"Are you sure this is a school and not some psychological warfare arena?"
That was the first thought that crossed Rossie's mind as she stepped into the main hallway of Bellmont School. Marble-covered buildings, rows of gleaming steel lockers, and students in immaculate uniforms walking like they were starring in a luxury perfume ad—everything made Rossie feel like she had entered a world that didn't belong to her.
Her footsteps echoed through the corridor, as if invisible eyes were silently watching. She tried to keep her head down and walk faster, but there was no avoiding it: everyone knew who she was.
"Is that the scholarship girl?"
"I heard her house is next to a river or something…"
"Look at her shoes—definitely not from the Bellmont Store!"
"Poverty vibes detected…"
The whispers were never clear, but they stabbed like tiny needles. Still, Rossie kept walking, steadying herself. She'd been through worse. A few spoiled kids' comments wouldn't break her especially not when she'd survived eating rice with just salt.
—
11th Grade – Science Class 2
When Rossie opened the classroom door, every head turned. Silence. As if her presence disrupted the long-established social harmony of Bellmont.
"Good morning, everyone." Homeroom teacher Ms. Lestari greeted her with a warm but slightly strained smile. "Today we're welcoming a new classmate. Her name is Rossie Marie. Go ahead and introduce yourself, Rossie."
Rossie took a deep breath.
"Hi… I'm Rossie. From Surabaya. I got a full scholarship here, and… I hope we can all be good friends."
Her sweet smile didn't do much to shift the mood. Some students nodded slightly. Most didn't care.
"You can sit next to Nichole, in the middle row."
Rossie glanced at the seat and was relieved to see a bright-faced girl with chubby cheeks waving enthusiastically at her.
"Hi, I'm Nichole!" she said cheerfully. "Don't worry. A lot of people here suck, but I don't. I'm pro-newcomers."
Rossie chuckled.
"Thanks. You sound like Bellmont's social ambassador."
—
First Break
Bellmont's cafeteria looked like a luxury hotel food court. The menu was fancy, but the atmosphere cold and full of status games.
Nichole pointed to a table in the far corner.
"That's Sienna's table. Don't go near it unless you're ready to be secretly recorded and turned into passive-aggressive content."
Rossie peeked. Sienna was tall with perfectly styled long hair, a branded tote bag, and eyes sharp like a hawk.
Flanking her were two girls and a guy whose relaxed vibe seemed too calculated to be casual.
"Are they seniors?" Rossie asked.
"Nope. Sienna's our age. But she's like… the Queen Snake of this place. Her words can kill."
At that moment, Sienna's eyes locked onto Rossie's. No smile, no nod—just a cold glance before she turned away with a look of disdain.
Nichole gently patted Rossie's shoulder.
"Welcome to Bellmont."
—
Afternoon – Room 203
Rossie opened the door to their room. Liam was still in the same spot as the night before. He had changed out of his uniform into a dark hoodie. The book in his hands looked like a journal, but Rossie couldn't see the title.
"I thought you didn't come back from school?" Rossie said, trying to start a conversation.
"This is a boarding school. Where would I go?" Liam replied without looking at her.
Rossie dropped her backpack.
"I didn't expect this school to be so… vicious."
"You've only had one day," Liam said coldly. "Wait till you see the real side of it."
Rossie looked at him, slightly annoyed.
"Are you always this cold to everyone?"
Liam closed his book and stared at her.
"No. Just to people who ask too many questions."
The room fell silent. Rossie said nothing more. She opened her suitcase and started putting her clothes away. But her eyes kept drifting to the black book she had found the night before, still hidden on the bottom shelf.
—
Evening – Dorm Study Room
Rossie sat alone. The textbook in front of her remained unread. Her mind was spinning. Bellmont felt too far from her reality. Too full of secrets.
Nichole arrived with two cups of hot chocolate.
"Anti-overthinking remedy. Free, just for the first day."
Rossie laughed.
"You're like a life raft in a sea of rich kids."
Nichole sat beside her.
"You know why I chose to be friends with you?" she asked softly.
Rossie frowned.
"We've known each other for, like, twelve hours."
"Exactly. And in those twelve hours, you've been the least fake person I've met here."
Rossie was quiet for a moment.
"Thank you, Nichole."
—
Another Midnight – The Mystery Returns
Rossie couldn't sleep. The rain had returned. She opened the window slightly and saw Liam… standing alone in the back garden, under the rain.
He was holding the same small pendant as on the first night. Rossie watched him from the second floor.
Who are you really, Liam? And why… why is there a grief in your eyes that feels just like mine?
—
End of Chapter 2
The next morning, Rossie found a brown envelope tucked inside her desk drawer. No sender name. Inside was an old photo—a woman who looked like her mother, standing in front of Bellmont's main building… next to the headmaster.
And on the back of the photo, written in thin ink:
"You've come to the right place. But you won't like the answers."
Rossie clutched the photo tightly. Her heart was racing.
Bellmont had secrets.
And everything… was just beginning.