Priana's POV
I practically stumbled back into my room, shivering in my cold, filthy clothes. Every inch of me felt violated by their arrogance. I quickly changed into a fresh outfit, the warmth of the dry fabric finally calming my nerves.
But my mind? It was a battlefield.
I picked up the diary again. As I flipped through it, my eyes narrowed at the detailed entries about the Elites. Their preferences were royal—expensive vintage wines, high-end sports—things a girl like me could only dream of. It felt like I was reading about princes, not just students.
Suddenly, I stopped. Two pages were glued together. Perfectly aligned. Hidden.
"What are you hiding?" I whispered to the empty room.
My fingers trembled as I tried to pry them apart. With a sharp rip, the pages finally separated. It wasn't a confession; it was a riddle, written in a frantic, desperate hand:
"In the den of lions, where gold turns to lead,
Look for the shadow where no one dares tread.
The crown is a lie, and the throne is of glass,
The truth is buried where the first shall be last."
My breath caught in my throat. This wasn't just a diary. This was a map to a death trap.
Suddenly, my phone buzzed. Mom. I forced my voice to sound normal. "Everything is perfect, Mom. Don't worry."
Nothing is alright, Mom, I thought bitterly. I'm stuck in a den of monsters.
As soon as I hung up, a notification flashed: The Elites: Come to the lounge. NOW.
I groaned, shoving the diary into my drawer. But as I hurried toward their room, a figure stepped out from the shadows, blocking my path.
"Who are you?" I snapped, my nerves already on edge. "Why are you standing in my way?"
"You don't know me yet," the boy said, his gaze intense. "But I can be very useful to you."
"Useful? Look, I'm busy. We'll talk later," I tried to brush past him, but his next words pinned me to the spot.
"I have information. Truths that will lead you to the light."
My heart skipped a beat. What could this stranger possibly know? "Fine," I muttered. "Let's talk."
We headed to the canteen and took a secluded table. He leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I'm Skyler. Leader of The Rebels."
I froze. The Rebels?
"If you want to know the real truth about this school, I can help you," Skyler said. "The Elites... they are involved in something dark. Human experimentation."
My blood ran cold. "What? Do you even know what you're saying?"
"Think about it, Priana. Where did all their previous assistants go? They weren't just fired. They were subjects. When the direct experiments were banned, they came up with a new plan—using their 'assistants' as lab rats."
I felt bile rise in my throat. "Do you have proof?"
Skyler looked me dead in the eye. "Right now? No. But the proof is hidden inside that lion's den. And you're the only one who can get it."
"How can you trust me to find proof?" I asked Skyler, my voice trembling with doubt.
He let out a short, dry laugh. "Elisa told me. She said you're brave enough to talk back to Anrio—maybe even brave enough to put him in his place. She saw something in you, Priana."
"How do you know all this? How did Elisa know?" I felt a chill run down my spine.
"We know everything," Skyler replied simply. He stood up and vanished into the crowd before I could ask another question.
He's strange, I thought, my mind racing. Why should I trust him? Even if I find proof, I'm keeping it to myself. In this school, you can't trust anyone.
I made my way back to the Elites' lounge. As soon as I entered, Anrio stood up. "Finally, you're here. We're going to play basketball. You're coming with us."
"Now?" I asked, confused. "Are you playing at the school court?"
They all burst into laughter, a sound that made me feel incredibly small. "We don't use the school court, sweetheart," Lian smirked. "We have our own."
They walked out, and I followed them into the unknown. Outside stood a massive, sleek black SUV. The others piled into the back, while Anrio opened the front passenger door for me.
"Get in," he commanded, before sliding into the driver's seat.
I struggled with the seatbelt. It was stuck, or maybe I was just too nervous to handle it. I tugged at it violently, frustration bubbling up.
"You're good at fighting, but you can't handle a simple seatbelt?" Anrio mocked.
"I can do it! It's just... stuck!"
Suddenly, he leaned over. His presence was overwhelming. He was so close that I could feel the warmth of his breath on my neck. My heart began to drum against my ribs, so loud I was sure he could hear it. For a second, our eyes met. There was a strange, haunting softness in his gaze—a look I hadn't seen before.
He clicked the belt into place and pulled back, but the heat of that moment lingered. My cheeks burned crimson. Priana, what is wrong with you? I scolded myself.
The engine roared to life. Within minutes, the car was flying. The speed was terrifying. From the back, the others were cheering, "Faster! Go faster!"
"Anrio, slow down!" I shouted, clutching the dashboard. "We're going to crash!"
"What's the matter, Priana? Scared?" Rafael laughed.
"See? She's not brave," Lian added with a sneer. "She just pretends to be."
"This isn't about bravery, it's about staying alive!" I yelled. "Please, slow down!"
Warren finally spoke up. "Anrio, ease up. We don't want a blowout."
Thankfully, Anrio listened. The speed dropped, and I felt like I had just been handed my life back. "Thank you, Warren," I whispered. He gave me a small, knowing smile. Oscar, however, was staring at me with an unreadable expression. I quickly looked away.
As the sky turned into an inky black, we pulled up to a place surrounded by dense, silent woods. It looked haunted.
"Where are we?" I asked Marco, my voice barely a whisper. "You play basketball in a place like this?"
"Scared?" Diego asked, appearing beside me.
"I'm not scared," I lied, though my legs were shaking. He chuckled and walked ahead.
As we walked into the darkness, Oscar stepped up beside me. "Are you afraid? Don't be. I'm here."
"I told you, I'm not—"
"I can see right through you, Priana," he interrupted softly.
I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. "Fine. Maybe a little."
Without a word, he reached down and took my hand in his. His grip was firm and protective. "Walk with me," he said. "You won't feel scared anymore."
"I held his hand and walked forward, but I don't know what is going to happen to me ahead or what will happen to me on the basketball court."