Chapter 1
As Jade waited in the line of cars snaking through the parking lot, she stared at the sprawling two-story building ahead. Islands High School was etched into the stone façade, looming over her with its unyielding brick walls. Already, she could tell this was a world apart from the private school she’d attended in New York.
There, sleek buildings were nestled among towering skyscrapers, spread across a few city blocks. Here, students moved at a laid-back pace, a far cry from the fast-moving crowds she had grown used to over the past five years at boarding school. The same school she had once begged her parents to send her to—until her father lost his job last year. Now, she was back home for senior year.
Her family had lived on Talahi Island for five years, but she had never made connections during her summer visits. This was all uncharted territory—a huge school where she would likely get lost.
A loud honk from behind startled her. Jade eased her parents’ eco-friendly car forward, watching as students parked oversized trucks in the yellow-lined spaces. When her turn came, she pulled into a spot and glanced at the pickup beside her. The guy in the passenger seat sat two feet above her, making her feel small and invisible.
Enough, she thought, squaring her shoulders. She refused to give in to self-pity.
Grabbing her shoulder bag, Jade joined the crowd heading toward the entrance. If nothing else, she had to admit that Talahi had a more pleasant scent—marsh and pine—compared to the ever-present stench of car exhaust and garbage in New York.
“Name?” the secretary asked as she entered the main office.
“Jade Cooper.”
“Year?”
“Senior.” She smoothed her purple sundress, hoping to make a good first impression.
“Here you go, honey.” The secretary handed her a folder.
Jade pulled out the schedule: Math, Room 246B. She stepped into the hallway, looking for signs to guide her, but saw nothing but bare brick walls. After a few minutes of wandering, someone finally approached.
“Lost?” A tall, brown-haired guy with a lanky build appeared beside her, glancing at her schedule. “Room 246B? That’s a trek. I’m heading that way—follow me.”
With no better choice, Jade followed. “So, you’re new?” he asked with a grin. “Or did my dazzling charm leave you speechless?”
Jade forced herself to respond. “Yeah, I’m new. And what charm? You’re so tall, I can barely see your face.”
“Touché.” He studied her for a moment, and Jade finally got a look at him. His wispy hair fell over a slightly crooked nose speckled with freckles, and his wide grin revealed perfectly straight teeth. But it was his eyes—hazel with flecks of gold—that felt strangely familiar, almost comforting.
“I’m Aiden Francis,” he said, extending a hand, tanned from the Southern sun. She shook it.
“Jade Cooper. Nice to meet you. And thanks for the help.”
“No problem. I can’t resist playing the hero when a damsels in distress.”
Jade couldn’t help but laugh. He was cocky, but in a way that made her think they might just get along.
“Here’s your stop hope to see you later.” Aiden said with a wink before rushing into the classroom next door just as the bell rang.
Jade barely had time to mumble a quick thank you before darting into her classroom, quickly settling into the first available seat. The classes were easier than she expected—Math, biology, chemistry, even Spanish—and the morning passed by smoothly as she followed the steady stream of students from room to room. When lunchtime finally arrived, she made her way to the cafeteria, an enormous space designed to accommodate all 1,600 students at once.
Jade had packed her lunch, so she weaved through the rows of tables, scanning the room for an open spot in a friendly group. She was about to give up when a large hand suddenly landed on her shoulder.
“Need saving again?”
She smiled. Aiden, ever the rescuer. “I wouldn’t mind it.”
He nodded to the left, leading her to a smaller table where two boys and another girl sat. “Everyone, this is Jade. Jade, this is everyone.”
The girl rolled her eyes, shooting an exasperated look at Aiden. “Really, Aiden? That’s your introduction?”
A slightly goofy-looking boy with shaggy brown hair and blue-rimmed glasses extended a hand. “Hey, Jade. I’m Alex, and that’s Lacey and Sam,” he said, pointing to the others. Lacey had dyed blonde hair, more makeup than Jade thought she could ever manage and was dressed in a preppy outfit. Sam, sitting beside her, had one tanned arm draped casually over the back of her chair, sporting a Ravens football cap.
“We all moved here last winter, but thanks to you, we’re no longer the newest faces around,” Alex continued with a grin. “Not many changes here, so five new students in a year might just be a record.”
“Wow, so everyone’s pretty set in their ways then?” Jade brushed back a curly red ringlet that had fallen over her eyes, feeling a bit nervous in front of this new crowd. “Lucky, I found you guys—or looked lost enough for Aiden to feel sorry for me.”
Lacey smiled. “We would’ve found you eventually. We’re some of the few who didn’t grow up here. Most kids have been around since middle school, so it was bound to happen.”
“The balance had to be maintained,” Alex added dramatically.
“The balance?” Jade echoed, confused. Her old school in New York had been a dynamic, ever-changing environment where fashion ranged from designer to thrift store chic. There were no fixed groups, just a constant shuffle of personalities and styles.
Aiden grinned and slung an arm around Jade’s shoulder, directing her attention to the far side of the cafeteria. “It’s like this. The cafeteria’s divided into four sections: freshmen are stuck near the gross cafeteria smell, and the older you get, the farther back you sit, with the seniors—like us—getting the prime lake view. Each grade has the usual groups. Over there,” he pointed to a corner packed with students in red jerseys, “you’ve got the jocks. Next to them are the football players and their cheerleader entourage. Then you’ve got the popular crowd—good looks, and in rare cases, nice personalities. In the middle are the average kids, the down-to-earth ones, and over there,” he gestured toward a group wearing black leotards and dark clothes, “are the drama nerds and the emos. They kind of blur together.”
Jade scanned the groups, noticing the differences in clothing styles and postures, but the rigid categories felt foreign to her. At her old school, the only divide had been between the wealthy and the scholarship students—and even that line wasn’t always clear. Wealthy students often dressed in oversized, worn-out sweaters, while some scholarship students splurged on high-end fashion.
“Aiden, you forgot the misfits,” Alex chimed in, nodding toward the window.
“Right, the misfits,” he said, turning Jade’s gaze toward the outdoor tables. “See those guys?” A small group of three boys and one girl sat outside, lounging in the sun. Despite their location, they were pale and seemed to keep to themselves. “They’re the real outsiders.”
“Why do they stick to themselves?” Jade asked, curious.
“No idea. No one knows much about them,” He replied, though his tone suggested there was more to the story. Jade didn’t push—she had only known him for a few hours and didn’t want to seem accusatory. But even through the glass, she could sense something different about them, something that went beyond the typical high school cliques. Still, she let it go for now—there were friends to be made.
“So, where are you guys from?” she asked as she slid into one of the open seats at the table.
Sam pointed to his hat. He was the quiet type.
“He means Baltimore,” Lacey supplied. “I’m from there too. Funny, right? We didn’t know each other before moving here. He went to my rival school, so maybe it’s not that surprising, but still, it’s crazy.”
“Fate?” Jade offered, guessing that’s what Lacey wanted to hear, and noticing Sam’s silence.
“Yup, that’s what I like to believe.” Lacey smiled, exchanging a glance with Sam.
Jade decided she could get used to Sam’s quiet presence, and she hoped to become friends with both of them—especially Lacey, with her polished appearance. Jade admired her perfectly styled hair, manicured nails, and expertly applied makeup. That kind of knowledge could come in handy, especially before a date.
“I’m a northerner through and through,” Alex chimed in. “Or I was until my parents dragged me down here. I’m from Connecticut and hoping to be back soon enough.”
Jade smiled. Alex looked like a Yale type, with the pile of books stacked next to his lunch. But there was something about him that hinted at an edge, a quiet depth beneath his light-hearted exterior.
“And now, my turn,” Aiden announced theatrically. “I, dear lady, hail from the far reaches of… drum roll, please…” He drummed his fingers on the table when no one obliged. “Florida! The sunshine state, home of glorious beaches, Universal Studios, and a little town in the middle of nowhere called Crystal River.”
“Wait, you’re from a small town?” Jade almost choked on her drink, surprised.
“I get that a lot. Why is it so hard to believe?”
“No offense, it’s just… your personality is so…” Jade waved her hands, searching for the right word.
“Charming?” Aiden suggested with a grin.
“I think she means big,” Alex interjected, earning a nod of mock defeat from Aiden. Jade smiled, glad for the playful banter.
“You know, I love your hair,” Lacey said, reaching out to touch Jade's curls. “Do you dye it?”
“Nope, just born with it,” Jade replied, feeling a little self-conscious. Her hair was a mix of bright red and dark black strands, creating an unusual shade of burning fire that often drew attention.
“Well, I’m jealous. I wish I had a natural volume like that. And guys go crazy for redheads.”
“Enough guys already go crazy for you,” Sam finally spoke up, pulling Lacey closer.
Ah, the jealous type, Jade thought, filing that information away.
Aiden reached out and twirled a strand of Jade’s hair around his finger, staring at it intently, almost as if he were lost in thought. Jade found herself watching him, momentarily caught in his trance.
“Aiden, creepy much?” Lacey teased, causing him to drop the curl at once. He and Jade turned to face her. “Whoa, Aiden, Jade has your insane eyes.”