Risebelle locked eyes with Jess. The usual sharpness on her face gave way to something softer—concern. "Before you start, I need to know something. Do you think it was me?"

  Jess opened her mouth, then closed it. Her lips pressed into a thin line.

  Risebelle’s gaze didn’t waver. “Is that why you didn’t say anything about the attack earlier?”

  Jess exhaled slowly. Finally, she muttered, “Yes… and no.”

  Risebelle frowned. “That’s not an answer.”

  Jess ran a hand through her hair. “I know it wasn’t you, Risebelle, but—” She hesitated. “When I saw her… it felt like you. It was like—”

  Jess shook her head. “I don’t know. It was weird. For a split second, it felt like it could be you...”

  Risebelle’s eyes burned with fire. She clenched her fist. “Whoever did this better have good dental insurance, because they are going to need an ambulance after I’m done with them.

  Jess let out a weak chuckle. “Now, that really would make you a bad girl. You sure you wanna go down that road? Pretty sure Principle Haverly wouldn’t be thrilled about expelling her ‘model student.’”

  Risebelle crossed her arms. “Not the way I’m going to go about it.”

  Jess raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

  Risebelle smirked. “When you do these things, you have to be smart about it.”

  Risebelle’s smirk faded while eyeing Jess struggling to keep herself upright. “Speaking of Principal Haverly… she told you to go home. But here you are, still trying to drag yourself to class.”

  Jess groaned. “I begged her not to make me go. I can’t afford to miss any more classes. I’ve already got enough catching up to do.”

  Risebelle placed a hand on her hip. “Yeah, not in your condition. You can barely walk, Jess.”

  Jess frowned, but before she could protest, Risebelle sighed and held out her hand. “Come on, I’ll take you home.”

  Jess hesitated. but her aching body made her take the hand. Before she knew it, she was being hoisted onto Risebelle’s back.

  She blinked. “Whoa—”

  Jess had never realized just how tall Risebelle was until now. The girl was definitely above average height, and from this position, it became glaringly obvious.

  And just like that… a wild fantasy bloomed in Jess’s mind.

  What if Risebelle was some gallant knight carrying her wounded princess away from the battlefield? The thought made her lips twitch into a smirk.

  “Hey, Risebelle,” she drawled playfully. “You ever think about becoming my personal knight?”

  Risebelle snorted. “You mean your glorified babysitter?”

  Jess grinned against her shoulder. “I dunno, you’re kinda perfect for the role. Tall, strong, very serious… I think I’d make a pretty cute princess, don’t you?”

  Risebelle groaned. “Jess.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Shut up.”

  Jess chuckled before resting her head against Risebelle’s back.

  While moving toward the school doors, Risebelle’s steps were steady, but her mind wasn’t.

  ‘Strange…’ she thought. ‘Some things are just coming in automatically… ‘

  Her grip on Jess adjusted slightly. It felt like she had done this before. Carried someone like this. ‘Why does it feel familiar?’

  But before she could dwell on it, she spoke up.

  “So, you still with that guy?”

  Jess stiffened slightly on her back. “Huh?”

  “Ryan.”

  As they moved toward the school doors, Risebelle’s steps were steady, but her mind wasn’t.

  Strange… she thought. Some things are just coming in automatically… like instinct.

  Her grip on Jess adjusted slightly—effortless, natural. Like she had done this before. Carried someone like this. Why does it feel familiar?

  But before she could dwell on it, she spoke up.

  “So, you still with that guy?”

  Jess stiffened slightly on her back. “Huh?”

  “Ryan.”

  There was a pause. Then, in a suspiciously casual tone, Jess said, “Oh, uh… yeah. You know how it is.”

  Risebelle’s face flattened. “Jess, you can’t hide it. You two broke up.”

  Jess groaned and buried her face into Risebelle’s shoulder. “Why do you have to be so damn sharp?”

  Risebelle smirked. “Because you’re terrible at lying.”

  Jess sighed loudly. “Fine. Yeah. It’s over. You happy?”

  Risebelle didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she pushed open the school doors, letting the afternoon air hit them. Then, she stepped outside.

  “Depends,” she finally said. “Are you happy?”

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  Risebelle felt Jess shift slightly on her back, and the silence stretched on longer than she expected. Then, a laugh—light, but forced.

  “Yeah,” Jess said with her usual playfulness. “Who needs men anyway? All I need is my knight Risebelle. I’m happy with you!”

  Risebelle let out a small breath through her nose. “So, you’re not happy.”

  Jess tensed.

  “Okay,” Risebelle continued. “Maybe I’ll stick around for a—”

  Risebelle heard sharp inhale that stopped her words. Then something that sounded suspiciously like a muffled sob.

  Risebelle stopped walking.

  “…Jess?”

  “You know how to break me, you know that?” Jess’ voice cracked. “He dumped me. Like dumped dumped me. All he ever did was borrow my money, and then—just like that—he was done.”

  Risebelle’s grip tightened. “So that’s where all the money I’ve been giving you has been going.”

  Jess let out a bitter laugh. “Yeah. But you wouldn’t get it, Risebelle. You with your rich family and your perfect life.” She sniffed. “I had to look stunning for him. I had to keep up, you know? Now… now I just have to look stunning.”

  The ache in Jess’ words settled deep in Risebelle’s gut. She had known Jess was reckless, but she hadn’t realized just how much she had been throwing away for some guy who didn’t deserve it.

  “Jess,” she said, “you’re a dumbass.”

  Jess snorted. “Yeah. I know.”

  Risebelle started walking again. “And just so you know,” she said softly, “being rich isn’t easy.”

  Jess let out a dry chuckle. “Oh no, how tragic! The suffering of the wealthy.”

  “I’m serious,” Risebelle shot back. “I have to reject a ton of guys. And then there’s my family’s expectations, my own expectations… Plus, my mother? She wants me to get nothing but A’s.”

  Jess shifted slightly and rested her chin on Risebelle’s shoulder. “Sounds exhausting.”

  “You have no idea.”

  Jess spoke in a soft tone. “So, what, you’re saying we both have our own problems?”

  Risebelle grunted. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”

  “Huh.” Jess exhaled. Her breath was warm against Risebelle’s neck. “Guess we’re both kinda screwed, huh?”

  Risebelle smirked. “Yeah. But at least I’m not the one getting dumped and scammed out of my money.”

  Jess groaned. “Oh, shut up.”

  Risebelle arrived at Jess’ house. She stepped inside and scanned the place. It was both quiet and dark. She could barely see anything in there; however, she already knew where to go.

  Marching straight down the hallway, she arrived at a door with a hand-drawn sign taped to it with bold letters reading:

  "JESS’ EVIL LAIR – TRESPASSERS BEWARE."

  Risebelle lowered her eyes. “Remind me to destroy that sign later.”

  Jess let out a weak laugh. “That’s vandalism! I could have you arrested.”

  Risebelle raised an eyebrow and pushed the door open with her foot. “Would you really do that to your knight?”

  Jess sighed. “Now that’s just playing dirty.”

  Risebelle ignored her and stepped inside.

  For all the theatrics of the sign, the room itself was… underwhelming. A bed shoved against the wall, a desk with a computer that looked like it had seen better days and a few scattered items that barely gave the space any personality.

  Risebelle carefully lowered Jess onto the bed. “There. You good?”

  Jess groaned while shifting under the blankets. “Never better.”

  Risebelle crossed her arms while giving a glance around. “Yeah. Real evil lair you got here. I’m terrified.”

  Jess smirked, though exhaustion was creeping into her face. “You should be.”

  Risebelle barely had time to react before Jess’ arms locked around her like a vice. For someone who could barely walk a moment ago, she was sure as hell showing an unnatural amount of strength now.

  "H-hey—!” Risebelle stammered. Her face began heating up when she felt herself being pulled in.

  Jess grinned lazily. “How should I thank my knight~?”

  Risebelle didn’t like that tone. No, she really didn’t like that tone.

  “Oh, I know,” Jess purred.

  Uh oh.

  Jess puckered her lips.

  ‘Oh no, oh no, oh no,’ Risebelle panicked internally. She was trapped.

  Jess had her locked in a tight embrace with her arms coiled around her like steel cables. Risebelle struggled to pry herself free, but—damn—where was all this strength coming from?!

  “Jess,” Risebelle warned, pushing against her shoulders. “Let go.”

  Jess’ hands started to slide down her back and onto her skirt.

  ‘Oh, hell no.’

  Risebelle doubled her efforts. Jess’ lips were getting closer—way too close.

  Then, just as Risebelle was about to resort to drastic measures—

  Jess let out a long, deep snore.

  Her grip instantly loosened.

  Risebelle froze, blinking.

  Jess was out like a light

  Risebelle let out a long sigh. “Unbelievable.”

  Risebelle sprinted down the street and raced back toward the school. Her lungs burned slightly, but she ignored It and pulled out her phone mid-stride.

  ‘Shit.’

  She had missed an entire class. Now it was time for the next one.

  "Great," she muttered. "Guess I’ll have to make up for that later."

  She shoved her phone back into her pocket and pushed forward, weaving through students lingering in the halls once she returned.

  That’s when she saw it.

  Or rather, her.

  A girl with long, flowing yellow hair. The girl’s posture, the sharpness of her features—it was like looking at Risebelle herself. Except… not.

  Risebelle’s blood ran cold.

  Was this the same person Jess had talked about? The one who had attacked her?

  Slowly, she turned her head.

  The girl kept walking, not noticing Risebelle staring at her.

  Risebelle’s hands clenched into fists. She needed to find out who the hell this girl was.

  Risebelle tailed the girl, keeping her distance as while weaving through the crowd. Her pulse thrummed in her ears. ‘Who is she?’

  Then, the girl slowed her pace and approached a boy leaning against a set of lockers. He was a tall guy dressed in a school uniform who had his hands stuffed in his pockets. Risebelle quickly ducked behind a nearby vending machine and listened in.

  The girl flipped her yellow hair over her shoulder and spoke.

  "O-M-G, totes meet me at seven, okay?" she said with a rising pitch. "And about, like, what we talked about earlier? It’s so going according to plan."

  Risebelle nearly choked. That voice was nothing like hers. The way she talked, the way she carried herself—it was all wrong.

  The boy gave a small nod. "You sure nobody's onto you?"

  "Pfft, please. Nobody's even, like, alittle close to figuring it out." The girl giggled while twirling a strand of her hair. "It’s all, like, so easy."

  Risebelle growled. ‘The hell is she planning?’

  The girl with the yellow hair walked away from the boy and strutted past Risebelle. Risebelle pressed herself against the vending machine and was ready to follow her once again; however, her elbow knocked into the machine with a loud clunk, and before she could catch herself, she stumbled forward—right into the girl.

  "Ahhh!" the girl yelped as they both went down in a tangled mess of limbs.

  Risebelle groaned and pushed herself up but then something caught her eye—a phone, facedown on the ground. It must’ve slipped from the girl’s uniform pocket.

  The screen was still on.

  A list of names.

  Her eyes darted over it, but her breath hitched when she spotted one name, standing out among several others that were crossed out.

  "Jess."

  Before she could take in the rest, an angry voice snapped her focus back.

  "Ugh! Watch where you're going, loser!" the girl spat while shoving Risebelle off of her. She scrambled up and dusted off her skirt, then her eyes widened in horror. "My Galaxy!"

  She snatched up her phone and inspected it frantically. "If this is broken, I’m so gonna sue you!"

  Risebelle opened her mouth, but before she could even get a word out, the girl huffed, flipped her hair and stormed off.

  Risebelle sat there with her mind racing. ‘That list. Jess’ name. The crossed-out names…What the hell is going on?’

  Risebelle managed to make it to her class after the encounter. The eyes of a few students flicked toward her.

  At the front of the room, the teacher perked up at the sight of her. He clasped his hands together and gave her a smile.

  “Ah, Miss Risebelle! What a pleasant surprise! And here I was thinking you had finally decided to ditch my class.”

  Risebelle straightened up. “I—”

  He held up a hand and cut her off.

  “No need, no need! I’m sure you had excellent reasons. Let’s just say I’m in a forgiving mood today. Take a seat, take a seat.”

  Risebelle blinked. ‘Well… that was easy.’

  She gave a small nod and hurried toward her seat.

  After the final bell rang for school, Risebelle gathered her things and slung her bag over her shoulder. She had planned to check in on Jess after school—if Jess was even awake to answer the door. That question, however, was quickly answered when she spotted a familiar figure leaning against a set of lockers, laughing at something a classmate said.

  Jess.

  Risebelle blinked. ‘What the hell is that idiot doing here?’

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