Chapter 1

Violet was standing in her high school hallway, talking with a big group of kids. She was laughing at something her best friend, Amari said when she saw something move down the hallway. It was just supposed to be just them there. She continued to look in the direction she saw the movement puzzled.

"Vi, what's wrong? What are you looking at?" Amari said looking in the direction that held Violet's gaze. Amari started to get worried when she didn't see anything.

The other kids surrounding Violet continued to laugh and talk. "Nothing, Am. I just thought I saw something." Violet reassured, smiling at her friend. "C'mon guys, let's get to class." Violet said looking at all her friends.

Violet started to move to class and all the kids followed her. When she took a seat in the class, she ignored them fighting for the last seat beside her. She just focused on what Mr. Loin was saying in front of the room.

After class, she left and went to her locker. When she shut it, she was immediately greeted by various teenagers waiting for her. She just handed them a friendly smile and went to her other class. It was the same thing every day, students following her around every day. It happens so much so, that she's unfazed by it.

When the school day was over and almost all the kids in school said bye to her, she decided to search for the movement she saw. Violet went down the hallway she saw earlier.

She didn't have her backpack because every day someone offers to take it to her home. She's grateful for all of her friends and she doesn't let popularity get to her head.

She turned the corner and was met with a hallway she has never seen before. Violet was puzzled at what she saw. Not only do the kids here love her, but so do the school staff, including the principal. She knew this school like her own home, so Violet was confused when she saw a dark hallway with a wooden door at the end.

She flipped her light auburn hair and walked down the hallway proudly. She was sure it was just a hallway that looked different in the dark. Violet wore her million-dollar smile and opened the door.

That beautiful smile of hers faded away and turned into a frown. Violet Camira hasn't frowned in years. Her beautiful emerald green eyes were clouded with tears. Violet Camira hasn't cried in years. She's never witnessed anything so horrible. She felt her body jerk as she started to cry.

The man standing above the body of the principal named Belton Talon turned and smirked at Violet. He got angry when he realized she was focused on her fallen friend. He tsked to get her attention. She slowly looked up at him, soft tears on her cheek, and clouding her vision. "What did you do?" She whispered, loud enough he could hear.

But, she soon realized she was crying because she felt bad for her principal. Violet realized she was crying because she felt guilty, for not running away or calling the police.

"Eh. He was a pathetic excuse of a life." He said shrugging while looking at the dead principal.

"He was my friend!" She shouted. Violet Camira hasn't shouted in years. She was always soft and elegant.

The man snorted, "He's your friend? The guy was like twenty years older than us."

"What do you mean us?" Violet said taking a step back. She was debating whether to run away to the cops or find out more information. But, something in her wanted to stay for another reason she couldn't put her finger on.

"I believe I'm the same age as you. We're both seniors in high school, right?" The man said walking closer to her. She took a couple of steps back so they were both outside the room. When she stayed quiet he got annoyed. She wiped away her tears, cleared her throat, straightened herself up, and held her headd high.

He found it alluring how she holds her head high even though she just saw that he murdered a friend of hers. "What's your name?" He asked.

"Violet." She said proudly.

"Well Violet, you will not tell anyone what you saw here today, is that understood?" He said and took another step. Violet fought with her legs to move, but they stayed planted firmly on the ground.

"Understood." She said and kicked herself for complying.

"Great." He took his leave out of the building. Violet stayed where she was for a few minutes before she got in her white Nissan Pulsar and drove home.

When she got inside her 5-year-old little sister came running to her with the biggest grin. Violet was quick enough to catch her before they both fell down.

"Vi! Vi! Vi!" Stella yelled as Violet twirled her around in the air. She brought her back in her arms and hugged her little sister close to her neck.

"Violet Maria Camira! Where have you been?" Julia voiced out walking through the hallway towards Violet.

"I'm sorry, mom. I got held up with school work. It won't happen again." Violet said smiling apologetically. Her mom was always one to forgive, it depends on how good the apology is. Also how good the smile is.

"Ok, make sure you tell me if you're going to be late. I have to head out." Julia said smiling brightly at Violet.

"I will mom. Have a nice day at work." Not waiting for a reply, Violet carried her now sleeping little sister to her bedroom. After laying her gently on her bed, Violet left and went to her room.

She played her music loudly as she showered and changed into something more comfortable. Violet smiled brightly at herself after putting her hair in a messy bun. She sat on her bed with her favorite Starbucks coffee, laptop, and homework papers. Violet looked up with a small smile when she heard her door being knocked on. "Come in." She voiced out gleefully.

Her father came in. Violet is a spitting image of her father, Stellan. Although, Violet has her mother's hair color. But she dyed it a lighter auburn than the dark auburn color it was. "Hey, dad." She said grinning at him.

"Hello, princess. L'école était-Elle bonne?" Stellan said coming in the room fully. That was French for 'was school good?' Violet doesn't remember a day when her dad didn't call her princess. And she loves more than anything. Her father speaks fluent French. It's because of his great-grandma before she died. Their ancestors are from France.

"C'était super, papa." Violet answered grinning at her dad before looking back at the laptop. It was French for 'It was great, dad.'

"Bon." He said and left my room.

The next day was the same: work, teens following her around, 100′s on all tests. The only problem was while walking in front of a huge group of students, she saw the same man leaned against the wall watching her with a smirk.

They stared at each other as she and the students walk passed the man. She slightly shook her head and listened to her friends. "Vi, is everything ok? You seem distracted." One of the friends' said.

Everyone fell silent and looked at Violet worried. They started cooing and rubbing her back. "Aw. Guys, I'm fine. Just thinking about the math test." She said grinning at all of them. All were heard was cacophony saying how she's gonna pass without a doubt. She smiled so much her cheeks started to hurt but she couldn't stop. Violet was loved by so many, and she loved it.

That stick on smile went down when she saw the man still watching her. Everyone froze and gasped. She immediately smiled again to ease their worries and it worked.

After all her classes, she put her workbooks in her locker. She handed goodbye and goodbye hugs to all her friends. Like usual, she was the last one because of all of the goodbyes and hugs.

Violet straightened herself up and put on her bright smile as she walked to the exit. She froze when she saw the man leaning on her white car, and fixed her expression to her famous smile and walked up to him.

"Can I help you?" She said giddily. He rose his eyebrows with a small smile. The man didn't expect her to pretend they never met. Then again, he did tell her not to speak of this.

"Drop the act, Violet. We're the only ones here."

She kept her smile. "I think you have me mistaken for someone else. If you'll excuse me." She took a couple of steps to walk past him. He took the hint and slumped off of her car.

"Fine, Violet. Keep acting." She didn't spare him a glance as she opened her car door and drove home.

Violet didn't greet her mother, father, or little sister in the kitchen. She just ran up to her room and softly shut the door. She leaned against it while biting her bottom lip to hold in a sob. But the sob won.

Violet could hold the cry no longer and she fell to the floor in a disheveled heap as her sadness poured out in a flood of uncontrollable tears. Gut-wrenching sobs that tore through her chest caused a tightening of her throat and a short intake of breath. Violet shut her eyes and breathed in and out in an attempt to calm down.

When the sobs stop and there are just small involuntarily tears leaving her closed eyes, she opens them. She forces a small and weak smile on her ashen cheeks. Violet stands up and showers.

She was confused about this feeling in her chest. Violet is rarely ever sad. She always gets what she wants. But she never acted spoiled, she was always kind, generous, jolly, and overly happy. That's why everyone loves her.

But, her friends are right, ever since seeing her dead principal, she's felt...off. Sad almost. That's not a feeling she's familiar with. While in the shower, she realized it's not just sadness. It's a feeling she can't point out.

She put on her clothes and decide to skip dinner and just do homework and to sleep early.

After a couple of weeks, they found a new principal. Violet knew it was time to make a perfect first impression. She and her mom baked six blueberry muffins. They put it in a welcome basket along with various chocolates, gum, magazines, coffee mug, and multiple gift cards with sixty dollars on each.

Violet proudly walked to the principal's office wearing her most respectable outfit. "Hello, Principal Tamlin." She said grinning.

He didn't respond, just stared at her emotionless. She cleared her throat and walked up to his desk with a huge smile. "I wanted to welcome you to this wonderful school with a gift basket!" She said gleefully.

Tamlin didn't respond, just stared. It was as if he was studying her.

She gulped and continued to smile. "My mom helped me bake the muffins. There are chocolates, gum, a coffee mug, and oh! Multiple gift cards with sixty dollars on each!" She paused and waited for a response. But, he stayed quiet.

"Ok, enjoy the basket. I'll be in class. Let me know if you need anything." She sat the basket on his desk and left his office. Violet rolled her eyes and huffed annoyed. When she realized what she just did, she gasped.

Violet Camira does not roll her eyes. Seeing a dead body is really messing with her head.

She huffed but immediately grinned when she saw a group of kids coming around the corner. They grinned and ran over to her. All that could be heard was them yelling her nickname as they ran to her.

"Hey, guys." She said when they reached her.

"Hey Vi, what happened with the new principal?" One of them said. Violet doesn't want to hurt their feelings by telling the truth. But then again, her reputation is her smile and honesty.

"To be honest, it was a little strange." She said and shrugged with a small smile. Their smile went away.

"Did he hurt your feelings?"

"Was he mean?"

"Do you want me to handle him?"

The hallway was filled with these words being repeated. "No guys. He just hasn't warmed up to me yet. Let's head to class." Violet said. She started walking and eventually even more kids followed.

She didn't pay attention to the fact that almost all the seniors in that high school were following behind her.