Madelyn couldn't help but notice that Jadie had a group of guys by her side—Adrian, Timothy, and Forrest. She stood next to her family car, watching them approach from across the street. It caught her off guard, and she thought to herself, 'When did Jadie start hanging out with Forrest? They seem really close.''Hmm... Jadie and Forrest?' Madelyn couldn't even begin to imagine what kind of relationship they had. 'Wasn't Jadie interested in Zach? Does Zach know about Jadie and Forrest being together?' But then she realized that Jadie's love life was none of her business. She wanted no part in anything involving Jadie or Zach.As Madelyn shifted her gaze away, she noticed a blue tattoo on Forrest's arm. It felt strangely familiar. She had a fleeting sense of having seen it on someone in a past life. 'It looks familiar,' she thought, but the memory slipped away for a moment. She couldn't recall when or where she had seen it before.Meanwhile, Timothy glanced at the black sedan across t

After her dance class, Madelyn got home at nine o'clock. She was so tired that her legs felt wobbly. As soon as she stepped out of the car, Rosario hurried over."What happened to you?" Rosario's eyes were filled with concern. "Come on, let's get you inside."With Rosario and the driver, Jordan, supporting her, Madelyn eased onto the couch. They placed her backpack beside her."I think you hurt your leg," said Rosario. "Stay put. I've got something that might help."Quickly, Rosario fetched a cream from the medicine cabinet. "Didn’t your instructor notice? Why didn’t you say anything?"She gently examined Madelyn's leg. "Point to where it hurts."Madelyn sighed, feeling a bit relieved now that she was sitting. "It wasn’t the teacher's fault," she admitted. "I pushed myself too hard and took a bad step."Rosario lightly tapped Madelyn's forehead. "Clumsy girl, you've got to watch out for yourself, okay? Promise me."As Madelyn slipped off her socks, Rosario warmed the cream in h

Ten seconds later, Madelyn blinked her eyes open. The bright lights flooded her vision, instantly rousing her from her drowsiness. "Zach Jar... uh, Brother? Why are you in my room?" She pulled herself upright, her heart racing. 'Why did I just blurt out his full name?' She gripped the blanket, her eyes widening in alarm.Zach watched as Madelyn hastily wrapped herself up."How long have you been here?" Madelyn's voice quivered.Wiping off remnants of the muscle rub from his hand, Zach said, "Bring your foot over here. Let me check that ankle of yours."His intense gaze locked onto Madelyn, making her feel uneasy all over. She shook her head and replied, "You don't have to do that. Rosario already massaged it earlier. It should be better by morning."Zach's brow creased, his voice firm. "Madelyn, just do as I say. I don't want to repeat myself."Madelyn's mind raced, processing Zach's words. What if she said no again? She knew he might take an unpredictable.It had always been th

"Madelyn," a tall girl with a pretty face said, stepping closer, "wasn't there a dead mouse in this bag before? How can you still use it? Aren't you worried about getting sick?" She looked at Madelyn's lunchbox with a look of distaste.Another girl added, "You're the only one at Ventrocloud High who packs lunch. Are you short on money? If you need help, just say so! We can lend you some."A third girl smirked, trying to provoke. "Serena, Madelyn doesn't care about you. Don't hang out with her, or you'll get dirty too."Madelyn quickly zipped her backpack and stood up, slamming her hand on the table. "Who did you just call dirty? Say that again. I dare you." While she rarely showed her anger, that didn't mean she couldn't stand up for herself.She looked straight at the three girls. "Why so quiet now? What do you mean by 'dirty'? Michelle, isn't your family in construction? Lorrie, Jenny... your families work with them, right? Two years ago, didn't your companies build Blossom Haven

Across the lake, a small group of people approached, and Timothy was among them. Even from afar, he could see Madelyn, deep in conversation with a guy in a wheelchair. He noticed her occasional bright smiles, showing she was genuinely enjoying their talk.Jadie and her roommate, Claire Yelton, were also part of the group. The two girls chatted, with Claire taking in the beauty of Ventrocloud High's environment. "This place is stunning! That swan lake might be bigger than our entire football field, right Jadie?"Jadie chuckled, "It's huge, alright. I'd probably get lost without a guide."Timothy subtly nudged Adrian and tilted his head toward Madelyn. Adrian looked over and took in the scene. 'Who's that with Madelyn?' he thought. 'I've never seen him before. Could it be that after realizing Forrest isn't into her, she's moved on? But why would she choose someone in a wheelchair? That's... unexpected.'..."It was really nice chatting with you," Madelyn said with a sincere smile.