Chapter 1
“Hello everyone, my name is Elena Sinclair. I'm so happy to be your new classmate, and I hope you’ll take good care of me,” she said, standing at the front of the classroom. Elena offered a slight bow to her classmates, her hands fidgeting with her fingers in front of her, betraying a hint of nervousness. She had just transferred to this school and sported a high ponytail that framed her delicate face, revealing her smooth forehead. Dressed in a white t-shirt and a gray pleated skirt, her long, slender legs were on full display. Naturally, a pretty girl like her caught the attention of everyone, especially the boys. As soon as she walked into the classroom, a few of them began to whistle and cheer. “Wow… oh…” But she wasn’t the type to steal the spotlight entirely. With delicate features and pale skin, she looked more like the sweet girl next door. The girls murmured to each other below. “She’s so pretty.” “She seems so shy, look how red her face is just saying hello.” “I know, right? Her smile is so sweet!” At that moment, Mr. Thompson, their teacher, clapped his hands on the desk, bringing silence to the chatter. “Elena Sinclair transferred here from Newcastle…" In the back row, a few boys exchanged glances, their brows furrowing slightly. “Hey, Samuel North, isn’t your cousin younger than us by two years? Shouldn't she be in freshman year?” Julian Carter asked, resting his chin in his hand, his gaze locked on Elena, feeling as if he were looking at a fantasy. “Yeah, during summer you mentioned she might join our school, but I thought she’d be in freshman year. Turns out she’s in our senior class,” Mira Everhart added, busy scribbling notes and trading whispers with the girls beside her. Samuel glanced over at Lucas Holloway, who was seated across the aisle, revealing a sly grin. “Who knows?” Lucas, who had been dozing off on his desk throughout the introduction, didn’t bother to lift his head and merely grabbed a book to cover his face, feeling slightly annoyed. Elena Sinclair was family connected to Samuel North; Samuel’s father was her uncle. She had spent most of her early childhood at the North home before moving back to Newcastle after elementary school. Her reason for returning to Deepwood was simple—her dad got relocated to the North borough earlier this year. Over the winter break, she had visited a close friend named Arthur, but unfortunately fell sick upon arrival and couldn’t recover. After discussing it with her family, they decided it was best for her to come back to Knight's Academy since no one could look after her in Newcastle. Despite the sudden change, her strong academic performance allowed her to skip ahead and enroll in her senior year. Mr. Thompson, an amiable middle-aged man with a slight paunch, gestured casually, “Elena Sinclair,please find a seat.” With a scan of the room, Elena’s gaze landed on the two empty spots at the back—one beside her cousin Samuel North and the other next to the sleeping Lucas. As she walked past Samuel, she raised an eyebrow playfully at him before pulling out a chair and settling down, her backpack dropping effortlessly to the floor. Mr. Thompson glanced up, momentarily distracted from his papers. “In just a moment, we’ll have the entrance exam over the next two days. We’ll start with English in one hour, so use this time to review.” “Ah…” A collective groan filled the room. With the start of their final high school year looming, everyone was feeling the pressure of the upcoming entrance exams. The two days of testing aimed to assess the summer’s learning retention and plug any knowledge gaps. As soon as Mr. Thompson left the room, the chatter erupted once again, filling the air with excitement and nerves.
Chapter 2
Lucas Holloway suddenly sat up, slamming the book in his hands down onto the table. The noise drew the eyes of his classmates, transforming the once lively chatter into an immediate hush. Yet, without missing a beat, he laid back down, returning to his nap. Elena Sinclair carefully pulled her books and pencil case from her backpack, organizing them neatly on her desk. The sounds were minimal, but enough that the person next to her stayed silent. “Hey, sis, you’re finally in your senior year?” Julian Carter leaned over, resting his chin on the edge of Elena’s desk. Elena smiled softly. “I’m here to prepare for the college entrance exams.” Mira Everhart chimed in, “But you’ve already completed all the courses at Knight's Academy.” Elena nodded, her confidence radiating as she recalled her achievements. Samuel North didn’t pay much attention to their conversation. However, he knew that Elena had scored a remarkable 682 on their final exam before the break, placing her comfortably in the top fifty of their class. Julian and Mira never seemed to stop talking, their banter loud and spirited, while Samuel and Lucas often wore stern expressions, remaining silent unless necessary. Although they had grown up together, their contrasting personalities were stark. As Julian twirled Elena’s signature pen on his fingertips, it fell repeatedly to the floor until, at last, it landed near Lucas’s feet. “Stop messing around,” Elena said, glancing at him. She bent down to retrieve the pen, her athletic pants shifting slightly to reveal a hint of her sun-kissed skin. Lucas, pretending to be asleep, felt a light touch on his calf, which startled him into sitting upright. He looked down to see Elena’s innocent smile, and his brows furrowed in confusion as he met her gaze. She playfully poked at his leg again, eyebrows raised, indicating for him to look down. His frown deepened as he directed his eyes downward, realizing he had stepped on the pen. He quickly pulled his foot back. Elena picked up the pen and blew on it lightly. Just as Lucas was ready to drift off again, she casually grabbed the hem of his shirt to wipe it clean. For a moment, he was stunned into silence. “You got it dirty,” she asserted matter-of-factly, not even slightly hesitant. Lucas opened his mouth to respond, but Julian’s muffled giggle caught his attention. He turned to glare at Julian, who promptly looked away, pretending to read with an awkward smile. Lucas furrowed his brow further, scrutinizing Elena. She had returned to her studies, looking harmless and innocent. But he couldn't shake the memory of the earlier incident when she seemed so different. His thoughts drifted back to that afternoon before Arthur’s summer camp overseas. When he had visited Samuel North’s room, it was empty, leading him to dial his friend’s number. Just then, he heard soft moans coming from the bathroom—a girl’s voice. Thinking it was Samuel watching something inappropriate, Lucas impulsively swung the door open. What he found made him freeze; there lay a stunning girl in the bathtub, her skin glistening and flushed, her lips parted slightly. She lounged comfortably, propped up on her elbows, one hand resting against the edge of the tub while the other... well, a moment too late, his brain processed what he saw. Realizing the door had swung open, Elena too was shocked into stillness, hands still in a vulnerable position, momentarily forgetting what to do. Lucas was the first to collect himself, quickly slamming the door shut. But then he realized, wasn’t this Samuel’s room? His mind raced with the image of the girl’s enticing silhouette, his cheeks flushing crimson while desire began to stir within him. Gasping for breath to regain composure, just as he finally thought to leave, the door swung open. Elena emerged in a cotton nightgown that left her looking deceptively pure, grinning at him, “Lucas Holloway, you were looking for my cousin? He stepped out.”
Chapter 3
The school exams wrapped up just as the final bell rang for the day, marking the end of the semester for the students at Knight's Academy. With no homework assigned, Mr. Edward had given them a brief reprieve, allowing everyone to enjoy a final day of freedom before the summer break. After school, Lucas Holloway and his friends headed to the school's basketball court to shoot some hoops. Meanwhile, Elena Sinclair lingered behind, engrossed in a comic book sprawled out on her desk. When Lucas entered through the back door, the creaking noise startled Elena, who quickly shoved her comic into a drawer. Realizing he had left his watch in the classroom, Lucas dashed back to retrieve it. As he walked down the hallway, he spotted Elena sitting alone, still lost in her book. Approaching the classroom, he peered inside and saw that she was reading a rather risqué comic—one that featured a scene where a boy was forcefully kissing a girl against a wall, and the girl's chest was completely exposed. For a moment, Lucas pondered whether he should turn back, but he overheard voices coming from the stairs behind him. He turned to check if Elena noticed, but she seemed oblivious. So, he boldly pushed the door wide open, letting it smack against the wall with a loud bang to signal his presence. Acting as if nothing unusual was happening, he walked in and began rifling through the drawer where he thought he’d left his watch. It had to be there; he remembered placing it there just the day before. “Are you looking for this?” Elena asked, pulling his watch from her backpack and placing it on the desk. She smiled, explaining, “I saw you forgot it, and since it’s the last day before summer break, I thought I’d bring it to you. My cousin can pass it along later.” Her cheerful innocence made it hard for Lucas to reconcile this playful girl with the one he had seen that day in the bathroom. He reached for the watch, slipping it onto his wrist. “Thanks.” “Anytime!” she replied, her smile brightening the room, then opened her drawer again and took out the comic book, though she didn’t read it right away. He caught a glimpse of the cover, which appeared less explicit than he had anticipated—turns out it was just another Japanese manga. Suddenly, Elena turned to him, and he quickly averted his gaze, hurrying out of the classroom. He meant to leave, but while heading downstairs, he bumped into a group of rowdy classmates making their way up. “Hey, Lucas!” one of the boys called out with a smirk. He nodded in acknowledgement but didn’t stop to chat. As they brushed past each other, Lucas caught snippets of one of the larger boys saying, “I heard a new transfer girl joined Master’s class. Wonder if she’s still around.” Curiosity piqued, he found himself turning back. Standing at the door, he called to Elena, who was still reading deeply, “Aren’t you going to head out?” She looked up at him, clearly not surprised to see him again. She waved the comicbook in her hand, saying, “I need to finish this—I promised to return it today.” Her directness left him momentarily at a loss for words. Noticing his hesitation, she smiled softly. “Are you going to wait for me?” With some of the rowdy students heading their way, Lucas furrowed his brow. “How much longer?” Elena glanced at the remaining pages, “About ten minutes.” Stepping further into the room, Lucas closed the door behind him and picked up a literature book, leaning against the wall.
Chapter 4
Outside the window, a ruckus of laughter and chatter rolled through the air. Elena Sinclair lifted her head slightly, glancing out to see a few students sauntering past the classroom. Lucas Holloway, however, remained engrossed in his book, seemingly unaffected by the commotion outside. As the noise drifted away, she turned her attention back to her comic book. After flipping through the last page, she stared blankly at the blackboard for a few moments, surprised at how the ending deviated from what she had expected. Closing the book, Elena turned to Lucas, “I finished it.” “Uh-huh,” Lucas Holloway replied, tucking his book away on his desk. “Let’s go then.” “Oh, right.” She gathered her things and slung her backpack over one shoulder. “Let’s go.” Just as Lucas reached for the door handle, his hand was halted by Elena’s casual remark. “Want to try something?” Confused, he turned back to her. “What do you mean?” “Like…” She paused for a moment and opened her comic book to reveal a page. “This…” When he saw the drawing of a guy with one hand on a girl’s chest and the other supporting her waist, Lucas’s face flushed crimson. “You….” She tilted her head playfully and winked at him. “Didn’t you see what I was reading when you were at the door?” Her casual tone made it seem like being caught was no big deal at all. “Cough, cough.” Lucas cleared his throat twice, glancing at Elena’s hand resting on his. Her delicate fingers, pale and slender, seemed small enough for him to easily engulf. “Elena Sinclair…” “Yeah?” She raised an eyebrow and smiled at him, “You’re just not up for it.” “Uh…” Lucas paused, taken aback that she’d bring it up again. “No… it’s not that…” She firmly gripped his wrist and tugged, pulling his hand toward her. But just as she was about to close the distance to her waist, she suddenly softened her grip, stopping just shy of touching him. Looking up at him, she saw his cheeks were still flushed, and he couldn’t bring himself to meet her gaze. Her brow furrowed slightly, wondering if he was just shy or genuinely hesitant. “Lucas Holloway.” At that moment, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed outside, accompanied by the voices of Julian Carter and Mira Everhart. “Where is he? I thought he was coming back to grab his watch.” “Maybe he went ahead without us?” “Hahahaha…” Elena burst into laughter. “Let’s go.” She swung the door open and peeked her head out. “Julian Carter, Lucas Holloway and I are in here!” Julian turned quickly, “Oh, hey, sis! You’re still here?” Mira glanced past Elena to see Lucas, “Hey, Monkey! We waited for you forever. If you don’t show up, we won’t have enough players for basketball.” Eagerly, Elena turned back to Lucas, “You’re playing basketball?” “Yeah.” Lucas shrugged, slipping around them to lead the way outside. Elena watched his retreating figure. She had suspected he had come back deliberately, but she hadn’t anticipated he would bail on his friends just for her. Samuel North waited for them at the entrance, a knowing smile spreading across his face as he saw the four of them emerge together. Though all had gathered in the same great courtyard, they diverged at the intersection, heading off in separate directions. Elena walked side by side with Samuel, casually glancing back at Mira and Lucas before finally turning back to her brother. “Hey, can I ask you something?” Samuel nodded. “Sure, what’s up?” After mulling it over for a few seconds, she asked, “Sam, do you think Lucas Holloway is a coward?” Coward. Samuel chuckled at the word. It felt completely misaligned with Lucas's nature. Among their circle, Lucas was the bravest one. “Why do you say that?” “Just…” She scrunched her face, “it seems like he hardly talks.” Samuel seemed to catch on to her unspoken feelings. “You do remember he saved you when you fell out of that tree when we were kids, right?” Oh right. The memory slammed into her. When she fell from that tree, Lucas had acted as a human catcher, which ended up injuring his leg pretty severely.
Chapter 5
As Elena Sinclair and her older brother Samuel approached the front door of their house, they spotted Old Man North preparing to head out. Dressed in a gray traditional tunic, his hair grayed at the temples but his frame still sturdy, he radiated a timeless vitality. “Grandpa, where are you off to?” Elena asked, quick to engage him. Old Man North nodded, a smile lighting up his face. “Old Man Holloway is back from the countryside for the summer. He invited me over for dinner.” Old Man Holloway. Elena’s brow furrowed as she turned to Samuel for clarification. “Lucas Holloway’s grandfather,” Samuel explained. Old Man North chuckled warmly, addressing the two young people. “Why don’t you join us? Your mom is out, and it’s just the two of you here for dinner.” Samuel was about to decline the offer, but he heard Elena’s cheerful reply, “Sure, that sounds great!” “Then hurry up! Drop your backpacks and let’s go,” Old Man North urged. Elena glanced at Samuel. “You go with Grandpa first. I just need to change my clothes before coming over.” Samuel, dismissing it as just a girl’s fancy for dressing up, nodded. “Alright.” Once the two of them headed out, Elena quickly dashed upstairs to change. After putting on a fresh outfit, she returned downstairs, stopped by the local bookstore to return some comic books, and then made her way to the Holloway residence. When she walked in, she found Old Man North and Sir Holloway deeply engrossed in a game of chess in the living room. “Grandpa!” she called out, stepping into the airy hall. Old Man North looked up enthusiastically. “Come on over, introduce yourself to Sir Holloway!” The elder gentleman beamed at her arrival. “Ah, the Sinclair girl! You've grown so much and become quite the beauty!” Elena smiled warmly at him. “Hello, Sir Holloway.” After chatting for a moment, she looked around the room. Aside from glimpsing Aunt Beatrice busy in the kitchen preparing dinner, she didn’t see Samuel or Lucas anywhere. “Where's my brother?” Sir Holloway gestured upstairs. “He’s in Lucas's room. Why don’t you go join them?” “Okay!” Elena replied, hopping to her feet. Before she headed off, she patted Old Man North on the shoulder. “Good luck, Grandpa.” “Ha ha! Thanks!” he chuckled, returning to the chessboard. As she dashed up the stairs, she overheard Sir Holloway comment below, “Girls are always preferable. Unlike Lucas Holloway, he can’t hold a decent conversation...” Elena stood at the top of the staircase, unsure which room belonged to Lucas. She called out, “Samuel! Lucas! Where are you?” “Over here!” came Samuel's voice from a room with the door slightly ajar. Pushing the door open, she found the two boys squatting on the carpet, each holding a game controller, fully focused on an intense gaming session. Not wanting to interrupt, Elena leaned against the doorframe, watching as characters on the screen battled it out; she noticed they were evenly matched, one having claimed victory in a round. After a moment of silence, Lucas, seizing the opportunity during a break in play, turned and invited, “Come on in!” “Okay!” Elena chimed, stepping into the room. With her hands clasped behind her back, she began to inspect the space like a visitor at an art gallery. The room was draped in deep blue hues, complemented by sky-blue curtains and gray-bed linens that gave it a uniquely cozy vibe. Even the carpet was a dark navy that matched perfectly. She took a seat at his desk, where various school books were neatly organized alongside an array of novels. Her gaze fell on a copy of the original version of “Forrest Gump” by Young. She flipped it open, skimming through the pages filled with dense notes. The tale, although a classic, still felt somewhat challenging for her, and after reading several pages, she carefully set it back down.
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