CHAPTER 1

"Hello?" Ella answered the phone groggily, sitting upright while scratching her messy morning hair.

"Girl, where are you?!" coming from the other end of the line was Ella's only friend, Ara, with her loud and irritated voice.

"You said you'll be here by six, but it's already five minutes past six!"

Hearing Ara's sweet morning greeting, Ella couldn't help but roll her eyes. It was only promised meeting but Ara was already fuming.

It wasn't everyday Ella was late. If anything, she was the one who would do the waiting.

"I forgot to set my alarm clock last night," Ella explained. "I'll be there in twenty minutes --"

"Ten."

"Ara --"

"See ya! Bye!"

The next thing Ella heard was the toot, indicating the line ended. She looked at her phone and sighed, shaking her head to forget the ridiculous time limit Ara gave her.

Even if she go straight to school, she wouldn't make it in ten minutes.

"Well, it's just the first day of school." Ella shrugged and instead of getting up to prepare for school, she collapsed on the bed once again, risking everything for a nap.

*******

Ella rushed the hallway, cursing for sleeping more instead of getting up to avoid this exact situation. Ella was a medical student in the most prestigious university

where only the rich and smart could enter. Ella managed to get in this school through scholarship, and thankfully, she had survived her first two years by working part-time

and staying low to not get anyone's attention. And she planned to keep it that way till graduation.

As Ella was on her way anatomy class, she bumped into a handsome young man when she made a turn the end of the hallway. The collision took both Ella and the young man by

surprise, which didn't last at the scalding pain that touched their skin.

"Shit!" the young man cursed, shaking his hand to soothe the pain from his spilled coffee.

Panic and worry swelled in Ella's chest when she realized what happened. 'I'm so so sorry!" she exclaimed, fishing out a handkerchief from her pockets to wipe the coffee stain.

"I'm sorry!" she repeated panicking at the sight of the coffee stain on his clothes. "I'm really sorry! I did not mean it because I was late and I'm in a hurry --"

"Are you blind?"

Ella stopped at the irritated voice that followed her series of apologies.

"Do you know how expensive this is!?" Ella slowly looked up, only to see a handsome youth that had a face of an angel but an expression of the devil.

Ella knew him.

Luke Benson.

Luke was the most popular boy in their school. He was handsome, tall, and rich. His parents the biggest share in their school. Everyone knew him not just because of all that, but also, he was infamous for his explosive temperament.

'I'm dead.'

"I'm sorry," Ella stuttered, but he did not listen to her. Instead, Luke's friend, Migo, another brat in this university, stepped in.

"Sorry? Didn't you do that intentionally to get Luke's attention?" Migo said with look of disgust on his face.face

After Migo told Ella that word, Ella scoffed in disbelief, "what?".

"We've seen those types. Seriously. Just when would these girls stop?" Migo shook his head, assessing her from head to toe in dismay.

Ella opened and closed her mouth, but was rendered speechless by this unfair and immediate accusation.

"What should we do with her, Luke?" Migo glance at Luke before setting his eyes back to Ella.

Luke had this somber look on his face as he assessed Ella. "What else? The usual."

"Right…" The second that word rolled out of Migo's tongue, he grabbed Ella's wrist.

"Hey! ,what do are doing?!" Ella gasped in surprise, eyes shaking, the alarm bells in her head ringing danger.

"Luke said the usual." Her heart pounded in panic, seeing the devious smirk plastered on Migo's face. "We'll teach you a lesson and set you an example. Come."

Migo tightened his grip on her wrist, tugging her to wherever Ella didn't want to know about.

"Let go! You're mistaken! I didn't!" Her fear for what was coming peaked, pulling her wrist from Migo but to no avail.

No, she thought. She shouldn't be in this situation and trouble. There a few things that Ella was willing to be in trouble for, but not this type. Ella resisted and tried to free herself to the point she was already shouting, getting the attention of who could hear her.

"Let go of —" Ella had not finished speaking when someone grabbed Migo's wrist, sropping the two of them.

Not just Ella, but Luke and Migo turned their head to the person who dared stepped in.

"It's just the first day of school, yet you're already picking on someone," said a dashing young man with a gentle mien. "Come on, guys. Leave the poor girl alone."

Migo and Luke frowned, staring at the other guy.

"Ethan, do you know what this girl did?" Migo grumbled, obviously not pleased to his friend's interruption. "This girl purposely bumped into Luke to get his attention.

"I said I didn't!" Ella blurted out, defending herself to this accusation. "Why would I do that? Am I crazy?"

"You're still denying it?"

"There's nothing to deny — let me go!" Filled with fear and anger, Ella mustered all her strength to pull her wrist from Migo.

Ella scoffed, clenching her teeth, holding the wrist that Migo clutched so tightly. Her eyes burned with equal anger and dismay to these guys who accused her of something she would never do.

"Look at her. Oy, what's that look, huh?" seeing the fierce look on her face as if she was ready to bite his head off, Migo lifted his chin while pointing a finger at her. However, just as he did, Ethan, the kind soul in this group of arrogant bullies, planted his hand on top of Migo's arm and put it down.

Ethan's face was serious, giving Migo this gentle yet firm gaze. "Let her be, bro."

"What?! Why would I do that?!"

"Because it's embarassing." Ethan glanced around, forcing these troublemakers to notice that they had gained quite the attention.

Seeing that many other students were watching them, Migo glanced at Luke. The latter frowned deeply.

"You're lucky Ethan is kind. Don't show your face to me again or you'll regret it," Luke warned Ella, but this time, Ella would take any of their bullshit.

"Jerk. What's so good about you?" she grumbled, looking at Luke from head to toe with this utter disgust on her face. She scoffed aloud, rolling her eyes on him before turning around to leave.

"Hah!" Migo stared at her retreating back in disbelief, poiting at her. "What did she just say?"

Ethan chuckled, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. "She's not wrong, though. You guys are really proud jerks."

"Shut up!" Displeased at Ethan, Migo glared daggers at him. But Ethan just laughed it off.

Meanwhile, Luke kept quiet. His face darkened, narrowing his eyes, staring at Ella's back. No one knew what was going in inside his head, but his expression only screamed one thing: trouble.