Nikki's voice dripped with venom. "Just because your father is the principal, it doesn't mean you should be allowed to attend a private boys' school. You've disrupted their safe space and personal boundaries for no reason."

Freya had enough of Nikki's insults. Vita, holding a pair of girl-power socks, jumped to Freya's defense. "How can you talk to her like that?"

Nikki shot back, "How can I not? You and your dad are wrong to take over a job and a school that doesn't belong to you."

Freya stood firm. "I'm not going to explain myself to you. We didn't think it would be a big deal. We wanted to adapt to a new change, not take someone's job or force our way into a boys' school."

Vita added, "Nikki, this family didn't mean to hurt anyone. You're taking your anger out on the wrong people."

Nikki's face twisted in anger. "You both should leave. You should move far away, Freya. Take over another school with your dad, and never come back."

Freya's freckles stood out as she frowned. "We can't just leave. Our lives are here now."

Nikki's frustration boiled over. "I don't want to share this neighborhood with you. I don't want to share my dad, stepbrother, or boyfriend with you. You're not allowed to know Tate or Reese."

Freya's eyes widened as she connected the dots.

"Oh my god... is one of them a problem for you?" Nikki's smirk confirmed Freya's suspicions. Nikki knew about Reese's threats against her.

"Depends on if you came with one of them." Freya's voice trembled.

"I came with Reese." Nikki's smirk grew wider.

"Oh, I see." Freya gasped, her mind reeling with the implications. "I have to go. Bye," she said hastily, grabbing the yellow blouse from the rack to purchase before quickly departing. The same yellow blouse Nikki deemed unsuitable for her. Just like Reese, it seemed, was not meant for her either.

...

Nikki's loud laughter echoed as Freya hastily paid for her items and ushered Vita out of the store.

They needed to escape before Reese or anyone else spotted them. Although Freya wouldn't have minded running into Tate, Nikki's mention of his name brought back memories of how he had helped her at the party. She wondered what it must be like for Tate to live with Nikki as his step-sister. Despite her hazy recollections of the party, Freya vividly remembered Tate's hazel eyes and chiseled features. His dirty blonde hair and athletic build had left a lasting impression, even invading her dreams. The resemblance to Daniel Sharman, who played Isaac from Teen Wolf, was uncanny, yet Tate's unique eye color only added to his allure.

For now, they managed to evade Reese and Nikki. As they walked to the car, everything seemed fine. That was until they met their Uber driver, who turned out to be none other than John Holland, Reese's father.

To their dismay, he took their money and drove off, leaving them stranded as he shouted, "Fuck you, bitch!"

...

Seated on a crowded, pungent bus, Freya and Vita were eager to return home. They had made a few purchases and escaped the strange faces, some of which belonged to boys who might attend Freya's school.

As she discreetly listened to a nearby conversation, Freya's anxiety grew. One of the boys made a bet, saying, "Too bad she's broke. I bet one hundred dollars something terrible will happen to her."

Another boy raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "Just one hundred dollars?"

A third boy chimed in, his tone ominous. "Maybe he'll take it too far and kill her, or cause a serious accident."

Their maniacal chuckles sent shivers down Freya's spine. When she caught their green eyes staring at her, Freya quickly averted her gaze, her tension palpable.

Leaning into Vita, she whispered urgently, "They saw me! What do I do?" Her hands rubbed nervously up and down her legs as she started to freak out. "Vita, do you think there's a chance someone could really hurt me or my dad?"

Vita stuttered, "I–I don't know," unable to offer any reassurance.