Chapter 1
"Come on, Reginald, please hold off the rain just a little longer! I'm almost at the Academy!" Elena pedaled furiously, her heart racing as dark clouds loomed overhead. She just couldn't bear the thought of being caught in a downpour right now. Her eyes flicked to the little basket on her bike, where a pink envelope lay nestled among her books. It sparkled with an allure that was both thrilling and terrifying. After a moment's hesitation, she stopped the bicycle, slipped the envelope into her literature textbook, and sighed with satisfaction. The moment felt monumental. This was the first time Elena Alistair had ever received a love letter! If ever there was a reason to be more excited than receiving a first love letter, it was the signature that adorned it—Nathaniel. She could vividly picture him, that day at orientation when he stood confidently on the stage as the class representative. With his spotless white shirt and that striking smile, he had captured everyone’s attention. Not only was he a darling of the faculty, but he had soared to the top of his class, collecting accolades like a captain receiving honors before thousands of students. Since that moment, Nathaniel seemed to drift in and out of her thoughts, his figure always lurking in the corners of her mind. Every time she overheard his name or saw him interact, she became keenly attentive, driven by an insatiable curiosity. For the past six months, Elena had kept a small notebook tucked into her bag. It was filled with everything she could gather about him—whether what she heard was concrete fact or mere rumor didn't matter; she wrote it down anyway as if she were some sort of secret investigator. But never in her wildest dreams did she expect to receive a love letter from Nathaniel, especially not under these circumstances. When she found the letter lodged between her homework assignments last night, at first, she thought it was a prank. But the moment she read his name, her doubts melted away. The entire night, she couldn't stop clutching the letter, reading it over and over again. Every word was a treasure, every sentence a reminder of her secret affection for him. She could hardly sleep, her dreams filled with visions of his captivating smile—a smile he had never directed her way. As the tolling of the academy bell reminded her of the time, her heart raced. "Oh no! I’m going to be late!" She shouted, realizing the gates were about to shut. With all the urgency she could muster, Elena pedaled toward the massive iron gates of Montgomery Academy, hoping desperately to make it in time. "Wait! Please!" she yelled, her breath coming in gasps as she sprinted toward the closing gate, her hope flickering just out of reach. With a loud crash, she collided with a figure just as they entered. The impact sent her sprawling to the ground, feeling as if her insides had scrambled around in an upheaval. Disoriented, she looked up at the person whose path she had recklessly crossed. "You really don't watch where you're going, do you?" The man glared down at her, clearly irritated. Elena managed to sit up, cringing as she faced her unwitting assailant. He straightened his bike, shooting her an incredulous look. "You crashed into me! Have you no sense of shame?" "Me? You should watch where you’re standing!" she shot back, adrenaline surging through her, her pride igniting an unexpected fight within her. "Try that again," he warned, as he towered over her with an intensity that made her heart race for entirely different reasons. Just then, the bell rang again, echoing like a warning shot into the charged air. Elena felt the weight of the moment, the mix of embarrassment and exhilaration bubbling within her. As she prepared to try again, she couldn't shake the feeling that fate was pulling at the strings of her life, leading her right back to Nathaniel, even through such an unexpected encounter. With that thought in mind, she steadied herself to rise. Little did she know, this was just the beginning of the twists and turns that awaited her in the unfolding chapters of her life at the academy.
Chapter 2
Elena felt her toes barely touching the ground, struggling uncomfortably as that jerk, Little Theo, had her hoisted up. “Are you guys going in or not?” Auntie Millicent shouted at Headmaster Whitfield, clearly annoyed. Only then did Little Theo dismissively set Elena back down. He brushed off his clothes, shot her a condescending look, and then picked up his dropped notes, pushing his bike toward Montgomery Academy. “What a jerk! Hmph.” Elena rubbed her sore backside with one hand while glaring at the already retreating Little Theo, inwardly lamenting her misfortune. Just a moment ago, that guy managed to ridicule her in front of everyone, and she couldn't understand how he could still manage to act high and mighty. “I’m telling you, Evelyn, we’re getting locked out if you don’t hurry up!” Auntie Millicent’s frustrated shout brought Elena back to the present. “Coming, coming!” Elena quickly gathered her scattered notes from the ground, limping as she pushed her bike inside. ... “Ow...” Elena groaned as she sat down at her desk, rolling up her sleeve to inspect her elbow, which had been scraped raw. She was silently cursing Little Theo yet again when Mr. Cummings entered the classroom carrying a stack of textbooks. “Alright, Master Jiang, let’s begin. Open your books to page fourteen…” Wincing against the pain, Elena gingerly shifted on her bench and slowly took out her textbook. “Wait, what’s going on?” As she flipped open the book, she froze. She distinctly remembered placing her notes in that textbook, but they weren’t there. Frantically, Elena ducked under her desk and flipped through every single book in a panic—but still, nothing. Where on earth could her notes have gone? Did she lose them when that jerk knocked her down by the entrance? Elena strained to remember if she had dropped anything, but no matter how hard she thought, she couldn’t recall. “Elena! What are you doing?” The sharp voice made her jump, causing her to drop the books in her lap. “Ha ha ha!” Laughter erupted in the classroom, escalating into a chorus of amusement at her expense. “Silence!” Mr. Cummings adjusted his glasses and stared down at her. “This is morning reading; read!” He shot Elena one last glare before moving on to the other students. Blushing, Elena resolved to remain still and began flipping open her English textbook again. As she turned the pages, a nagging feeling arose—something was off about this book. It seemed... too clean? While her grades might not have been stellar, she always took notes during class, yet page fourteen was entirely blank. With a growing sense of dread, she flipped to the next page. “Rowan!” She bit her lip, recognizing the name scrawled at the top—this book wasn’t even hers. Who could’ve taken it? It wasn’t hard to guess who. That jerk, Rowan, must have grabbed it by mistake when he left. Suddenly, it hit her—if he had her book, then that meant… Her notes! The entire morning was spent in a haze of distracted worry. As the bell rang signaling the end of class, Elena shot up from her seat, clutching her English book, and bolted for the door without looking back. ... At the entrance of Classroom Nine, Elena searched anxiously, but after a long moment, she still hadn’t spotted Rowan. Desperate, she cracked open her textbook again to confirm: yes, it clearly stated Group Nine, Rowan. That’s where he was supposed to be!
Chapter 3
Elena leaned against the wall near the entrance of Classroom Nine, fidgeting nervously. With her tall stature and confident presence, it was hard to stay under the radar, especially in a place like this. “Hey, Master Jiang! Who are you looking for?” one of the students roared, noticing her distracted expression. The loud shout grabbed the attention of others in the classroom, their eyes darting toward her and the gathering chaos. Elena frowned, realizing she was the center of unwanted attention. After taking a deep breath, she mustered her courage and feigned indifference as she asked, “Is Rowan around?” “Ha! Looking for Rowan, are we?” came the snarky reply. “Oh, he probably went to the privy. He hasn't returned yet…,” another student added. “Whoa! Someone's looking for Rowan!” The laughter that erupted made Elena clench her book tighter against her chest, stepping back defensively. She had heard plenty of stories about the notorious antics of the students in Group Nine, and here she was, witnessing their antics first-hand. The tension bubbled inside her, the need to defend herself against their teasing urging her to keep her mouth shut. Just as she was preparing to leave, she accidentally bumped into someone behind her. “Ow!” she exclaimed, turning to find Rowan smirking at her. “Watch where you’re going!” he shot back, rolling his eyes as he juggled a pen between his fingers. Elena's irritation boiled over. “You bumped into me again! What’s your deal?” she snapped. The students in Group Nine eagerly leaned in, inches from the window, captivated by the exchange between the two as though it was some kind of spectacle. Rowan, clearly enjoying the attention, smirked and said, “Did you just run into me twice? Is there something you want to tell me, Master Jiang? I mean, first, you’re throwing yourself at me this morning, and now here you are, chasing after me?” “Are you seriously that self-absorbed?” Elena retorted, exasperated. “Just give me my book back!” Her hands shot instinctively forward to reclaim her text, but Rowan held it just out of her reach. “Funny how you’ve got my book, huh? How did it end up in your hands?” He cocked an eyebrow, revealing a playful grin. Elena's patience was thinning. “You took it by mistake this morning! Now hand it over!” Rowan chuckled, clearly unfazed. He lifted her book high, teasing her with it as he leaned back comfortably. “What was that? Didn’t quite catch what you said.” “Rowan! Give it back! Or I swear I won’t leave here!” she shouted, the frustration bringing slight desperation to her tone. “Whoa, you really scared me there!” Rowan threw his hands up comically, clutching his chest, which earned him laughter from the surrounding students. Elena was momentarily speechless, feeling her cheeks turn warm as he continued to chuckle. With a sly smile, he kept holding the book away from her grasp, clearly relishing the playful torment. “Don’t you dare walk away!” Elena’s heart raced as she reached out, grabbing at his shirt. Despite her grasp, Rowan's attempts to shake her off failed completely. His aggravation turned palpable as the laughter of their classmates loomed over their heads like an unwanted cloud. The atmosphere crackled with curiosity and mischief, laying the groundwork for an unexpectedly entertaining afternoon.
Chapter 4
“Let me go.” Each word escaped Rowan's lips with a measured intensity, his wide eyes seemingly ready to devour Elena whole. With his fierce expression, Elena surprisingly found herself releasing her grip. “You…!” As Rowan violently tugged his shirt back into place and strode into Classroom Nine, Elena clenched her fists in frustration. “Hey, that’s my book!” she yelled at his retreating back. Laughter erupted around her—some students mocked her, while others catcalled, and a couple even whistled. Just then, the school bell rang, slicing through the noise. Elena’s tightly clenched fists relaxed slowly; she felt an overwhelming urge to sock that smelly little Theo, though she knew she’d never stand a chance against him. With the bell ringing hurriedly, Elena found herself pacing nervously. Should she rush into Classroom Nine? “Thud!” A notebook tumbled from the back window of the classroom, and she darted over to retrieve it. Glancing around hastily, she saw Mr. Orion, the subject teacher from Group Nine, striding her way. She had no time to check if the notebook was even hers; clutching her textbooks, she sprinted back to avoid being late. Oh no, she would be tardy again! This next class was supposed to be the most horrifying math lecture. Fearing the wrath of Mr. Jiang, she hid her literature textbook under the bottom of her stack. She pushed all her feelings aside, knowing she could only dare to sneak it out when no one was watching. To Elena, math class felt like the perfect sleep aid; she fought to keep her eyes wide open, fixating on the blackboard while her ears listened to the sound of dripping leaves after the rain outside. Her thoughts wandered far, far away. Finally, the break bell rang, and Elena intentionally lingered at her desk, holding out until the last moment to leave. “Thomas!” “What’s up?” Thomas typically checked the classroom before coming out. Noticing Elena’s hesitation, he regarded her curiously. “I hurt my hand earlier today—can I sit out of gym?” Saying this, Elena rolled her sleeves up to show him her arm. Seeing she was being truthful, Thomas nodded. “I’ll let Mr. Orion know you’re excused.” As he quickly dashed away, Elena let out a sigh of relief. Now, she could sneak out her literature book. Flipping to the first page, she spotted her name in neat handwriting: Elena. Finally, she was able to put her mind at ease; this was definitively her book. She hastily flipped through the pages. Nothing? Where’s the letter? Flipping back and forth again, shaking the book as if it would fall out of nowhere, but there was no sign of Theo's little letter. Elena felt as if she’d been hit with a heavy hammer, her hands trembling as she set the book down, desperately trying to remain calm—breathing in and out slowly. The sound of high-heeled shoes echoed in the hallway, and instinctively, Elena glanced toward the classroom door. Moments later, Ms. Cummings appeared at the entrance, pointing directly at Elena. “Elena.” “Yes?” She tensed up, heart racing. “Come out here.” “Uh?” Elena thought for a fleeting moment that Ms. Cummings was about to confront her for the morning’s incident in homeroom. Quickly closing her literature book, she stood up obediently but hesitated to approach the door. “Why are you standing there? Come on! I’m taking you to the Principal!” Principal? Elena was bewildered. Wasn’t this just about her messing up during morning reading? Why was she being summoned to the Principal’s office? “Mr. Orion, what’s happening?” Catching the bewildered look on Elena's face, Ms. Cummings frowned. “What, are you waiting for me to call your dad before you move?”
Chapter 5
Elena felt a wave of anxiety wash over her as the news broke that they were going to involve Principal Alistair. She could already sense the disapproving gaze of Mr. Cummings on her; how could she stand up to him now? With a heavy heart, she followed Mr. Cummings down the hallway toward the principal's office. The principal's office - wasn't that where kids were sent only when they were in trouble? As she walked, Elena frantically tried to recall if she had done anything wrong recently. It felt like her brain was a jumbled mess, leaving her unsure if she had really committed any missteps. But wait, did she even do anything that warranted this? Normally, she was the kind of student who was rarely late, and she definitely hadn’t made any shocking mistakes. Sure, her grades were more average than stellar, and she occasionally had a few slip-ups in class, but those hardly seemed like “big” offenses. Then something odd caught her attention; she felt like she was being watched by someone she knew. And just then, she spotted two boys from her class sharing a laugh that seemed directly aimed at her. “What’s gotten into them?” she muttered under her breath, and quickened her pace to keep up with Mr. Cummings. Arriving at the principal’s office, Mr. Cummings unceremoniously dropped her off, saying he’d be back shortly. Standing alone in front of Principal Alistair's desk, she fidgeted with her hands, and within moments had broken into a fine sweat. What on earth was this about? If they were handing out punishments, couldn’t it at least be swift and painless? A sudden clap broke the tension, causing Elena to jump. Blinking a few times, she focused on the document that had been slammed onto the desk in front of her. “What’s this?” she thought, glancing down at the familiar sheet. Wait a minute! This was the love letter she thought she had lost! Noticing her reaction, Principal Alistair leaned forward, pointing at the paper with a finger. “Elena from Group Eight, is this yours?” “Yes, that’s me,” she stammered. Surprised at how swiftly she had confirmed her identity, Principal Alistair paused before continuing. He slammed his hand down on the desk again, raising his voice. “At your age? Seriously? Dating already?” The last four words erupted from him like a thunderstorm, making her shrink back in shock. She didn’t know how to respond and just stood there, silent. “Come on, who put this up on the bulletin board? Is this a joke? At the Academy, we shouldn't be messing around like this! You all need a warning because clearly, you don't know what’s acceptable and what’s not!” Elena felt her heart drop; who could be so cruel as to play such a prank? Without even thinking, she reached for the letter, flipping it over and over again. Sure enough, it was the letter she had lost just the day before. She remembered its exact folds and creases. A prank on the bulletin board? Who was the creep behind this? “Excuse me,” a bright, familiar voice chimed in from behind her. Elena turned, and to her surprise, none other than Henry Finch had appeared at the door.
There are limited chapters to put here, click the button below to continue reading "Letters in the Rain"
(It will automatically jump to the book when you open the app).
❤️Click to read more exciting content❤️