PROLOGUE : The calm before the storm.



Good morning, Meryton Academy. It's another perfect day in our not-so-perfect little world. The sun is shining, the ivy-covered buildings are glowing, and the sound of heels clicking down the cobblestone paths fills the air like a symphony. Everything looks as pristine as it always does here—polished, composed, and a little too perfect.

But appearances? They're just that.

Appearances.

I see it all, you know. Every lie, every fake smile, every whispered secret that drips like poison behind closed doors. And today? Today looks like any other day. But by tonight, one of us won't see the morning light.

At 8:15 a.m., Karissa Salem Lavoy-Hill strolls through the main courtyard, her bag heavy with textbooks and highlighters, her mind already on her next exam. Sharp, focused, unshakable—or so she thinks. She doesn't see Vienna Black toss a sideways glance her way, the kind that's equal parts disdain and curiosity.

By 10:30 a.m., Emmet Morris is in the library, headphones on, a pen twirling between his fingers as he studies. He likes it that way. But I've seen the way his eyes linger on Lucas St. Ambrose when they pass in the halls. What's behind that look, Emmet? Admiration? Envy? Something darker?

At noon, Helena Nicolls is the center of attention, laughing too loudly with her entourage over lunch. Her voice echoes through the dining hall, masking the tension simmering beneath her designer exterior. She's all charm and polished edges, but even diamonds can shatter under pressure.

By 3:00 p.m., Ashley Kingston is in the art studio, fumbling with his camera and mumbling apologies to a professor. He's clumsy, awkward, and oh-so-easy to overlook. But people like Ashley see things—capture things—that others don't. And sometimes, they capture things they were never meant to.

At 5:45 p.m., Vienna Black is leaving her law class, her steps deliberate and her chin held high. A picture-perfect vision of privilege and power. But even queens of the social hierarchy have their secrets, and Vienna's are buried deep. Or so she thinks.

And by 8:00 p.m., Lucas St. Ambrose is alive. Breathing. Smiling. Charming everyone in his orbit, as he always does. He's the golden boy, the one everyone loves to hate but can't seem to look away from. He doesn't know it yet, but tonight is the last night he'll ever laugh, ever speak, ever breathe.

The clock is ticking. The pieces are moving. Someone here is about to make a choice they can't take back. And tomorrow? Tomorrow, Meryton Academy won't be the same.

You think you know these people—their shiny exteriors, their carefully crafted images. But trust me, no one here is as innocent as they seem.

I'll be watching. I always am.

Xoxo, The Watcher

EJONA SPEAKS !!!

This whole story will be third pov told by the watcher hehe

Thoughts?