Freccia Preparatory School calmly proceeded with its day.

The students made sure to practice discipline and proper mannerisms. None of them stayed out in the corridors longer than necessary. Everyone headed for their next set of classes. Chatter was kept to a minimum. Loud noises couldn’t be heard from any of the premises.

Except for the lockers, clubs, lessons in the laboratories and in the gym, female and male genders hardly mixed in their routes. Females tend to stay in the left side of the campus while the right had been occupied by the males. If a student breaks off the chain and crosses to the other side, that action would be easily spotted.

The administration already allowed them to meet during free time in the courtyard and the cafeteria. They wouldn’t be lenient on punishments for this misbehavior.

So when Emily marched her way through the connecting building, she already threw those rules out of her head and could care less about them. The heels of her shoes tapped in a steady and fast pace. She opted for a half-do today. Her hair fluttered from the breeze of her walk. Most importantly, her blue eyes ignited like a pair of flaming gemstones.

Her path countered the flow that the male students had. Her sudden appearance made them step aside, creating a straight path for her to walk through. They whispered to each other about her rebellious streak but they moved on once she was out of their sight.

Emily knew where she wanted to go. She knew that she’d get caught but she hardly cared. How could it matter after she heard what was happening at Woodlands? Being a thousand miles away had her livid. She desired to end that conniving bitch herself but that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. Yet, she itched to hit something.

Anything would do.

She climbed up the stairs and soon, she entered the upperclassmen rooms—specifically the ones for Juniors. She stood at the end of the hallway. Her eyes focused on the crowd, searching for a white jacket among the sea of blue. She took her next steps slowly.

It wouldn’t do her any good if she missed him.

She marched all the way to the other side, almost panicking that she did miss him. Curse her small stature! It would have been easier if she was, at least, 170cm (5′6") but she was stuck with her 160cm (5′2").

Then, the sun shone over the balusters, intensifying its heat. The white jacket seemed to gleam from the light. The back even looked like it had miniscule crystals! It was beautiful, Emily admitted to herself. Maybe next year she’d actually make an effort to join the student council.

Before the jacket could disappear, Emily grabbed a fistful of its fabric and yanked it.

Neal stumbled a step from the sudden attack. The students in the vicinity snapped their heads towards them. They had witnessed a number of scenes since the Marquis happened to be popular among the female students. This time seemed different from the rest. They stared and ate it up as if they were watching a theater play.

Emily kept pulling until Neal stood beside her. She wasted no time and kicked his shin, releasing the jacket from her hold. The Marquis bent forward on reflex. The bystanders gasped but she wasn’t done. Emily raised a fist and pulled it back for maximum force. At this moment, all she could see was red.

She aimed for his face.

Neal caught her wrist and redirected the punch’s direction. He straightened up his spine and glared down at her with a disapproving look, “That is not proper lady behavior, Emily.”

She scoffed, mock humor breathing out of her lips, “Do you think I care about lady behavior after what your step sister just did?”

The moment that Lauren called her about the news, Emily wanted to escape both her classes and school to hunt down a bitch. Sadly, she neither could drive nor had a car. She would just have to wait for Skye to get captured. Then, maybe they’d allow her to get a punch in or two.

The Marquis scowled and tilted his head to one side, “I’m sorry but I don’t comprehend what you mean.”

Emily tried to tug her wrist free but Neal had on it tightened. She hissed at his reluctance for her release. Talk about proper lady behaviour but he treated her this way? Now, he was just a hypocrite.

Still, she kept pulling. She bared her teeth while she was at it, “Skye just exposed my cousin to an entire school. She’s a sore loser, isn’t she? She couldn’t handle how we won against her and had to drag Alex with her! Funny how you try to discipline me but can’t do the same with someone under the same roof as you.”

Her words caused a controversy among the elites. A few of Neal’s rivals stood near the scene. They heard Emily clearly from their perspective. They’d use it to their advantage later on and snatch his position as the Marquis away from him.

Neal sighed, aware of this fact. He gradually let go of Emily’s wrist. The second that he did, Emily lifted her leg and jabbed her knee against his abdomen. Next thing that the Marquis knew, his shoulder got pushed until he hit the wall behind him. His legs stretched under him in an awkward position. His hands pressed against the wall and held him upwards. Both sets of limbs helped maintain the posture.

The difference between his height of 182cm (6′0") and Emily’s became evident. She had him pinned to match her eye level. It caused his back to ache from the uneven stance.

Emily leaned in closer, tucking her chin. She glared at him through her eyelashes. Her voice lowered both in tone and in volume, “If I… found out…! That you’re somehow involved in this, I won’t show you mercy a second time.”

The Marquis closed his eyes and shook his head.

He sighed, meeting her gaze, “I think you’re mistaken about my character. I would never do something like that to Alex.”

“Oh, boo-hoo!” She exclaimed humorlessly. Then, she sneered, “Don’t pretend that you love her.”

“What makes you say that I don’t?”

Emily rolled her eyes, “Oh, please… whether you do or not, I still believe that she deserves someone better than you. You are just like Skye in a way. Both of you care about how others perceive. You cared so much about it that you ended up hurting my cousin in the process.”

Instead of releasing him, she slammed her hand down his shoulder. She attempted to make him fall but the muscles of his limbs steeled. They didn’t allow her to move him an inch downwards.

Emily merely smirked. She pulled her free arm back and clenched her hand. She gathered power, tightening her fist.

Then, she aimed.

“Emiliana Greenwood!” The Headmistress yelled.

Neal had his face turned while Emily’s knuckles hovered a centimeter away from his jaw. He repositioned the back of his head until their eyes met again. She bared her teeth at him for the last time. The furious expression intensified as time passed.

“I swear that this is just a taste if you ever decide to mess with Alex’s life again” Emily hissed. Her fingers curled into claws on his shoulder. Their nails scraped over the fabric as she let go of him.

She stepped away from him. Any emotion on her face drained away. She existed as a shell with an icy exterior—just like the Marquis did on a daily basis.

Neal pushed himself off the wall and cleaned up the state of his clothing. He brushed off the shoulders and sleeves. Then, he fixed his tie, gazing above the sophomore’s head.

The crowd from before had dispersed as the Headmistress passed by. They hastily walked to their respective classrooms and entered. No one dared to linger in fear that they’d be dragged into the trouble.

Emily spun on her heel and saw the deserted hallway. She flickered her eyes towards the ceiling. Cowards, she thought. And her mother wondered why she couldn’t find a decent boy in this institution. None of them could handle pressure. Heck, no one even had enough balls to stand up for themselves even when they had done nothing wrong.

Jem crossed her arms over her chest, placing her weight on one leg. Her fingers tapped on her elbow as she stared at the pair before her. Two other council members stood behind the Headmistress. She had called them to help her escort the students in question. Heavens knew if they’d try to run away.

From what she had witnessed, she considered that the possibility wouldn’t be far off.

“I am heavily disappointed in the two of you” Jem began to say. Her tone stayed light but that only made her scarier, “Are you, hooligans? Is this a zoo? I don’t need to tell you that we’d have to phone your parents for this, now do I?”