us, won’t you?"
Before Eira could respond, Cyran spoke up. "If Ephyra’s agrees to go.
All eyes turned to Eira. "Maybe we should wait for the school to announce it." As soon as she finished speaking, the first period bell rang, interrupting the conversation. Malia gave a disappointed pout, but quickly replaced it with a cheerful grin.
"Fine, we’ll wait," Malia said, waving a hand as if it were no big deal. "But you two better not back out when it’s officially announced! See you during lunch!" She flashed one last bright smile before turning to head back to her seat, Orla following behind with a slight roll of her eyes.
Lance lingered a moment longer, his gaze on Eira as if he were trying to read her thoughts. Then, with a casual nod, he joined his cousins, leaving Eira and Cyran alone.
"That was... interesting," Cyran said softly, leaning closer to Eira as they settled into their seats. "Are you friends with them?"
"Yeah, they were nice."
"Ah I see." The teacher walked in and set her books on the table in front of her. "Alright class, where did we stop?"
Teachers came in and out numerous times and at last, lunch came. The five of them went to the cafeteria with Malia being the one filling the silence all the way there.
They walked into the cafeteria and went to the queue, waiting patiently for their turn to get food. The cafeteria was bustling, students chatting animatedly as they moved from one counter to another. It was always lively during lunch hour, and today was no exception.
Malia, true to form, was talking nonstop about the festival plans she had heard of. Cyran listened attentively, occasionally chiming in with a question, while Orla remained aloof, standing slightly apart from the group, her eyes scanning the room with a look of quiet disinterest. Lance seemed to be enjoying the chaos, a grin playing on his lips as he looked around, clearly taking in the atmosphere.
But as they say, trouble never sleeps.
When it was their turn, Cyran was at the front but just as he wanted to order, some guys came over.
"Hey twink, didn’t anyone tell you that this spots reserved?" The one at the front, wearing a disheveled uniform with a smug expression, pushed Cyran aside roughly. Eira’s eyes narrowed as she watched, sensing Cyran tense up beside her. He opened his mouth to protest, but Malia stepped forward, cutting him off.
"Really?" Malia said coldly, her tone challenging. "I wasn’t aware the cafeteria operated on your personal reservations." Nᴇw ɴovel chaptᴇrs are published on novᴇl(ꜰ)ire.ɴet
The boy’s grin faltered for a second before he sneered. "Who asked you, princess? This doesn’t concern you."
"Actually, it does," Malia replied smoothly, stepping between the boy and Cyran. Her posture was calm, almost casual, but her eyes were hard.
The boy’s eyes darted to Lance, who was now leaning against the counter with a lazy smile, clearly entertained by the confrontation. "You are brave to talk because you have him? I’d give you an advice. If it got down to a fight your boy here will be outnumbered and defeated so think before you speak."
"Oh, I think really hard before I speak but I’m not sure if you do at all. Anyways, if you want this spot so badly, then fight for it." She said and the guys stared at her incredulously before laughing.
"Fight for it?" the leader chuckled, stepping closer to Malia. "You must be out of your mind. A little princess like you isn’t cut out for this." His friends snickered behind him, clearly enjoying the scene.
"Like I said earlier, you clearly don’t think before you speak. Who told you I would be fighting you? It’s not my job to get my hands dirty," Malia added with a smirk. "But if you’re so eager, we can settle this right here—just not with me. Lance here will be doing the honors."