Chapter 1: Fast forward
Ever think a girl could spend years to work in a mafia owned club at the age of a teen? Maybe she's not the only one, but Kelly was trained to dance so she can pay off her mom's debt who got hospitalized in a coma. After that, Kelly returned to live her normal life, well, mostly in school. However, sometimes later, she lost her golden status and relationship to someone who betrayed her for their own good. But the weird thing is that, while being with the mafia group, she was raised and fed by the gang like she's their own child, even dressed nicely and never beaten in a single day, just except she was treated like every other kid with strict parents...
The hallway echoed with the muffled sounds of footsteps from the distant classrooms, the air still and empty except for the faint scent of burned tobacco. Kelly's boots clicked against the linoleum as she walked, her head down, a hood pulled low over her golden blonde hair. The noise of her steps broke the silence as she made her way down the dim corridor, her thoughts lost in the weight of the day.
Then, a small puff of smoke curled into the air from the shadows ahead. Kelly's gaze shifted upward just as the figure materialized—tall, almost unnaturally so, with dark, intense eyes that seemed to cut through the silence like a knife. The girl stood against the wall, leaning back casually, her right arm adorned with tattoos that peeked out from beneath the sleeve of her leather jacket.
The smoke billowed in front of her like a barrier, surrounding her in a cloud that made her seem almost otherworldly. Her lips parted just enough to exhale, the glowing tip of her cigarette a faint ember in the dimness. She didn't look up when Kelly approached. Instead, her gaze was fixed ahead, calm and calculating, like she was in a world entirely of her own making.
Kelly slowed her pace, there was something about the way that girl carried herself—unbothered, confident, as if the hallway itself bent to her will. The quiet hum of the lights seemed to pulse in rhythm with the slow drag of her cigarette. Curiously, Kelly approached the girl with a small hesitation
"Hey there" Kelly smiled "May I sit down?"
The senior looks up at Kelly's eyes, leaning her head on the locker.
"You need something, kid?" She sighs, playing with the cigarette around her fingers
"No...just wanna talk, I...saw you sitting here alone, I'm Kelly by the way"
Scarlet put her hands in the pocket and looked at her nonchalantly
Kelly makes no response though she's taken aback a bit, instead, she looks at the tiny case next to her. The girl noticed and smirked
"Want one?"
"Aren't you not supposed to smoke here? You're sitting right next to the fire alarm."
"Scared, kid?"
"No, I just think you can do it somewhere else safer."
"Yea, because you're a kid" She smirked again
"I'm not a kid, we're in the same school, and how old are you then?"
"19"
"Wait, how...I mean, what's your name?"
"For?"
Kelly sighed "Just tell me please, it's not like I'm gonna stalk you"
"Scarlet"
Then she get up without pausing or look back at Kelly, tossed away the cigarette and walked away, Kelly called after:
"Wait, where you going?"
"What, you wanna skip class together?"
"Huh, it's class time already?"
The bell rang, a large crowd rushed towards the entrance door. Scarlet walks away, leaving Kelly standing there, slightly confused but intrigued. That mysterious girl had captured her attention. She wondered if she'll ever see her again.
The bell rang again, students are milling about the campus heading to their cars or extracurricular activities.
Kelly linger around as well. Normally she would be seen with her friends and they would start talking nonstop and lose track of time, but now she was all alone. Being grabbed up with thoughts Kelly almost didn't notice the familiar figure across the soccer field, her dark hair contrast against the green grass.
"Hey scarlet!"
Scarlet looks at her, she takes a step back, her expression got it.
"You again?"
Kelly's enthusiasm remain undimmed.
"You remember me"
"Wow, no clue"
"So hi again, what you doing here?"
Scarlett said nothing back, she still holding the cigarette, then play with it by rolling over
"Hey I know you seem to love hanging around by yourself and you have your own space and all but can we be, I don't know, like talking like normal, just for a bit, I promise I won't take much of your time"
"Why should I be?"
"Cause that's the spice of life, maybe this cigarette is taking it away from you."
Scarlet gave her a sharp look. Kelly shakes her arm playfully and said:
"Hey, I'm joking. I saw you here alone and i just wanna talk, that's all, maybe we can be friends if you want to."
"Yea, thank you, I'm not interested."
But Kelly wasn't taken aback by her attitude
"Come on, it'll be great to have a friend, don't you want one. Besides, i think you're pretty cool."
"I don't have time for that, go find someone else to goof around."
"Well...i'm afraid I can't anymore, it's...complicated, I have no one else to talk to" Kelly suddenly looked down, nibbling the string on her hoodie
"And?"
"Well, i don't know, ot just doesn't matter anymore, but would you wanna be my friend"
"I don't, so stop wasting time. Go find someone else"
"Pleasee, just this time, i promise i will not invade your space if you don't want me to" Kelly nagged scarlet's wrist when she still have her hands inside the pocket "please please please"
"Go away, don't get me started"
"It's fine, i can wait"
"You're not afraid i'd hit you?"
"I don't care, but you'll like me, i promise. How about a handshake?"
Scarlet passed a while, then she said and said:
"Fine, you win. Now stop and I will rethink. But I'm telling you, there's no guarantees for your silly game."
Kelly's face lit up with joy.
"Great! Here's my phone number, i'll text you later. Okay, gotta go, bye"
"Wait, hold on..."
"Please don't block me."
Scarlet was half baffled, half annoyed. Normally people would stay away from her but now that this girl she just met in the locker room who wouldn't leave her alone. What a weird day, yet...
Scarlett slump against her locker, smoke curling from her cigarette. The encounter with the bubbly girl replay in her mind, and nagging beneath her carefully constructed in difference.
But then came a flicker of something unexpected - curiosity. Kelly's cheerfulness was like a persistence mosquito buzz, impossible to ignore. When most people steer clear, Kelly buzzed right in, unfazed by her defenses.
Intrigue followed close behind. What was her game? Was she some kind of school social worker, on a mission to save the trouble? Scarlet scoffed at the thought, but a silver top remain. With a sigh, Scarlet took her lighter out. Pushing herself away from the locker, she muttered, "stupid kid", but the worst like that usual conviction. Maybe Kelly wasn't so stupid after all.
The next morning, Kelly was waiting by the entrance of the school, her eyes scanning the crowd of students, but Scarlet never showed. Her heart beat a little faster than usual, her excitement almost tangible as she leaned against the brick wall, hoping to see a flash of dark hair or the familiar, smoky aura that seemed to surround the mysterious girl.
She couldn't explain it, but ever since their encounter, she couldn't stop thinking about Scarlet. It wasn't just her edgy style or her intense, guarded demeanor that had caught Kelly's attention. Something about Scarlet's resistance had drawn Kelly in like a magnet. And despite Scarlet's coldness, there was a part of Kelly that wanted to befriend her, break through the walls, even if it meant trying again and again.
By the time the first bell rang, Kelly reluctantly dragged herself toward the main hall. She'd waited long enough, but there was still a heavy weight in her chest. She walked with her head down, her mind lost in the thought of Scarlet, her hazel eyes absentmindedly drifting across the sea of students rushing to class.
Her outfit today wasn't anything special—just a simple, oversized black sweater she had thrown on in a rush, paired with a plaid skirt she'd grabbed from her wardrobe without much thought. It was shorter than the dress code required, but she hadn't really paid attention when she put it on. She liked the way it swished around her legs, even if it wasn't the most appropriate for school. Her rebellious side, perhaps. Or maybe just another way of expressing a little freedom, even if the rules didn't quite suit her.
As she made her way toward the hall, ready to put the morning behind her and head into class, a presence loomed behind her—familiar, intense, and somehow magnetic. Without even turning around, Kelly could feel it, that undeniable pull. She stopped in her tracks, her pulse quickening, and that's when she heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps, slow and deliberate.
Before Kelly could even turn to look, Scarlet was there.
Kelly's eyes widened in surprise, but Scarlet didn't say a word. Instead, with a single, fluid motion, she yanked off her leather jacket and draped it around Kelly's hips, the warmth of the fabric brushing against her skin, comforting in an unexpected way.
For a second, Kelly stood frozen, unsure of what to make of the gesture. Scarlet was always so guarded, so aloof, and yet here she was, offering a piece of herself—her leather jacket—without even sparing a glance at Kelly's surprised expression.
Scarlet didn't pause or linger. She simply turned, her dark eyes flicking over Kelly one last time before she began to walk away, heading toward her first class with her usual nonchalance. Her movements were sharp and deliberate, and for a moment, Kelly thought she'd say something—anything. But Scarlet said nothing.
Kelly, still a little stunned, quickly turned to call out, "Hey, wait, thank you!" But the words got caught in her throat. Scarlet was already too far down the hall, the sound of her boots echoing, leaving Kelly with a mix of gratitude and confusion.
Kelly stood there for a moment, the leather jacket hanging loosely around her waist, the weight of it reminding her of the unspoken action. It was small, but it was something. And it made her heart beat in a way she wasn't quite prepared for.
But there was something else about Scarlet's gesture that kept replaying in Kelly's mind—something that didn't quite add up. Scarlet, the rebellious, independent girl, who always seemed to live outside the rules, had cared enough to stop her from getting into trouble for violating the dress code.
Kelly shook her head, trying to make sense of it. Scarlet didn't give a damn about rules. She didn't care about anything or anyone, it seemed—except... maybe, just maybe, Kelly.
It bothered Scarlet, Kelly realized, not because she cared about the rules, but because something in her was unexpectedly drawn to the idea of protecting Kelly, even in this small, seemingly insignificant way. The contradiction was like a puzzle—Scarlet, the rebel, caring about someone else's potential trouble, someone else's mistakes. The thought lingered as Kelly tightened the jacket around her waist, a sense of warmth—both from the jacket and the unexpected kindness—spreading through her.
It wasn't the grand, sweeping gesture Kelly had imagined, but it was something. And somehow, that "something" felt more real than anything she had expected. It wasn't much, but it was a crack in the wall. A little sliver of a connection she wasn't about to let go of.
She smiled to herself, shrugging off the confusion, and headed off to class. There was a lot more to this girl than she had initially realized.
As the day wore on, Kelly couldn't shake the feeling of the jacket around her waist. It was a strange, warm sensation—one that made her feel both protected and intrigued, as if there were layers to Scarlet that she couldn't quite figure out yet, but was desperate to unravel. The jacket, a symbol of her rebellious nature, clung to Kelly, and she found herself replaying the way Scarlet had slipped it onto her, the simple yet intimate action that spoke volumes in its quietness.
By the time lunch arrived, Kelly found herself in the cafeteria, scanning the room absentmindedly, still lost in thoughts of the encounter. She wasn't sure if it was because she was overthinking things or if it was just the lingering warmth from the jacket, but she felt a strange pull toward the soccer field. It was a habit of hers when she needed some space—standing outside, away from the noise of the cafeteria, letting the breeze clear her mind.
Kelly excused herself from the crowded table, muttering something about needing some air, and made her way to the back of the school. She stood near the fence, arms crossed, gazing out at the field. The sound of distant chatter, the occasional burst of laughter, and the rhythmic thud of a soccer ball filled the background, but Kelly's mind was still firmly fixed on Scarlet.
She leaned against the fence, watching the clouds drift lazily in the sky. As much as she tried to tell herself to forget about the girl—after all, they barely knew each other—something inside her couldn't stop the pull. The mystery, the cool indifference only made her more determined to break through. Kelly wanted to know who she really was.
A few minutes passed, and she was about to turn back inside when she heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps approaching. Her pulse quickened, and she knew—without even turning around—that it was Scarlet.
"Figured I'd find you out here," Scarlet's voice was low, but there was a slight edge to it, as if she was trying to hide the trace of uncertainty behind her usual cool facade.
Kelly turned slowly, her heart in her throat. She hadn't expected to see Scarlet again so soon, but there she was, standing a few feet away, her dark eyes fixed on her with that same unreadable expression.
"You really like this spot, don't you?" Scarlet remarked, her voice soft but deliberate. She was leaning against the fence now too, but her posture was relaxed, almost casual. Despite the indifference she exuded, Kelly couldn't ignore the small shift in the atmosphere—something almost fragile between them.
"It's... it's comfortable," Kelly said, her fingers brushing over the jacket, unsure how to explain why she felt strangely attached to it now. "Thanks again, by the way."
Scarlet's eyes softened for the briefest moment, but the hardness returned quickly. "Don't mention it," she muttered, her gaze dropping to the ground. "I just... figure you'd get in trouble for that."
The words surprised Kelly. Scarlet didn't want her to get in trouble?
"You care about that kind of thing?" Kelly asked, her tone teasing but curious.
Scarlet flicked a glance at her, as if weighing whether to answer. For a second, the silence stretched between them, thick and heavy. Then, in an almost inaudible murmur, Scarlet spoke again, her words surprising in their quiet sincerity. "I care about people not being stupid."
Kelly raised an eyebrow, a little amused. "And here I thought you didn't care about rules."
"I don't," Scarlet shot back quickly, almost too quickly, as if the topic made her uneasy. She took a long breath, exhaling slowly. "But people like you... you don't deserve to get caught up in dumb stuff. Especially not because of some dress code."
Kelly blinked, taken aback by the genuine concern that flickered in Scarlet's eyes for just a moment. For all her tough exterior, there was something in her that cared—that Kelly hadn't expected, and it unsettled her in a way she couldn't quite explain.
"You know," Kelly said, feeling a spark of curiosity, "You're a lot more complicated than I thought."
"I'm not complicated," Scarlet said, her voice low but firm. "I just don't care about... most things." Her lips twitched slightly, and for a second, Kelly thought she saw a flicker of amusement, but it was gone before she could fully register it.
Kelly tilted her head, trying to understand. "I don't think so. Everyone cares about something."
Scarlet didn't respond right away. Instead, she took a step closer to the fence, her hands sliding into the pockets of her jacket. For a second, Kelly thought Scarlet might walk away, but then, without looking at her, she spoke again.
"Maybe," she muttered, almost to herself. "But I don't care about being easy to understand."
Kelly couldn't help but smile, feeling that strange pull again. "Well, I'm going to try to figure you out anyway," she said lightly, her voice teasing but with an undercurrent of sincerity.
Scarlet gave her a side-eyed glance, her lips quirking into a small smirk. "Good luck with that."
As they stood there in the quiet, the wind rustling softly through the trees, Kelly felt a strange sense of anticipation. She wasn't ready to give up on this yet—not when she could feel that there was more beneath the surface.
And for the first time, Kelly wondered if Scarlet wasn't as untouchable as she appeared.
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