The next morning, Eva barely had time to brace herself before stepping through the school gates. She could already feel the shift in the atmosphere as she walked into Silver Heights Academy. Whispers trailed her through the hallway like smoke, students casting sidelong glances her way, some smirking, others murmuring behind their hands. The TikTok. It was still gaining traction, and somehow—though no one had said it outright—everyone seemed to know she had something to do with it.

The message from Sienna Valdez had gone unanswered, left sitting in her inbox like a ticking time bomb. Eva wasn't stupid. Whatever Sienna had to say, it wasn't going to be friendly.

She pushed the thought away, trying to focus as she moved through the crowded halls, her eyes scanning the faces around her. The school felt different now. It wasn't just her who had changed—it was the way people looked at her. Before, she had been invisible, just another outsider. Now, thanks to one viral moment, people were starting to see her. Not as one of them, but as someone they had to pay attention to.

It wasn't long before her phone buzzed again, this time with another flood of notifications. She swiped to check her feed, her follower count climbing steadily. 12,000 followers. The comments kept rolling in:

"Who's the girl who posted it? She's a legend.""She's gonna get herself killed. Sienna's not one to mess with.""I wonder if she's trying to take down all the 'elite' kids. If so, good for her."

Eva's heart thudded in her chest. She hadn't meant for this to go so far. It had been a stupid, impulsive post—a way to vent her frustration. But now it felt like she was in way over her head.

As she reached her locker, Eva sensed someone step up beside her. She didn't have to turn to know who it was. The air shifted, colder, heavier.

Jayce Harrow.

She looked up slowly, her eyes locking onto his. His presence was suffocating, a wall of tension that hit her full force. Jayce stood too close, leaning casually against the locker next to hers, but there was nothing relaxed about the look in his eyes. They were dark, intense, and far too calculating. His expression was calm, almost unreadable, but there was something dangerous simmering just beneath the surface.

"So," Jayce began, his voice low and smooth, "you're the one causing all the trouble."

Eva didn't flinch. She met his gaze, doing her best to keep her voice steady. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Jayce's lips twitched in the barest hint of a smirk, but it didn't reach his eyes. "You're really going to play dumb? That video didn't just happen. You posted it."

She could feel the weight of his words. Jayce didn't ask questions; he made statements, leaving no room for doubt or denial. He already knew the truth—probably more than she did.

"I didn't know it would blow up like that," Eva said, her voice firmer now. "It was an accident."

He laughed softly, shaking his head. "No. That wasn't an accident. It was a power move."

Eva blinked, caught off guard by the way he said it, as if he was explaining something obvious. He pushed off the locker, straightening to his full height, the casual arrogance radiating from him.

"You invaded my domain," Jayce continued, his tone sharp now, "and you did it with one viral post. You think you're just some random girl, but you're not. Not anymore."

Eva's pulse quickened, but she held her ground. She wasn't about to back down from him, not after everything she had gone through just to survive her first days at Silver Heights. "I'm not trying to invade anything. I didn't even want to be part of your world."

Jayce's eyes narrowed slightly. "But now you are. Whether you like it or not." He leaned in, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "And here's the thing about my world, Eva—there are rules. You don't just get to come in and disrupt the balance without consequences."

Her heart pounded in her chest, but she didn't move. She wasn't going to let him intimidate her, no matter how powerful he was. "You don't scare me, Jayce."

For the first time, something flickered in his eyes—surprise, maybe. Interest. It was subtle, but it was there.

"I should," he said simply, stepping back just a fraction. His gaze stayed locked on hers, though, still cold, still calculating. "Sienna's not the forgiving type, and she's already pissed. You made her look like a fool in front of the whole school. She's going to come for you."

"I can handle Sienna," Eva shot back, her voice laced with defiance.

Jayce raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Can you, though?"

Eva didn't answer. She didn't need to. The challenge in her eyes spoke volumes.

Jayce smirked again, shaking his head as if he found the whole thing entertaining. "You've got guts. I'll give you that. But let me give you a piece of advice." He paused, letting the moment stretch just long enough for tension to creep in. "Don't bite off more than you can chew."

With that, he turned on his heel and walked away, leaving her standing by the lockers, heart racing and mind spinning. His parting words hung in the air, dripping with both warning and intrigue.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. Eva couldn't stop replaying the conversation in her head, her nerves a jumbled mess. Jayce Harrow—the untouchable king of Silver Heights—had confronted her. It felt surreal, like stepping into a world she had never asked to be part of. But now, she was in it, whether she wanted to be or not.

And Jayce had made one thing perfectly clear: she had crossed a line.

As the final bell rang, Eva packed up her things quickly, eager to escape the school and the suffocating tension that seemed to be following her. But just as she stepped outside, she saw Sienna Valdez leaning against a sleek black car, her arms crossed over her chest, eyes locked on Eva. A small, venomous smile curled on Sienna's lips, and her posse of followers stood close by, waiting.

Eva's stomach twisted. Here we go.

She tried to walk past them, but Sienna's voice cut through the air, stopping her in her tracks.

"So, you're the one who thinks she can humiliate me and get away with it?"

Eva turned slowly, meeting Sienna's icy gaze. The crowd that had gathered around them was too big to ignore, and she could already see phones being lifted, cameras rolling, all waiting to catch the next viral moment.

The game had officially begun.

Sienna's voice was like silk, sweet on the surface but dripping with malice. "I don't know who you think you are, but you're not going to last long here. I'll make sure of it."

Eva clenched her fists at her sides, refusing to back down. "I didn't mean for the video to blow up, but it's not like I edited it. You tripped. It happened. And maybe people are tired of the act."

There were gasps from the crowd, and Eva could feel the shift in the energy. Some were shocked that she had dared to stand up to Sienna. Others were clearly enjoying the drama unfolding in front of them.

Sienna's smile faded, her eyes narrowing into slits. "You have no idea what you've started."

For a split second, Eva felt the weight of those words. But then she straightened her spine, meeting Sienna's gaze head-on.

"Maybe I do," Eva said, her voice steady. "And maybe I'm not as scared as you think."

Sienna's eyes flickered with anger, but before she could respond, a familiar figure stepped into the scene.

Jayce.

He strolled up casually, his hands in his pockets, but the moment he arrived, the crowd fell silent. He glanced at Sienna, then at Eva, and for a heartbeat, it was like they were the only three people standing there.

"Enough," Jayce said, his voice calm but commanding. "This isn't the place."

Sienna opened her mouth to protest, but Jayce's gaze cut her off. Without another word, she turned on her heel, her followers trailing behind her.

The crowd began to disperse, but Eva stood frozen in place, her heart racing. Jayce lingered for a moment, his eyes scanning her face, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his features.

"I warned you," he said quietly, before walking away.

Eva stood there, staring after him, her mind spinning. She had thought she understood the game at Silver Heights, but it was becoming increasingly clear—she had no idea what she was really up against.