6. April

I woke up early that day, with a mixture of nerves and excitement in my chest. Dulce helped me pack my suitcase. I would be going to Zeus School, where I would be away from the mansion and my parents for a while. As I packed my things, I couldn't help but hide my cell phone in my suitcase, even though I knew it was forbidden.

"It's all set, Miss April," said Dulce.

"Thank you, Dulce," I replied.

I walked through the corridors of the mansion, with Dulce following behind me carrying my luggage. I couldn't stop smiling, longing for the freedom that awaited me away from my parents. As I stepped out into the garden, the limo driver noticed me and quickly took Dulce's suitcase from her to load it into the trunk. I nodded my thanks and entered the limo, excited for what was to come.

"Have a safe trip," said Dulce before saying goodbye.

I said thank you and walked to the limo when the chauffeur opened the door.

My heart was pounding as I realized that my parents were sitting across from me in the limo. I didn't know what to say or how to behave, as their very presence intimidated me more than I was willing to admit.

"Have you been training well?" my father asked me, his tone serious and authoritative.

"Yes" I replied, trying to sound confident and determined, although deep down I was trembling inside.

"You must keep training," my mother said, not taking her eyes off me. I felt as if she was searching my soul, looking for any sign of weakness or failure.

"We'll walk you to school," my father announced, "we won't see each other for a long time."

In my mind, I thought we didn't really see each other, even living under the same roof.

"It's okay" I managed to say, struggling to keep my composure.

The chauffeur started the limousine and we began to drive through the streets of the city, moving farther and farther away from the mansion. I looked out the window, watching the buildings and people pass quickly before my eyes. Inwardly, I kept thinking that once inside Zeus School, I would be calm and away from my parents' control.

The limo pulled up in front of the imposing entrance to Zeus School, and I felt a knot in my stomach as I realized I had finally arrived. Eagerly, I tried to open the door, but my mother stopped me with a firm hand on my arm.

"Wait," he said sternly. "You must first receive instructions."

"Instructions?" I asked, trying to hide my frustration. Deep down, I knew I couldn't completely escape his control, even here.

"We have made sure that there are people at the school who work for us" my mother began to explain, pulling a small photo album out of the bag she carried with her. I looked at the pictures carefully, looking for some clue as to who these people were and what role they would play in my time at the school.

"Alexander Volkov," my mother announced, pointing to a tall, balding man in his fifties. "He's a physics teacher. Make sure you stay close to him and follow his directions."

"Understood" I nodded, looking at Volkov's picture with some trepidation. He looked like someone who would accept no less than perfection from his students.

"Isabela Martinez" my mother continued, moving on to the next photo. I saw a woman with black hair and brown eyes, wearing glasses that hid her beauty. Computer teacher, thirty-five years old

"Chris Blackwood" said my father, taking the floor as he pointed to a man with black hair and a defiant look. Ethan's father, fifty years old, sports teacher.

"And finally, Lorena Dupont," my mother said, showing me a picture of a blonde woman with blue eyes and a well-perfected body. Language teacher, thirty years old.

"It's okay" I replied, feeling a mixture of relief and concern. While it was good to know that there were people at the school who would protect me, I couldn't help but wonder what kind of favors would be expected of me in return.

"Remember," warned my father, "these people are here to meet our expectations. Don't let us down."

"You will soon be joining a mission with Gabriel and Natalia," my mother announced, her voice firm and authoritative. "This is your chance to prove yourself to regain our trust, April. Don't screw it up again."

I had no choice but to nod and feign a smile, though inside I felt uneasy at the thought of working alongside Gabriel and Natalia on an unknown mission. "I won't screw it up," I assured my parents before getting out of the limo.

I took my suitcase from the trunk and started walking towards the entrance of Zeus School, feeling the fresh morning air caressing my face. Arriving at the front desk, I was met by a group of student guides dressed in impeccable uniforms.

"My name is April White," I said, handing my name to the young guide who seemed to be in charge. "I'm in the east wing dorms."

"Ah, yes," he replied, checking a list in his hand. "The female dorm in the east wing, do you need someone to go with you?"

"Thank you, but no" I politely declined. After all, I wanted to explore the place for myself and take advantage of those first moments of freedom before facing my responsibilities.

"Okay," said the guide, gesturing me in the direction of the dormitory. "Just follow this path to the main building, then take a right. Ask for the dorm attendant, she'll assign you to your room."

"Thank you" I replied, grateful for his clear instructions. Following his directions, I walked into the Zeus School campus, trying to memorize every detail of the surroundings as I walked.

I walked along the gray path that crossed the campus, surrounded by a huge green pasture and trees that provided pleasant shade. As I followed the guide's instructions, I came upon a man-made lake bordered by several benches. I was tempted to sit, enjoy the scenery and perhaps reflect on my new life at Zeus School. However, I decided to move on; there was much more to discover and little time to do so.

During my walk, I couldn't help but look for a tall, handsome, red-haired boy. Unfortunately, I didn't find him on my way.

Disappointed, I arrived at the dormitory and asked for the manager. A girl named Alexandra introduced herself to me and checked my name on the list.

"The famous April White!" he exclaimed with a smile. "You have a near perfect score. Because of your score, I shouldn't be telling you the rules, but it's my job." She proceeded to explain the ground rules to me: no late arrivals, no alcohol or other banned substances, and if I brought any friends to the dorm, they had to leave no later than seven o'clock at night.

"Thanks for the information" I said, trying to sound grateful even though my mind kept thinking about that red-haired boy.

"Good luck" Alexandra wished me as she pointed me in the direction of my room.

When I got to my room, I turned the key Alexandra had given me and opened the door. The first thing I saw was Sophie's smiling face. I dropped my suitcase on the floor and we hugged each other tightly, as if we hadn't seen each other in years.

"I missed you so much!" exclaimed Sophie as she released me from the hug. "Me too" I admitted, feeling a mixture of joy and sadness as I remembered everything we had experienced together.

Without wasting any time, we started unpacking my clothes and personal items. Sophie helped me arrange everything in the drawers and shelves of the room, making me feel more comfortable in that new space.

"Hey" Sophie said quietly, ""I don't think it's worth looking into the bug thing, I don't want to get us in trouble for this. You know what your parents are like and how they pretty much control the whole school, whoever did it must have been really stupid."

"I know" I replied.

"Oh, and about that Daniel guy who took first place from you," Sophie said, slyly smiling. "I did a little research on him and his weird perfect score. Turns out he's a nobody who decided to try his luck, truth be told, I feel sorry for him. He's gotten himself into a school he shouldn't be in."

Hearing this, I felt a kind of thrill run through my body. It was as if the mention of Daniel awakened something in me that I didn't know existed. Maybe it was curiosity, maybe admiration.

"Do you think he has any chance at school?" I asked Sophie, trying to hide the interest I felt in him.

"Who knows? ," Sophie replied with an enigmatic smile.