“SPALEV HIGH, here I come,” Hera yelled out loud dramatically, spreading her arms wide open against the sky, feigning enthusiasm. Sighing, she dropped her arms and clicked her tongue helplessly as the moment she’s dreading to face had finally arrived. 

Summer holidays were over, and now she was back to school. It was her first year as a high school student. The first day of high school should always be exciting, but not for her. The school had forever been her worst nightmare, and stepping into high school was not going to change anything. So why would this year be any different? 

‘Probably this year won’t change for any good either. Well, not until a certain someone leaves SPALEV High.’

Hera thought bitterly. 

Abby just finished talking to her parents on the phone. She was informing them that they’d reached safely.. All three of them knew that it would be the last time they were allowed to make a call home until their next holidays. 

Hera looked up, eyeing the large buildings standing proudly in front of her and sighed audibly. Her eyes wandered through the school’s campus. She didn’t even know how many acres of land it consumed. Well, that’s because she wasn’t any good with numbers, meaning she didn’t know anything about land dimensions or measuring tapes or scales. In short, she sucked at Math. 

The property was too big. The school had three different blocks dividing Primary school, Middle school, and High school, respectively. It had an Assembly hall where they held daily prayers and its where the Principal would conduct a meeting for all the students and teachers simultaneously. It included an auditorium as well where they would conduct recreational activities and celebrations. Curricular and creative activities such as dramatics, music, and debates also carried out there. 

It had the biggest library in the school and a common canteen for everyone. They had a sports club which comes with all the facilities to play indoor games. It had a fully equipped gym and a boxing ring to practice all types of martial arts. It had a basketball court, Tennis court, and big playgrounds for soccer and cricket as well. Next to it stood their Dormitory building which takes 10 minutes to walk from the school. 

“I wonder how our parents managed to send us into this school. I don’t know how can they even afford to pay our fees?” Hera wondered aloud.

SPALEV, which stands for “Shaping Personality And Learning Ethical Values” was an elite private school in Central-West London, meant only for rich kids. Every student there had a loaded family background except Hera, Danny, and Abby. 

“Our parents?” Her brother’s questioning tone caught Hera’s attention, and she peeked a glance at him. The expression on his face was taunting her, and she had long been familiar with that look. She couldn’t understand why he despised her so much. She loved him like any other normal sister would love her brother. Danny and his family always blamed her for their miseries. 

She didn’t ask for any of this bitterness, and it wasn’t her fault that his parents abandoned him. If he couldn’t accept her as his sister, then at least he could treat her better like he treats his cousin Abby, right? After all, even Hera was his cousin before his parents adopted her. But he always despised her anyway. 

Hera sighed in relief when she heard her friend’s voice, yelling her name. She would always welcome any distraction that could avoid the discussion about why he hated her so much. 

“Hera, I missed you so much,” her friend Celine hugged her, knocking the breath out of her. Her other best friends Andrew, Asher, Jarred, and Brittany, jump hugged her. They dragged Abby along with them making her cry startled and eventually, they all fell on the ground, laughing crazy. The only good thing that happened to Hera in this boarding school was her best friends. They make her life worth living against all other odds. 

Ignoring the high school freshers, Danny pocketed his phone and walked past them in the direction of the Office, to visit their school’s Principal. 

“I missed you too, guys. How have you been, and what are you all still doing at school? Well, not that I’m not happy seeing you all, but its time for you to leave. So what held you back?” Hera asked no one in particular and looked at each of her friends, grinning broadly. It was Friday, and after school, they all usually go back home to their parents at the weekends. 

“Isn’t it obvious? We’ve been waiting for you two, silly,” Celine said with a duh tone. Hera’s eyebrows went up in surprise. They had never been in touch during the holidays as they’re not allowed to use the phone or internet from their native locations due to the so-called safety reasons. “And how did you know that we’re coming today?” Hera asked her blonde, petite friend. 

“Aw, Sweety, did you forget that you’re not just any ordinary student here? The most popular guy of SPALEV high is crazy for you, and that automatically makes you special. If his gang is talking about you, then it means you’re all over the bulletin board,” Celine said with a teasing smile. Hera rolled her eyes at her friend first, then she widened her eyes, shocked. 

“What the …” Hera’s words got cut off by Brittany’s laugh. She had an idea of what exactly Hera was about to say. “Don’t worry, Hera. Celine didn’t mean to say that it’s literally on the bulletin board. What she meant was that they’ve been talking and words spread faster than you think in SPALEV high when it involves the famous gang,” Brittany, prettiest blonde girl in Hera’s gang said. 

“Imagine the bulletin board filled with the news about your menstruation cycle!” She said and burst out laughing crazily, and Celine and Abby joined her making Hera cringe with disgust while the boys looked horrified. Obviously, they weren’t comfortable talking about a girl’s period. 

“Oh, my God! Won’t that be hilarious,” Celine said in between her laugh. Hera could imagine that horrible thing happening as anything would be possible, knowing that evil gang of Hunter’s. After all, they would do anything to bully her.