Harper's story

Harper didn't finish her sentence as she got a punch on the shoulder from Aria.

She glared at Aria for a second before Joseph whistled, "Try all you might, you never can give up being kind, can you?"

Aria suppressed a smile as she looked at Harper, "Now you know I'm really done trying to be kind to you. Like I said I was. So, what do you want?"

Harper's face broke into a smile, "Great. I want you to keep this attitude and listen to me."

Aria raised her eyebrows and Joseph began, "Now listen here...."

But he stopped as Aria looked at him. He sighed, "Okay fine. But I'm not leaving."

Aria frowned, "Please Joseph. I can take care of myself."

This was the first time Aria had ever said please. Joseph could not argue even if he wanted to. He pursued his lips, and turned around.

"I'm sure you can. I'm just worried you won't." He mumbled to himself as he went into his room.

Aria then turned, looked at Harper once, and then opened her room.

Without inviting her in, she went in, leaving the door open and began to gently take out the flowers from her hair.

Seeing Harper standing at the door, Aria said, "Didn't you say you had something to say? Shoot."

Harper walked in and stood fidgeting with her dress. She looked around, Aria sighed, "Just sit anywhere and say what you came to say. Like I said in the note, being kind to you is now like being unkind to myself. Because you don't appreciate it. So, I'm done. Just say what you want."

Harper: "I want you to punish the ones responsible for what happened yesterday."

Aria frowned. She had suspected that the four boys were not alone, because first, she had seen that band of girls, and second, the boys did not seem to have any motive to take such an extreme step.

Aria nodded, indicating for Harper to continue.

Harper began her story...

It was just a few days before when the new students had started arriving at the academy.

There was a boy among them, the son of some minister, extremely handsome and a good natured boy, who made friends with anyone he came in contact with.

He only had one flaw, he was a massive flirt.

But that made him all the more attractive to the girls due to his power and good looks.

So Stephen, as was his name, was always surrounded by girls and was quite popular even before the session started.

He had chosen the power course, the same one as Zach, Bella and Harper. That explained why Aria had not heard of him.

Stephen had been fawning over Harper from the first time he set his eyes on her.

Firstly, because she was quite beautiful, Joseph and Jacob were just a bit prejudiced due to Aria and Helen.

And secondly, because Harper was quite introverted in front of the royal kids ans rarely spoke, which attracted Stephen even more.

As it happened, Harper was trying to ignore Stephen like always when one day he caught upto her, skipping the tour of the castle.

Stephen: "Hey Harper. Wanna go for a walk?"

Harper: "Why can't you leave me alone?"