"At the age of twelve, she had won the affection of everyone around her. Not a single soul could bring themselves to hate her, let alone harbor any negative feelings towards her," Professor Collins recited to the class, pacing back and forth with his eyes glued to the book in front of him. He seldom looked up to see if his students were paying attention."Her mother, Karina, had instilled in her daughter the invaluable lesson of loving and appreciating others unconditionally. Every afternoon, Karina would take Melia on a walk around the palace, holding her hand as they explored. Melia was a curious child; anything and everything caught her attention. "'Mother, why does everyone love me?' she would ask Karina at random intervals. Karina would look down at her daughter, her own gaze meeting Melia's bright brown eyes, and reply with a smile: "Because every angel is loved." Melia would beam with joy and Karina would plant a gentle kiss on her daughter's head. Professor Collins pushed hi

"Only a week," he murmured to himself as they made their way to the bus stop to wait for Elijah's father. "Just one..." "You've been at it the whole way, Fox," Rebekah observed. "I know," Fox replied wearily. "But it's just...it's going to be a long week, and I'm afraid that asshole Park is going to do something to Elijah." When they arrived at the rectory, Rector Bob engaged Fox and Jackson in a conversation, but the two boys continued to exchange heated glares and engage in verbal sparring. Bob asked them to explain the reason for their fight, and Fox spoke first, recounting what had happened. Jackson immediately began contradicting and changing the story, which sparked a fierce argument between the two. Bob eventually tired of the argument and decided to arrest Fox for all the hits, while Jackson claimed he had been completely innocent. When Elijah and Rebekah arrived, the rector gave Elijah a disapproving look that made him feel as though everything that had transpired was his

"Stop your complaining," she said for the fourth time as they continued to walk. "How can I not?" he replied, shivering from the cold. He attempted to warm himself with his hands, but it proved insufficient. He was wet, dirty, and growing increasingly frustrated with the girl next to him. "Aren't you cold?" he asked, and Melia shook her head. "I don't believe it." "Don't believe it," she shrugged. "You're clearly exaggerating. It's not even that cold." "We're in London," he exclaimed. "In the middle of winter." "Is it my fault that you got wet?" she asked him. "No," she responded, giving Elijah a scornful look. "Look at me like that again, and you'll see what I'm capable of doing to you." "I'm dying to see it," he said sarcastically. Melia stopped walking, and Elijah looked at her as he approached. Melia's expression indicated that she felt like throttling him. That's a good point, Elijah. "What the fuck do you have against me?" Melia finally broke the silence. "I don't know. I

"Did you like what you saw?" Melia asked, and Elijah looked at her blankly. "I suppose the red dress in your thoughts left you desiring something else," she added with a sly grin. Elijah felt his cheeks flush as he halted his steps. Melia stopped a few steps ahead of him, waiting for his response. "Wait... did you read my thoughts?" he finally asked. "I merely projected what you were thinking," she responded, turning on his heels and walking up a small flight of stairs until he reached another hallway with several doors leading to other rooms. She stopped at the second one, feeling slightly uneasy. "But it's just...I don't..." he trailed off, unsure of what to say. The reflection had stirred something inside him, and he wasn't sure how to articulate it. Melia looked at him with a gentle smile, noticing the crimson in his cheeks and his nervousness. "If I didn't like you so much, I might even show you what's beneath the dress," she teased, turning the doorknob with a mischievous gl

Elijah nodded with a furrowed brow. He left the kitchen and made his way to the bedroom. Upon arrival, he picked up his mobile phone and noticed he had several missed calls and messages from his parents. His father, Josh, had asked him to call him once he arrived at school, and his mother had done the same. He also saw messages from his siblings, as well as some lighthearted good morning messages from Fox and Rebekah. After finishing up with his phone, he headed to the bathroom to take a refreshing shower. Wrapping a towel around his thin waist after, he noticed that a set of clothes had been laid out for him on the bed. The outfit consisted of a pair of ripped black jeans, dark brown boots that matched the grey coat, and a white shirt that was just a shade darker than his skin. Elijah's brow furrowed even deeper as he inspected the clothes. He wasn't the type to dress stylishly, like most of the boys at school. He preferred to dress normally. He left the shirt on the bed and declined